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How to have the best White Christmas in Canada

With snowflakes and sleigh bells, ski slopes and skating rinks, Canada is the ultimate holiday destination for a white Christmas.

Ski with Santa in Whistler

Santa Ski Whistler
Don your best Santa suit (or Mrs Claus) and hit the slopes.

You don’t have to go to the North Pole to get into the Yuletide spirit with jolly Saint Nick. He’s just over at British Columbia’s world-renowned Whistler Blackcomb ski resort. In fact, if you head there the week before December 25, you’ll get to meet plenty of Santa ‘trainees’, who’ll be skiing and snowboarding down the slopes as part of Santa Day. The annual event takes place the Saturday before Christmas, and the first 100 people to arrive in full Santa or Mrs Claus attire get a free day lift ticket. To be involved, arrive at Garibaldi Lift Company, at the base of Whistler Mountain, in your full Santa-esque ensemble.

 

The day officially kicks off the holiday season in the resort and is a great way to start your ultimate white Christmas holiday in Canada.

Ice skate around Lake Louise

Lake Louise, Alberta
Ice skate around Lake Louise in Alberta.

It’s been hailed “the world’s best skating rink", and when you arrive at Lake Louise in Alberta, it’s easy to see why. Location is everything – the frozen lake sits glistening on the doorstep of the enchanting Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. Add a castle made of ice bricks, and hot cups of cocoa to warm the soul, and you’ve got one memorable Christmas experience.

 

Skating is available from mid-December to mid-April, and skates can be rented from The Fairmont.

Ride in a horse-drawn sleigh in Sun Peaks

Sun Peaks sleighride
Ride in a horse-drawn sleigh in Sun Peaks.

Explore one of Canada’s most popular family-friendly ski resorts, Sun Peaks, while huddled under a blanket on a horse-drawn sleigh. Gentle draft horses take passengers on daytime, sunset and evening tours through the village, and into the open for views of the surrounding valley and mountains.

Go mushing in the Yukon

dog sledding yukon
Go mushing in the Yukon with your very own team of huskies.

Prepare to get your heart racing on a quintessential Canadian adventure, with your very own team of huskies. At Sky High Wilderness Ranch in Yukon Territory, you can learn how to mush through a winter wilderness. As the dogs pull you down narrow, snowy tracks and around pine trees, you’ll discover just how much they love to run, and how addictive dog sledding can be.

 

It’s a great hands-on activity for intrepid couples and kids alike, as you learn how to communicate with the dogs and steer the sleds, and about the important role dog sledding has played in Canada’s northern communities.

Stay at Hotel de Glace in Quebec City

Hotel de Glace
Stay at Canada’s famous Hotel de Glace.

Sleeping in a room made of ice isn’t as crazy as it sounds when it looks like the suites on offer at Canada’s famous Hotel de Glace. Just 10 minutes from downtown Quebec City, this ice hotel is the stuff of snow bunny dreams. A popular spot for weddings, it’s the perfect place for couples to rekindle their romance in its 44 rooms and suites, some with ice sculptures and even fireplaces. Kids will feel like they’ve escaped to their very own Narnia – it’s a fantastical Christmas experience they’ll cherish for years to come.

 

It’s worth extending your Christmas holiday into January just to experience the magic of the hotel. The hotel is open between January until the end of March.

Ride The Canadian train

Canadian Train
Ride The Canadian train through the stunning valleys of British Columbia.

The Canadian train travels from Vancouver all the way to Toronto, but the best leg of the journey is undoubtedly through the stunning valleys of British Columbia.

 

Visit in winter and you’ll find it difficult to draw yourself away from the glass-domed viewing carriages. You’ll spend hours watching frozen waterfalls, aqua lakes and mountain peaks pass your window. All up, you’ll spend about 19 hours on board, disembarking in the pretty mountain village of Jasper, Alberta, where you can hire skis and head to Marmot Basin resort.

Sing Christmas carols in the decorated Butchart Gardens

Butchart Gardens
Sing Christmas carols in the decorated Butchart Gardens.

Join traditional Christmas carolers among hundreds of fairy lights in the ever-popular Butchart Gardens on Vancouver Island. During December, the gardens undergo a festive transformation, with Twelve Days of Christmas displays that feature two turtle doves, three French hens, and, well, you get the picture. Adding to the festive cheer, children are encouraged to exchange homemade paper snowflakes for a hot chocolate in the coffee shop.

 

The Magic of Christmas theme runs throughout December.

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See the Christmas lights of Quebec City

Due du Petit-Champlain Quebec
Wander down Rue du Petit-Champlain, one of Canada’s prettiest winter streets.

Quebec City is aglow with Christmas lights from the beginning of December, making it a magical place to explore at night. Go on a self-guided walking tour (don’t forget to pack some warm boots), stopping at Notre-Dame-des-Victoires in Place Royale. Make sure you also wander down Rue du Petit-Champlain, one of Canada’s prettiest winter streets. Young children will also be able to meet Santa in the Petit Champlain District or at Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, in Old Quebec. Don’t forget to check out the toboggan run on nearby Dufferin Terrace, as well.

 

The toboggan run is open from mid-December to mid-March.

Watch the aurora borealis in the Yukon

Northern Lights
This cosmic experience will stun you.

A Christmas in Canada wouldn’t be complete without spending an evening watching the aurora borealis dance across the sky. The best places to view the natural light show are in Canada’s northern regions, and Yukon is one of the most accessible. For travellers short on time, Northern Tales offers one-night Northern Lights viewing experiences, about 25 minutes from Whitehorse. Couples can snuggle around a campfire as they watch greens and purples ripple above, while children can stay warm inside a heated wall tent or log cabin as they wait for the show to start.

 

The tours start around August and continue until April the following year.

 

If you like the look of a Canadian getaway, make sure you check out our Canada travel guide, so you can ensure you read up on the very best the region has to offer.

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12 grand journeys throughout North America

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    Discover North America’s epic adventures — from Route 66 and Alaska cruises to Hawai‘i road trips, NYC culture, Mexico trails and more.

    1. Route 66, the Main Street of America

    Travelling with: Ricky French

    Sunset on Route 66 in the California Mojave Desert.
    Hit the open road and trace America’s legendary highway. (Image: Getty/Der_Thomasa)

    Dubbed the Main Street of America, Route 66 radiates serious main character energy, cemented into popular culture through everything from John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath to the Disney Pixar film Cars. Spanning nearly 4000 kilometres from Chicago to Los Angeles, the historic highway celebrates its centenary next year, a timely invitation to take the mother of all road trips along the Mother Road. Allow two to three weeks to tackle the full length, or bite off a smaller chunk at either end, cruising the dramatic deserts of California or the more pastoral landscapes of Illinois, lined with neon-lit diners, retro gas stations and quirky roadside attractions.

    2. Mexico’s Día de los Muertos

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    emblematic catrina of mexico with flowers and necklace with sempasuchil flowers
    Celebrate life and honour loved ones in vibrant style. (Image: Getty/Fabian Pacheco)

    You might know Oaxaca as the birthplace of mole and mezcal. But the state in southern Mexico is also where the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) began. Time your visit to coincide with the colourful holiday, on 1–2 November, which honours and celebrates loved ones who have passed away. Oaxaca is also Mexico’s Michelin-starred culinary capital, with 18 restaurants and a humble taco stand listed in the 2025 guide.

    3. Museum-hop in New York City

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    The Guggenheim Museum’s iconic spiralling exterior, a highlight of North America Epic Adventures.
    Step inside and marvel at bold, world-class art. (Image: Damiano Fiore)

    Your map app will look like it’s been scattered with confetti after you’ve dropped pins on all the museums you want to visit in New York City. Must-sees are the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art aka the Met, and the Museum of Modern Art. The American Museum of Natural History is also a draw. It’s also worth venturing into the boroughs to browse institutions such as the Brooklyn Museum, which has a huge permanent collection categorised by culture.

    4. The USA’s music scene

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    The Seattle skyline at night, aglow with city lights on North America Epic Adventures.
    Soak up skyline views and dive into the city’s coffee culture. (Image: Abigail Boone)

    If you’re a muso, chances are you’ve wanted to make a pilgrimage to the United States, the epicentre of so many beloved genres. Whether you’re head-banging your way around the Grunge Circuit in Seattle, chasing the twang of the pedal steel through Tennessee or bouncing between blues bars in the Mississippi Delta, the USA’s rich music culture has something that’ll strike a chord.

    5. Road-tripping Hawai‘i

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    A woman surfing in Hawaii, gliding across turquoise waves on North America Epic Adventures.
    Catch the waves and ride Hawaii’s iconic swells. (Image: Ben Ono)

    Hawai‘i is one of the most diverse US states to road trip around. Of the six major islands to visit, the Island of Hawai‘i packs in everything from the snowy summits of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa to black-sand beaches and lava fields frozen in the act of flowing forward. Change down a few gears on the island of O‘ahu, too, where you can find your own patch of sand on Waimanalo Beach. Visit poi and pineapple plantations. And hang ten on beginner-friendly waves on the North Shore.

    6. Cruising Alaska

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Explora Journeys ship cruising in Alaska.
    Sail past glaciers and spot whales in pristine waters.

    Seeing Alaska from the sea allows you to cover a lot of distance quickly. This immersive frontier now beckons more than ever before with Explora Journeys adding the American state to its global destination portfolio. Best of all are the pre-and post-journey immersions that connect the luxury of a cruise onboard Explora III with the rugged grandeur of the Alaskan interior. UnCruise Adventures also weaves in access to remote national parks, legendary wildlife corridors and authentic cultural experiences on its Alaskan itineraries.

    7. The Wixárika Route in Mexico

    Travelling with: Elizabeth Whitehead

    People journeying through the Wixarika Route.
    Journey deep into sacred Huichol traditions and art.

    For generations, the Indigenous Wixárika People of Mexico have walked a sacred path known as Tatehuarí Huajuyé, or ‘The Path of Our Grandfather Fire’. The annual pilgrimage route spans 500 kilometres, taking in significant sites in Wixárika spirituality and cosmology. The route passes through the deserts, mountains and forests of northern Mexico before reaching Wirikuta, believed to be the place the sun first emerged. The route is a living cultural landscape of Indigenous culture pre-Columbian influence and, in July this year, was formally inscribed into UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

    8. Drive the Iceberg Coast in Canada

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Iceberg off the east coast of Canada
    Chase icebergs along Expedition 51 on Canada’s east coast. (Image: Canadian Tourism Commission/ Chris Hendrickson)

    Download the icebergfinder.com map to better plan your road trip along Canada’s Iceberg Coast. The new highway, which has been nearly 25 years and CAD$1.1 billion in the making, threads through the country’s pleated coastlines around Quebec, Newfoundland, Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick before looping in the French islands of St Pierre and Miquelon. As well as chasing icebergs along Expedition 51, travellers will have the opportunity to engage with cultures that have thrived in the pristine provinces for thousands of years.

    9. A foodie tour of Nova Scotia

    Travelling with: Katie Carlin

    Lunenberg Nova Scotia
    Try lobster rolls in Lunenburg on the east coast of Canada in Nova Scotia. (Image: Natalia Kvitovska/ Unsplash)

    World-famous for its lobster, Nova Scotia is a Canadian province best savoured through its culinary clout shaped by sea and terroir. Bite into lobster rolls at historic Lunenburg’s Salt Shaker Deli & Inn and sip maple rum at Ironworks Distillery. Winery-hop around Wolfville’s rising vineyards (don’t miss Lightfoot & Wolfville). Take a maple syrup tour at Sugar Moon Farm near Earltown. And pull up a seat at waterfront Bar Sofia in Halifax, where Nova Scotia oysters aguachile arrive bright with cucumber, lime and pickled onion.

    10. Soak up the sun in the Caribbean

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Overwater bungalows off a beach in the Caribbean
    Experience the white-sand beaches and cerulean seas of the Caribbean on board a cruise.

    The Caribbean is on the radar for seasoned cruisers. And it’s easy to see why, with white-sand beaches, cerulean seas and swaying palms so picture-perfect they look AI-generated. Cruise with Windstar, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity on its inaugural Xcel season to the Caribbean to enjoy action-packed excursions such as snorkelling coral reefs and shopping for local trinkets. And those sea days? Spectacular.

    11. Red Chair Hikes of Canada

    Travelling with: Kassia Byrnes

    Red Adirondack chairs overlooking Lake Minnewanka in Canada
    Take a seat at Lake Minnewanka, one of more than 400 red Adirondack chairs scattered across Canada’s hiking routes. (Image: Getty Images/ Autumn Sky Photography)

    No one appreciates the great outdoors more than Canadians, emerging from snow-covered winters to tread glacial rivers and snowshoe through forests, or to hike mighty mountains and wildflower-strewn valleys come spring. Along popular hikes around the country, more than 400 red Adirondack chairs have been placed in peaceful, breathtaking locations. What started as a social media contest now sees hikers soaking in classic Canadian lake and mountain vistas, overlooking historic sites or gazing down on the mountainous path they just travelled.

    12. Ride the Rocky Mountaineer from Denver to Moab, USA

    Travelling with: Carla Grossetti

    Sweeping views from the Rocky Mountaineer.
    The Rocky Mountaineer will continue as the Canyon Spirit in 2026, seen here carving through Ruby Canyon.

    Sighting wild animals is one of many incredible thrills along the two-day luxury Rockies to the Red Rocks route onboard the Rocky Mountaineer across America’s Southwest between mid-April and mid-October. In addition to the lone bear, we spot bighorn sheep, elk, beavers, pronghorn antelope, bald eagles and ospreys. Riding the rails onboard the luxury train, which was founded in Canada in 1990 and has been awarded the prestigious World’s Leading Travel Experience by Train several times, has never been about just getting from A to B. Ride the train from Denver to Moab and you will see the scenery change from snow-capped peaks to meadows, red-rock canyons and soaring cliffs that resemble ornate Gaudí-esque cathedrals. But it’s not until you get off the train that you can produce the ultimate Venn diagram, with nature and adventure in the intersecting spheres.