Wild or mild? Canada offers a trip to suit you

It's a vast land, filled with adventure, entertainment, and foreign intrigue

Author: By Jerry Morris, Globe Staff

Date: SUNDAY, May 12, 1996

Page: B13

Section: Travel

Canada, though, is more than value for the dollar. It's a great country with magnificent cities, unbelievable wilderness adventures, friendly people and a country in which it is easy to get around. It's foreign, yet simply a good neighbor. And it has never been easier to reach than now.

No matter what your vacation plans are, Canada knows how to please. There are many who still believe that Canada is a great wilderness, covered most of the year in a white blanket that only sends cold winds our way. It does have wilderness -- wonderful, pristine wilderness just waiting to be explored -- but it also has grand cities (Toronto is world-class) and foreign intrigue Quebec City is North America's only walled city, offering a genuine taste of the Old World in the New World). It is an international destination within a day's drive of our East Coast. And Canada also has the Yukon, where gold fever captured the continent 100 years ago.

Take Toronto. Long before Donnie Osmond started packing Bostonians in with his ``Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,'' he was doing the same in Toronto. After London and New York, Toronto is a world-class theater city, with more than 200 professional theater, dance and music companies. Toronto is one of the few cities anywhere building new theaters. In 1993, the Princess of Wales Theater was built especially for ``Miss Saigon''; the National Ballet of Canada will be moving into its dream home along the shore of Lake Ontario this summer; and plans are under way for another 1,400-seat theater adjacent to the Pantages Theater. Not only can you catch some great shows, but you can do so at reasonable prices. Toronto also has a half-price ticket outlet with up to 25 shows listed (call 416-596-8211 for an update) and many theaters offer PWYC, or Pay What You Can, on Sundays. If theater in the city isn't enough, Ontario also offers the Shaw Festival in the colorful community of Niagara-on-the-Lake. The festival is the only one devoted to George Bernard Shaw and his contemporaries. Also, just 90 minutes from Toronto is the Stratford Festival, the largest theater festival in North America.

Toronto is not only home to the world's tallest free-standing structure, the CN Tower, but this year is celebrating the world's longest street, which begins in the city. Yonge Street, the main thoroughfare for the province of Ontario, is listed in the Guinness World Book of Records for its 1,178-mile stretch. This being Yonge Street's bicentennial year, you'll find celebrations all along the thoroughfare, marking everything from its multicultural richness (Toronto is home to five Chinatowns) to its stunning scenery.

Sports fans will also want to head to Toronto. It's home to the SkyDome, a grand stadium with a retractable roof. You can even check into the SkyDome Hotel. Many of its rooms overlook the stadium. Having just seen the Kentucky Derby, race fans will be interested to know that the Breeders' Cup, the ``superbowl'' of horse racing, will be held for the first time at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto on Oct. 26.

Ontario boasts some outstanding museums. Ottawa, the nation's capital, offers a wide variety, including art, science and aviation, and the military. The newest museum will be the Canadian Canoe Museum, opening in June in Peterborough (call the visitors' bureau at 705-742-2201). And while this may sound like a ho-hum type of experience, the canoe helped shape the nation. In America, it was the horse and covered wagon that determined boundaries; in Canada, the canoe. Among the 500 exhibits will be an example of the 25-foot birch bark canoe in which the famous ``voyageurs'' crossed the wilderness, a collapsible model that fits inside a suitcase, and one, believe it or not, made of concrete.

Ontario province, which includes Toronto, offers Americans many one-of-a kind vacations. The capital of Canada, Ottawa, is not far, and in summer its Parliament Hill offers a daily colorful Changing of the Guard ceremony.

The Ontario countryside provides diverse attractions, from wilderness adventures to historic ones. There is the Road to Freedom, which traces the route African-American slaves followed to freedom. Among sites to visit are the North American Black Historical Museum in Amherstburg and the ``cabin'' and gravesite of escaped slave Rev. Josiah Henson, who inspired ``Uncle Tom's Cabin.'' (For information, call the Windsor Essex Visitor Bureau at 519-255-6544).

For information on Ontario, call (800) 668-2746.

Or consider Montreal, perhaps one of the most lively and interesting cities -- especially in summer -- anywhere. Montreal, the second-largest French-speaking city outside France -- blossoms in summer. If having the flavor of France without the journey isn't enough, Montreal offers such festivals as the Molson Grand Prix of Canada, June 14-16; Benson & Hedges International Fireworks Competition in June and July; Montreal Jazz Festival, one of the largest in the world, held throughout the city with many free events, June 27-July 7; the Just for Laughs Festival, during which Montreal becomes the world's laugh capital, July 17-28; Le Francofolies, eight days of the best in French songs, Aug. 1-10; and the World Film Festival, Aug. 22-Sept. 2, an international event in filmmaking. One of the hottest attractions in Boston last fall was the Cirque du Soleil, and you can catch it under the big top this month in Montreal, and July 4-21 in Sainte-Foy in Greater Quebec. This Quebec-based circus is pure art -- it's fun, exciting and will give you a new perspective about the circus.

Also, the city has emerged as a center for fashions, with designers creating stylish and attractively priced clothing for men, women and children.

Montreal offers grand experiences for the whole family. While Atlanta prepares for the Olympics, you can get Olympic thrills at the Montreal Olympic Park, where the summer games were held just a few years ago. Here you can soar to the top of the world's tallest inclined tower; check out the Expos baseball team, playing where many Olympic stadium events took place; or perhaps run the track or take a dive where Olympic athletes once did. The city is the only one in the world where you can do some white-water rafting downtown, then take in cultural events or fine dining just a taxicab or subway ride away. (Montreal has one of the best subway systems in the world, and its ``underground city'' where you can shop and dine.

Visitors do not have to gamble on having a good time in Montreal, but if gaming fever does strike, the Casino de Montreal will provide not only gambling excitement but a vibrant experience just by visiting. The casino, in a parklike setting overlooking the St. Lawrence River, offers 105 gaming tables and more than 2,600 slots.

There is also a new casino just minutes from Ottawa's Parliament Hill. The Casino de Hull is just across the Ottawa River in Hull. The province of Quebec offers much for the visitor and is even having a grand time with Elvis sightings. Yes, even in Quebec City with its very European atmosphere, the ``Elvis Story'' is packing them in at the Capitole Theater. Many hotels are offering two-night packages that include tickets to the show, a cruise and more. The packages, for two, begin at $249 Canadian (that means we pay at least 30 percent less).

There are also lots of great events other than Elvis. June 20-29, Quebec City holds a jazz and blues festival; also in the city, July 4-14, is International Festival, the largest Francophone arts and street event on the continent, and musical fireworks shows in July and August. Elsewhere in Quebec, you can catch the Lanaudier Festival, the most important classical music festival in Canada; the World Folklore Festival in Drummondville, which draws troupes from 20 nations to perform July 5-14; and, for those who love hot-air balloons, Canada's largest such festival Aug. 10-18 in Saint-Jean-sur Richelieu; or Gatineau's Aug. 30-Sept. 2 balloon festival.

Quebec's countryside is packed with outstanding inns and resorts, and a stop at one of them provides a new Canadian experience. One of the most memorable is Le Chateau Montebello, a lavish resort built within the largest log building in the world. Located between Montreal and Ottawa, the chateau offers all sorts of outdoor activities, including access to hiking trails and other pleasures in a virgin forest. Rates begin at just $104 American and include breakfast and use of facilities.

For information on Quebec, call (800) 363-7777.

Elsewhere in Canada:

This is the Year of the Wooden Boat in Nova Scotia. Canada's national newspaper, the Globe & Mail, rates this festival one of the world's 12 top events, placing it in the same league as the Summer Olympics. More than 600 events are planned, offering visitors a glimpse of the province's maritime heritage.

Lunenburg, along Nova Scotia's South Shore, has just been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This picturesque fishing center was cited as an outstanding example of a planned European colonial settlement in North America and is only the second urban community on the continent to receive the UN designation; the other was awarded to Old Quebec in 1985.

The Atlantic Provinces -- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland/Labrador and Prince Edward Island -- offer some of the best outdoor adventures. They are easy to reach by air, car and ship, so that travelers can quickly be transported into a wide range of adventures, from whale watching, canoeing on pristine lakes and rivers, fishing, hiking, biking and horseback riding within a day of leaving work.

Casino action has also come to Nova Scotia with two Sheraton properties in Halifax and Sydney; the Sydney casino is Canada's first with a sports theme.

For free information on Nova Scotia, call (800) 341-6096.

New Brunswick, long known as the Picture Province, is developing a new image -- that of a province bursting with actvity. A new Day Adventure Program makes activities such as sea kayaking, dinner theater, garden tours, cycling, flying, canoeing and whale watching more easily accessible and economical. Participants will find all activities providing safe, guided instruction and well-planned itineraries. The scope of possiblilities is outlined in a free publication, ``Adventures Left and Right, Morning Noon or Night.''

The province is perhaps the most overlooked of all those in Atlantic Canada. Too many people bypass New Brunswick, rushing to see Prince Edward Island or Nova Scotia. The province is indeed picture-perfect and offers activities to please the whole family. For New Englanders, it is one of the easiest provinces to reach by car, and it has many ties with this region.

Among the sights not to be missed are the Hopewell Rocks, strange formations gouged out of the cliffs by the force of the Fundy tides, the greatest tidal show in the world. There's a new interpretation center at the rocks this year.

Among good times to visit will be July 5-9 during the Lobster Festival in Shediac, which calls itself the lobster capital of the world; July 9-16 for the Loyalist City Festival in Saint John, which includes a reenactment of the Loyalist landing in 1783 (the Loyalists were those who were loyal to the king during our Revolution and fled to the safety of Canada); and July 13-16 for the Irish Festival, the largest and only Irish festival in Canada, featuring groups from around the world, in the new city of Miramichi -- formerly Chatham/Newcastle.

For information on New Brunswick, call (800) 561-0123.

Mention Prince Edward Island and your first thought may well be the charming Anne of Green Gables, whose story, written more than 80 years ago, still draws more than 350,000 visitors to the island each year. This summer, many visitors will be watching progress on the world's longest bridge as it takes shape. The bridge that will connect New Brunswick and PEI will be five times longer than the San Francisco Bay Bridge. Strait Crossing Tours will be conducting visits to the site this summer. The bridge is set to open next year.

Prince Edward Island just may be Canada's best vacation destination. Yes, it has more potatoes than elsewhere in the nation, but it also claims the best -- and warmest -- beaches, great scenery, a relaxed lifestyle and great food. One delight is to join in one of the many lobster suppers held almost nightly in community halls throughout the island.

For Prince Edward Island information, call (800) 565-0267.

Newfoundland is getting ready to celebrate Cabot '97, marking John Cabot's explorations 500 years ago. The highlight will be a visit by the Matthew, the modern-day replica of the vessel sailed by Cabot in 1497. Unlike today's sailors, Cabot had a hard time sailing in Newfoundland because the waters were teeming with cod. When he returned to England, his reports of the fish set off a cod rush that far outweighed any gold rush. His discovery changed not only Newfoundland and North America but England and western Europe.

For information on Newfoundland and the other portion of the province, Labrador, call (800) 563-6353.

The great gold rush to the Yukon some 100 years ago is cause to visit this province during this or the next couple of years. While gold was discovered here in 1896, it took time to get the word out. But by 1898, Klondike Fever had struck the world, and the great gold rush in the Yukon was on. More than 100,000 people set out for the Yukon, and 30,000 actually made it.

Helping to spread the word then was a Harvard University graduate and former curator at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, Erastus Brainerd. At the time of the gold rush, he was editor of the Seattle Press-Times and set out to let the world know about the gold and, hopefully, make Seattle the starting point for stampeders. Without his extensive advertising efforts, the Klondike gold rush might not have been what it was.

Visitors today will find a land of mile-high mountains and deep untamed rivers where bear, moose, salmon and swans thrive. In June and July, it never gets completely dark in Whitehorse, and adventurers no longer have to stuggle to the gold fields, simply drive their cars there.

The Yukon has lots of events for visitors. Among them is a gold-panning championship July 1.

For information on the Yukon, call (403) 667-5340.

A modern-day discovery awaits visitors to British Columbia. At the end of May, British Columbia Ferries will begin a new Discovery Coast Passage route to remote villages that until now have been inaccessible to travelers without lots of time on their hands. The route between Port Hardy and Bella Coola stops at villages that include a 10,000-year-old archeological site to world-class salmon fishing. Or visitors can disembark at Bella Coola and travel inland to see villages with Norwegian history, western adventures, wilderness resorts, extinct volcanoes and guest ranches.

This new service is in addition to some 26 routes that BC Ferries now travels. Those routes range from connecting service between cities to a 15-hour cruise on the Inside Passage. For BC Ferries information, call (604) 389-6122.

For information on British Columbia, call (800) 663-6000.

This year, travel to Canada is particularly easy. With the start of the Open Skies agreement, air travel between Canada and the United States has been greatly expanded. The agreement allows Air Canada and Canadian Airlines unlimited rights to fly between the two nations. Last year, Air Canada had flights only between a handful of cities; this year it flies to 23 American cities. Vancouver has just opened a spectacular new international airport, adding to the ease and pleasure to visit the gateway to British Columbia.

And with the continued favorable exchange rate for Americans traveling to Canada, there are many particularly good buys in travel packages and accommodations.

If you drive, be aware that Canada is on the metric system, and speeds are measured in kilometers per hour. One kilometer is about 5/8 of a mile. The speed limit on most highways is 100 kilometers (62 m.p.h.). Radar detectors are illegal in most parts of Canada and could be confiscated, even if off. Also, check with your insurance agent if you have proper coverage for crossing the border. Canadian law also requires headlights to be on during the day for better visibility.

Currency: The Canadian currency system is similar to ours in that it is based on dollars and cents. The American dollar, however, is worth up to 30 percent more. The current exchange rate makes the American dollar worth $1.32. Canada does not have dollar bills, only a coin, affectionately called the loonie after the national bird pictured on it. A $2 coin has just been introduced.

Language: Only in Quebec is French the predominant language. New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province.

Taxes: Canada has a GST, or Goods and Ser000043Tax. Vacationers, however, can receive a full refund on goods they take out of the country and on their hotel bills. Most Canadian provinces have a sales tax ranging from 4 to 12 percent on most items and on food and some accommodations. In most provinces, a refund is available on goods taken out of the country.

Making a visit to Canada all the easier is the extensive travel planning material offered by each province. One call and you will find hundreds of ideas about things to do and see.

Alberta -- (800) 661-8888.

British Columbia -- (800) 663-6000.

Manitoba -- (800) 665-0040.

New Brunswick -- (800) 561-0123.

Newfoundland and Labrador -- (800) 563-6353.

Northwest Territories -- (800) 661-0788.

Nova Scotia -- (800) 341-6096.

Ontario -- (800) 668-2746.

Prince Edward Island -- (800) 565-0267 or (800) 463-4PEI.

Quebec -- (800) 363-7777.

Saskatchewan -- (800) 667-7191.

Yukon -- (403) 667-5340.

Prince of Fundy for cruise/ferry sailings from Portland, Maine, to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia -- (800) 341-7540.

Marine Atlantic for sailings of the Bluenose from Bar Harbor to Yarmouth and other ferry services in Atlantic Canada -- (800) 341-7981.