Read

Canada in May: The Insider's Window

There's a moment every spring, somewhere around the first week of May, when Canada quietly becomes extraordinary. The ice is gone, the flowers are blooming, and the tourists — the real hordes of them — haven't shown up yet. If you know where to look, it might be the single best month to travel in this country. Here's where we'd go.

Richmond, BC — Canada's Most Underrated Food City Has a Big May

This Coastal City Near Vancouver Completely Surprised Us

Just 20 minutes from Vancouver, Richmond feels like a destination all its own, blending coastal charm, rich history, and one of the best food scenes in Canada.

Start in Steveston Village, where you can stroll the waterfront and even buy fresh seafood right off the boats at Fisherman’s Wharf. Then dive into local history at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site and the Britannia Shipyards National Historic Site.

Hungry? Richmond’s famous Dumpling Trail is just the beginning. From handmade baos at R&H Chinese Food to unforgettable Malaysian dishes at Nyonya House, this city delivers big on flavour.

And if you’re up for an adventure, head out on the water with Seabreeze Adventures, where spotting orcas, sea lions, and even whales is all part of the experience.

Plus, May is Asian Heritage Month, making it the perfect time to visit. The night market is warming up, the summer crowds haven’t arrived yet, and there are some great festivals and events, including the Steveston Spot Prawn & Seafood Celebration (starting May 14th) and Ships to Shore at Garry Point Park from May 2-3, a free family festival welcoming the Kaiwo Maru — one of the largest tall ships in the world — making its first visit to Richmond since 2017 after a month-long voyage across the Pacific Ocean.

Plan your Richmond Getaway Today!

Ottawa — A Million Reasons to Visit Right Now

If you've never seen Ottawa in spring, put it on your list before this issue hits the recycling bin. The Canadian Tulip Festival runs May 8–18, 2026, at Commissioners Park, and it is genuinely one of the most stunning free events in the country. Over 11 days, more than 300,000 tulips bloom alongside the Rideau Canal's picturesque Dow's Lake, with site access and select programming completely free.

But the flowers are only part of it. The story behind them is worth knowing. During the Second World War, the Dutch royal family fled the Nazi occupation and found refuge in Ottawa. Princess Margriet was born there in 1943, and the Canadian government actually declared the hospital's maternity ward temporary Dutch soil so that she would hold exclusive Dutch nationality. After the war, the Netherlands sent 100,000 tulip bulbs as a gesture of gratitude, and the Dutch royal family has continued sending tulip bulbs every year since. Walking through Commissioners Park, you're not just looking at flowers; you're walking through 80 years of friendship.

Beyond the festival, May is simply a great time to be in the capital. The ByWard Market is waking up, the Rideau Canal pathways are perfect for cycling, and the city's museums and galleries are far less crowded than they'll be in July. Book soon — hotel rooms are in high demand with surging prices during festival days.

Learn more in our travel guide about the best things to do in Ottawa.

Prince Edward Island — Before the Island Gets Busy

PEI has a short, glorious peak season, and most visitors show up in July and August. That means May is essentially the island's gift to people who plan ahead. Prices are typically somewhat lower in the shoulder months, and many island businesses open in May — so you get the full PEI experience without the full PEI price tag or the lineups at the lobster shacks.

Spring is prime time to discover the island's thriving community of makers, growers and artisans. And as May dawns on the island, coastal shores come alive with migratory birds returning from their winter migrations, offering birdwatchers an unparalleled opportunity to witness the annual spectacle — something you won't find mentioned in any summer travel guide, because by then the birds have moved on.

The red sand beaches will be quiet. The roads will be open. And you'll have the island in a way that July visitors simply never will.

Learn more in our travel guide to the best things to do in PEI.

Montreal — Go Before the World Shows Up

Here's some context that should motivate you: the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix is happening May 22–24, earlier than ever this year, and it's immediately followed by Go Bike Montréal, running May 24–31 with beloved events including the Tour la Nuit and Tour de l'Île de Montréal. Then, the summer festival season kicks off in earnest. The city is about to become one of the most in-demand urban destinations on the continent.

So go now, or go for the Grand Prix weekend — but go in May. The terrasses are open, the weather is perfect, and you can still walk into restaurants that will have two-hour waits by June. If you've been thinking Montreal is somewhere you'll "get to eventually," eventually is basically here.

Learn more in our travel guide to the best things to do in Montreal.

A Quick Note on Travelling in Canada This Year

We've touched on this before, but it feels worth saying again: there has never been a better moment to discover what's in our own backyard. Canada's tourism is booming — travellers worldwide are increasingly seeking Canada for its safety, clean environments, and meaningful experiences — and frankly, we should be ahead of them. The best seats at the table belong to the people who were already sitting down. May is a great time to pull up a chair.

Ad

The 15-Minute Retirement Plan

Retirement savings face two quiet threats: cash flow gaps and inflation eroding purchasing power over time. The 15-Minute Retirement Plan helps investors with $1,000,000 or more account for both and build a portfolio designed to last the distance.

Download your free guide.

From Our Shop

50 Adventures Across Canada… Just Scratch & Go (Plus, save 15%!)

What if your next adventure was already planned for you?

Our Canadian Bucket List scratch-off cards take the guesswork out of exploring. Each card reveals a surprise experience—from scenic hikes and hidden gems to iconic must-dos.

Just pick a card, scratch it, and go.

Each adventure includes helpful clues like:
✔️ Location
✔️ Best season
✔️ Budget
✔️ Time of day

Perfect for couples, families, or anyone tired of saying “what should we do this weekend?”

👉 Grab your province and start exploring.

Use code “spring” for 15% off.

International Departures

The Netherlands — Where Canada's Tulips Come From

You now know the story of Ottawa's tulips — the Dutch royal family, the wartime refuge, the annual gift of bulbs sent in gratitude. But here's the thing: if Ottawa is the world's largest tulip festival, the Netherlands is where the whole obsession began.

Keukenhof, known as the "Garden of Europe," transforms each spring into a floral display of more than 7 million tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and other blooms across 32 hectares, and it only opens for about eight weeks a year. The 2026 season runs until May 10th, which means if this issue is inspiring you to book something, the window is genuinely closing. Move fast. (And if that’s too fast, there’s always next year).

The gardens are about 40 km from Amsterdam, easily reached by bus or shuttle, and the surrounding Bollenstreek region is equally spectacular — endless fields of tulips in full colour that stretch to the horizon in a way that feels almost implausible. Pair it with a few days in Amsterdam, a canal-side dinner, and a morning at the Rijksmuseum, and you have one of the great spring trips in the world.

For Canadians, there's also something quietly moving about making this trip. The friendship between the Netherlands and Canada — born in wartime, sustained by those annual tulip bulbs — is one of the more remarkable chapters in this country's history. Going to see where those bulbs come from feels less like a vacation and more like completing a circle.

Direct flights to Amsterdam from Toronto and Montreal operate year-round, but you can find the cheapest flights to Amsterdam at anytime with Canadian company FlightHub.

Watch

If you do happen to travel to Ottawa for the Tulip Festival, don’t forget to watch our Ottawa travel guide video to learn more about the best things to do in Canada’s capital city!

Beaver Bites

• Canada’s National Parks and National Historic Sites are FREE once again this summer. Thanks to the Canada Strong Pass, Canadians can enjoy free or discounted access to national parks, national museums, and national historic sites, as well as 25% off select camping, from June 19 to September 7, 2026.
  
  

• Cheap flights coast to coast. Flair Airlines has joined Air Canada and WestJet on the Vancouver–Montreal route, with one-way fares starting at $159. If a cross-country trip has felt out of reach, now's the time to look.
  
  

• Canadians are staying home — in record numbers. The Canada-US travel boycott continues to hit new milestones. Statistics Canada data shows Canadian return trips from the US by air dropped 17.6% year-over-year in February 2026, and domestic travel is filling that gap beautifully.
  
  

• It's National Tourism Week in Canada (April 20–24). A good moment to remember that every time you book a Canadian hotel, eat at a local restaurant, or hire a Canadian guide, you're supporting an industry that employs hundreds of thousands of people from coast to coast to coast.
  
  

• Montreal's festival season is officially stacked. The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal 2026 features Diana Krall, Lionel Richie with Earth Wind & Fire, St. Vincent, and dozens more — with much of the programming free on outdoor stages. Start planning now if summer in Montreal is on your radar.
  
  

• For anyone buying outdoor gear, it was welcome news to hear that MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op) became Canadian again. Not only is it back in good hands, but the store is doing great now that it has returned to its core focus, expanding its private label, and investing in store experiences and employees. Plus, they now carry our scratch-off adventure cards in BC, Alberta, and Ontario.

💡 WORK WITH US

We’re starting to feature more destinations, attractions, and travel experiences like these across our newsletter, website, and social channels.

If you’re part of a tourism board, hotel, or experience and want to be featured in front of 60,000+ Canadian travellers each week, feel free to reply or reach out—we’d love to collaborate.