Favorite tourist places in Canada - 2

Stratford, Ontario: Stratford is home to the Stratford Festival which is like nirvana for theater fans like me. During the festival which stages everything from Shakespeare to Sondheim to new Canadian plays you can stay in theater themed B and Bs hang out with actors post show at local bars like Down the Street go on backstage tours and attend dozens of other events with other theater mad folk. Stratford itself is the type  walkable wholesome town Rodgers and Hammerstein might write a musical about. Evangeline Trail, Nova Scotia: Longfellow' s epic poem Evangeline evokes the story of two lovers who were wrenched apart during the 1755 expulsion of Nova Scotia' s French Acadians. The tragic tale unfolded along Nova Scotia' s northern shore where the Acadians eked out a living as farmers along the famous Bay of Fundy tidal bore. One of my favorite bike rides is through this bucolic region past the picturesque fields and through the historic villages between Annapolis Royal and Wolfville. The scenery is absolutely stunning but Evangeline' s story gives it an added touch of romance and a haunting sense of loss.

Favorite tourist places in Canada - 1

Banff, Alberta: Natural hot springs inspired a luxury spa culture in Banff but for me it's all about the Rocky Mountain high. On a recent visit I couldn' t bear to waste a moment out of sight of those craggy peaks forgoing sleep for sunrise hikes and late drinks alfresco. Even Marilyn Monroe who shot River of No Return here in 1953 could scarcely compete with its scenic splendor (in the words of critics of the day). The beauty here is panoramic whether from the banks of Bow Falls between downtown and the castle like Fairmont Banff Springs hotel or from the top of Tunnel Mountain the littlest summit in Banff with its trailhead just a few blocks from the town' s main drag ( a heart thumping 853 feet up 1.5 miles of switchbacks just don' t look for a tunnel the name is a misnomer). A day trip away is Lake Louise its deep emerald magic best taken in along a hike to the rustic teahouses of the surrounding mountains and old growth forest. Tip: After a day of soaking up Alberta's free beauty splurge on dinner at Eden inside Banff' s Rimrock Resort Hotel where eye filling window views rival the regional specialties and Canadian wine pairings of the chef' s tasting menu.