British Columbia & Western Canada
From Vancouver and Vancouver Island to the Rockies, Okanagan, and the Fraser Valley.
Canadian travel planning
See more of Canada.
Thoughtful travel planning for people who want more than a booking engine — and more than the same trip everyone else takes.
Whether you're exploring British Columbia, crossing the Rockies, travelling by rail, visiting Atlantic Canada, planning an accessible family trip or connecting several Canadian destinations, I help research the options and make the pieces work together. I work with travellers from Canada, the US, and beyond.
You're probably in the right place if…
- You want to explore Canada but aren't sure where to start.
- You know where you want to go, but not the best way to put the trip together.
- You're trying to combine several Canadian destinations.
- You're travelling with parents, children, or several generations.
- Someone in your group uses a cane, walker, wheelchair, or otherwise needs accessibility considered carefully.
- You need the entire trip to remain within Canada — for example, because some provincial health insurance plans offer little or no coverage outside the country.
- You're comparing flying, driving, rail, ferries, cruises, or combinations of them.
- You've researched the trip yourself and now have more options than answers.
- This is an important or expensive trip and you want another experienced set of eyes on it.
- You care about value but don't necessarily want the cheapest possible trip.
- You'd rather find the places most visitors miss than follow the standard itinerary.
- You're visiting Canada from the US or overseas and want it planned by someone who knows the country.
- You want the upgrades, amenities, and experiences that never appear on booking sites.
If your trip requires decisions rather than simply a reservation, that's where I add the most value. If you just want the cheapest flight, a booking engine is the right tool — my work starts where it stops.
Travel Canada
You don't need to leave Canada to take an extraordinary trip.
Canada offers dramatically different experiences across thirteen provinces and territories, but the country's size creates its own planning challenges.
Distances can be deceptive
A direct line on a map rarely reflects the actual time, connections, or weather involved.
Transportation varies enormously
Ferries, rail schedules, flights, and seasonal roads can determine what is practical.
Accessibility varies
Some trips that look straightforward become difficult when the actual transportation is considered.
My job is to turn those possibilities into a trip that makes sense on paper and works well when you're actually taking it.
Canadian travel styles
Planning can be very different depending on how you want to travel. These are the kinds of Canadian trips I help with most.
The Canadian Rockies
Banff, Jasper, scenic drives, wildlife, and the best way to experience the mountain corridor.
Canada by Rail
Train routes, cabin selection, connections, stopovers, and making rail part of a larger itinerary.
Canadian Road Trips
Realistic driving times, ferry reservations, scenic routes, and pacing that doesn't exhaust you.
Atlantic Canada
Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Labrador by land and sea.
Ontario & Quebec
Montreal, Quebec City, Ottawa, Toronto, Niagara, rail, and rural combinations.
Northern Canada
Remote destinations, limited transportation, and the advanced planning they require.
Canada from the Water
Coastal and expedition voyages, including the important question of whether an itinerary stays in Canada.
Adventure, Diving & Expedition
Wildlife, nature, diving, and expedition travel with realistic logistics.
All-Inclusive Sun Vacations
Nothing is more Canadian than escaping to the Mexican sun in February.
When a Canadian winter feels endless, an all-inclusive resort in Mexico or the Caribbean can be the simplest way to get sun, sand, and a predictable budget. I help you compare packages, resorts, and inclusions so you pick the right fit.
Need the entire trip to stay in Canada?
For some travellers, staying within Canada is more than a preference. Some provincial health insurance plans offer little or no coverage outside the country, and mobility, documentation, health considerations, personal preference, or other circumstances may make an international border crossing impractical.
I can research itineraries specifically around that requirement, checking more than the destination name: flight routings, cruise ports, ferry routes, rail routes, ground transportation, excursions, and connections.
Accessible & multigenerational travel
An “accessible” label rarely tells the whole story. I research the details that matter: step-free access, walk distances, accessible transportation, washroom usability, terrain, seating, and equipment rental.
Multigenerational trips need thoughtful pacing so parents, children, and grandparents can all enjoy the journey without exhaustion.
How I work
- Understand. I begin with the people, not the destination. Why you're travelling, who is coming, what you need, and any requirement for the trip to stay in Canada.
- Research. I investigate destinations, transportation, flights, rail, ferries, cruises, hotels, experiences, accessibility, and seasonal considerations.
- Verify. Canadian travel information changes. I cross-check schedules, ferry reservations, road status, cruise itineraries, and accessibility claims with current sources whenever practical.
- Design. I turn the research into a realistic itinerary with logical routing, reasonable travel times, appropriate pacing, and practical transportation.
- Book and support. Once the itinerary makes sense, I help coordinate appropriate reservations and stay involved after booking.
Canada is too big for guesswork
Planning travel across Canada can involve dozens of sources: airlines, rail operators, ferries, cruise lines, hotels, tourism organizations, parks, attractions, transportation providers, and accessibility information.
I use AI research tools I've built myself — designed around the two biggest problems with AI: hallucinations and stale data. They search and cross-check live sources rather than relying on what a model remembers, which helps me investigate more possibilities and find details worth verifying. The technology does not decide where you should go—I do.
Technology helps with the research. Evidence helps establish the facts. Experience and judgment turn those facts into a trip.
Already started planning?
Perfect. You don't have to throw away the research you've already done. Send me your itinerary, hotel choices, cruise quote, rail plans, flights, route, ideas, and questions. I'll help identify what looks good, what deserves another look, and what may be missing.
About Me
I'm Canadian: I grew up in Ontario, went to school at Waterloo, and I'm now based in British Columbia's Fraser Valley. I've travelled through every Canadian province and 40+ countries on six continents. The more I've travelled internationally, the more I've appreciated how much there is to explore at home.
My background includes professional diving, technology, and operational safety. That experience shaped how I research: I look at the details that make a trip actually work, not just the highlights in a brochure.
You can learn more about me on my profile site and view my FORA travel advisor page.
Through Fora and the Virtuoso partner network, I have access to preferred hotels, cruise lines, and tour partners — including upgrades, amenities, and experiences you can't book yourself — plus advisor support that lets me handle more complex trips than I could manage entirely alone.
Professional trip planning
Research and itinerary design completed before reservations are made, so the trip you book is the trip you actually want.
What travellers say
“Dave asked lots of questions to make sure we got what we needed. He found the perfect place for us at the price point we were hoping for. I must say it was very nice to have someone else do the hunting for the perfect place instead of doing it myself. I will utilize Dave's expertise again.”
“Dave was very helpful and patient in helping me book my room. He was also very reassuring as well and that was appreciated during the stressful time trying to figure out where to go. I look forward to working with him again in the future!”
“Dave made the booking experience very enjoyable.”
“Dave did a great job in finding a great hotel for me. He made sure to ask about what I needed in a hotel, the types of services that I wanted nearby, and location preferences. I will definitely use his services again.”
Reviews from my Fora travel advisor profile.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance should I start planning a Canadian trip?
For peak-season rail, ferries, and popular resorts, six to twelve months gives the most choice. Simpler trips can come together faster, but early planning almost always means better options.
Do you only work with Canadian travellers?
No. I work with travellers from Canada, the US, and beyond — on Canadian trips and international travel alike.
What information do you need from me to get started?
A rough idea of where and when, who is travelling, and any constraints like mobility, budget, or a Canada-only requirement. The plan form walks you through it.
How long does the planning process take?
Most itineraries take one to two weeks of research and design, depending on complexity and how quickly suppliers respond.
Canada is the destination. Dave makes it work.
I help travellers explore Canada and beyond without figuring out every detail themselves.