Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Trans-Canada-Highway - From Coast to Coast


All photos by the Author
Vancouver Island - View from Sooke on the southern tip


7,000 kilometers criss-crossing the Canadian provinces from Nova-Scotia to British Columbia. 

Travelers don’t need to prepare for this trip, and they don’t need maps or navigation help: The Trans-Canada Highway leads them from coast to coast.  You can't get lost! 

From St. John's in Newfoundland to Victoria on Vancouver Island. Hotels, motels, and restaurants/fast food stores are galore along this route. 


The Trans-Canada Highway is Canada's longest national road. My tip: Don’t drive it in July or August, as it can be very hot in central Canada. I traveled it several times, either in April-May or in September-early October. 



Here are some photo impressions:



16-kilometer-long bridge from Prince Edward Island to Nova Scotia 

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Light Tower near Antigonish, Nova Scotia

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Lobster Traps on a Wharf in New Brunswick

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Old Montreal, Quebec

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Patisserie in Bromont

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Governor General's Rideau Hall Guard, Ottawa

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Parliament in Ottawa

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Manitoulin Island, Lake Huron Ontario

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Niagara-on-the-Lake in Spring

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CNN Tower Toronto

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Algonquin Park Cottage

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You Are in Bear Country!

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Human Rights Museum Winnipeg

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Heritage Buildings in Winnipeg

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First Nations Casinos

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Floatplanes

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Endless Wheat Fields

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Old Grain Elevators

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Prairie Grass

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Hockey Mascot and Grain Elevator

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Barely any Canadians have seen their home country in its full length and traveled through several time zones. Let alone visiting the Northern Territories. What a pity that they fly to Europe or the Caribbean, but haven’t seen their own country.


Bentley, my large dog, traveled with me, lying comfortably in our van, and I stopped every hour, not driving more than 3 to 400 kilometers (250 miles on average) per day.



Big Skies in Alberta

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Oil Towers

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Native Reservations in Southern Alberta

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Bog at the Waterton Ntl Park

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Glacier Ntl. Park

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Canadian Pacific Train

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If you want to see more of the country, check out these side-routes:  


Nova Scotia's South Shore, the route #132 along the St. Lawrence River, Quebec City and Montreal, the 1000 Islands where the river flows into the Lake Ontario, Winnipeg in Manitoba and Saskatoon in Sasketchawan, the Badlands around Drumheller and it’s Dinosaur Museum.


Visit Jasper and drive the Icefield Glacier Parkway along the border of Alberta and British Columbia, Kelowna, the city of wine and roses, and then Vancouver, one of the most beautiful Canadian cities, maybe with a short trip to Whistler.  Don’t miss the western islands including Ucluelet and Tofino on the Pacific coast.




Lots of Vegetables and Fruit in BC
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Kootenay Lake British Columbia

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Small Town Feel in Greenwood, BC

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Osoyoos Desert, BC

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Native Winery in Osoyoos, BC

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Rainbow over Vineyards

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Roses of the Okanagan Valley

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Okanagan Lake towards Vernon

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Monument Kelowna Harbor

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Kelowna Bear

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Okanagan Wine

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View over Kelowna and Lake Okanagan

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Mount Robson, BC

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Vancouver Island, View from Nanaimo

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Vancouver City, English Bay in Spring

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Vancouver Heritage Museum

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Olympia city Whistler-Blackcomb



Take at least a couple of weeks to enjoy a wonderful trip, exploring marvelous Canada.


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Tuesday, August 4, 2026

Explore Canada This Summer: Royal Botanical Gardens Burlington

 



More ways to explore Canada this summer: An outing to the Royal Botanical Gardens, 

680 Plains Rd W, Burlington - Hamilton

It is the largest botanical garden in Canada, a National Historic Site.

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I visited several times in late May and early June, and arrived by car, public transit, and once by bike from Burlington. There are two entrances:

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Royal Botanical Gardens is located at the western tip of Lake Ontario. Two distinct formal gardens are contained with 2,007 acres of nature reserve, nestled into the slopes of Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Region. Explore and enjoy the many historical outdoor plant collections, the indoor Mediterranean Garden, and 27 km of nature trails.

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My favored garden part is the Rock Garden

Opened to visitors in 1932, the historic Rock Garden is considered the birthplace of Royal Botanical Gardens. Following a significant rejuvenation, the David Braley and Nancy Gordon Rock Garden reopened in 2016 to embrace sustainable trends in garden design and management while respecting the integrity of its heritage setting.  Bold swaths of brilliant perennials provide sweeps of inspiring colour and texture throughout all seasons.


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Garden Admission applies for daytime access to RBG’s formal garden areas (Hendrie Park, RBG Centre & Rock Garden).

RBG Members have access to daytime garden visits year round! It is worth to get the membership if you live in the area or in the GTA of Toronto.

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Besides the gardens there are lots of other nature trails nearby:


  • The Waterdown Trail is a scenic in-and-out hike around 11 kilometres long. It’s considered moderately challenging and includes stairs and sometimes muddy conditions.
  • Some side trails and loops along the trail provide some shorter, faster hike options.
  • Waterfalls are located in environmentally sensitive areas – please stay on marked designated trails and obey closure signs; there are many rare plants that can be easily damaged or destroyed.
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