Hi. I love traveling from the United States to Canada. I have been to all 10 provinces; no territories yet. Despite the potential turmoil between the 2 countries in 2025, we always encourage travel between the 2 countries.
Canadians and Americans have more in common than some idiots think they do. Traveling helps people figure that out.
Traveling lately has been a struggle for your humble narrator. Real life is not going well. Just know my heart wants to be there in Canada, even outside of Windsor.
A trip back to Montréal. A first trip to Saskatoon. A chance to see relatively new CFL stadiums in Regina and Hamilton. The Icefield Parkway in Alberta. Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. Gander in Newfoundland. Churchill in Manitoba, though that might be a pipe dream. The interior of British Columbia, a world not Vancouver or Victoria.
I've been to Quebec City but would like to try areas of the city I didn't get to see. Stratford, Ontario as an adult: have been there as a kid. Explore the Acadian part of New Brunswick.
We've written these words a few times. Still our travel goals in 2025. Here are some travel thoughts from the past year:
Canadian travel notebook: Brittlestar talks up Atlantic Canada
2024 Civic Holiday notebook: Jasper is the latest Canadian city to suffer from wildfires
Canadian film notebook: Évelyne Brochu gets caught in a love triangle in French Girl
The painful footage of seeing Jasper in flames was a low point in Canada and travel in 2024. Getting to these places before a tragedy feels odd. This is not a place where I have been but was/is still on my list. If you can, support those local businesses that are still there.
In a parallel universe, I work as an ambassador to what makes Atlantic Canada awesome. I would be the outsider who can explain how incredible that travel experience can be. There are a few drawbacks like living there in February and the occasional tropical storm from a long ago hurricane.
I love the La Banquise story about Timothée Chalamet from Denis Villeneuve. I have served as an unofficial guide to what to do in Montréal. I had several people in 2024 make their first trip to that city. I offer up mostly food suggestions: La Banquise comes up a lot. The thing about poutine is that most Americans I know haven't had a decent plate of the dish. You can dislike poutine and I will be your friend. I just want people to try how it can be. La Banquise is one of many places to get a good plate of poutine in Montréal.
High-speed rail brings people closer together, even in wide open spaces such as Alberta
CanadianCrossing.com Alberta coverage
Americans generally like the idea of traveling to Canada. Getting Canadians to travel within Canada is more difficult. Flying to London, England is easier and cheaper than going to see New Brunswick or Newfoundland.
While we don't have the 2025 CFL schedule, we know there won't be a Touchdown Atlantic (past years) or Touchdown Pacific (2024). Hoping someday for Touchdown Windsor, which might not seem likely. Yet there is talk about a CFL game within sight of the United States. They are considering Acumen Stadium at St. Clair College and Alumni Stadium at the University of Windsor.
Victoria looked gorgeous during Touchdown Pacific. The fact that CBS Sports Network was convinced to add that game meant Americans could see a part of western Canada below the 49th parallel.
Canadians often use the CFL as an excuse to travel to different parts of the country. Seeing the Saskatchewan fans in New Brunswick in September for Touchdown Atlantic was a wonderful feeling. I have seen CFL games in every CFL city and Moncton, NB but not the current stadiums in Hamilton and Regina.
Jayme Poisson, host of CBC Radio's Front Burner, is a conservative journalist. Poisson was in love with the protesters in Ottawa and is often cold with seemingly progressive topics in the news. The fact that Poisson did a recent episode on high-speed rail and was only mildly snarky was quite a surprise.
The episode was sparked in great part by the Trudeau Government plan to do high-speed rail between Quebec City and Toronto with trains to reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour.
The high-speed rail train would run on a separate electrified track. The plan is to run the train from Quebec City, Trois-Rivières, Laval, Montréal, Ottawa, Peterborough, and Toronto.
MacLean's makes a case for high speed rail helping to ease the housing crisis. Rail travel and high-speed rail are seen as "left" or "progressive" when all political stripes would get advantages of being able to travel faster across Canada. Lots of Toronto-Ottawa business trips where you can get more work done on a train than waiting at the airport. People who need to work in Toronto but like the lifestyle of Peterborough: those are the 905 people who tend to vote conservative.
Canada does have its struggles with rail infrastructure on the local level: Metrolinx problems in Toronto; Ottawa's local trains; Calgary Green Line. Wise and thoughtful infrastructure isn't sexy and won't produce screaming headlines in the National Post. They would improve the lives of Canadians in ways they haven't imagined.
Why Canadians should want to see a Canadian film
Why New Brunswick is mostly absent from Canadian film landscape
We do talk about seeing Canada through Canadian film. This is why Canadian films in name only that don't show Canada; a different genre from Canadian stories that happen to take place outside Canada.
We've seen great films from British Columbia, most of them in and around Vancouver. We've even seen Winnipeg in many ways from Mother and the Bear to Universal Language. Bonus for The Year Dolly Parton Was My Mom, shot in Manitoba outside Winnipeg.
Quebecois films in Montréal and rural Quebec. So many Nova Scotia and Newfoundland films. A few scattered Prince Edward Island films.
We didn't see that much of New Brunswick in Do I Know You from Somewhere and Drive Back Home. Yet we got 2 entertaining films with a feel, a reflection of the forgotten province.
Here is hoping for more from New Brunswick in Anglais or en Francaise.
Where to visit Canada in 2024
Where to visit Canada in 2023
Where to visit Canada in 2022
Where to visit Canada in 2021
Where to visit Canada in 2020
Where to visit Canada in 2019
Where to visit Canada in 2018
Where to visit Canada in 2017
All Canada national parks are free in 2017
Where to visit Canada in 2016
Where to visit Canada in 2015
Where to visit Canada in 2014
Lots of amazing travel stories to explore over the years. Perhaps I have been to a place where you haven't. A good travel resource for 2025 for going to Canada.
As always, do research. Hope that trip will be what you want that to be. Someday. Please make it soon.
CanadianCrossing.com now has stories grouped by provinces and territories
CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage
CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage
The future is better for tourism in Canada. Even a day trip to Canada — if you are close enough — could improve your mood.
Share your Canadian tourism wishes for 2025 in the comments section below. Time to make travel plans.
map credit: Ezilon.com
Twitter capture: @CFL
Canada has so many incredible places to explore in 2025! From the breathtaking Rockies in Banff to the vibrant city life in Toronto and the charming streets of Quebec City, there’s something for everyone. Looking forward to seeing what’s on your must-visit list!
Posted by: juliaanderson | January 15, 2025 at 08:18 AM