When to go to Canada for families
Weather & best places to go during the school holidays
Canada is a great year-round destination for families, with each season offering something different – from wildlife and waterfalls to scenic drives and outdoor adventures. Whether you’re cycling around Stanley Park in Vancouver, bear-spotting in The Rocky Mountains or paddling across a peaceful lake, there’s plenty to keep the kids entertained.
Canada really comes alive between Spring and Autumn, with warmer weather, active wildlife, and incredibly scenic landscapes – making it the ideal time to travel together as a family. Here’s a breakdown of the best places to visit during the UK school holidays.
School holiday travel
May Half Term
May is a great time to visit Canada, with mild weather, beautiful wildflowers and fewer crowds. It’s a great time to enjoy the outdoors before the summer rush and is ideal for families looking for a mix of nature and city exploration. Start your adventure in vibrant Vancouver, where you’ll find endless fun things to do, including cycling around Stanley Park, taking a tugboat over to the artistic Granville Island and visiting the kids’ market. Just a short drive from Vancouver is the activity capital, Whistler. Here, you can take the family on a zip-lining experience and glide through the trees, taking in the incredible natural surroundings.
Summer Holidays (July - August)
Summer in Canada is filled with long days, warm temperatures, and nature in full bloom. It’s the perfect season for families to dive into a variety of outdoor adventures. Head to the Pacific Rim National Park to see black bears foraging along the shoreline, an experience that will stay with you forever – or join a whale-watching tour in Victoria to see the majestic creatures breaching and gliding through the waters around Vancouver Island. If you’re an active family, Canada is bursting with outdoor fun – from paddleboarding on pristine lakes in Sun Peaks to learning survival skills and going off-grid in Kananaskis Country. It’s the perfect place to connect with nature and make lasting family memories over the summer holidays.
What about winter?
While Canada in winter has its own magic, many of our family trips are designed for the warmer months, when nature comes to life and travel is a little easier with little ones. This is why we offer holidays to Canada during May and September, when the weather is milder, the wildlife is most active, and more of the country is open and accessible for family-friendly adventures. If you’re dreaming of zip-lining through alpine forests, rafting downstream in the Rockies or heading out to sea in search of whales, then Canada is the perfect destination for your next family summer holiday.
