For those that have been to Canada...

[OG]

Morning Folks, I'm currently on my gap year and have booked my place to head out to Canada under the BUNAC programme. My work permit turned up yesterday which is a relief as it was supposed to take 8 weeks but only took 5!

I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips about Canada, and any must do's whilst I'm out there. I'm planning to head to Whistler (after flying into Vancouver) and work up there for a couple of months then travel around for a couple of weeks or so afterwards. But where to travel to, there's just so much to do!

Any advice is appreciated

 

[Knubje]

Morning Folks, I'm currently on my gap year and have booked my place to head out to Canada under the BUNAC programme. My work permit turned up yesterday which is a relief as it was supposed to take 8 weeks but only took 5!

I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips about Canada, and any must do's whilst I'm out there. I'm planning to head to Whistler (after flying into Vancouver) and work up there for a couple of months then travel around for a couple of weeks or so afterwards. But where to travel to, there's just so much to do!

Any advice is appreciated

I would recommend visiting Toronto and Niagara falls. Opposite side to Vancouver but Ontario province is great! I only managed a day in Toronto when I went as the people I was with kinda took me for a flying visit. So much to see and do!

It is a great country, one of the few I'd choose to live in if I had to move away from the UK. I'm sure you will have an awesome time!

The only don't I can think of right now is don't compare them/their accent/their culture in any way to the Americans or you will get your ass chewed

 

[Westyfield2]

In BC you had to be 21 and have two pieces of government issued ID to enter a pub. This really annoyed me.

Fortunately posh restaurants don't give a monkeys about the drink laws though...


Oh, one other thing, Whistler is the best place on earth. Ever.

 

[lucky13]

I visited my friend in Calgary and went to the rockies truly amazing. I think you should go for a road trip through the rockies some amzing places and can be done quite easily.

If you can get a day skiing or bording at Lake louise i loved those slopes and Sunshine village by Banff. But if you are going in summer go mountain biking instead.

 

[OG]

In BC you had to be 21 and have two pieces of government issued ID to enter a pub. This really annoyed me.

Fortunately posh restaurants don't give a monkeys about the drink laws though...


Oh, one other thing, Whistler is the best place on earth. Ever.

I'm not really sure when this was? Its 19 according to various sources online? Could be a bit of a bummer if it is as I am only 19.

 

[semi-pro waster]

If you're planning on hanging around Vancouver for a while then it's certainly worth going round Stanley Park and Granville Island for the market and depending on what time you are over there you may catch Canada Day too which offers a lot of entertainment. Gastown is worth a look although when I was there it was suggested you should be careful around there at nights, no idea if that is still the same. You should be able to get some summer skiing on the Blackcomb glacier in Whistler, from memory it was open 11-3 during the day.

BUNAC do have a job service where they'll help you by showing a selection of opportunities but you may also want to consider signing up for an agency as I did, very easy to do and might get you work that bit quicker.

Do you have any particular plans about what you want to do while you are there? For myself I had a couple of things that I wanted to do and just went with the flow for the rest, that may or may not suit you.

//edit in relation to Westyfield2's point about having to have ID, not sure if that is something that has recently come into force, I was there about 4 years ago now and barely recall getting ID'd more than once or twice but I was already over 21 at the time so it made no real odds to me.

 

[OG]

If you're planning on hanging around Vancouver for a while then it's certainly worth going round Stanley Park and Granville Island for the market and depending on what time you are over there you may catch Canada Day too which offers a lot of entertainment. Gastown is worth a look although when I was there it was suggested you should be careful around there at nights, no idea if that is still the same. You should be able to get some summer skiing on the Blackcomb glacier in Whistler, from memory it was open 11-3 during the day.

BUNAC do have a job service where they'll help you by showing a selection of opportunities but you may also want to consider signing up for an agency as I did, very easy to do and might get you work that bit quicker.

Do you have any particular plans about what you want to do while you are there? For myself I had a couple of things that I wanted to do and just went with the flow for the rest, that may or may not suit you.

Well my only real plan was to head to Whistler do some mountain biking and work up there. Apart from that I am happy to go with the flow. I don't have a huge amount of money to take with me (about a grand) so I will definitely have to work as I don't really want to slum it out there.

I didn't realise you could ski on the Glacier out there, will have to investigate more into that!

 

[Westyfield2]

I'm not really sure when this was? Its 19 according to various sources online? Could be a bit of a bummer if it is as I am only 19.

Hmm, I was there last summer but maybe I remembered wrong:

The legal drinking age in BC is 19.

Beer, wine and spirits are available from the government liquor stores (BCL). They are also available from private beer and wine stores which are usually associated with pubs or bars. Most BCL stores close at 8PM while most private liquor stores are open until 11PM. You cannot buy alcohol in grocery stores.

BC is home to a number of breweries,including the Columbia Brewery in Creston which brews Kokanee, the Granville Island Brewery in Vancouver and Nelson Brewing Company [13] in Nelson. Most breweries offer tours.

BC is also well-renowned for its wine and the Okanagan Valley [14] is the center of the wine industry in the province. It's a perfect area to visit during the Autumn grape harvest. There are large number of wineries open for tastings.

Whatever it was, I was 18 and not old enough .

 

[Davepen]

I went to Banf a couple of years ago.
It was truely awesome!

Did some snow mobliling, ate a lot of steak
and also found some stoners off a ski route and tried out some stoned skiing ^^
awesome

 

[semi-pro waster]

Well my only real plan was to head to Whistler do some mountain biking and work up there. Apart from that I am happy to go with the flow. I don't have a huge amount of money to take with me (about a grand) so I will definitely have to work as I don't really want to slum it out there.

I didn't realise you could ski on the Glacier out there, will have to investigate more into that!

North Vancouver might be quite a good place for you to live then, transport back into central Vancouver is pretty reasonable (and has probably got better due to the Olympics) but from there it's not hard to get into the mountains for a bit of biking. It also tends to be a bit cheaper than living more centrally. Also worth noting is that on many of the buses you can put your bike on the front and get it transported with you, handy if you're one of the lazy downhiller types.

Craigslist is a pretty good resource and you'll probably find a lot of recommendations to use it for flathunting or buying bikes etc.

Hmm, I was there last summer but maybe I remembered wrong:

Whatever it was, I was 18 and not old enough .

That's a bit of a pity, a lot of the smaller Canadian breweries have a better tasting beer than the large ones although Sam Adams was reasonably decent from what I remember and you could get that almost anywhere.

 

[nands]

I think you should go for a road trip through the rockies some amzing places and can be done quite easily.

If you can get a day skiing or bording at Lake louise i loved those slopes and Sunshine village by Banff. But if you are going in summer go mountain biking instead.

Sound advice, driving throough the Rockies is astounding. Driving from Vancouver to Whistler is very impressive also with the ocean on your left and mountains to the right (Sea to Sky Highway if memory serves).

Vancouver is a stunning city, as said Stanley Park is a fine location, if on Granville Island pick up some beer for the Granville Island Brewery they do some nice drinks. You should be OK at 19.

Where you are working will dictate what you can do as you have to remember that it is a very big place!

 

[valve90210]

I'd recommend visitin Capilano Suspension Bridge which is just outside Vancouver, also Grouse Mountain is a must. When I went to Vancover with friends we went kayaking somewhere just outside Vancouver not far from the suspension bridge but the name escapes me right now.

Also, take your time driving from Vancouver up to Whistler as there are some truely breath-taking views. We stopped loads of times on the way to just stand and stare at wonderful sights!!!

Valve

 

[Dano]

The only don't I can think of right now is don't compare them/their accent/their culture in any way to the Americans or you will get your ass chewed

+1, it's the only time I ever saw a Canadian get annoyed, their general outlook and friendliness is outstanding, also worth remembering that you need to take it in context - that hottie serving you in the winter sports shop is like that to everybody and probably doesn't want to jump your bones, though considering the STD rate (this information is probably way out of date) I could be mistaken there...

 

[semi-pro waster]

+1, it's the only time I ever saw a Canadian get annoyed, their general outlook and friendliness is outstanding, also worth remembering that you need to take it in context - that hottie serving you in the winter sports shop is like that to everybody and probably doesn't want to jump your bones, though considering the STD rate (this information is probably way out of date) I could be mistaken there...

I'd agree that generally speaking the Canadians are very friendly and it's worth just striking up a conversation in bars or almost anywhere as they'll often be very glad to help out a foreigner if they can. However I did have quite a bit of fun talking to the Junior Americans and pointing out that despite their huge landmass they almost all choose to live within a few hundred miles of the American border - this approach isn't necessarily recommended but I got by with it...

 

[OG]

Ah awesome thanks for all the advice guys, really looking forward to going now! North Vancouver is looking like a pretty sweet place and have had a look at Craigslist. That website is exactly what I needed, its quite comforting seeing how many jobs are available just in Whistler and how many rooms/apartments are available for rent.

From what I've read it seems everyone in Canada is nice and friendly so thats always a plus. I have one thing I can't decide on though, I have a decent mountain bike and would love to take it out with me it isn't that expensive to take out with me. It would save me a bomb having to rent one out there but the only problem is I want to travel round I would have to lug my bike round with me, garrr can't decide!

Edit one more question, I take it I cant drive out there? I've got a full english driving licence but I presume I need to be driving for at least 3 years or something before I can drive abroad?

 

[Westyfield2]

I have one thing I can't decide on though, I have a decent mountain bike and would love to take it out with me it isn't that expensive to take out with me. It would save me a bomb having to rent one out there but the only problem is I want to travel round I would have to lug my bike round with me, garrr can't decide!

Don't know what they're like now the exchange rate is naff, but they used to be sooo cheap out there! Even the second hand market is mega cheap too.

I bought mine for £700 here (it's worth like £1600) off a guy who was moving to Whistler the next day, and was buying the most awesome thing ever out there!

Also our hotel in Whistler had a dedicated Bikes and Ski's room for keeping them in!

 

[nands]

I have one thing I can't decide on though, I have a decent mountain bike and would love to take it out with me it isn't that expensive to take out with me. It would save me a bomb having to rent one out there but the only problem is I want to travel round I would have to lug my bike round with me, garrr can't decide!

Sounds like you answered your own question there! Take you bike, stay in North Van, work close and you have a free commute, use public transport (which is good) to go further. When you have finished pack up a backpack and cycle over the Rockies!

 

[Mr_Moose]

I've been to Vancouver and Toronto... Loved them both but Vanc was the better by far. Such a clean and friendly city (even the homeless were polite). I was 21 (2006) when I was there and never got asked for ID once. I'd agree with everyone who says Stanley Pk, the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain are a must and make sure you take in an ice hockey game!!!
I also wouldn't worry about not planning much as once you get there and meet the locals and gap year foke like you I'd imagine the whole thing will take a course of it's own (not speaking from experence mind you).
Ohh and get yourself to Vancouver Island and go a whale watching tour.... and enjoy of course.