Best Time to Visit Canada

One can visit Canada at any time during the year, as the country has something in store for every season.

The Best time to Visit the country is during Spring, Summer and Autumn, encompassing the months of April to October. Spring (April to May) is a delightful time to visit owing to the blossoming of tulips and daffodils across the country, with the added advantage of warming days and off-peak season tourist rates. Similarly Autumn (September to October) witnesses the fall foliage in Canada, with the temperatures comfortable to still enjoy sightseeing and outdoor activities, yet escaping the tourist rush of summer.

Within the range of an ideal time to visit Canada, summer season is regarded as the peak tourist season. The summer months of June to August are characterized by warm days and cool nights, with humidity being more concentrated on the coastal areas. During these months, city tours, sightseeing, outdoor activities, hiking trails and the famous Rocky Mountain tours, are all open and packed with visitors. With the high demand, prices of accommodation and flights do however tend to escalate, thus advance bookings are advised if choosing to travel in these months. The cherry on the cake – summer is also Festival time in Canada! Some of the famous festivals one may attend during these months include the Calgary Stampede, Montreal Jazz Festivals, Caribana and more.

Winter months occur during the November to March, with the country witnessing colder temperatures, stronger winds and snowfall. However this season too has its own charm, as the weather transforms Canada into a ski resort and winter sport haven. Further attracting the winter enthusiasts, is the added advantage of relatively lower accommodation and travel rates as well as the many festivals which take place including the season, including the famous Carnival de Quebec (Winter Carnival).

Climate

There are four distinct seasons in Canada -spring, summer, autumn and winter. Therefore depending on the latitude and the timing of the seasons, temperatures vary from place to place.

For the country in general, summer is between the months of June to August, with July and August tending to be the hottest months of the year. The warmest parts of the country lie towards the south, closest to the North American border.

Winter-time in Canada is during the months of November to March, with January and February pegged as the coldest month, as temperatures fall to an average of minus 20 degrees Celcius. Most of the country is capped in snow during these months.

Spring and Autumn seasons occur between the months of April to May and September to October respectively. Being transitional months, they tend to experience milder climatic conditions, compared to the extremes of summer and winter, whilst also adding to the landscape beauty of this country due to the flora and fauna witnessed during these time periods.

To better understand the climatic variations of Canada, we may divide the country into different areas.

The Northern part of Canada experiences Arctic type climate, with the summer temperatures dropping to minus 15 degrees Celsius on certain days and winter being well below freezing point. Within the central part of Canada, the summer temperatures range between 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, with the winter being harsher and windier witnessing low temperatures averaging minus 15 degrees Celsius. Due to their proximity to the oceans, the coastal areas experience the greatest share of rainfall and humidity. The towns within the coastal areas, witness an average summer temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and winter falling to 0 degrees Celsius.

Despite these varying climatic conditions and temperate zones, Canada is surely a country one may visit at any time of the year.