On a winter morning at Cox Bay near Tofino, surfers in 5 mm hooded wetsuits paddle out between rainforest and open Pacific while storm watchers sit in the lodges behind them. The water off Vancouver Island stays between about 10 and 15°C all year, so Canadian surfing is a cold-water sport, and the best waves come in autumn and winter.
That sets the tone for everything else. Canada’s sea kayaking ranks with the best in the world, from the islets of the Pacific Rim to orca waters in Johnstone Strait and the old Haida villages of Gwaii Haanas. Wind is the other draw: the afternoon thermals at Squamish and the steady summer breeze over the lagoons of the Magdalen Islands make both serious kitesurfing spots.
Inland, the country has more lake shoreline than anywhere on earth, and paddleboards and kayaks fill Okanagan Lake, Georgian Bay and the Great Lakes every summer. For swimming beaches, see our Canada beaches and islands guide.
At a Glance#
- Surfing: Cox Bay, Chesterman Beach and Long Beach around Tofino for all levels; Lawrencetown and Martinique beaches near Halifax in Nova Scotia; best from September to April.
- Sea kayaking: the Broken Group Islands in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, orcas in Johnstone Strait, the Gulf Islands and the tides at Hopewell Rocks.
- Kitesurfing and windsurfing: the Squamish Spit near Squamish from May to September, and the lagoons of the Magdalen Islands in summer.
- Sailing: Kingston on Lake Ontario, Mahone Bay and Lunenburg in Nova Scotia, and charter cruising in the Gulf Islands.
- Lake paddling: Okanagan Lake, Killarney, Georgian Bay and Lake Superior Provincial Park.
- Wildlife paddles: belugas around kayaks and paddleboards at Churchill in July and August.
- Costs: about C$99 to C$119 (70 to 85 USD) for a group surf lesson with board and wetsuit, and about C$50 to C$60 a day for a board, wetsuit and booties.
Tofino and Vancouver Island#
Tofino is Canada’s surf capital, a small town at the north end of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with about a dozen surf schools and rental shops. Cox Bay is the most consistent beach and picks up the most swell; Chesterman Beach is gentler and the usual lesson spot; Long Beach, 16 km of sand inside the park, has room for everyone. Group lessons run about two and a half to three hours and cost about C$99 to C$119 with board and full wetsuit included. Book a few days ahead in July and August.
Summer waves are small and friendly, good for beginners. From September to April the North Pacific storms bring bigger, more powerful surf, colder air and cheaper rooms, and experienced surfers come for the same storms the watchers do. Down the coast, Ucluelet is a quieter base for the same beaches.
Near Victoria, Jordan River on the road to Port Renfrew is a cobble point break for experienced surfers that works mainly in winter swells. See our North America surfing guide for how Tofino compares with California and Mexico.
Nova Scotia and the Atlantic#
Nova Scotia has Canada’s other surf coast, mostly within half an hour of Halifax. Lawrencetown Beach is the centre, with a beach break and a point break and a surf shop or two by the road; Martinique Beach, the longest sand beach in the province, is softer, and Cow Bay is closer to the city. Hurricane swells in September and October bring the best waves of the year and still-warm water, around 15 to 18°C. In winter, locals surf in 6 mm suits, hoods and mitts through snowfall.
Cape Breton and the Gaspé coast near Gaspé also have waves, with almost nobody in the water.
Sea kayaking on the Pacific#
The Broken Group Islands in Barkley Sound, part of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, are the classic multi-day trip: about 100 small islands and rocks with sheltered channels, sea lions, bald eagles and backcountry campsites. Most paddlers reach them on the MV Frances Barkley supply boat from Port Alberni or go with a guide from Ucluelet. Camping must be reserved with Parks Canada in summer.
Johnstone Strait, between northern Vancouver Island and the mainland, is where people kayak with orcas. Guided camping trips of three to six days run from July to September from Telegraph Cove and Port McNeill, when resident orcas follow the salmon runs. Robson Bight, where the orcas rub on pebble beaches, is an ecological reserve closed to boats.
Closer to the cities, the Gulf Islands and Gulf Islands National Park Reserve have calm water, marine campsites and rentals on Salt Spring Island and Galiano. Desolation Sound, north of Vancouver, has the warmest sea water on the BC coast in summer. The farthest trip is Gwaii Haanas in Haida Gwaii, where every visitor must reserve and attend an orientation; most go with a licensed outfitter for a week or more.
Atlantic Canada and Quebec#
At Hopewell Rocks in New Brunswick, the Bay of Fundy tides rise more than 10 m. You walk the sea floor between the flowerpot rock stacks at low tide and paddle around their tops at high tide, on guided trips run from June to September. Fundy National Park nearby has more coastal paddling. In Quebec, kayaks and paddleboards meet belugas and minke whales where the Saguenay fjord joins the St Lawrence at Tadoussac, and boats must keep their distance from the belugas, an endangered population.
Kitesurfing and windsurfing#
The Squamish Spit, at the head of Howe Sound an hour north of Vancouver, is the west coast’s main spot. Afternoon thermal winds blow up the sound on sunny days, the water is cold glacial runoff, and the Squamish Windsports Society staffs the Spit with a rescue boat from about 15 May to 15 September, funded by a day fee or season pass.
The Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence are eastern Canada’s kitesurfing destination: steady summer winds, long sand spits and shallow lagoons that warm up by August, with schools for beginners. The Gaspé coast, the Ottawa River and lakes near Montreal have local scenes too.
Sailing#
Kingston, at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, hosted the sailing events of the 1976 Montreal Olympics and still has steady summer winds, sailing schools and the Thousand Islands for cruising. In Nova Scotia, Mahone Bay, Chester and Lunenburg have island-dotted bays, regattas and summer harbour cruises on the schooner Bluenose II. On the Pacific, Sidney and Nanaimo are the bareboat charter bases for the Gulf Islands and Desolation Sound; charter companies ask for proof of experience or a recognised certificate.
Lakes and paddleboarding#
Okanagan Lake at Kelowna and Penticton is the warmest big lake in the west, with paddleboard and kayak rentals on the town beaches. In Ontario, Georgian Bay’s thousands of granite islands, Killarney Provincial Park, French River and Bruce Peninsula National Park are prime canoe and kayak country, and Lake Superior Provincial Park and Pukaskwa have wild, cold coastal paddling for the experienced. In Churchill, operators take you by kayak or paddleboard into the Churchill River estuary in July and August, when belugas gather by the thousand.
When to go#
Summer, July and August, is the season for nearly everything: lakes reach the low 20s°C, the kitesurfing season peaks and guided kayak trips run. Surfing is different. Tofino surfs all year, but September to April brings the best waves, and Nova Scotia’s best is September and October. The lakes and northern waters are frozen or near freezing from November to April, and many outfitters close from October to May.
Costs, rules and safety#
- Lessons and rentals: about C$99 to C$119 for a group surf lesson, C$50 to C$60 a day for surf gear, and C$150 to C$250 for a guided day of sea kayaking.
- Park passes: you need a Parks Canada pass to park at Long Beach and other national park sites, and reservations for Broken Group and Gwaii Haanas camping.
- Boat rules: to drive a motorised boat you need proof of competency such as the Pleasure Craft Operator Card. In the Rocky Mountain parks, personal paddleboards and kayaks may need a free aquatic invasive species permit; check with Parks Canada before you launch.
- Wildlife: keep 200 m from killer whales in BC and Quebec waters and further from belugas in the St Lawrence.
Cold water
Canadian water is cold even in summer, and sudden immersion can incapacitate you within a minute. Wear a wetsuit or drysuit and a life jacket, paddle close to shore, check the marine forecast and tides, and tell someone your plan.
Best places for water sports in Canada#
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More Things to Do#
Canada water sports FAQs#
Can you surf in Canada?
Yes. Tofino on Vancouver Island is the main surf town, with lessons and rentals all year, and Lawrencetown near Halifax is the centre of Atlantic surfing. The water is cold, so you need a full wetsuit, and boots and a hood in winter.
When is the best time to surf in Tofino?
September to April has the biggest and most consistent waves. Summer waves are smaller and better for beginners, and the days are warmer, but the water stays around 10 to 15°C all year.
Where is the best sea kayaking in Canada?
The Broken Group Islands in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve and Johnstone Strait, where orcas pass in summer, are the classics. Gwaii Haanas in Haida Gwaii is the most remote trip, and the Gulf Islands are the easiest for beginners.
Where can you kitesurf in Canada?
The Squamish Spit north of Vancouver from mid-May to mid-September, and the Magdalen Islands in the Gulf of St Lawrence in summer. The Gaspé coast and lakes around Montreal and Ottawa have smaller local scenes.
Do I need a licence to rent a boat in Canada?
For motorised boats, yes: you need proof of competency, usually the Pleasure Craft Operator Card, and rental outfits can issue a temporary checklist for short rentals. Kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and small sailboats without a motor need no licence.