Our favourite must-visit Canadian entertainment hubs

Canada is a huge country with lots to see and do. However, there are a few iconic hotspots that will always be worth visiting, especially for fans of high-tech and high-end entertainment. Whether you’re a fan of gaming, museums, music or live shows, there are many excellent venues that will make your trip around the country an unforgettable experience.

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto is the most famous of all Canadian cities for many reasons – it's not just an important political and economic force for the country but is also one of Canada’s primary entertainment spaces. There are decades of history that go into many of these places.

Despite being an urban metropolis, there are many indoor venues and arenas in Toronto where you can experience unique activities. There’s indoor golf, rock climbing, archery, axe throwing and more.

For fans of gaming, there is no shortage of arcades and land-based casinos where you can relax, surrounded by the sights and sounds of flashy games. There are many great gaming locations, both in person and online. You can play at instant withdrawal casinos in Canada by simply using your mobile device at any time.

Depending on when you visit, you may also be treated to one of Toronto’s famous seasonal events, including outdoor lights festivals, decorated ice-skating rinks and massive Halloween fairs.

And for sports fans, Toronto boasts the famous Rogers Centre, venue of many of the country’s biggest baseball, soccer, basketball and football matches.

Being a host of the Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF, Toronto is home to a major film-buff culture. Widely regarded as one of the best film festivals in the world, many popular and critically acclaimed movies had their debut in the city.

Toronto’s Carribbean Carnival just one of many fun things to see and do in that city.

Vancouver, British Columbia  

Though Toronto has its legendary TIFF, if there is any city in the country associated with movies and Hollywood, it’s Vancouver. For decades, Vancouver has been the country’s most important hub for entertainment, broadcasting and show business in general. Many people from all over the world go to Vancouver to produce movies and television series.

Vancouver’s film festival counterpart is the VIFF, which hosts hundreds of screenings each year. Arguably the single biggest entertainment event of the city, it is a must-visit for those who are lucky enough to get a ticket.

Related to the film industry, Vancouver is also home to many theaters, ballrooms and concert halls that have been around for generations. There are ballets and orchestras to be enjoyed, as well as dance troupes, indie bands and the annual folk music festival.

And much like Toronto, Vancouver has a thriving nightlife that never gets old. There are tons of bars, clubs, karaoke spots and fancy restaurants that showcase the city’s history, diversity and class.

Vancouver’s streets come alive at night with light shows like this one on a grocery store.

Montreal, Quebec

Though some might argue that Quebec City is the true shining gem of the province of Quebec, it’s hard to deny that Montreal has it beat when it comes to entertainment, even if Quebec City may be the more historically important place.

Comedy is something that Montreal is world famous for, thanks to its incredibly large number of stand-up joints all over the city. More important is the even more famous Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, with its massive worldwide audience and iconic comedy shows that bring in legendary comedians from all over the world. 

Jazz is also huge in Montreal, thanks to their annual Montreal Jazz Festival, consistently considered to be one of the single biggest jazz events in the world. Contemporary jazz icons like Esperanza Spalding, Hiromi Uehara and the Sun Ra Arkestra are some of the festival’s biggest names. Each year, hundreds of thousands of people come to the festival, making it one of the biggest entertainment events in all of Canada.

Not only that, but entry to the Montreal Jazz Festival is free of charge, meaning that anyone is able to attend.

But if comedy and music aren’t what you’re in the mood for, Montreal is loaded with many different activities to do and see. There are escape rooms, combat sports training sessions, indoor gaming centers and some of the country’s largest laser tag arenas.

Montreal’s streets are full of intriguing murals.

Conclusion 

People often think of Canada as endless landscapes of snow, lakes and ice, but the major cities do a fantastic job of showing why the country has such a unique identity. Both traditional and multicultural, the major cities of Canada can be regarded as some of the best entertainment hubs in the country, perhaps even the entire Western Hemisphere.

With major music festivals, massive comedy shows, tons of diverse restaurants to explore, many high-quality wineries, immersive sight-seeing over lakes, and entertainment districts loaded with the latest arcade and casino games, Canada’s entertainment hubs should not be underestimated. Even those used to America’s high-octane nightlife scenes or entertainment districts will be impressed by what’s on offer in Canada.