changoo

I would love to hear from you all about favorite cities/towns in Canada and any and all info you have time to share about life for expats in Canada.
Thanks so much

Cowgirl

I was born and raised in Calgary, but my fav city in Western Canada is by far Vancouver. It's got the best of both worlds - mountains and sea. And it doesn't get as cold there in the winter either!

I've never been to Eastern Canada (besides Ottawa once, briefly) so don't really know what it's like. Oh, hang on - I did visit Toronto a few times, it's quite nice too (in a cosmopolitan kind of way), but I definitely prefer Vancouver!

Out of all the Canadian cities, I know that overall Vancouver appeals to many Brits! You'll find that there are loads of them there!!

Keith

Each city/town in Canada have their distinctive qualities just as cities/towns in the UK have.

Personally I have lived in Ottawa since we arrived in Canada in 1963. I haven't visited to many western cities but did consider retiring to Victoria, but felt it would be too remote from our family.

Ottawa is a mid size city ( about 1 million) and is a great place for bring up a family. It's also close to a wide variety of places to visit within a days drive, from Montreal to Washington DC.

We do have a colder winter but one that has rarely caused the chaos that occurs in the UK when a little snow falls. In my 30 years of working in Ottawa I was never unable to get into work because of road conditions due to snow storms. Summers tend to be warmer than in the west and there are great places around Ottawa for day trips and vacations. Also there are lots of great festivals all year round.

These last 47 years in Ottawa have been more satisfying than the 33 years I spent in the UK.


http://www.google.ca/images?hl=en&bi...ed=0CCgQsAQwAA

dboy

Vancouver and Victoria.....Toronto's not bad either.

Strawberry

Vancouver is a spectacular city without a doubt......

JamesM

One of the best drives I love to do in the world is the drive from Niagara Falls to Niagara-on-the-lake.

You go past the natural whirl pool and then down the narrow road past the huge power plant, the picturesque golf course and then step back in time driving past the most amazing houses. All of this with that lake back drop and the US on the otherside.

dbd33

That's quite pleasant. However, you might want to look at the Cabot Trail, the Pacific Coast Highway, the road through the Outer Banks, Miami to Key West over the bridges, the Natchez Trail and most of the roads through canyons in the South-West; coming into Sedona is one such treat.

Strawberry

Or how abouts the Sea to sky highway................

dboy

lived in Miami, done the keys.....ok, PCH is great, nothing compared to the sea to sky highway.

dbd33

Is that the road up to Whistler? If so, it was nice, yes. See also the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray.

Simon Legree

That would be Oak Creek Canyon which runs from just south of Flagstaff. Sadly, coming into Sedona isn't much better than driving along Dundas Street in Mississauga these days. Development is rampant and although there remains the beauty of the red rocks it has been spoiled by commercialization.

dbd33

I liked it in April. I've always liked it and think it's an excellent example of sensible zoning laws keeping development in check; note the very many adobe buildings. I'm aware, of course, of the snobbery against the place and that I should have nominated Moab instead so has to have more 'cred but Moab doesn't have glowing rocks as you approach.

On edit: I was thinking of Schnebley Hill Road rather than going through Oak Creek Canyon. While I disagree with idea that the main road looks anything like the hell that is Mississauga it is rather more developed.

JamesM

All on the "to do" list. Have not done any driving state side.

I did enjoy driving around the villages of Alba in Southwest France- although it's very easy to get lost even with satellite navigation!

But I do like that Niagara drive- a nice 20-30 minutes.

Simon Legree

Snobbery against Sedona ! I haven't heard that before.
Maob may not have glowing rocks as you approach but it does have lots of superb places close by. Arches National Park, Canyonlands N.P. Capitol Reef N.P and one of my favorite spots, the little known Dead Horse Point State Park. There's a shot of it in my gallery.
In fact just about anywhere below I 70 and east of I 15 is gob smackingly beautiful. Some beautiful drives.

dbd33

A former partner grew up in southern Utah, her parents live now in Grand Junction CO and her relatives all over the south-west; one's a tyre changer for Costco in Prescott, several live in Phoenix. I went hiking with the gang of them a number of times, the GC, the Chicago Basin, Arches in winter, several ghost towns. They generally hated Sedona and the population thereof; it being occupied by drug crazed communist new age eastern gun-control hippy types. That Frank Lloyd Wright being the start of it.

Anyway, on topic, Quebec City is pretty.