Canada is an amazing country to go do some paddle boarding and kayaking over the summer. Canada features the world’s longest coastline at 243,042 km and has 62% of the world’s freshwater lakes (counted at about 880,400). That’s a lot of water to explore! Below we will go through the top 5 best locations below. Don’t forget your life vest before heading out!
1. Haida Gwaii, British Columbia
Haida Gwaii has often been cited as one of the most nature-rich areas in the world. It is located off of the coast of British Columbia as a string of islands. For those who love to sea kayak, you’re in luck! Haida Gwaii features lots of untouched coastline with lots of possibility of seeing a wide variety of wildlife such as whales, sea birds, seals, and sea lions as well as wolves and grizzlies. If you are not experienced with sea kayaking fear not. There are various different sea kayaking tours that you can take that can range from day to multi-day excursions. Some of the top favored spots are Gwaii Haanas National Park, Burnaby Narrows, and Echo harbor.
2. Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario
Get out your fishing kayak because you are about to get transported to lake country! Algonquin is the biggest provincial park in Ontario and is a favorite for kayaking and canoeing enthusiasts alike. It is also a great place to fish on those dewey mornings. For fisherman, some of the top spots include McKaskill Lake, Carcajou Lake as well as the Opeongo river. For those with inflatable stand up paddleboards Whisky Jack lake, Burntroot, and Lake Louisa are favorites. Algonquin is a pretty big area at 7,653.45 km2 so pick your areas strategically.
3. Vancouver, British Columbia
The last couple of picks have been for your nature enthusiasts. This one is more for those of you who want suburbia mixed in with parks and beaches. Vancouver is a great place to bring your paddleboard in the summer and paddle along the sea wall and False Creek. If you don’t have a board or a kayak don’t worry, Vancouver has a lot of rental areas around False Creek Spanish banks and Kitsilano. This is the perfect place to kayak during the day and have a well-deserved beer in town at night.
4. Churchill River Manitoba
For those of you who have always wanted to see northern species such as polar bears and beluga whales, this is the place to go! There have been many reports where belugas curiously swim close to your kayak to check you out! Some other highlights include seal sightings, Polar bear bus tours, and the northern lights if you go at the right time of year.
5. Bonaventure River, Quebec
Bonaventure is located between Trois Rivieres and Montreal Quebec that is known for its crystal clear composition. It is a long stretching river that has many different parts to it. The more adventurous and experienced paddler can go paddle in canoes in guided white water tours through the valley of the Black Spruce. More laid-back paddlers can visit the mouth of the river and even go fishing for Atlantic Salmon. The best times to fish in this river are early June to Mid September.
