Canada or America?

[Matteo]

I am thinking about taking a trip sometime in the future. Lately, things have gotten from shit to shitter where I live. I am so overwhelmed with studying, looking after my ill grandparents, and dealing with various other issues. The thing is, I have never been out of the country, but I have saved up a lot of money, so expense really isn't an issue. For some reason, I have always wanted to experience either America or Canada in December (i.e., near Christmas time). I want to go to a place that is cold, exciting, but not too densely populated.

I have been looking into both Canada and America, and I'm just wondering -- which country do you think is best to visit? I am not necessarily fascinated by tourist destinations, per-se (stuff like Disney Land, theme parks, museums, don't really interest me), but simply experiencing a different environment and meeting different people.

Mind sharing some of your random thoughts?

[Westcoastvibes]

America - fuck yeah!
Haha, I don't know how cold or how populated you are looking for. And how aboot natural attractions like Niagara falls or Yosemite?

Niagara falls would give you both since its cold, populated and it in Canada and America. Other than that I figure you don't want to visit rural farmland in Montana or anything like that so places like Colorado springs / Denver or new york or Toronto would put you in a fairly cold place in December and a populated place that has more to do then visit museums or gift shops

[Matteo]

^ How cold is New York in December? Is it snowy there? The thing about NY is that it looks awesome, but so dense and full of people.

[Westcoastvibes]

^ How cold is New York in December? Is it snowy there? The thing about NY is that it looks awesome, but so dense and full of people.

I honestly could not tell you but I know it snows a lot there and it is one of the most densely populated cities in America. Although there is a lot more to new York than new York city and Manhattan area, they have rich farm lands and forest areas to the north plus great scenic areas away from the city

[Everlong]

New York is a good destination, but if you have issues with dense population you'd probably do best to avoid it.

This is going to sound biased given that I live in the Midwest, but the Midwest really is a great place to go if you're looking for an all-American experience, especially in December. You could make Chicago your main base and see a lot of awesome big-city stuff there, but also head out into the country and see middle America at the winter time and get a taste for what the majority of the country really looks and feels like. Sprawling farmland in the plains, plenty of gorgeous lakes in Wisconsin and Minnesota, hilly country along the Mississippi River, etc. Plus, if you happen to be in town on December 29th, the Green Bay Packers play the Chicago Bears in Chicago on the 29th, so you'd get to experience America's greatest sports rivalry at winter time in one of America's greatest cities

Back to the east. Aside from New York in the northeast, Boston is one of the best big city destinations you could hope to visit. There's so much history there and it's easily walkable/accessible via subway. I was there in February and loved it, despite the cold weather. I'd recommend it to anyone.

There are plenty of places in the south and the west that I'd recommend as well, but it sounds like you're looking for a colder experience, so I'll stay away from those.

[Matteo]

^ I'll definitely do some more reading & research into the Midwest. Gotta admit, I'm pretty clueless on that area of the States. It does sound like a good balance between urban and natural, though, something I really would like in a holiday. And despite knowing nothing about American football, attending a match purely for the atmosphere alone would be worth it (same with baseball or ice hockey).

Thanks for the post.

[HFX]

Fuck America , everyone goes there and the board is heavily biased in it's direction. Not that I'm not biased but still . New York, Boston and Chicago are such cliche destinations. Be adventurous.

Come to Canada if you want a cold place with low population. Calgary would probably be the best bet I think as it's a decent mix between big city and small city. It's fairly spread out and only has a population of 1.2 million. Edmonton and WInnipeg would also be decent options. Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto are all incredibly popular but crowded, though they do have a lot of attractions and shit going for them. You could try and catch a Flames/Oilers/Jets game. It can be pricey but the atmospheres are amongst the best in North America. Also the World Juniors starts on Boxing day every year and you never want to miss that here. The country loves the team and and we get behind them 100% no matter where the games are played. Edmonton is a good ole blue collar city while Calgary tends to be more white collar. Winnipeg has no collar cause they a bunch of hicks

If you do choose Calgary or Edmonton then give me a shout. I can give you suggestions about Edmonton and its surrounding area. I also know enough about Calgary to give you some suggestions. Brett would be the man for Winnipeg though.

You could also visit someplace really unique to North America and visit Newfoundland. They are just the best damn people on the continent. Hard working folk who are a lot of fun. Kinda weird but they live on an island off by themselves so can you blame them. It's a place I've been longing to go. It is also the first North American area to be settled by Europeans, vikings to be exact, and it was hundreds of years before that clown Columbus happened upon the Caribbean. For sports I know they have the Ice Caps that play in St John's. TheCaptain could tell you a whole hell of a lot more than I can.

Another cool place would be Halifax. It's the biggest city in the Atlantic Canada and from what I've heard is a really nice place to visit. Like every Canadian city, they also have a hockey team. It's only a QMJHL team but it's pretty popular there and has a good following. It's called the Halifax Mooseheads.

If you do choose the USA then Minnesota would be a good choice. They are about as Canadian as you can get without being in Canada. The people are supposed to be real nice, the twin cities aren't the biggest in NA but they are a good size and there's a lot to do. You have a couple different hockey teams, UofM and the Wild are the big two, to choose from as well as the Timberwolves in the NBA and UofM in CBB. You might even have a chance to see the Vikings but who really wants that .

[JDD]

^ How cold is New York in December? Is it snowy there? The thing about NY is that it looks awesome, but so dense and full of people.

It gets pretty cold here, but no where near how cold it is in Canada and the Midwest im guessing. But if you dont like big crowds, then definatley stay away from here at Christmas time

[Chewy]

Whichever one you go to try to spend at least a few days out of the city and travel some smaller towns. Go to the diners, or smaller bars and you'll find a much better America that's you will in any of the tourist places.

I personally loved the north east, Massachusetts in particular.

Canada would probably be just the same, and just as awesome, but colder and you'll be killed by a bear.

And definitely go to Vegas. I know this sort of contradicts my whole post, but Vegas is fucking awesome and you may get a chance to kick Bryan in the nuts.

[Viazon]

I'll back Tim's opinion and say go to Chicago. I went there back in 2006 and loved it. I was only 19 then so couldn't do anything like go out drinking but still had a lot of fun.

[Matteo]

Fuck America , everyone goes there and the board is heavily biased in it's direction. Not that I'm not biased but still . New York, Boston and Chicago are such cliche destinations. Be adventurous.

Come to Canada if you want a cold place with low population. Calgary would probably be the best bet I think as it's a decent mix between big city and small city. It's fairly spread out and only has a population of 1.2 million. Edmonton and WInnipeg would also be decent options. Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto are all incredibly popular but crowded, though they do have a lot of attractions and shit going for them. You could try and catch a Flames/Oilers/Jets game. It can be pricey but the atmospheres are amongst the best in North America. Also the World Juniors starts on Boxing day every year and you never want to miss that here. The country loves the team and and we get behind them 100% no matter where the games are played. Edmonton is a good ole blue collar city while Calgary tends to be more white collar. Winnipeg has no collar cause they a bunch of hicks

If you do choose Calgary or Edmonton then give me a shout. I can give you suggestions about Edmonton and its surrounding area. I also know enough about Calgary to give you some suggestions. Brett would be the man for Winnipeg though.

You could also visit someplace really unique to North America and visit Newfoundland. They are just the best damn people on the continent. Hard working folk who are a lot of fun. Kinda weird but they live on an island off by themselves so can you blame them. It's a place I've been longing to go. It is also the first North American area to be settled by Europeans, vikings to be exact, and it was hundreds of years before that clown Columbus happened upon the Caribbean. For sports I know they have the Ice Caps that play in St John's. TheCaptain could tell you a whole hell of a lot more than I can.

Another cool place would be Halifax. It's the biggest city in the Atlantic Canada and from what I've heard is a really nice place to visit. Like every Canadian city, they also have a hockey team. It's only a QMJHL team but it's pretty popular there and has a good following. It's called the Halifax Mooseheads.

If you do choose the USA then Minnesota would be a good choice. They are about as Canadian as you can get without being in Canada. The people are supposed to be real nice, the twin cities aren't the biggest in NA but they are a good size and there's a lot to do. You have a couple different hockey teams, UofM and the Wild are the big two, to choose from as well as the Timberwolves in the NBA and UofM in CBB. You might even have a chance to see the Vikings but who really wants that .

Appreciate the lengthy post. What do you think about Alaska? That sounds pretty interesting. I know it's the least densely populated state in the US but it's closer to Canada than the US is. I heard it's pretty dull there, though. Canada sounds very interesting. By your description, Calgary would suit me best. Ontario really interests me, too.

^ How cold is New York in December? Is it snowy there? The thing about NY is that it looks awesome, but so dense and full of people.

It gets pretty cold here, but no where near how cold it is in Canada and the Midwest im guessing. But if you dont like big crowds, then definatley stay away from here at Christmas time

Yeah, I'd imagine it would be packed as fuck near Christmas. It just seems so vibrant and diverse, as cliche as that sounds for New York. I hate large crowds, but maybe it could make up for it in other ways. Besides, like, festivals and other tourist destinations, what else does New York offer? I assume a shit load of restaurants and clubs is one of them...

Whichever one you go to try to spend at least a few days out of the city and travel some smaller towns. Go to the diners, or smaller bars and you'll find a much better America that's you will in any of the tourist places.

I personally loved the north east, Massachusetts in particular.

Canada would probably be just the same, and just as awesome, but colder and you'll be killed by a bear.

And definitely go to Vegas. I know this sort of contradicts my whole post, but Vegas is fucking awesome and you may get a chance to kick Bryan in the nuts.

Yeah, a balance between big and small cities is something I'm certainly looking for. Vegas is never a place I've been interested in, especially when you're seeking more of a quiet and simple holiday. It just seems loud and noisy there, despite all the fancy looking clubs, restaurants, and casinos. But yeah, I'd go just to spit in Bryan's face.

I'll back Tim's opinion and say go to Chicago. I went there back in 2006 and loved it. I was only 19 then so couldn't do anything like go out drinking but still had a lot of fun.

For some reason, I always associate gun shootings with Chicago. I think the news propaganda is finally working.

[Everlong]

I love Alaska, but you do NOT want to go there in December. It'll be dark almost the entire day, and unless you're in Anchorage the whole time you'll be in the bitter cold and doused with snow. If you were going in the summer or even the fall it'd be a different story but I'd avoid it in December if I were you.

Chicago definitely has plenty of gun violence, but that's mostly all on the south side ghetto. The downtown is pretty safe, as are the northern suburbs. Chicago also has the benefit of being pretty central to a lot of places in the midwest that you could visit.

But no matter what you choose, definitely listen to Chewy's advice and get away from the big city for a few days. That's really when you start to see what America is like for most of the nation.

[VaderBomb]

If you pick Boston, let me know and we can grab a beer or something.

[HFX]

Another good choice would be Ottawa. It's still one of the Big 6 Canadian cities but has a rather small population. It houses Canadian Parliament and I've heard it's beautiful. Kyle would be able to offer more details on it though. Also there's no shortage of small towns and countryside in Canada . I wouldn't recommend driving around though in the winter unless you've done it before. December means snow and not only do drivers become worse once snow hits the ground but snow is just a pain in the ass itself. If you want to see the countryside and parks and small towns it would be better to come back in the summer or early fall.

[War Daddy]

Definately hit up Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and maybe Iowa.

[Kyle]

Definitely Canada for Tim Hortons.

[Matteo]

So, there's a package deal to go to Toronto. Flights and accommodation.

Few questions:

How is the climate in Toronto in December? I know it's cold, but how cold? Also, does it snow?
What are some interesting places to see in Toronto? Does it have much natural landscape and smallish towns/areas?

Cheers!

[HFX]

So, there's a package deal to go to Toronto. Flights and accommodation.

Few questions:

How is the climate in Toronto in December? I know it's cold, but how cold? Also, does it snow?
What are some interesting places to see in Toronto? Does it have much natural landscape and smallish towns/areas?

Cheers!

Toronto is not only the biggest city in Canada but it is also the 4th biggest city and 8th biggest metro area in all of North America. It's right on Lake Ontario which is one of the Great Lakes and pretty much an inland sea. It will get cold but it will be more of a wet cold over the dry cold you'd experience in the prairies. It will snow and the temperature itself may not get as extreme as out West. I think it being on the Lake means it doesn't snow THAT badly. And the average winter temperature is only like -1 to -6 Celsius or something like that. Not counting the humidity factor which increases the chill. Considering I once experienced -60 Celsius(including windchill) and regularly feel -20/-30 and below out here, you should be good with a decent jacket and tuque over there

Anyways Southern Ontario has a really big population so I'm not sure about small towns especially west and southwest of the city. Again an Ontario or Detroit user may be more helpful. If you head north you'll eventually find some smallish towns. Ontario becomes the land of lakes and woods real fast the further north you get. If you drive you could check out the surrounding area depending on if you can get a rental car. You'll most likely have to search farther than if you were to visit Calgary or Edmonton. Niagara Falls is only like an hour or two away depending on traffic and the Canadian side is the good side so you could easily head there for a day.

There are a bunch of Ontario Hockey League teams that play within an hour or two(depending on traffic) of Toronto that you could see. There's also the Toronto Marlies that play in the AHL. Good luck coming by or affording Maple Leaf tickets. If you really wanted to catch an NHL game then head down to Buffalo. If you can get tickets to a Leafs game aim for December 21st(WHICH WILL BE FUCKING EXPENSIVE) because the Leafs are hosting their old rivals the Detroit Red Wings.

You probably won't run out of things to do if you go to Toronto. It's a top destination. But then if you're heading there you might as well consider Boston, New York or Chicago. I still say Edmonton, Calgary, St.John's or Ottawa are you best Canadian bets if you want to visit a not so crowded city while also being able to see some small towns.

[VaderBomb]

Boston is legit your best bet if you want a nice, cold Northastern American experience. HFX painted a pretty damn good picture of Canada.

[Hanley!]

Fuck Canada and America! You should go to Germany. It's great there in the Christmas months. And pretty damn cold too.

I've never been to America before, but my sister in law is American so I know a little about the place. New York could be a cool choice just because it would be a major city to say that you had seen. Plus there is an idyllic quality about New York in Christmas that you always see in the movies - for some reason it would seem appropriate to be there during that time. Plus it's a major art and cultural center, which I'm sure you'd appreciate.

It's also close to some other cities and landmarks you might be interested in like Atlantic city or Boston. I have a friend who did a trip of America recently and just spent a few days in each place, rather than staying in one place the entire time. That might suit you better: you might not feel as claustrophobic in New York if you're only there for a couple of days and then move on to somewhere else.