Canada's Top Five Travel Destinations

Canada as a country offers many options to travellers, from the mountains to the coast, from cities to small villages, travellers can find exactly what they’re looking for when it comes to getting away from the everyday. Even further, Canadian travel is becoming more frequent by Canadians themselves, enjoying everything their country has to offer.

So which regions and cities are the most frequently travelled? Hotels.com has compiled a list of the top five Canadian destinations that they’ve pulled together based off of its Hotel Price Index figures. See their rankings below:

• Toronto may not be the capital but it's definitely the number one hotspot. It's a city that can satisfy even the hardest to please travellers. Art and history lovers will appreciate the ROM and AGO, shoppers will enjoy the boutiques in Yorkville, and food lovers? Well, they've got the world at their fingertips. With a range of ethnic neighbourhoods, you can satisfy your hunger with cuisine from around the world. Average daily hotel rate: $142.
• Montreal: Craving some European culture, but don't have the time or budget to leave the country? Then plan a visit to Montreal. This French-speaking city comes in at number two, and has a range of attractions for visitors such as the scenic, and historic, Old Montreal. If you're craving some exercise and green space, Mont Royal is a must-see, and if you're hungry? Well you can't visit without trying the famous smoked meat and, of course, the Canadian favourite, poutine. Average daily hotel rate: $151.
• Vancouver: If you like seeing green, you'll love Vancouver. But this city has much more than trees and landscapes. For a unique shopping experience, check out the Granville Island Market or, if you'd rather get your heart pumping, hike or bike around the seawall in Stanley Park. If you're craving a bit of culture plan a visit to Vancouver's Chinatown, the largest in Canada, and check out the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. Average daily hotel rate: $144.
• Niagara Falls is one of the world wonders, so naturally it's near the top of the list. The falls itself is incredibly impressive, especially if you're up close on the Maid of the Mist or high up on Skylon tower. But there are many other things to check out, like the amusement park attractions on Lundy's Lane or, for more 'refined' entertainment, a show at the Fallsview Casino. Average daily hotel rate: $136.
• Edmonton has seen an increase in popularity and has since made it into the top five domestic destinations - bumping out Ottawa.  Visitors will fall for West Edmonton Mall, which has attractions for non-shoppers too including an indoor waterpark, amusement park, ice skating rink and more. Edmonton is known as the 'Festival city,' but besides festivals travellers can check out the picturesque river valley, a popular area to hike, walk or ski (in the winter of course), the Old Strathcona Farmers market, or the galleries on 124th street. Average daily hotel rate: $126.

In 2011, Hotels.com saw certain areas of Canada garnering more tourism attention including Edmonton, Victoria, Saskatoon, Kelowna, Canmore and Regina. Even further Saskatoon saw an incredible popularity jump from ranking as the 17th top Canadian domestic destination in 2010 to 13th in 2011. As tourism brings in much wanted economy boosters, these cities have embraced their visiting countrymen.

SEE RELATED STORIES FROM THE WDM CONTENT NETWORK:

• Hotels.com Reveals Most Popular Amenities at Canadian Hotels
• Hotels.com Offers Luxury Getaways for Canadian's this Winter

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On the other hand, certain well-known Canadian destinations that are frequently chosen for vacation locations saw a decrease in tourism including Ottawa, Banff, Whistler, London, Jasper and Kingston. With these decreases, it won’t be surprising if we see more tourism advertising for these cities in an effort to rebuild numbers in 2012.