Enjoy these glorious Canadian trails

From majestic mountains 2000 metres above sea level in the Rocky Mountains to oceanfront city walks in beautiful St. John’s in Newfoundland, Canada offers easy hikes to suit every style. By Jim Byers.

Lion’s Head, Ontario

This is one of the best hikes in Canada, and one of the most surprising to visitors (and Ontario residents) alike.

A relatively easy one-hour hike on The Bruce Trail, from a parking area outside the small town of Lion’s Head, takes you to a lookout perched on a sheer cliff of rock 70 metres above the shoreline of Georgian Bay, part of Lake Huron.

The water in this part of The Great Lakes is a remarkable shade of green-blue that feels more like the Mediterranean than Canada. ontariotrails.on.ca

Sunshine Meadows, Alberta

This hike, located at the 2200-metre level at Sunshine Meadows ski resort in Banff, has been rated the top hiking spot in all of Canada.

There are long, difficult sections if you choose, but you also can do short and hugely rewarding walks to glacier-fed ponds surrounded by ancient rock and ragged, jagged mountain tops. sunshinemeadowsbanff.com

You’ll likely pass dozens of adorable (and hungry) ground squirrels and tiny wildflowers that grow fuzzy bits to stay warm. A tour bus can help you get to the lodge and avoid a long, arduous walk up a steep hill to the starting point.

If you’re up for a spot of skiing after your hike, read our ultimate Banff ski guide here.

Squamish, British Columbia

The Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish, part of the way up the road from Vancouver to Whistler, is a fun ride to the top of a mountain overlooking the waters of Howe Sound.

There are several easy trails you can take from the top of the gondola, with marked trails and stunning overlooks so you can enjoy both water and mountain views.

There’s also a suspension bridge you can walk across. Trust me; even folks who are afraid of heights can probably manage it.

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Thunder Bay, Ontario

This parks offers some of the best hiking in the most dramatic area of Ontario. There’s an easy walk from a parking lot to view Sea Lion Rock, an ancient rock formation on the shores of a quiet bay of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake on the planet.

You’ll pass a pretty, rocky beach and skirt past thick forests on a short walk to the lookout.

For a truly remarkable view, take your car over some bumpy bits to a small parking lot and walk out to the Thunder Bay Lookout; a platform that juts out over a steep cliff. ontarioparks.com

The Bear’s Hump, Alberta

This is a fantastic hike in Waterton Lakes National Park, a joint national park with Glacier National Park in Montana, USA.

It’s probably a half hour or so up a relatively steep hill but the views out over Waterton Lake and down to the Prince of Wales Hotel on a bluff far below are marvellous.

I saw six-year-old kids doing this trip, so it’s not bad. pc.gc.ca

Buffalo Pound Provincial Park, Saskatchewan

No trip to the prairies of Canada is complete without seeing majestic bison, or buffalo. Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is about 25 kilometres from Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

You’ll find a series of easy hikes on rolling, gentle terrain.

There’s a marsh with a barrier-free boardwalk, where you can perhaps spot great blue heron or red-tailed hawks soar.

The best part is a visit to see the captive herd of majestic, woolly bison. saskparks.net

St. John’s, Newfoundland

The walk from downtown St. John’s to Signal Hill is one of the great urban walks in the world.

The main path, which is well marked by thoughtful residents, takes you through an area called The Battery.

Brightly coloured homes in all colours of the rainbow line the steep walls of St. John’s Harbour here, clinging to bare rock as if their lives depended on it.

You’ll wind your way past tiny, artsy cottages and finally emerge at an open part of the harbour, where you can find a path to Signal Hill. pc.gc.ca

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Central Montreal

If you’re a city person whose idea of a good hike is a walk around the Sydney Botanic Gardens, this is the walk for you.

Fortify yourself with a chewy sesame-seed bagel from either St. Viateur or Fairmount Bagels in the Plateau/Mile End district of Montreal, and hike up the road to the top of Mont Royal for magnificent views of the city and, on a clear day, all the way to Vermont in the US.

There are leafy forests and vast meadows to explore, and easy paths to downtown Montreal.

Whitehorse, Yukon

You can take a short drive from downtown Whitehorse for an easy walk along Miles Canyon. There are marked trails paralleling the Yukon River, which gushes through a narrow, 16-metre deep chasm of chunky brown rock.

You’ll pass through towering forests of evergreens along the way. The river was a key transportation point during the Klondike gold rush. yukoninfo.com

ALSO RECOMMENDED:

Cape Breton in Nova Scotia
The Laurentian Mountains in Quebec, just outside Quebec City
Pender Hill on the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia
Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland

After more information on Canada? check out our list of 100 Things to do in Canada Before you Die

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

One of the quickest ways to derail healthy habits on holiday is to spend half of it working out where to eat instead of digging into the culture around you. Thankfully, Novotel has done much of the hard work already, with chefs building menus that lean into the flavours, ingredients and traditions of each destination.

In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.