How to boost your health on a stay-in-Canada summer vacation

When Vancouver-based travel journalist Robin Esrock first visited Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off the coast of B.C., it was the kind of profoundly emotional experience that “makes life worth living.”

“Then I went up north and to the Prairies and realized there are so many incredible things to do in this country that you can’t do anywhere else,” he says.

Esrock has now spent more than a decade crisscrossing the country in search of unique experiences and authoring the bestseller The Great Canadian Bucket List.

More Canadians are thinking like Esrock this year. According to a Business Development Bank of Canada survey, nine in 10 plan to travel this year, and an overwhelming 92 per cent intend to take at least one trip within Canada¹.

There are plenty of reasons to feel great about a stay-in-Canada vacation. Experts say travel can significantly benefit mental health² by reducing stress, reminding people of their passions, promoting personal growth and providing much-needed breaks from screens and daily routines. And thanks to Canada’s abundance of wide-open spaces, there are plenty of ways to boost your physical health too. This is all great news for the 74 per cent of Canadians³ who recently said they look to travel to help build resilience and manage stress.

To help make the most of your made-in-Canada vacation, we spoke to Dr. Jia Hu, a primary care and public health physician with Cleveland Clinic Canada, Manulife’s medical director, about the ways travel can build health and longevity, and asked Esrock to match that advice with some fantastic Canadian destinations.

Experiencing something new in a novel setting can improve your mood and reduce anxiety and stress, says Dr. Hu. “It may also improve our cognition and activate new parts of the brain.”

Try it here: Esrock recommends seeking out cooking classes – such as baking bannock⁴ at the Mi’kmaq Cultural Centre on Lennox Island, PEI or picking up archery skills at Painted Warriors⁵, an 82-acre ranch in the foothills of the Rockies.

“Try to incorporate physical activity into your vacation, whether it’s a relaxing walk, swimming in a nearby body of water or going for a run,” says Dr. Hu. “Research⁶ has shown that just 10 minutes of moderate to vigorous daily exercise can significantly reduce the risk of mortality.”

Try it here: A day hike in the mountains of Waterton National Park⁷ in Alberta tops Esrock’s list. “It’s a destination that is completely underrated and is less touristy than Banff or Jasper,” he says. He also recommends cycling the historic Kettle Valley Railway Trail⁸ in B.C.’s beautiful – and mainly flat – Okanagan Valley.

Bonus tip: If you’re planning a trip outside of your home province, one thing to pack for added peace of mind is travel insurance. The misconception that travel insurance isn’t needed for domestic travel can be costly, says Wong. While provincial plans cover costs associated with public hospital visits, they don’t cover things like prescription drugs, lab tests or diagnostics outside of an emergency room visit.

From forest bathing to beachcombing, being in natural surroundings helps improve mood, reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure and boost the immune system, says Dr. Hu. “Green or blue spaces contribute to our overall well-being by reducing stress, and can even improve memory, confidence and self-esteem,” he says. “Taking regular nature walks can reduce the symptoms of depression or anxiety by about 20 per cent⁹.”

Try it here: Esrock likes to seek out green space on all of his travels, even if he’s city bound. He suggests urban parkland like Vancouver’s Pacific Spirit Regional Park¹⁰, Toronto’s High Park¹¹ or Montreal’s Mount Royal Park¹². For a more immersive experience, he recommends the East Coast Trail in Newfoundland, a section of the Trans Canada Trail¹³ that begins at Cape Spear, kilometre 0 of the entire 28,000-kilometre trail. The Avalon Peninsula route is one of Esrock’s favourites, offering gorgeous scenic views and hikes along cliffs, with views of migrating whales often breaching just offshore.

Travel offers opportunities to make social connections with others, which is a significant predictor of mental and physical health and longevity, says Dr. Hu. “Good social connections can decrease levels of stress hormones, like cortisol,” he says.

Try it here: Even when travelling solo, Esrock often books group activities and loves the ritual of swapping stories at the end of the day. He recommends a multiday horse-riding¹⁴ trip through the backcountry of Banff National Park in Alberta. “There’s plenty of time to talk while you’re riding or sitting around a campfire,” he says.

It can be tempting to spend a chunk of every vacation snapping pictures and sharing them online. But reducing time on social media during your vacation can decrease stress and enhance mindfulness, says Dr. Hu. “Excess social media usage can contribute to feelings of dissatisfaction and isolation and worsen symptoms of depression and anxiety.”

Try it here: If you want to remove all temptation, Esrock suggests heading to remote destinations without smart phone service, like areas of Algonquin Park¹⁵ in Ontario, or, if you’re really looking to go the distance, Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge¹⁶ on Somerset Island, Nunavut – the world’s most northerly eco-lodge, about 800 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle.

These kinds of activities show how easy it can be to build healthy behaviours into your day-to-day. “Even on vacation, simple is often best – get outside, move your body or connect with others,” says Dr. Hu. “Whether you’re close to home or exploring new places, building small, meaningful health moments into your day can have a lasting impact.”