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One of Canada’s most iconic hotels, the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is cradled by the Rocky Mountains, its grand, castle-like structure surrounded by towering peaks and the pristine, protected wilderness of Banff National Park. The hotel was founded in 1890 by Cornelius Van Horne, the general manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway, who envisioned creating a refuge for “the outdoor adventurer and alpinist.” What began as a one-story log cabin ended up helping to kick-start tourism in the Canadian Rockies, launch the Canadian mountaineering scene, and draw a host of notable names to the region, from Marilyn Monroe to Queen Elizabeth II.

Today, guests arrive in a grand lobby outfitted with imposing chandeliers and sweeping staircases. Common areas are decorated with old-timey photos from the hotel’s past, while the 552 spacious rooms and suites are all about showcasing views of the stunning turquoise lake and snowcapped Victoria Glacier. There are plenty of activities to enjoy year-round, from canoeing, hiking, fishing, rafting, and horseback riding in warmer weather, to skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, and snowmobiling in the winter. In between, savor everything from European alpine dishes, authentic Italian fare, and Canadian comfort food to a large selection of bourbons and whiskeys at the seven dining outlets, or head to the spa and health club for a pampering treatment or dip in the indoor heated pool.

Where in Montreal can diners hope for an affordable meal that isn’t drenched in oil or entirely free of flavors? At L’Gros Luxe, that’s where. This stylish neighborhood watering hole may look like a hip, Victorian-inspired and overall super cool place but the truth is that anyone is welcome; from ladies who lunch, young families who brunch or friends out to celebrate a birthday. Portions at L’Gros Luxe are smaller than a regular meal but bigger than tapas, and yet prices are always under $8 per plate. L’Gros Luxe strives to bring its customer the freshest, locally-sourced produce available, and the way they can afford to cut back on prices is by making literally everything in house - from sauces to veggie patties from scratch. Their poutine is quite a mouthful - tater tots, cheese curds, veggie gravy and green onions. A nice change, and something poutine aficionados should not deprive themselves from. Their legendary Ceasars, which are topped with a mini grilled-cheese, are simply mindblowing. And easy on the wallet.

Not to be mistaken for the popular izakaya of the same name (and same owners) down the street, on Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Avenue des Pins, this Big In Japan is on the corner of Boulevard Saint-Laurent and Rue Rachel. You may not notice the sign, or even the door – it adds to the sense of mystery of this high-class drinking establishment (look for the black door near the fast-food restaurant Patati-Patata). From the vaporous curtains to the long shiny U-bar, the atmosphere here is distinctly speakeasy, and the classic cocktails maintain that illusion. The champagne cocktail will never go unwanted, and the Tom Collins is fizzy and tart, as it should be. Or you could dip into the house specialties: sakes, prune wines and Japanese whiskeys, used bottles of which serve as the basis for this stylish spot’s contemporary lamp fixtures.

The Thompson Hotel, Toronto, opened in 2010 as a modern, translucent glass building soaring above its low-rise, red-brick neighbors and staking a claim as a symbol of glitz and glam in the King West neighborhood. Thanks to its fashionable in-house bars and restaurants, the hotel is a popular fixture both with locals and with the Hollywood set who visit each September for the TIFF film festival. The acclaimed Studio Gaia team designed the rooms, which have bold, dark-wood flooring and hot accents of orange playing off cool white walls. Heated marble floors in the bathrooms, spacious tubs, and sheets with high thread counts all contribute to the sense of luxury, and floor-to-ceiling windows ensure that rooms are flooded with natural light. After check-in, guests can use their room key to access the private elevator up to the rooftop bar, with its 360-degree views of the city. The rotating menu of seasonal cocktails is especially delicious.

Place des Arts, the jewel of the Quartier des Spectacles in the center of town, is a cultural complex attached to the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal that unites five performance spaces, including the Maison Symphonique de Montréal. It has two main performance arts spaces: Théâtre Maisonneuve, a nearly 1,500-seat modern-day rendition of a classical Italian theatre where dance organizations including Grands Ballets Canadiens regularly perform; Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, which with just under 3,000 seats is better suited for big, boisterous Opéra de Montréal productions; and the smaller, 400-seat Cinquième Salle, home to series of shows by Danse Danse, among others. Photo: Susan Moss

Under 20 minutes by car from Québec City (or, if you are feeling ambitious, less than an hour by bike, with most of the ride on a well-maintained path), Chute-Montmorency (Montmorency Falls) is the area’s most impressive natural wonder. If you visit the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec before you go, the sight will look familiar: Montmorency has long been a popular subject for local painters. Think Niagara is impressive? The cascade here is a full 99 feet higher—272 feet to the Horseshoe Falls’ 173 feet. In winter, spray from the falls freezes into a hill at its base, known as the Sugarloaf, and snowshoes are available for rent if you want to explore the nearby trails. In the summer, there’s a zip line for those in search of an adrenaline bump. Year-round, a cable car carries passengers to the top of the falls, providing bird’s-eye views en route.

Not far from Kelowna driving along Lakeshore Drive and passing aging vines of lush with grapes for harvesting, sits the goats of the Camelis Alpine Goat Cheese Artisan. Exiting the vehicle you hear the playful singing of goats in the distance sensing the arrival of someone new. On a fall day the blue Okanagan Lake and the autumn colours create a visually robust cornucopia and you can’t do anything but drink it in. The gift shop is similar to an old fashioned western candy store as the entire building is a converted farmhouse. To my right is a display of local olive oils and vinegars. To my left is an enticing display of house made goat cheese gelato and before me is an array of goat cheeses that I didn’t know existed. From goat cheese with delicious ribbons of mouldy blue, a goat cheese that mimics a camembert and a yogurt cheese ideal for spreading there is a cheese to match all tastes. Open from May 1st - October 31st.

Tucked away on a side street between King Street and Blue Jays Way in the heart of Toronto’s entertainment district, Hotel Le Germain is a cozy escape from the bustle of the city. The lobby has a library area where guests can curl up on sofas and, in wintertime, enjoy the atmospheric crackling of the wood-burning fire. In summer, the rooftop putting green on the 11th floor is the place to relax. Following a full renovation project in early 2015, the minimalist rooms are monochrome with colorful accents, and the generously sized bathrooms have glass-walled rainfall jet showers. The hotel piles on a raft of extras, such as free Wi-Fi, newspapers, and in-room Nespresso coffee machines. There is also a complimentary breakfast that includes croissants and pastries.

The moment the snow melts, young Torontonians begin their annual spring migration to Trinity Bellwoods Park. The hippest park in town, Bellwoods stretches from the shopper’s paradise of Queen West up to central Dundas Street. On a summer’s day, sun-and-fun seekers spread out on beach blankets to watch the action: at the dog run, on the tennis courts, in the kiddie pool, and even closer, on the adjacent blankets. After dark, head to nearby Bellwoods Brewery for a pint.

In the middle of Montréal, walking up Avenue McGill College toward the Mountain, you can’t help but run into the 65-person polyurethane sculpture “La Foule Illuminée” (“The Illuminated Crowd”). Sculpted by Franco-British artist Raymond Mason, this public art has stood in front of the BNP/Laurentian Bank Tower since the mid-1980s. In the words of the artist: “A crowd has gathered, facing a light, an illumination brought about by a fire, an event, an ideology—or an ideal. The strong light casts shadows, and as the light moves toward the back and diminishes, the mood degenerates; rowdiness, disorder and violence occur, showing the fragile nature of man. Illumination, hope, involvement, hilarity, irritation, fear, illness, violence, murder and death—the flow of man’s emotion through space.” Get up close, eye-to-eye with some of the details, and you’ll see why this sculpture still generates both controversy and bemusement in the middle of this vibrant city.

Panache at the Auberge Saint-Antoine hotel in Lower Town was long one of Québec City’s most celebrated restaurants, a special-occasion favorite of locals and visitors, located in a cozy and historic 19th-century warehouse with wooden beams and stone walls. In June 2017, the restaurant was rechristened Chez Muffy, after one of the inn’s co-owners. The same chef is at the helm, Julien Ouellet, who is known for Canadian and French dishes that make the most of local produce. (The menu is changed every two months to highlight whatever is in season.) With its farmhouse inspiration, you’ll typically find venison, duck, and other gamey options, but Ouellet usually has at least one vegetarian entrée, often made with ingredients grown on his farm on the Île d’Orléans. The hotel’s Bar Artefact, named for the items on display that were unearthed during an excavation of the site, is an ideal place to extend your meal with a cocktail before or after you eat.

This handsome resto-bar on Boulevard Saint-Laurent trades in a fantastical aesthetic reminiscent of old timey circuses featuring mustachioed acrobats in striped leotards. The interior is panelled wood with a stuffed dear head and a long pale-wood bar, with disparate chairs around small tables for intimate get-togethers. Their curvy emblem glasses are filled with house cocktails or good beer, and the plates filled with delights conceived by chef Charles-Antoine Crête, of Toqué! fame. Try their Sunday brunch every week starting at 11 am, featuring a salmon feuilleté that will make your day.

This favorite spot turned what used to be a dismal block on Avenue du Parc into a happening strip, inspiring a wave of restaurants and businesses to open around it. The bar’s stylish interiors are characterized by narrow, long tables for intimate group gatherings around drinks and one of their delicious roast chickens, served without pomp or circumstance on a wooden board. The constantly evolving wine list is superb and varied in terms of pricing, and their cocktails are straightforward but scrumptious. This is a popular after-work and weekend spot, so expect to wait a bit for a table.

Affectionately nicknamed by locals as the “Castle in the City” for its copper-green, fairytale-like roof, the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver was once a Canadian Pacific Railway hotel—a fact that’s intertwined with the history of the city (and the railroad) itself. Guests can learn some of that story via displays in the vast lobby, where they sit alongside designer outlets like Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The lobby—as well as the Notch8 restaurant and bar, function spaces, Heritage Suites, and 507 guest rooms—recently emerged from a $55 million renovation done in advance of the hotel’s 80th anniversary. A revamp of the Fairmont Gold “hotel within a hotel” concept and lounge will launch in 2019.

The decor in the spacious rooms is sophisticated and classic, with dark woods, polished brass, and plush velvets accenting the crisp, white linens and muted palettes. Some suites even connect, making the Fairmont a solid choice for family travel. Enjoy Canadian dishes, afternoon tea, and bar bites—plus more railway travel nostalgia—in Notch8 (which is named for a train’s top speed), then work it off in the indoor pool or the well-stocked gym, which features Technogym equipment and a Kinesis wall. The Absolute Spa offers signature services using West Coast ingredients.

Mount Royal Park starts at the edge of the city just beyond the McGill campus and runs alongside neighborhoods like Plateau before rising to the top of 764-foot-tall Mount Royal (Mont Réal), the hill that gives the city its name. The twisting roads and paths of this crown jewel of Montréal’s park system were initially laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed New York’s Central Park. While Olmsted’s plan was not followed in all its details, the final result was true to his vision of a woody park that takes advantage of the site’s hilly topography. There are two belvederes with views of the city skyline and the St. Lawrence River, and one of Montréal’s iconic landmarks, a 103-foot-high cross, sits at its northern end. The park is most popular in summer, but residents flock here in every season, to enjoy the colorful foliage in the fall and the cross-country ski trails and toboggan runs in the winter.