Crispy Crunch

In 1912 a candy roller for the Williams Neilson candy company submitted his vision of a peanut butter filled chocolate log to an internal chocolate bar contest. Harold Orwin would go on to win the contest and its $5 grand prize(worth about $120 today!) but he would see his dream become reality. While...

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CN Tower

It is a symbol of Toronto, a masterful piece of engineering, a field trip staple, fodder for a million postcards and the subject of countless phallic jokes that have been and are to come; it is the CN Tower, 553.3 metres of pure Canada. The CN Tower held the world’s tallest freestanding...

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Don Cherry

Photo from Hockey Night in Canada There are few people on Canadian television that speak as loud as they dress. Don Cherry is a Canadian sports commentator and retired NHL player and coach. Co-hosting  along side Ron MacLean on legendary Coach's Corner segment during the 1st period intermission...

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Muskoka

The Muskoka-region of Ontario feels iconically Canadian. This has a lot to do with the Group of Seven capturing the area so vividly in their paintings, which hang on the walls of the last several generations of Canadians. It has also come to be so iconic as generations, even before the Group of...

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Hudson's Bay Company

Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) has a rich history of exploration, adventure, control, trading and more that spans over 340 years. There is way too much history to write about in this blurb (to learn more you can visit HBC's history website) but I would like to share a neat fact that most Canadians...

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The Northern Lights

Otherwise known as the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights have been been dancing across the world's sky for centuries, and while they may not be unique to Canada, we proudly have the Northern Lights Centre in the Yukon territory. I was fortunate enough to see it with my own eyes on a summer road...

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Ottawa River

Rope swing in to the water at Wilderness Tours We were given the chance to see the full majesty of the Ottawa River on our trip through Ontario’s Highlands. We also had the pleasure to meet Joe from Wilderness Tours, a man who has spent his life trying to preserve one of the greatest...

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Degrassi: Old and New

“Whatever it takes, I know I can make it through.” These are the famous opening lines to Degrassi: The Next Generation, but they really speak volumes to the entire franchise.  The Kids of Degrassi Street was where it all began. It was the first iteration of the franchise and was composed...

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Tim Hortons

What can you say about a country where one of their most iconic symbols is a coffee shop, and where a phrase synonymous with that coffee shop, "Double-Double" (meaning a coffee with two cream and two sugar) has been enshrined as an official word in the dictionary. Well, all you can really say is...

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Blackberry (Research in Motion)

Blackberry (formerly Research In Motion – RIM) was once the technological prowess of Canada. The company itself was founded in 1984 in by Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin. RIM was the first North American company to develop for wireless data technology. While the company dabbled with modems and pagers...

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Insulin

Our favourite Canadian things list is full of Canadian innovation, but no item on the list has the strong personal connection to the Real Man Travels crew than insulin. This is because Real Man Travels finds its roots in Alliston, Ontario, where insulin co-founder Dr. Frederick Banting was born....

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Montreal International Jazz Festival

Summer in Montreal. There is nothing like it, especially when the Montreal International Jazz Festival is in town. The city comes to life as they close Rue St.Catherine and the rest of the Montreal's core for 10 days. Thankfully Montreal has a solid transit system to help when it is too far to walk. The...

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Screeching In

Photo by QuiltsbyJen.ca Getting screeched in on George Street is a time-honoured tradition/joke Newfoundlanders love to do with “mainlanders.” The history is always a little different, but it usually involves a trade by long-ago Newfies and pirates for some strange liquor, thereafter known as...

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Hornblower Niagara Cruises - Niagara Falls

This up close and personal tour of the falls get you as close as possible to the breathtaking power and mist, what a thrilling way to experience Niagara Falls. There are 3 different types of cruises that take you into the heart of Horseshoe Falls. The day-time and evening cruise is...

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Publicly-funded Health Care

Photo from medicaltourismmag.com Canadians can thank, for one, Tommy Douglas for pioneering the publicly-funded health care system we enjoy today. While it is easy to take for granted, particularly having been born here, you need do nothing more than talk to new Canadians to realize what a privilege...

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Night Rafting on the Grand River

A few years ago we set out on an adventure to Paris, Ontario. This adventure was like no other we had ever been on before, night water rafting. When we arrived, we were greeted by a nice summer breeze and riverside bars. After dinner we met up with our guide Nick (from Grand River Rafting Company)....

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Canadian Heritage Minutes

"Doctor Penfield, I smell burnt toast!" If you grew up in Canada in the early 90's I don't have to explain that sentence to you at all. It caught on after a heritage minute devoted to Canadian Surgeon Wilder Penfield on his mapping of the human brain. Many have followed since their debut of 1991...

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Canadian Tire

Canadian Tire, informally known as “Crappy Tire” is a department store with a heavier focus on automotive products. With over 500 stores, it is rumoured that 90% of Canadians live within a 15 minute drive from the nearest one. Most of their locations also have a garage where you can get repairs done...

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The Rideau Canal

Post by: Helen M. On today's docket we have the - kinda - world famous Rideau Canal (or Rideau Waterway) not the Rideau canal, but kinda famous The Rideau Canal was opened in 1832. It was originally created in case of war with the United States. After the...

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Nanaimo Bars

A dessert that requires no baking? It must be a Nanaimo Bar! If you haven’t heard of or tried a Nanaimo Bar, you may not be a Canadian. The dessert itself is named after Nanaimo, British Columbia. It is a 3 layer treat that is simple and relatively quick to make. The bottommost layer is a chocolate,...

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Newfoundland

If there is one thing I'd choose to define Canada it would be Newfoundland. The province has a spectacular mix of stunning, rugged and unique natural beauty and kind, welcoming and kooky people, making it one of the best places I've ever gotten the chance to visit. You can read about my entire...

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The Toronto Blue Jays

At a time in sports where market sizes drive relocation, Canada is home to only one MLB franchise. Now we all know the Jays weren't the first Major League Baseball team in Canada, that distinction belongs to the Montreal Expos, but they are the last Canadian team standing, and as a result they have...

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I am Canadian - Rant

"My name is Joe and I am Canadian!" are passionate words from a year 2000 campaign from Molson Canadian, the ad debuted during a telecast of the Oscars. It was shown right after a memorable Robin Williams performance of "Blame Canada" from the movie South Park and quickly started appearing in movie...

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Niagara

 Niagara Falls is shared by the Canadians and Americans, but let’s be honest, the American’s have waterfall envy. The falls view from the Canadian side is breathtaking. Niagara, Ontario is an amazingly diverse region of Canada. Known far and wide for wine and icewine, the region also...

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Red Green

"If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." That line alone has some of you wondering if you have enough duct tape on hand. It is after all the handy man's secret weapon. Red green became part of Canadiana legend during its 15 season run on Canadian Television. The...

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Goderich, Ontario

Goderich, Ontario sits on the eastern shores of Lake Huron (one of the Great Lakes of North America) and the Maitland River. Folklore of the town has said that Queen Elizabeth II once commented that it was “the prettiest town in Canada”, which led to Goderich’s motto “Canada’s Prettiest Town”. The...

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Multiculturalism

Canada's mosaic is nothing new. We've long been a country of blended backgrounds and ethnicity. What is unique about Canada, though, is how different backgrounds play in relationship dynamics and friendships. In my experience, ethnicity and background are not overlooked, but embraced. We embrace...

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St.Patrick's Basilica - Ottawa

Saint Patrick's Basilica was known as Ottawa's first English speaking Roman Catholic church, most of the English population were of Irish descent, thus when the church was completed in 1875 it was dedicated to St.Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. The church was appointed to basilica status on...

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Butter Tarts

Butter tarts are the best. Period. Don’t try and argue, for it is fact. A quintessential Canadian dessert, nothing compares to a warm, gooey, homemade goodness that is the butter tart. A simple combination of butter, sugar, syrup, eggs and raisins in a flakey pastry, many companies have attempted...

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Bombardier

Joseph-Armand Bombardier was a mechanic in Quebec who dreamed of a vehicle that could float on snow. He began working on prototypes in the 1930’s and after selling 12 of his vehicles he began L’Auto-Neige Bombardier Limitee (Bombardier Snow Car Limited) in the early 1940’s. His business was booming...

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