For Windsong Travel consultant Ella Uebergang, autumn revealed the Canada travellers miss when they wait for snow: Kelowna on fire with maple leaves, the Okanagan glowing gold, Vancouver at its crisp, cinematic best and Yellowknife already edging into the wonder of the north. Canada’s spectacular winters do not arrive fully formed. First, autumn puts on a show.
I know I’m not being dramatic when I say “season identity” is a real thing. Do you ever feel like a certain time of year slightly changes who you are? And if you think about it, of course it does.
A perfect Sunday at home in winter looks very different to one in spring. It changes which chores you enjoy a little more than others. It changes the food you crave, the perfume you reach for and whether you have your morning coffee in the sun or by the fire.
And no matter how familiar we think we are with autumn, it will always show itself differently in every destination. The autumn version of me, moving through everyday life, is nothing like the version of me that exists during a Canadian autumn.
It wasn’t until I woke up in Kelowna, British Columbia, that I started to realise I was not just travelling through Canada. I was discovering the many layers of autumn across different Canadian destinations.
A perfect fall day in the Okanagan
My perfect autumn day in the Okanagan Valley starts like this: I’m warming my hands around a pumpkin spice latte under a huge, fiery red maple tree in Kelowna, with a book in my lap.
Canada’s Kelowna reminds me of a real-life cartoon. Every building has its own personality. Some are painted in bright colours, some have fascinating arches, and all of them are complemented by so much nature throughout the streets. Nature that was once green, but at this time of year has been taken over by the season and turned into the colours of a sunset.
After my morning, I hop in the car and take the scenic drive to Vernon. I wander through fruit orchards, breathing in the fresh air, and visit shops stocked with homemade goods made from local fruit. And the pumpkin patches? I don’t think it gets any more autumn than that.
Lunch is at a local cidery, and this is where I think: okay, I am a cider person now. But only Okanagan cider.
I sit around a table with my group, and by now the sun has warmed up just enough to feel it on my skin. It is the perfect temperature. We order a bunch of sides because we want to try everything, and not one dish disappoints.
Now that I have a satisfied belly, I think about what it would feel like to run through one of those perfect rows in the apple orchard. I try to resist, and absolutely cannot.
The afternoon is for e-biking through golden and green hills that seem to stretch on and on. The lake is glistening clear blue, reflecting the midday sky. I mostly dread physical activity, but it turns out it is not so bad when you are surrounded by vineyards that disappear into the creases of rolling hills.
And as the sun starts to dip, I wander into a vineyard with a glass of crisp wine made from the very vines around me. Dinner is fresh, local and the kind of meal I will crave for months afterwards.
Even though I don’t want the day to end, it is the perfect ending to a perfect day.
Vancouver, fully awake
A gondola ride at Grouse Mountain with a ham and cheese toastie in hand turns out to be a great way to start the morning when you are based in Vancouver. Gliding over the lush forest as it fades into white, misty cloud, I think I could become a morning person if I did this every day.
At the top, I meet Grouse Mountain’s two rescue bears. I watch one swim, twirl a stick in the water like it is his favourite toy and blow bubbles. After watching that, I almost don’t believe they can be such ferocious hunters. But honestly, it is just so nice that the rescue bears get to live their best lives now in such a beautiful home.
Then I enjoy lunch at a Japanese hotdog stand. One of the great things about Vancouver is all the different food options. I could talk all day about this, and my wallet could complain all day about this.
After lunch, I wander through the lively streets as I make my way to Gastown. Gastown is eccentric and timeless, a magical pocket of the city where each shop is decorated with character and the huff and puff of the steam clock makes me feel like I am in a movie.
I think autumn would have to be one of the prettiest times of year to visit Gastown. The golden and maple-red trees lining the streets complement the area beautifully.
That afternoon, I watch a hockey game. I know nothing about hockey, but I am in love with the atmosphere — and maybe the athletes a little bit.
Autumn has a way of making life feel slower. It forces you to step back and appreciate the beauty of a destination. And while Vancouver has that crisp seasonal beauty, it also gives you the chance to experience Canada’s hustle and bustle.
Yellowknife: autumn in another world
Thousands of kilometres away lies Yellowknife. Autumn looks very different here, but it is just as magical. With wide-open spaces glowing orange and yellow, the outdoors has never felt more inviting, even in zero-degree weather.
My morning starts with a sip from the most Canadian drink I have ever seen: a maple cinnamon latte. And trust me, it does not disappoint.
Carrying my warm drink, I check out some of Yellowknife’s fascinating museums and historic sights. It is incredible how many cultural and industrial milestones have happened in one town, and how significant Yellowknife’s location is.
Then I take a nature walk on the outskirts of Yellowknife, along endless golden pathways, with snow-tipped mountain tops in the distance. The air is fresh, the birds are singing and somewhere ahead, a waterfall hums softly, making the hike even more exciting.
I spot bear footprints pressed into snow, feel a little thrill, and notice bright red, orange and yellow leaves frozen into rock crevices. It is a soft reminder of the beauty that exists between summer and winter.
My evening begins with a belly full of Yellowknife’s famous freshly caught fish and chips, or a bowl of seafood chowder, while the sunset falls over the picturesque, sleeping lake. Then the sky transforms into a clear, starry night. The anticipation of what is to come is unlike any other excitement I have felt.
Later that evening, we arrive at the northern lights village. The aurora oozes across the sparkling black sky, and I feel so many emotions that I wipe away a tear and hope no one saw.
During the quiet moments when the aurora fades, we sit by the fire in our tent, drinking hot chocolate, playing cards and sharing childhood stories. And when the lights return, we run outside like children chasing an ice-cream truck.
On the bus ride home, we are all trying hard to fight sleep. My belly aches from laughing all night and my face hurts from smiling so much.
It is a day to remember forever.
The hardest goodbye
There is something we cannot control about autumn: the way it transforms beauty that was already there and makes us see a destination in a different light. A light that feels warm, cosy and completely unforgettable.
Flying home felt like pulling a perfectly baked cinnamon scroll from the oven. The journey had layers of new memories, touched in gold just like the autumn trees. But there was no sugar coating, because Canada is authentic and does not need one. The trip was over, the scroll was finished, but like all good memories, the first bite still floods you with a familiar happiness.
Something I know all too well, especially as a travel consultant, is the way we can overlook the shoulder season. But take it from me: book that ticket for a glimpse of Canadian autumn, because you will never forget the way it makes you feel, the people you meet and the experiences that stay with you.
Would I cross oceans for it again? Absolutely yes.
Would I do it over and over again just to feel that indescribable way again? Also yes.
I guess you could say I have fallen in love with Canada, and I cannot wait to see more of it through an autumn lens.
Could you be one of the next Radical Ambassadors?
If Ella’s Field Notes have you rethinking what one Canada trip can really cover, this is your chance to experience it for yourself. Destination Canada is seeking eight Australian travel advisors to become its new Radical Ambassadors, with the program returning for a third year in partnership with Air Canada and Globus.
This time, the epic famil with purpose heads east, taking the next cohort on a nine-day journey from Toronto to Montreal in October 2026. Think historic cities, famous landmarks, local communities, cultural connection and the kind of Canada stories that go far beyond the guidebook.
Applications are now open for advisors ready to share, sell and champion Canada in a whole new way. Are you in?
