Canada for Sports Lovers
Everyone dreams of getting away from the pressures of work and home life. For some that might be an adrenaline-fueled activity vacation. For others, it will be more of a lounge by the pool or on the beach kind of affair. We all have our own ideas when it comes to taking a break – and for many these days, incorporating a love of sports is important.
Obviously, sports lovers have the whole world to choose from and might want to check out local teams and sports in other countries or take a tour of cities in leagues that they know much more about. For a mixture of the two, we thought we would highlight a few places for sports lovers in Canada.
Although we will be showcasing some more local teams, there are also enough names and teams that would feature on the sportsbooks highlighted at Sportsbettingsites.com too. So, let’s head north and discover the best places for sports lovers in Canada.
Toronto
It may not be the capital of the nation but Toronto is probably the most visited and well-known city in Canada. Just a short hop over Lake Ontario from upstate New York, US sports fans will be very familiar with the local sports culture. There are teams representing Toronto in just about every single North American major sports league.
Catching an NHL Maple Leafs game at the downtown Scotiabank Arena should be a “must” for any sports fan. But the NBA’s Raptors also play there – and BMO Field, home of the local MLS team, is also very accessible. For something a little different, BMO Field is also the home stadium of the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. See which version of football you like best.
Vancouver
Next, we head west to the biggest city by far on that coast. Another Canadian hotspot very accessible for US travelers, Vancouver has a different vibe than in the cities back east and the central provinces. Hockey is the nation’s favorite sport and the Canucks have been one of Canada’s best for a while now. But there is more major league representation.
The Whitecaps have been around for years and are now one of the biggest Canadian teams in Major League Soccer, playing home games at BC Place downtown. However, there is also Vancouver FC, the local representative in the CPL soccer league as well. For those more interested in the CFL, the BC Lions share their home arena with the Whitecaps to make navigating the city very easy for sports fans.
Nova Scotia
Toronto and Vancouver are very nice places to visit but some of you may be after a more rugged, authentic Canadian sports vacation. If that does sound more like you, we suggest making the trip to the most easterly major city in North America to discover the passionate sports fans of Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The province faces up to the might of the North Atlantic Ocean on a daily basis, so you know that the locals are a hardy bunch. With many tracing their ancestry back to Scotland, the local teams have some tough fan bases. Golf, invented in Scotland of course, can be enjoyed here and there are a number of minor league hockey teams to get behind. But professional soccer came to Halifax in 2019 – and if you get a ticket at the downtown Wanderer Grounds (home of CPL’s Wanderers) you will be able to marvel at the loudest soccer fans in Canada.
Montreal
From Canada with a Scottish feel to a city that is the most bilingual in the country and counts French as its official language. Montreal is the second-largest city in Canada and can feel more French than North American in many places. It is a perfect destination for a vacation with a difference and the mixed Canadian and Gallic love of sports can be found everywhere too.
The Expos may be long gone (and lovingly remembered) but there is still a Big Four team that calls Montreal home. In fact, the Canadiens – known affectionally as the Habs – are the most successful team in the history of the NHL. There have been 24 Stanley Cup triumphs, although the fans have been waiting over 30 years for another one. There’s also a team in MLS and the Alouettes in the Canadian Football League to check out.
Figure 2 Montreal is a great city to explore
Alberta
When it comes to visitors to Canada, the cities in the east and west get the most attention – and that is especially true for sports vacationers. But there is a whole other country in the central provinces and we could not finish this quick guide without highlighting some of the sports teams in Alberta.
Much of the province is a haven for lovers of the outdoors. But if you do want to get your sports fix in a less-visited city, you should try Edmonton or Calgary. Both cities are represented in the CFL and have built up quite the local rivalry. But it is the hockey teams that most people come for. The Edmonton Oilers have been chasing a sixth Stanley Cup since 1990, while the Calgary Flames are one of the newer NHL teams in Canada (comparatively speaking).
Explore Canada
Our general rule of thumb when it comes to traveling is to explore and discover new places. If you are a sports fan, you may feel you already know a lot about the teams from Canada, thanks to the various North American leagues. But take some time to immerse yourself in the culture of Vancouver, Toronto, Nova Scotia, Montreal, and Alberta – and everywhere else! – to really discover the nation’s relationship with sports.
Canada is an incredible place to visit and you should also take time to discover places further afield from the major cities. But if you do like sports, you will never be short of a game when it comes to the far north.