Estes Park is located 7,522 feet above sea level, nestled in the heart of the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Shops, galleries and boutiques line the main street, which has a quaint, small-town ambiance. Exceptional outdoor adventures await both families and enthusiasts. Wildlife sightings, including elk and big horn sheep, are prevalent. Estes Park is the basecamp for adventures in Rocky Mountain National Park, where world-class hiking, rock climbing, backcountry skiing and scenic drives abound.

Don those cowboy boots and journey back to the Wild, Wild West in this frontier city, tamed, of course, but with the western spirit alive and kicking. If your weekend getaway to Wyoming's capital and largest city starts on Friday, take the whole family to the Friday night rodeo to get into the spirit of things. In keeping with the cowboy frame of mind, saddle up and go for a tour on the Outlaw Trail, the very same route used by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, among other notorious outlaws, to evade the authorities. Or visit the Terry Bison Ranch, where you can hop on a horse or horse-drawn wagon, tour the winery and see the several thousand bison that live here. History buffs will enjoy the inviting Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, which houses one of the best western horse-drawn wagon collections in the USA. For a political perspective, visit the Corinthian-style Capitol building or the Historic Governor's Mansion. There are plenty of family-oriented attractions, but if the children want something all their own, take them to the IKON Center for arcade games, laser tag and more. Whether it's rodeos, golf, parks, national forests, museums or symphonies, there's no shortage of options here to fill a fantastic weekend.

Refer to Vancouver Island as Victoria Island and risk a chorus of eye-rolls from the otherwise-friendly locals. Yes, Victoria is the main city on the island, but there are many distinct flavours to its logging and fishing settlements. Food and wine enthusiasts flock to the Comox Valley farm region, while the more outdoorsy types get their fix along the remote, forested beaches of North Vancouver Island. Visit the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve at Clayoquot Sound and you’ll return full of cocktail-party factoids.

Ottawa is a compact, clean, cleverly planned centre of culture and politics. And it's an ideal choice for a weekend getaway. Start downtown at the architecturally stunning National Gallery of Canada, and don't miss the Canadian Nature Museum and the National Aviation Museum. Rideau Canal offers boating in the summer and ice-skating in the winter. Gatineau Park attracts cyclists and walkers, while Byward Market blends old and new Ottawa.

From the heights of the Bay of Fundy tides to the sandy beaches and warm waters of the Acadian coast, New Brunswick is home to spectacular natural wonders and first-class attractions. The Canadian province is also renowned for its outdoor adventures, natural and recreational parks, pristine rivers, lively cities, picturesque towns and vibrant culture. Add a dash of Acadian joie de vivre and its people’s legendary friendliness and you have the makings of a truly unique Maritime experience.

The landscape that inspired Anne of Green Gables entices legions of lovers to Canada’s smallest province. Peaceful P.E.I. is a slow paced haven, full of distinctively Maritime delights. Red sandstone cliffs rise above gentle beaches. Lonely lighthouses dot rocky bluffs. Deserted trails beckon for romantic roaming.