Every woman knows that one size fits all is a myth. She also knows that vacations designed for “to whom it may concern” don’t cut it. Women are as unique as ocean waves and deserve holidays to match. Fortunately, Canada understood this early on, serving up some pretty original adventures that meet the needs of women—from Whitehorse, YT, to Wolfville, NS.

Married, single, widowed, teen or senior, women are taking to the road like never before—and they’re not following the path well-travelled either. Today, 40-something gals are the ones likely to indulge in an adventure trip with a generous rush of adrenalin. She’ll be holding the reins while she learns how to navigate a team of sled dogs in the Yukon wilderness or slipping on a wetsuit for a deep-sea dive to explore shipwrecks off the coast of Nova Scotia.

Women really appreciate beauty. That’s not news to those of the female sex, but research does back it up: 87% of women travellers opt for destinations that have gorgeous scenery—something Canada has oodles of—and they love outdoor fun, according to market researcher Yesawich, Pepperdine, Brown & Russell. But no sleeping bags on cold ground here; they want comfort, too. Good news for Canada.

Alberta
For a group of gals with a yen to shop, Edmonton, AB, is a must. It’s home of the West Edmonton Mall, the largest shopping and entertainment centre in the entire world (800 shops and services, 100 eateries, Stay & Play attractions). But this capital city’s shopping cred doesn’t stop there. In trendy Old Strathcona, which includes Whyte Avenue—listed as one of Canada’s top five best shopping neighbourhoods in PURE CANADA magazine—check out the funky fashion, footwear and accessories at Colour Blind, Bamboo Ballroom and Gravity Pope. Book a chauffeured car and personal shopper through Sophies Rubies Shopping Tours. Then get gussied up for a night out on this Prairie town at Blunt Salon’s bimonthly Friday Night Blowouts. Sign up for a wine tasting at deVine Wines and Spirits or book a private chocolate tasting of French hand-molded confections at Chocolate Exquisite.

British Columbia
BC ranks high for its ability to provide urban and outdoor girl getaways. You can soak in the Harrison Hot Springs and feel stress migrate from your body—but how you get there can vary. Go hardcore, hiking through a mossy maze of trees, or opt for a seaplane to drop you off nearby. Not a nature gal? British Columbia’s city centres like Vancouver and Victoria dish up all the nightlife, regional cuisine and shopping you can handle.

Manitoba
Discover your own wild-women archetypes in Thompson, MB, at Spirit Way, a 2.5-km (1.6-mi) walking and biking pathway, one of Travel Manitoba’s top 20 places to visit in the province. En route, 16 points of interest highlight art, heritage, culture, scenery and geology. Start at the Heritage North Museum and pick up a GPS Wolf Hunt Passport before your walk with the wolves (wolf statues, sculptures and murals) in Thompson.

The GPS Wolf Hunt for public art continues in Churchill—the “Polar Bear Capital of the World” and home to some of the best beluga whale-watching tours anywhere. The hunt for wolves heads to Winnipeg, too. This is a city that rocks with annual jazz and comedy festivals, and big-name concert headliners at the MTS Centre and Burton Cummings Theatre for the Performing Arts. For entertainment on the softer side, follow a night out with the girls at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet with a Spa & Yoga weekend package at the historic Fort Garry Hotel, where you can luxuriate in a Turkish steam bath.   

New Brunswick
Active types can head for the wilderness of New Brunswick and join the ranks of “Broads with Rods”—those who have headed to school for three days over the summer to take up fly fishing. The Miramachi River is one of the world’s best spots, so don your hip waders and artfully fling your line over the water. No homework here. When class is dismissed, sipping wine, eating and relaxing are the only things on your timetable.

Northwest Territories
In June and July, you can basically party all night long in the Northwest Territories, a.k.a. Land of the Midnight Sun. The territory’s capital city, Yellowknife, was once a bustling gold-rush town and is now the “Diamond Capital of North America.” Go on a group shop for certified Canadian diamonds in New Town, each etched with the trademark polar bear logo of authenticity, and have your conflict-free gems custom cut and polished.

A Ladies‘ Spa getaway to remote Blachford Lake Lodge is just 20 minutes away by charter flight. Hike, canoe and kayak by day; dine on northern specialties like grilled caribou and whitefish by night. In late summer, autumn and on crisp winter nights, you can pull up a deck chair next to the fire pit or lean back in the hot tub for the spectacular nightly show known as Aurora watching.

Nova Scotia
On Canada’s east coast, Nova Scotia is attracting the ladies with a George Clooney-calibre magnetism that is difficult to resist. The wine scene in the Annapolis Valley is positively bubbly with unique grape varietals and fruity ciders, new tasting rooms being cracked open every year. Meanwhile, surfing schools teach newbies to take advantage of a nor’easter, a winter storm that moves up the east coast and whips up the ocean into ride-worthy waves.

Nunavut
Here’s how you celebrate life’s big moments on a grand scale: book an Arctic cruise with your best girlfriends and you’ll have adventure stories to swap for a lifetime. On a voyage with Arctic Odysseys, witness the majesty of Nunavut’s scenic wild: everything from freighter-size icebergs to polar bears, whales, walrus and giant colonies of seabirds. Sail aboard the Lyubov Orlova with Cruise North Expeditions through the Canadian Arctic archipelago and see the spectacular fjords in Auyuittuq National Park on Baffin Island. A polar voyage with Quark Expeditions aboard an icebreaker takes you just 10 degrees away from the North Pole, and includes shore landings at Devon Island, Zodiac bird-watching side cruises and a visit to the Inuit artists’ co-op in Pond Inlet. 

Ontario
Urban damsels feel right at home in Toronto, ON, Canada’s Big Apple. Historic hotels, boutique hotels and inns dot the city. When you’re in the mood to hibernate and chill with the gal pals, the Royal Family Sleepover Package at The Fairmont Royal York taps into favourite indulgences: movies (while wearing PJs, of course), pizza, chicken wings and ice cream. At the Cosmopolitan, the BFF Getaway spoils the ladies with a mini mani/pedi, chick flicks and popcorn.

Quebec
Whisk your chums away to ultra-chic Montréal, QC, where the Girls’ Getaway Package includes a spa treatment at participating hotels. Prepare to wear out your shoes and max out your credit card in Montréal’s famous shopping districts: trendy Rue Sainte-Catherine, funky Boulevard Saint-Laurent, and sophisticated Outremont for label-seekers and foodies. Montréal’s 30-km (18.5-mi) underground city is the longest underground pedestrian network in the world, with links to boutiques, shopping promenades and the must-browse Galerie Place Ville Marie.

The Pur Chocolate package at Hotel PUR in Québec City (on Condé Nast Traveler’s 2009 Hot List) includes a chocolate smoothie, a box of gourmet chocolates and breakfast. Top that with a stroll through this 400-year-old city’s vintage attractions, past the shops, cafés and bistros lining Old Québec City’s cobblestone streets. Head to the boutiques in the trendy Saint-Roch District and catch a one-hour, absolutely free summer street performance of the astonishingly acrobatic Cirque du Soleil.  

Saskatchewan
What better place for a pack of great dames to catch up than at Saskatoon, SK’s very own grand dame, the Old Bess? Built in the 1930s, the Delta Bessborough hotel has the look of a Bavarian castle and services fit for the most queen-like tastes. Think morning walks along the sunny South Saskatchewan River, massages in “the castle’s’’ spa, followed by cocktails and appies at nearby downtown hipster spots The Barking Fish or Flint. Pretty, riverfront Saskatoon also has its own Broadway District—with heritage tours, art walks and theatres.
Capital city Regina has its own share of attractions, too: namely a fine art gallery, museum and science centre at popular Wascana Centre; shopping in the funky Cathedral District, and fine dining at hot spots like The Willow on Wascana and The Creek in Cathedral Bistro.  

Yukon
After news of the 16-year-old Australian girl who just sailed around the world, alone and unaided, a wilderness trek to the Yukon in Canada’s North suddenly doesn’t seem that daunting. One small canoe trip with Canoe North Adventures equals giant strides in female empowerment. Far North river guide Lin Ward has clocked 20 years and 14,000 km (8,700 mi) paddling in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. She leads all-women groups of ten to twelve on novice and intermediate paddling excursions to Yukon’s wild rivers: the Teslin, Big Salmon, Yukon and Pelly (and the Mackenzie River in the NWT.) Or gather the female troops for an adventure-of-a-lifetime with Yukon Wild, organizers of rafting, fishing, hiking and horseback riding trips, plus winter dogsledding and snowmobile treks.

Girl getaways are here to stay. They’re like quilted Chanel handbags. Classic. Unforgettable. Exclusively for her.

Read more about women-only trips in Canada.

http://novascotia.com
http://travelyukon.com/
www.hellobc.com
www.ontariotravel.net
www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca/

video:
Hot Springs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJhwdstw_Vg

Floatplane Ride to Victoria
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY6OKX8egXo

Day Trip to Victoria
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYN4uykbySE

Grand Pre Winery in the Annapolis Valley
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEfFeOisOGc

L'Acadie Vineyards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77XRrdoA4mI

Yorkville
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T75bkHyomkU

Flyfishing on the Miramichi River
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoMUQ6Lg_N8