The southern neighbor of the United States of America is quite similar in many aspects. Both of these countries have a lot of similarities, but they also have a lot of differences. So, even though you are just traveling a few hundred miles to the north, it is going to be a different experience. If you are an American and you want to visit Canada, there are probably a few things you should know before you do that. Few bits of information that will ensure you will have a great time in your neighboring country.
Do not worry, the experience there will not be that different, but it would still be better to have this type of information. You might not find it useful during your visit, but it will not hurt you to know this kind of stuff.
To help you with your visits to Canada, I decided to write this article and tell you about all those things you do need to know as an American.
Source:ctvnews.ca
It is not that larger than the USA
When you open up a map of the world, you will notice that Canada is huge when compared to the United States of America. Some would even say that it is twice the size. But, that is not true. The visual representation that we have on these maps such as Google maps is much different than the reality. Since it is impossible to depict a round planet on a flat surface, certain locations are not exactly accurate. That is why Canada looks so big on maps.
In fact, the USA has more square kilometer landmass. But, when you compare the differences in the human population, this is when you can realize just how big the neighboring country really is. This gets me to the next point.
Long-distance traveling
Source:aircanada.com
Even though both of these countries are very similar in landmass, I assure you that Canada will feel much larger when driving through it. This is mostly because the northern neighbor only has 15% of the population that the USA does. Think about it. 37 million people are scattered on 9,000,000 km² while the USA has 330 million people scattered on the same amount of surface area.
So, driving from one location to another while in Canada is going to take you a lot more time. In between, there will not be much to see.
I think that this is a very important piece of information that you must understand if you want to visit this country. You have to ensure that you have enough time during this visit, otherwise, you will end up most of your time just driving around this massive piece of land.
It is going to get cold
Source:ctvnews.ca
I understand that a lot of people already know that Canada can be pretty called, but it seems like they do not exactly understand how cold it can get. Yes, some states in the US such as North Dakota, Maine, Minnesota, in Wyoming can get very cold, but that is not comparable to what happens in the neighboring country.
In some cities during the winter, the temperature can drop down to -30°C. For Americans, that is -22 Fahrenheit. That is very cold, so make sure that you pack enough clothes in the right type of clothes. Gloves, hats, and thick socks should be mandatory.
Great restaurants with amazing food
I assume that you are visiting Canada to see the beautiful landscape and to experience life in cities such as Toronto, Montréal, Québec, and others, but I would also advise you to check out simpler things such as the food in this country. You might think that the restaurants or the food will be no different than what you can eat at home, but trust me, it is going to be different.
This country has its specialties and is filled with great restaurants, especially in Montréal. If you do decide to visit Montréal, you should probably check out one of the steakhouses such as Gibbys as suggested by kevsbest.ca.
You should prepare some Canadian dollars
Source:pinterest
Considering that Canada and the USA are neighboring countries, it makes sense that you could use the US dollar everywhere, right? Especially since the US dollar is accepted almost everywhere in this world. But, there will be certain locations where the US dollar will not be accepted. So, if you do not want to find yourself in an awkward situation, I recommend getting a few hundred Canadian dollars.
At the end of your visit, even if you did not spend the Canadian money, you can always exchange them back for US dollars. Or, you could use them to buy anything when leaving. A few pieces of souvenirs, hockey dresses or whatever you want.
Great nightlife
Source:trip101.com
If you came to Canada to explore this amazing landmass sent to see its history, I recommend that you do not miss out on the fun at night. Toronto, Montréal, and many other cities in this country are very lively at night, especially during the weekends.
If you want a unique experience while on your visit, why not check out a few bars or a few nightclubs? Considering how friendly, patient and polite Canadians can be, I assure you that you will have an amazing time wherever you go at night. People will be more than willing to show you around and will make sure that you have a good time
You can drink alcohol even if you are under 21
Source:touristsecrets.com
If you have just turned into a young adult, you will be glad to know that you can freely drink alcohol even if you are not 21 years of age. Whether you are in a liquor store or in a bar, you can order anything you want and drink any kind of alcohol. Since you have a team, there are no limitations, so you do not have to worry about anyone bothering you.
With this kind of information, I hope that your next visit to this beautiful country will be just as amazing as you expect.
