Take advantage of special offers for Canadian travellers
Want to book a vacation at a resort in the U.S. but you’re worried Canuck bucks won’t get you very far? Many border states take Canadian dollars at par for everything from hotel rooms to ski lift tickets, lessons and gear rental.
For example, in Vermont, Jay Peak takes Canadian cash—not credit cards—at par, while Smugglers’ Notch provides a 30% lodging discount to Canadian guests. Burke Mountain also sells lift tickets at par. In Wyoming, Jackson Hole Resort Lodging also accepts our dollars at par, and it throws in discounted lift tickets and flight credits. Sunday River in Maine posts discounted rates to Canadians to help make up for our low loonie, and on Thursdays and Fridays, Bottineau Winter Park in North Dakota takes Canadian funds at par for lift tickets, gear rentals and tubing passes.
You can save hundreds of dollars per skier by buying a season’s pass that includes multiple mountains. For example, the L’Est Go pass saves up to 38% off lift tickets at four mountains in Quebec’s Eastern Townships. Purchasing an Epic Pass from March through early December grants you unlimited access to more than 80 Vail-owned ski resorts across North America, Europe, Asia and Australia—including Whistler Blackcomb, Stowe and Vail—plus 20% off lessons, rentals, food and lodging. Even if you only take one ski vacation where your pass is valid, it’s cheaper than buying day tickets while you’re there.
Some mountains, including Banff Sunshine Village, sell afternoon-only adult lift tickets at a 26% discount—ideal for skiers who want to sleep in (check its website for youth and senior discounts, too). Others, like SilverStar in British Columbia, up the value by including access to tubing, fat biking, skating and Nordic skiing in the price of their lift ticket.
If you plan on visiting a resort outside your own city, Ahmed-Haq suggests joining local Facebook groups run by the resort or its fans. “You’ll get on-the-ground tips you may not find in a tourist pamphlet, like ‘You can get breakfast super cheap here on Tuesday mornings,’ and you can also post questions like, ‘We’re going in February—any deals you can tell us about?’”
Affordable family vacations closer to home
Want to spend your vacation dollars in Canada this year? Head to “dupe destinations”—places that feel like more expensive spots.
For example, instead of going to Arizona for jaw-dropping canyon views, check out British Columbia’s Stikine River Provincial Park, also known as “The Grand Canyon of the North” thanks to its 80-kilometre canyon carved by the Stikine River. Can’t afford Hawaii? Tribune Bay Beach on British Columbia’s Hornby Island has similar turquoise waters and pristine sandy beaches.
Instead of spending thousands on a European vacation, visit la belle province. Quebec City makes visitors feel like they’re in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a recent Expedia trend report. And according to travel company Tours4fun, Banff doubles for Zermatt, Switzerland, while saving travellers up to 30% on accommodations.