The days of booking, packing and flopping on a sunlounger are well and truly behind us. Today, travel is about finding a moment of stillness in a life overly scheduled, divining meaning from adventures and taking a piece of the experience back home with you.
You don’t have to leave Canada to tap into the travel trends of 2026 — whether you’re seeking cinematic landscapes in Alberta, stargazing in Manitoba or finding a cozy corner to dive into a book in Victoria, the country is brimming with ways to travel differently. When you slow things down and immerse yourself in your destination, that’s where the magic happens. From wide-open wilderness to a slice of food culture that fills your cup, these adventures prove that the best travel trends are unfolding right here at home.
1. Set-Jetting
Alberta
While Toronto and Vancouver are famously heavy-hitters for American movie and TV productions, one of the most popular shows to air in recent memory — HBO’s runaway hit The Last of Us — looked to Alberta instead for its lush post-apocalyptic setting. Most of season one was filmed in the province; eagle-eyed viewers might have noticed that downtown Calgary acted as Boston’s heavily militarized quarantine zone. Beaver Dam Flats, the Inglewood neighbourhood and Fort Macleod are also prominently featured.
Parts of season two were also shot in Alberta, this time masquerading as Wyoming; episode one was filmed in Exshaw, along Highway 1A and on Fortress Mountain alongside the Canadian Rockies. The Last of Us filmed at more than a whopping 180 locations, so you’re spoiled for choice on where to plan your set-jetting trip itinerary. It certainly doesn’t hurt that the Energy Province, with its prairies, boreal forests and sky-piercing mountains, is absolutely breathtaking, either.
2. Farm stays
Ontario
Trade farm-to-table for a bed in the barnyard — an increasingly popular way to experience the countryside. Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life in Bright, just outside Kitchener-Waterloo, began as a goat-milk ice cream venture before evolving into a fully immersive countryside escape, where guests can salute the sun at goat yoga, cuddle donkeys and picnic alongside alpacas. For the full fantasy, glamp overnight in a luxury RV surrounded by mini Highland cows and curious chickens.
In nearby Williamstown, Emeric and Sylviane have lovingly restored an 1812 farmhouse into Ferme Butte & Bine, an eco-friendly farm, bakery and B&B rooted in a working organic market garden. Expect free-roaming poultry, sourdough workshops and breakfasts of local maple syrup and freshly laid eggs. It’s a rustic, delicious escape — a chance to play farmer, indulge in hyper-local flavours and live out those back-to-the-land daydreams without committing to rising when the rooster crows.
3. Literary getaways
Victoria, B.C.
A great book can keep us locked in — whether we’re waiting out delays at the ever-chaotic Pearson Airport or wedged between strangers in a plane’s middle seat — but reading feels even more indulgent when we plan a dedicated literary getaway. As book-themed travel gains traction, more readers are planning entire trips around the simple pleasure of uninterrupted pages in peaceful settings like charming Victoria, B.C.
Nestled right against the waterfront, a stay in downtown Victoria offers walkable tree-lined streets where local cafés and restaurants, boutiques and bookstores beckon. With so many options to choose from, the city could be the unofficial independent bookstore capital of Canada. Find rare treasures at Bastion Books or graphic novels at Curious Comics. You could easily lose yourself for hours inside the sprawling, two-level Russell Books, where new and used titles await.
Once you have your reading material, cozy up on a bench or a picnic blanket in one of the parks on the waterfront and take in views of the city’s endless blooms and the ocean between chapters.
4. Star-seeking
Manitoba
Few things are as humbling and awe-inspiring as seeing the magnificence of the cosmos splattered across the night sky. If you’re searching for a reason to cross Manitoba off your Canadian bucket list, its wondrous night-sky viewing is just the ticket.
In Winnipeg, start your astronomical journey with a visit to the Manitoba Museum’s Planetarium, where the dome theatre immerses guests in a stunning 360-degree display of distant galaxies and planets. (While you’re here, explore other exhibits, like the Hudson’s Bay Company Museum Collection Gallery and the Boreal Forest Gallery.)
Once you’ve expanded your knowledge about Manitoba’s skies, drive two hours west of the city to Spruce Wood Provincial Park, the province’s first Dark-Sky Preserve. Here, artificial lighting is limited to prevent light pollution and allow for the night sky to be seen in all its glory. In the summer months, park interpreters host stargazing sessions at the visitor’s centre and offer free guided hikes, but there are plenty of signs for a self-guided tour. Along with the varied habitats of forest and prairies, discover Spirit Sands, a desert-like area of live dunes, and the nearby Devil’s Punch Bowl, a shimmering turquoise pond. Book a campsite or yurt and stay overnight at Kiche Manitou Campground to make the most of your visit.
5. Going off grid
Edmundston, N.B.
Collective digital burnout has made this year feel ripe for going analogue — which in travel terms means putting down phones and heading off grid. Edmundston, New Brunswick, offers all the wildness needed to truly unplug without feeling remote or inaccessible.
Its network of interconnected trails, including the Sentiers Madawaska system, makes it easy to disconnect for hours — or days — at a time, with scenic Appalachian foothills and riverside views as your reward. Hiking here spans a broad spectrum, from gentle river walks and botanical garden strolls to forest treks that leave you breathless — from both the climb and the mountain panoramas awaiting at the top.
In fall, the region glows with red-hot foliage, while winter feels blissfully serene as you crunch through fresh powder in snowshoes. With French-Acadian roots and a strong cultural connection to neighbouring Québec, Edmundston pairs outdoor adventure with warm hospitality and comforting local cuisine. It’s the kind of place where screens fade into the background and nature — and a slower pace of life — takes the lead.
6. Immersive cultural experiences
Nunavut
Seeing the surreal, unique beauty of the Canadian Arctic should be on every nature-lover’s bucket list, but Nunavut also serves as a cultural destination where tourists can learn about and experience Inuit life and traditions. The ancestral homeland of the Inuit people since time immemorial, Nunavut’s landscapes and wildlife are best experienced through a lens steeped in these ancient traditions.
With a home base in Iqaluit, start at the Unikkaarvik Visitor Centre. Run by Destination Nunavut, it’s a great place to gain information about the region, activities and tours. In town, shop around and discover Inuit art at galleries like Carvings Nunavut. Nunatta Sunakkutaangit Museum showcases a small collection of artwork, tools and photographs highlighting Inuit culture and the history of the local communities, and they host community events.
Exploring outside of the city is best done with an Inuit-owned company like Tikippugut Inc., where you’ll learn from guides with traditional knowledge. Search for wildlife like the arctic hare or the caribou, head out on fishing expeditions, view the aurora or tour the wild landscape by dog sled — activities and tours are always changing with the seasons.
7. Culinary travel
Kelowna, B.C.
Quails Gate Winery
Food has always motivated world travellers, but 2026 marks a shift from simply eating well to experiencing storytelling on the plate. Kelowna, the first city in Canada to receive a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy designation, is celebrated for its deep agricultural roots, sustainable development and vibrant Indigenous foodways. Its farm-to-table culture is shaped by the fertile lands of the Okanagan Valley, where flavours move seamlessly from orchard and vineyard to restaurant menus.
Explore the Downtown Cultural District and its chef-led eateries, visit award-winning wineries like Quails’ Gate, and join guided food experiences that share the region’s First Nations heritage. Outdoor enthusiasts can weave in delicious stops for pizza, fruit and wine while cycling the Kettle Valley Rail Trail or hiking Knox Mountain.
Kelowna really flexes its peacock feathers in late summer and early autumn, when bountiful harvests, wine festivals and long, sultry evenings create a sensory postcard of the valley’s enduring magic.
8. Wellness escapes
Québec
Long before Ontario first heard the words “cold plunge,” Scandinavian-style hydrotherapy and Nordic spas were already flourishing in Québec. With its deep culture of wellness, the province lays claim to being the birthplace of these experiences in Canada. Recent years have seen sauna and cold-plunge spots pop up around Ontario, but for a true wellness escape, it’s best to hop across the (provincial) border.
Often set outside in serene natural environments, where towering trees and river views urge you to relax and disconnect, Québec’s hydrotherapy spas offer a year-round wellness experience that changes with the seasons. Unlike traditional individualistic spas, these collections of hot and cold pools and rooms encourage connection and are best explored with friends and family.
From the sprawling Nordik Spa-Nature – Chelsea that feels like a massive waterpark for adults to the private Escale au Lac and everything in between, Québec offers an abundance of spa experiences. Strøm spa nordique has locations in both Montréal and Québec City, while Nordique spa Stoneham, Siberia Station Spa and Balnea spa + thermal reserve are just a short drive out of the cities.
The selection of top-rated spas is seemingly endless — we suggest making your choice based on amenities, location and, of course, the photos.
9. Multi-generational travel
P.E.I.
The pastoral pace of P.E.I. and its breathtaking windswept landscapes offer a picturesque backdrop for slowing down and reconnecting — making it an ideal destination for the growing trend of multi-generational family travel.
For a more active group, cycling the Confederation Trail will reward you with scenic coastal views of rocky red cliffs, quaint communities and peaceful farmland, but if mobility is a concern, coastal drives allow you to bask in just as much beauty. Stop at white- and red-sand beaches, charming lighthouses and attractions like Green Gables Heritage Place or the Canadian Potato Museum.
With the walkable downtown Charlottetown as your home base, you can step out of your hotel and find delicious seafood restaurants, live music and shopping, along with boat tours leaving from the waterfront. It’s lively without being overstimulating for children or older folks.
If you can swing it, spend a night at the Inn at Bay Fortune and attend chef Michael Smith’s FireWorks Feast. It’s a bucket-list culinary experience featuring farm-to-table fare served in a convivial atmosphere that’s a heck of a lot of fun (for adults).
10. Wildlife watching
Newfoundland & Labrador
Beyond raccoons and pigeons, we’re not used to seeing much wildlife in Toronto. Fly three-to-four hours east to “The Rock,” though, and you’ll find an abundance of marine and land life. Newfoundland holds some of the most spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities in Canada and the world.
In Elliston, you can gawk from land at goofy, orange-beaked puffins waddling mere feet away, or gracefully diving into the sea. Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is home to the largest puffin colony in North America, and the second-largest in the world.
You can spot humpback, blue, orca, sperm and minke whales drifting by icebergs from almost any part of the province, but Quirpon Island — a 6.5 kilometre-long island off the northern tip of Newfoundland — gets you a stone’s throw away from the largest of these sea mammals.
It’s also common to witness towering moose crossing the road (often jamming up traffic), or caribou grazing in fields at Gros Morne National Park. Finally, you can head north to Labrador and cross your fingers for polar bear, black bear and wolf sightings.
