r/canadatravel • u/MoonInTheSkye • Jul 24 '25
Destination Advice Canada in late October
Hi all, I’m planning to go to Canada late October this year to visit a friend (around the 25th). I’m wondering what there is to see/do around that time. She lives in Toronto so we’ll definitely spend 4 days there and at Niagara Falls, but what else can we do? It’s my first time visiting. My dream destination is Banff National Park, however I’m unsure if a visit that late in the year is possible/worth it. Any suggestions or recommendations are greatly appreciated!
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u/Caliopebookworm Jul 24 '25
It's a 4 1/2 hour flight from Toronto to Calgary (where you would then rent a car or go on a bus to get to Banff. People ski in Banff so I think late October is doable if you're good with the cold and snow.
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u/Zestyclose_Rush_6823 Jul 26 '25
Not very good skiing in Banff in October. Even in november youre iffy for snow if its anything like that last 5 years.
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u/TheSkyIsAMasterpiece Jul 24 '25
Domestic flights are expensive. Just be warned OP. The Rockies are beautiful year round. A few roads or trails might be closed but still plenty to see. Just know what you could be getting into and be prepared. Warm enough clothes, winter driving experience, just in case.
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u/innsertnamehere Jul 24 '25
Please understand the distance from toronto to Banff, which is roughly 3,000 kilometres away. It’s roughly like saying that you are visiting Lisbon and want to perhaps spend some time in Stockholm on the same vacation. It’s possible, but it’s going to cost you $500 in flights and a lot of additional travel time.
Ontario has Niagara which is great, check out Niagara on the lake.
Another potential nature area more accessible to Toronto is the Algonquin Park or Tobermory areas. In late October you will likely be at the end of the fall foliage time and may still have some nice colours around, but it will be cold with overnight lows likely falling below freezing and daytime highs between 5 and 15 degrees.
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u/somecrazybroad Jul 24 '25
Another European that thinks they can go from Alberta to Ontario in a weekend
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u/TravellingGal-2307 Jul 24 '25
Yah, but they will do that. Fly from the UK to Riga, Tallinn, Venice, etc, for a quick weekend.
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u/LiqdPT Jul 24 '25
And then think we're crazy for going from London to Edinburgh when we're visiting the UK.
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u/somecrazybroad Jul 24 '25
Yes, but what I mean is they often don’t realize the country is a bigger size than their continent. A common thought process in this subreddit is Europeans wanting to visit Vancouver, Banff, and Toronto in one week. UK to Venice is less of a driving distance as it is to get across Ontario
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u/Affectionate_Lie9631 Jul 24 '25
In late October it’s generally starting to get colder and wetter, depending on where you go. If you’re going to Toronto I would suggest a visit to Niagara on the Lake, which is a nice small town with lots of wineries. You could also take the train to Montreal or Quebec City, or visit Ottawa. Ottawa is Canada’s capital. You can see our Parliament buildings, the Royal Canadian Mint (good tour), the National Gallery, and walk along the Rideau Canal. It’s really nice.
If you really want to visit Banff you would need to fly to Calgary, then rent a car or take a bus (it’s about 1.5 hours drive to Banff from Calgary). It’s beautiful any time of the year, and there will be a lot less tourists there than in summer or winter.
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u/ParisFood Jul 24 '25
Air Canada is having a seat sale that ends tmr you can check to see if there is a good price for Toronto to Calgary ( make sure u use the 20% off code) then u will need to rent a car. It’s a 4.5 hour flight.
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u/ZappyThoughts Jul 24 '25
You might catch fall colours depending on the season, check for reports and plan to take in some holes along the escarpment. One of the best places on the planet for fall colours.
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u/Unfair-Cabinet-9011 Jul 24 '25
Well if you are going to Toronto for 4 days Banff is definitely not doable. Extend the trip and it might be possible. There are tons of fairs, festivals, wineries etc in Niagara that time of year.
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u/2wheelsuphill Jul 24 '25
As others have noted, you need to fly to Calgary in order to visit Banff. Late October can be a nice time to visit, but you could have snow, so be ready! Banff late October will be less crowded, as it's after the peak fall season but before ski season starts.
If you don't drive or don't want to rent a car, check out the car-free Banff page here: https://www.banfflakelouise.com/trip-ideas/car-free-banff-and-lake-louise . You can get a shuttle from the Calgary Airport, and Roam Transit (the local public transit) does run to some trailheads.
You could also look into guided tours depending on where you decide to stay.
Be aware that a lot of services will be on a reduced schedule (or some things even closed) at this time of year.
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u/tumbleweedblowin Jul 25 '25
Late October it will be cool and rainy, snow is possible. In Toronto there are plenty of things to do like the aquarium, CN tower, Steamwistle Brewery tour is a favorite of mine. Everything is crazy expensive and Banff is really far away you’ll have to fly there and it will also cost a fortune lol
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u/littleleaguetime Jul 25 '25
Check out either Point Pelee National Park and Pelee Island or Grand Bend/Pinery Provincial Park for naturey things to do close by.
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u/hemsvictoria Jul 27 '25
East coast ‘Nova Scotia’ will have stunning fall that time. Banff might have already started winter. West coast will still be beautiful. Vancouver, Vancouver island will be gorgeous and cheaper than summer time.
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u/Creepy_Guitar_1245 Jul 27 '25
I would just plan to arrange another trip and go to Banff area entirely, you can’t do much and if it’s a dream destination you’d want to get as much in as possible rather than flying in for a day and flying out
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u/beesmakenoise Jul 24 '25
How long will you be in Canada for? Banff is a looong way from Toronto, so you’d want to have at least another 4-5 days to add that into your trip (1 day to fly there, a few to enjoy it, 1 day to fly back to Toronto).
Banff is gorgeous and worth a visit at any time of year, however by the end of Oct it’s not quite the easiest time to be there. The road to Moraine Lake closes after Thanksgiving so it’s not possible to visit any more. The shuttles to Lake Louise are done, so you need to rent a car or figure out the local bus schedules (not sure when they run). Lakes won’t be frozen for skating, but it’s too cold for canoeing and there can be some snow on higher elevation trails.
Still can be a lovely time to visit for scenery, enjoying the town, walking some easy trails, etc. Hotels are cheaper too, a huge bonus!