South Thompson Valley, British Columbia
Steve Fick, Cartographer

Trying to choose a favourite place in Canada is like trying to choose which one of my children is my favourite. If pressed, I would probably vote for the South Thompson Valley, where we lived for eight years. It has an amazing range of microclimates, depending on elevation and aspect, from cool and wet to hot and dry, so there is a remarkable variety of plant and animal life. Except for the mud season in early spring, I was always sad to see each season pass — they were all so beautiful in their own way.

Pancake Bay Provincial Park, Ontario
Tina Hutchinson, Coordinator, Advertising Sales & Promotion

Photo: Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

A sandy shoreline on Lake Superior was my favourite place to be when I was a kid. We raced and splashed along the water's edge and pedalled and hiked the trails. At the end of the day, we would bundle up and make our way back to the deserted beach to enjoy the dazzling night sky, and every evening ended with a roaring bonfire. Recently, I returned with my younger sister. As much as things have changed, the act of making lasting memories remains.

Lake O'Hara, Yoho National Park, British Columbia
Rick Boychuk, Editor

Photo: Tourism BC/J. F. Bergeron

My favourite place is Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park. It's a bit too cold to swim in, although I have, but it's embraced on all sides by mountains, with hiking trails that rise to the peaks. Its beauty is so memorable, so arresting, that I recall every detail of my stay in the park. I recall the fragrance of the pines, the aquamarine colour of the water and the rock lip that I sat on 300 metres above the lake to admire the spectacle.

Georgetown, Ontario
Lisa Duncan Brown, Regional Sales Manager

The woods behind my father-in-law's house in Georgetown is one of my favourite spots. This patch of forest is a great place to hike, walk the dog or just explore under the protection of the canopy of tall trees. The changing colours of the leaves in the fall is always a magnificent sight.

Leamington, Ontario
Jodi Di Menna, Assistant Editor

The highways in Leamington are stained bright red in late summer from the overflowing tomato wagons. The fields are striped with rows of tomatoheavy vines and dotted with the wide-brimmed hats of the pickers, while the vinegary smell of ketchup cooking wafts from the downtown Heinz factory. Leamington during tomato-harvest season is a vibrant example of the interlacing of community and agriculture in Canada. It is my favourite place in the country.

Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Ontario
Elizabeth Shilts, Senior Editor

Photo: Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation

Nothing says winter in Canada more than a skate on the world's longest outdoor skating rink, the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. But no matter what the season, it's my favourite place in this country. You know spring has arrived when gorgeous tulips bulge from the garden beds that line the canal. Walking, running, cycling or rollerblading in summer on the footpaths along its banks, you can see the pleasure boats slowly making their way from Dow's Lake to the Ottawa River. In winter, you can strap on your skates, skate the canal's entire length and end up in the downtown core, where you can grab a bite to eat and visit national treasures, such as the National Arts Centre, the National Gallery of Canada and museums galore. It can make even the most miserable, bone-chilling Ottawa days livable.

Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta
Paul Kaback Director, Finance and Administration

Photo: Paul Kaback

Our family's first trip to Waterton Lakes was in 2001. After visiting Banff, Jasper and B.C.'s Shuswap Lake, we went off the beaten track to Waterton Lakes before ending our trip in Calgary. We knew it was a place we wanted to come back to, and my wife Lita and I returned in 2003. Why? Spectacular scenery and wildlife and, best of all, very few tourists.

Firth River, Ivvavik National Park, Yukon
Shaenie Colterjohn, Business Development Manager/Travel Media

Photo: Shaenie Colterjohn

This is the most beautiful place I've been in the world. It's like stepping back in time into a virgin landscape, where the wildlife is wild and the golden glow of the midnight sun warms your face. The landscape is transformed as you leave the British Mountains and enter the deep canyons of the middle reach, and the river empties into the icy delta as you approach the Beaufort Sea. It's unlike any other place on Earth.