These are the tourist traps Canadians say somehow cost them more than anyone else in the world.
Capilano Bridge
Ranked the #2 most expensive attraction in the world in a recent global poll, admission prices to this BC landmark can top $250 for a family of four. This highly priced ticket is just for a 15-minute walk across a bridge.
It might be worth it for international tourists looking to check it off their once-in-a-lifetime list. But Canadians often feel the sting of domestic prices that rival the most expensive sites in Europe.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls itself is incredible. But every time you go there, there’s an invisible sign above every attraction that funnels you into a gift shop.
Hotels and restaurants in this tourist district add on a “Tourism Improvement Fee”, also known as TIF. This is basically a voluntary tip they get to keep and shows up on your bill looking like a tax.
With the overpriced parking tickets and wax museums, you would end up spending more money on a weekend than you would on a week in Mexico.
Canada’s Wonderland
Canada’s Wonderland is often ranked as one of the most overpriced amusement/theme parks in the entire world. The true trap at Canada’s Wonderland is the secondary spending you’re forced to do once you’re there.
Between the $30+ parking, $20 locker rentals, expensive food and Fast Lane passes that can cost double the price of admission, what was supposed to be a local day trip with your family can easily become a $600+ ordeal.
Disney World
Disney World is expensive for everyone but it can be a particularly nasty travel trap for Canadians. When the $CAD is low, they are basically paying nearly a 30-40% surcharge on everything from tickets to bottled water.
In addition, unlike most Europeans who visit Disney World once in their life, many Canadians seem to flock to Disney World multiple times a year. This makes the exchange rate one of the largest invisible travel traps Canada faces.
Blue Lagoon
If there’s one place Canadians are flocking to in record numbers, it’s Iceland. The short flight times from Canada’s East Coast make Iceland very desirable.
However, Iceland’s Blue Lagoon is consistently ranked the #1 most overpriced attraction in the world. Entrance fees for the famous geothermal pool often start around $100 CAD, and don’t include the fully inflated transport from Reykjavik.
Calgary Stampede
Arguably one of Canada’s greatest sources of national pride, the Stampede is an absolute wallet-drainer for Canadian travelers. Hotels use surge pricing, which typically triples the price of a nightly room during Calgary’s ten-day festival.
Couple that with hiked prices of food and drink, and visitors from other provinces often end up paying more money to go to Calgary than to fly to London or Paris.
CN Tower (Toronto)
Planning on going to the top of Canada’s most iconic tower? You’ll spend about $45–$55 per person just to get there. But if you want to go all the way to the highest point, you have to pay more.
For a family of four, climbing Canada’s Tower will run you $250+ for what amounts to a one-hour visit. That’s more than you’ll spend at just about any theme park, for the whole day.
Banff Gondola
Banff is arguably one of the most beautiful places on planet Earth, but their gondola ride charges dynamic pricing. In other words, whenever they anticipate being busy (aka. weekends), the prices skyrocket.
You could end up paying $95 CAD for a 10-minute ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain. Many Canadians don’t understand why looking at their own mountain range from a cable car is so expensive.
Edmonton Waterpark
Winter-weary families from across Canada will travel to Edmonton just to visit the waterpark at West Edmonton Mall. While it was once a reasonable outing, tickets now sit at $65–$70 per person. That’s $300+ for a family of four before you even buy lunch or rent a locker.
Las Vegas Resorts
Las Vegas is an ultra-popular vacation spot for Canadians, but resort fees are one of Vegas’s biggest hidden fees for visitors. Nearly every hotel charges guests an extra $45–$60 USD on top of the nightly room price.
Converted into Canadian dollars, that’s upwards of $80 you’re paying per day for things like Wifi and gym access you may never use.
Columbia Icefield Skywalk
The Columbia Icefield Skywalk is a glass walkway overlooking a massive canyon just outside of Jasper. The admission price is steep at about $40, but you can only get there by paying to take their bus.
Even then, most travelers find the walkway too short to justify the price when there are tons of free, world-class views just minutes away from the Skywalk.
Casa Loma (Toronto)
Toronto’s trendy castle charges over $40 to get in. It’s a historic building, but many think the castle isn’t worth it. And you have to pay for parking too.
The biggest ripoff is that it gets booked for private events all the time. So chances are, even if you go there, some parts will be closed.