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New Year, New Rule: Small Trips Count

Big trips are amazing—but they’re also the easiest thing to postpone. This year, we’re flipping the script.

Welcome to the One Small Trip a Month Challenge: a simple way to explore more of Canada without burning vacation days, draining your bank account, or waiting for “someday.”

The rules are easy:

• ✔ Day trip or overnight

• ✔ Driveable is encouraged

• ✔ One memorable moment is enough

• ❌ No perfection required

Do all 12? Amazing. Do 5? Still a win.

Share your monthly trip pics with #Canada2026Challenge — we’ll feature our favourites in the newsletter.

❄️ January — Embrace Winter (Yes, On Purpose)

Winter is only boring if you don’t leave your house.

Try this:

• Winter festivals & light displays

• Skating trails or snowshoeing

• A cozy cabin or lodge with a view (Find them here)

❤️ February — Food or Wellness Escape

Romantic, solo, or full-on “treat yourself.”

Try this:

• Spa towns & hot springs (you could even stay at a spa hotel)

• Food-focused city weekends

• Boutique hotels with great restaurants, such as these.

🌱 March — Shoulder-Season Steal

Fewer crowds. Better prices. Elite timing.

Try this:

• Museum-heavy city trips

• Quiet coastal towns

• National parks before peak season

🌸 April — Spring Awakening

Nature starts showing off again.

Try this:

• Botanical gardens & spring blooms (Victoria and Vancouver have some great ones)

• Waterfalls at peak flow

• Early hiking season escapes

☀️ May — Micro Road Trip Month

You don’t need a massive route. Two or three towns are perfect.

Try this:

• Scenic highway drives (These are our favourite road trips in Canada)

• Food stops & small towns

• Rural escapes

🏖 June — Water, Water, Water

Canada shines near lakes, rivers, and coastlines.

Try this:

• Beach towns

• Kayaking or canoeing trips

• Island ferry adventures

🌞 July — A Classic Canada Moment

Lean into the clichés. They’re popular for a reason.

Try this:

• National parks

• Iconic landmarks

• Summer festivals

• Camping

🍉 August — Family or Friends Getaway

Low planning. High memory return.

Try this:

• Easy resort stays

• Campgrounds close to home

• Crowd-pleasing destinations

🍁 September — Fall Preview (Beat the Crowds)

You’re early. That’s the move.

Try this:

• Early fall colour routes (these are some of the best road trips)

• Wine regions & harvest season

• Scenic train rides

🎃 October — Quirky or Spooky

Canada does spooky way better than expected.

Try this:

• Haunted sites

• Harvest festivals

• Pumpkin patches with views

❄️ November — Cozy Reset Month

Hibernate… but somewhere better.

Try this:

• Hotels and lodges with in-room fireplaces

• Small-town escapes

• Food + culture weekends

🎄 December — Festive Finish

End the year strong.

Try this:

• Christmas markets

• Holiday train rides

• Winter light experiences

🎁 Want the Easy Button?

Our scratch-off bucket list adventure cards literally choose the trip for you.

Beaver Bites

• If airport drinking is up your alley, here are 15 rules you might want to follow (according to frequent flyers).
  
  

• Looking for a museum to visit in Toronto? Check out the newly renovated Gardiner Museum, which recently enjoyed a 15.5 million dollar facelift that promises access, connectivity, and indigeneity.
  
  

• “Roadside zoos” are hopefully becoming a thing of the past as this Muskoka-based facility becomes a ‘first of its kind sanctuary’ in Canada.
  
  

• When it comes to the year’s final week, we always love looking back on CNN’s year in pictures.
  
  

• Most Canadians, whether travelling around Canada, travelling overseas, or travelling to Toronto itself, will experience Toronto Pearson Airport at some point. In 2026, they have some refreshed retail and restaurant offerings you might want to check out.
  
  

• As some of you know, WestJet made a bold move earlier this year to start charging for reclining seats. As part of this effort, 22 WestJet planes were renovated before the plan was halted due to a major blowback from customers.

Just For Fun

• After a massively successful Blue Jays run, are the Montreal Expos plotting a comeback?
  
  

• These Canadian wolves have been spotted using tools, which is something that has never been seen before.
  
  

• Canada has produced its fair share of iconic shows, such as The Trailer Park Boys, but we never imagined a gay hockey romance becoming the most talked-about Canadian TV show since Schitt’s Creek.

International Departures

• Want to reach 65k+ Canadian travellers for your brand? Reach out (reply to this email) to sponsor an edition of Must Do Canada.