Autumn in Canada is quite eventful. Here’s a guide where you’ll find ideal places to see fall foliage & data related to the best seasonal activities in every province.
British Columbia
Fall foliage can be seen across the province. Stanley Park in Vancouver is a large, urban park which boasts roughly 500,000 trees. Well, it’s a great place to see colorful foliage around this season. Biking along the Seawall bike path in the fall offers scenic views of Vancouver & dynamic fall colors.
Regarding fall activities & festivals, Vancouver’s International Film Festival is one of the most significant film festivals in North America & is running until October 8th.
In addition, the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival celebrates the fall grape harvest with more than 60 events centered around wine, food, & culture among lakes & mountains. The festival begins from October 27th to November 5th.
British Columbia’s Culture Days is the largest public participation campaign for the arts, which has free & interactive events celebrating arts, heritage, & culture. This event begins on September 22nd & goes on till October 15th.
Furthermore, Maan’s Farm’s Annual Fall Festival boasts a pumpkin patch, ziplines, apple cider slushies, etc. It is open till November.
Lastly, the Whistler Writers Festival is an annual event celebrating the written word. You can meet international & Canadian authors, attend workshops, music events, etc., from October 12th to October 16th.
Alberta
Alberta has numerous places that transform in the fall. Banff, specifically Larch Valley, is a beautiful area & a trail with vibrant fall foliage. Places like Jasper & Lake Louise provide sky trams & gondolas in order to observe changing colors from above.
The Canyon Coaster at Canyon Ski Resort lets you witness the fall colors while enjoying a ride on a luge track via forest trails. Moreover, Elk Island National Park can be driven or trekked to see the aspen parkland foliage switch from green to orange & red.
There are numerous activities to do this autumn in Canada, Alberta. For instance, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival celebrates stars & the universe in one of the world’s largest accessible dark sky preserves from October 13th to 29th.
In addition, the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival is one of Alberta’s largest food & beverage events in October & November.
Moreover, the Canadian Finals Rodeo in November hosts rodeo events like bareback riding, steer wrestling, etc. Oktoberfest is also celebrated in numerous events across the province. Lastly, Tim Hortons NHL heritage classic in Edmonton will mark the 20th anniversary of hosting the first NHL season outdoor game on October 29th.
Manitoba
Another province to witness beautiful autumn in Canada is Manitoba.
The Riding Mountain National Park has an array of colorful trees in the fall. Moreover, Wekusko Falls enables tourists to witness the beauty of waterfalls & rapids coupled with foliage during this time of the year.
In addition, you can enjoy colorful falls & migrations, viewing as hundreds of geese land at FortWhyte Alive & Oak Hammock Marsh.
Coming to festivals as well as activities, the province has Culture Days, with numerous activities beginning from September 22nd to October 15th.
Lastly, Boonstra Farms offers a 10-acre corn maze, hayrides, Halloween events, petting zoo, & much more.
New Brunswick
Another province to witness the amazing autumn in Canada is New Brunswick.
The Fundy Coastal Drive is a 460-kilometer drive filled with fall foliage & colors. Fundy National Park has some of the highest tides in the world alongside the colorful fall foliage at this time.
In addition, Miscou Island in northern New Brunswick is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Almost half of the island is covered in peat bogs, which turn red at this time of the year, thus offering visitors a unique foliage experience.
Moreover, the Indulge Food & Wine Festival takes place from October 12th to 15, where visitors can savor creations by some of the province’s top chefs & food producers.
Another event, i.e., Le Grande Grouille takes place from October 5th to 8 in NB Botanical Garden, where thousands of pumpkins are illuminated.
Lastly, visitors can explore Kingsbrae Garden. It is a multi-award-winning horticulture masterpiece.
Newfoundland & Labrador
Fall Foliage can be found at Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Herein, you can hike through the mountain ranges as well as coastal trails. Then, there is Corner Brook, where fall foliage peaks in late September to early October.
In addition, the Mummers festival is a unique festival tradition in Newfoundland & Labrador, a free 2-week series of events & workshops, ending up with a parade.
Moreover, you can also visit the Town of Trinity. It is a coastal village with historic architecture at the backdrop of dynamic & colorful trees.
Lastly, you can attend the St. John’s International Women’s Film Festival from October 17th to 21st.
Nova Scotia
Some places to witness fall foliage in Nova Scotia include Cabot Trail. Herein, you can take a scenic drive on one of the most beautiful roadways & experience vivid fall colors. Moreover, you can also experience the fall colors in one of the nation’s most beautiful national parks, i.e., Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
What’s more? Nova Scotia’s wine region near Wolfville around Annapolis Valley is also a must-visit. The best time to visit is September-October. Also, for one of the best vistas of fall foliage in the province, you can drive to Blomidon Look-off on the North Mountain in Canning.
Talking about fall festivals and activities, you can participate in the Celtic Colors International Festival, which is nine days of Celtic Culture, beginning on October 6th on Cape Breton Island.
Well, there are many places to go apple picking as well. For instance, the Annapolis Valley during the fall season, Noggins Corner Farm, Willowbank Farm, etc., are a must-visit.
Ontario
Autumn in Canada can be witnessed if you visit Ontario, one of the most popular Canadian provinces.
Algonquin Park, a few hours from Ottawa & Toronto, boasts a kaleidoscope of color with 24 native species of trees from mid-September to mid-October. In addition, you can visit High Park in Toronto & Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa to witness the vivid fall colors.
Moreover, you can enjoy beautiful & thrilling views of waterfalls & colorful foliage from the Niagara SkyWheel/ Zipline. Next up is taking the experience of a lifetime at North America’s longest-running & scariest haunted house.
There are a lot of activities & festivals across the province this fall. For instance, the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is till October 14th, celebrating German heritage, music, food, & much more.
Furthermore, Prince Edward County Pumpkinfest is from October 14th to 15th & has a giant weigh-off, which has been taking place for the last 26 years. Well, Pumkinferno has around 7,000 handcrafted, glowing pumpkins in this award-winning event.
The province has innumerable farms where one can enjoy numerous events & activities. Some farms include Hanes Corn Maze, Pingle’s Farm, & Downey’s Farm. Madahoki Farm is situated on the traditional & unceded territories of the Algonquin Nation. The farm welcomes tourists to engage with local indigenous cultures & traditions.
Cinefest Sudbury is a renowned film festival which began in September. Lastly, you can attend the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival to celebrate the region’s winemaking with numerous events & tastings.
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island offers you the chance to experience fall foliage on Confederation Trail, where you can traverse a 435-kilometer-long trail by either bike or foot to enjoy the breathtaking fall colors. In addition, you can also visit the province’s National Park, which has sandy beaches, red cliffs, & wind-sculpted dunes.
Fall festivals, as well as activities, include the PEI Fall Flavors Food & Drink Festival. It is a two-week celebration which takes place during Canada’s harvest season, i.e., from October 1st to October 15th.
Finally, the Charlottetown Scarecrow Festival celebrates fall with various festive events like hundreds of scarecrows, stilt walkers, haunted tours, etc.
Quebec
Another amazing province to witness autumn in Canada is Quebec.
Tourists can visit Mont-Tremblant & ride the gondola to the highest peak to have panoramic views of the foliage.
In addition, you can also explore Sentier Des Crime Treetop Walk, which is a new wooden boardwalk & geometric tower which spirals over 130 feet in the air.
Moreover, Montreal’s Botanical Garden is one of the world’s greatest gardens, showcasing numerous colorful autumn displays.
Furthermore, Montreal hosts numerous Multicultural Festivals, like Gardens of Light. It is an extremely popular annual fall spectacle at the Botanical Gardens & Ramen Ramen Festival, celebrating the dish from Japan from October 9th to 22nd.
Also, during September & October, you can select apples of your choosing from various orchards, including Labonte De La Pomme in Oka.
Saskatchewan
This province boasts many provincial parks as well as conservation areas, like Wanuskewin Heritage Park. Herein, you can observe the fall colors while exploring indigenous culture & heritage. Other parks in the province include:
- Narrow Hills Provincial Park
- Prince Albert National Park
- Meadow Lake Provincial Park
- Duck Mountain Provincial Park
In addition, the Culture Days festival takes place in the province, wherein you can participate in cultural events. Well, the Saskatoon Fantastic Film Festival showcases some of the best international genre cinema. The festival begins on November 17th & goes on till November 28th.
Lastly, you can go camping to experience Saskatchewan parks in the fall. There are also pumpkin patches as well as corn mazes, like Berry Barn, Youth Farm Corn Maze, & Happy Hollow Corn Maze. Well, you can also enjoy tastings & a pumpkin UPick at Black Fox & Distillery.