Everybody has an outdoor activity that reminds them of home. In Canada, we’re no different, and there are a few outdoor activities that feel especially Canadian, even though people in other places might do them, too. We asked our readers about what activities they think are particularly Canadian & here’s what they said. Which one is your favourite?
Skating on a homemade backyard rink
Quite a few of our readers mentioned how much they love going on backyard rinks, especially the ones that are made with plywood & a lot of wishful thinking.
They said that there’s nothing that feels more Canadian than freezing your toes off on something you made in your own backyard. The fact that your neighbours might drop by to join in is just the cherry on top.
Portaging a canoe between quiet northern lakes
A couple of readers from northern Ontario spoke about how much they enjoy taking a canoe & portaging between the lakes. Or, at least, they try to do this, as swatting away blackflies becomes quite a hassle, and so does trying not to slip on the wet roots.
They said that hearing the loon calls & seeing the French-English trail signs makes them feel part of something that’s generations old.
Camping in a provincial park
Some of our readers in Manitoba mentioned that provincial-park camping is one of the most Canadian outdoor activities you can try because you’re surrounded by signs about bears & oddly polite camping warnings.
They said they really enjoy the combination of wild spaces and organized systems. Apparently, it feels quite familiar to them.
Joining an outdoor community curling bonspiel
Our Manitoba readers also mentioned that going to a curling bonspiel is another uniquely Canadian activity, since it usually involves going to frozen rivers with donated lights that have been in town storage for decades. Many neighbors wander over just to watch the ends. It’s a lot of fun seeing a rock curl properly on the uneven ice surfaces.
Watching northern lights
A Yukon reader told us that they never bother driving anywhere to see the aurora because they can simply pull out two old lawn chairs & sit behind their shed to see the magic of the night sky.
They said the sheer silence and cold creeping in have nothing on the sight above them. It’s utterly incredible in a way that you supposedly can’t experience anywhere else.
Visiting an ice fishing village on a frozen lake
Where else would you go to visit an ice fishing village than in Saskatchewan? Several readers told us that the sign of a village of huts on a frozen lake surprises lots of visitors, but not the locals, as they’re completely used to it all.
The whole area supposedly feels like a proper Canadian neighbourhood, albeit colder and more temporary than any others.
Tubing down a prairie river past grain elevators
That’s not all for Saskatchewan. Another reader from there told us that they think tubing feels very Canadian because you get to float past landmarks that, quite literally, only exist on the Prairies, and the experience is all the better for it.
They said they especially enjoy how the river is quite slow in some parts & that you can hear meadowlarks over the sound of the water.
Hiking mixed mud, ice, and maple leaves in shoulder season
During the early spring, you can go hiking on trails in Quebec and experience three different kinds of textures in ten minutes, namely slick ice, deep mud & crunchy old leaves.
They claim that what makes it so Canadian is the fact that everyone deals with it without a fuss. It’s just so unpredictable, and that’s apparently a lot of fun.
Picking blueberries on warm Canadian Shield rock
Several readers in northern Ontario swore that picking blueberries on the Shield is Canada in a nutshell, as the rock doesn’t look like anything from any other place, thanks to the pink streaks & bits of quartz.
They said they loved going with their families to find some of the berries hidden in cracks. Everyone carries tubs that were never meant to hold berries, but somehow work well.
Standing beside a salmon run on the West Coast
Let’s not forget about Nanaimo. Our readers from there told us that salmon runs are purely Canadian because of how the fish have become a major part of many Coast traditions, including school field trips & fall festivals.
The smell that mixes cedar and water is like nothing else. In fact, they recommended that every Canadian experience it at least once.
Watching a prairie thunderstorm from a gravel road
What makes a prairie thunderstorm so Canadian is the fact that you can see it crossing half the province, and that the gravel roads are the best place to watch the whole thing. The sky turns a weird greenish colour that must be seen to be believed. As for the dust sticking to your legs the entire time? It’s pretty incredible.
Snowshoeing to a Quebec sugar shack
Our readers in Quebec assured us that the Canadian part of snowshoeing doesn’t actually come from the shoes themselves, but rather the routine of the whole thing.
It’s the maple-scented air & metal buckets hanging on authentic maple trees that make this a truly northern experience. Hearing the workers speak French as they prepare taffy also helps.
Cross-country skiing on lit city trails
A couple of locals in Winnipeg said that they enjoy skiing after work because they enjoy seeing practically everyone go down the same trails with their headlamps bouncing.
But what makes it Canadian is that the cities here actually maintain their long winter routes with wooden signs & warm-up shacks. Having the infrastructure for such winter activities is uniquely Canadian.