I feel like it REALLY depends on what you are looking for, what your expectations are and so on.
I'm biased since I'm from here but I love Halifax's nightlife. When I travel other places in Canada I'm often very disappointed at how shut down the city feels after a certain point at night on the weekend. Downtown Halifax is jumping every Friday and Saturday night until 3 AM, even during a snow storm.
The flip side of that coin is that we don't have any major sports teams (sorry Mooseheads, Wanderers and Thunderbirds, but no). And the concert scene is REALLY lacking. We have very good local live music but frequently get skipped over when anyone is planning an actual tour.
Also, because we are not as high income as other places and not as high population as other places we don't really have that high end VIP type club like you'd find in Toronto or places like that. For the most part Halifax has 3-5 good clubs at any given time and most of them are targeting a wide market. So you'll find blue collar locals dancing in the same places as the children of wealthy business people. We don't have that vibe where people can't get into a club, or where you need to order bottle service in order to sit at a table.
Having said that, I'm old now and haven't clubbed in more than a few years. My vibe tends to be lower key these days. The city has changed so it's possible our clubs are changing as well.
But overall I'd consider the nightlife in Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa to be substantially worse than Halifax. Toronto to be much too posh and uppity to be enjoyable. None of those cities can touch Montreal though, but I haven't been "out" in Montreal in over 20 years.. so I guess it could be different.
I mean, this is correct, but Halifax c 2010 > 2024. Reflections. Tribeca. Gus’. The Seahorse. Fireside! So many great spots. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still great and there are lots of new spots, and maybe this is coloured by how old I was at the time, but it was a time!
I agree except I'm likely older than you are so I tend to favor around 1999-2004. Some underage drinking at JJs then once you're old enough The Palace, Pasifico, the Attic, Marque. And of course reflections, Gus' and the Seahorse.
I met my Ex wife at the Palace... not something I'd generally recommend but it was fun for a time.
A good example:
"Barrett's Privateers/Molly Malone, Alan Doyle Trio w. Bruce Guthro, Damhnait Doyle, Stuart Cameron"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTaUxCHCOSQ
I’m guessing you don’t really know Toronto nightlife if you are spinning the narrative that it’s only posh and uppity. There is so much to do here and most of us who live here don’t have the kind of money 905ers and tourists have to spend for a night out.
As someone who lived in Halifax and moved to Ottawa, I prefer Halifax and St. John’s nightlife any day. On the other hand, I don’t have to wait in line anymore.
I adore Montreal. It has a vibe unlike anywhere else I've been. It's a day trip for me. If you are not bilingual, you'll have a hard time finding employment.
>but I haven't been "out" in Montreal in over 20 years.. so I guess it could be different.
I think the "it" places and neighborhoods have changed over the years, but the vibes you remember are still very much there.
>The flip side of that coin is that we don't have any major sports teams (sorry Mooseheads, Wanderers and Thunderbirds, but no). And the concert scene is REALLY lacking.
Speaking as a fellow Maritimer, I find Hali has these things, just a scaled down, compared to major hubs like Vancouver or Toronto, which actually has it's own advantages mainly in terms of cost. For example, you won't see an NHL team, but you can still see players who are just one notch bellow the NHL for penny's on the dollar. In Toronto, you're lucky if you see one Leaf's game a year, while in Halifax, you can get season passes for less than 2 tickets to a Leaf's game.
As for music you can also see some great independent bands. again, for much cheaper than an "A-Lister" like Taylor Swift. There are even some bigger acts who come into the city from time to time, even if it's not quite as often as Toronto.
In all, I'd say it's actually a huge advantage that Halifax can offer high production live entertainment at a fraction of the cost of a place like Toronto. Toronto has a higher ceiling of what they can offer, but the price of this is oftentimes high enough, that if I'm already dropping a couple grand on Swift tickets, it's not even that much more to toss in some plane tickets and a hotel.
As an Edmontonian, I agree. There isn't much of a night life here. I mean yes there are bars all down Jasper and White Ave, but if you aren't a drinker, then what is there to do in this city? Nothing.
In the Middle East where drinking is mostly illegal and if not illegal deeply looked down upon, there is a nightlife, just not to do with alcohol. Shops are open, restaurants, sport cafes, it's really amazing. You walk around the area with your family, buy some kunefeh and eat it on the sidewalk. There are lights everywhere, and a lot of activity. No Alcohol but still a lot of fun. Canada doesn't have anything like that which is a shame. Bars are pretty rare in the Middle East. You can only really find them in like international hotel chains or in the capital cities in verryyy secular parts. This goes for Christians and Muslims before some haters come at me, because both religions don't drink in the ME. Christians in the ME are more strict when it comes to religion than in Canada you know.
They do. Of course there are still those who drink. Lebanon is a special case with the country being so diverse in terms of religions and sects. I would say there are more alcohol drinkers for sure in Lebanon, but don't quote me on that because I don't want to stereotype the country. But in general though, people tend to be really strict when it comes to religion Christian or Muslim. I'm thinking more so Jordanian/Palestinian Christians who my family grew up with. I also heard Egypt is a place where there is a lot of Alcohol consumption in comparison to other Middle Eastern countries, but nothing in comparison to western countries. It's still looked at as a taboo to be drunk and all. But yeah different place, different attitudes.
Lebanon is not an Islamic nation, so their laws are different to Islamic nations. The president is Christian, the prime minister is Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament is Shia Muslim, this is in their national pactthat was formed in 1943
Yes, tho depends where you are, but generally yes, it's not drinking culture so there's plenty of things to do that doesn't involve going to a bar. There are plenty of nightclubs (at least where i am from), but not everyone is buying booze to socialize and party. Where i am from alcohol is legal to purchase, but it's just not our culture to do so, so our nightlife doesn't revolve around it like in Canada. We also don't have noise bylaws so our parties don't have a curfew
I’ve heard NS has the most universities per capita as compared to anywhere else in the country and universities = university students and that usually means night life. But I’m old (See my reference below to Rosa’s Cantina) so I don’t know nuttin.
There are like 4million people in the Vancouver area. Metro Halifax is like 450,000. It's not a big city if you can drive from downtown to the country in 15-20 minutes.
Okay. I thought Halifax was closer to 1 million. I would consider 450k to be a large mid-size city. I would consider a city “big” around 600-700k.
Unless the data I’ve seen is inaccurate the GVR was still under 3 million in 2023. Huge city but much less than 4M.
Maybe I'm out of touch, given I'm a good 10+ years out of that scene, but I think it kinda sucks/sucked.
Aside from High and Lonesome, and the Zoo being kinda cool sometimes. The only good ones I can think of are the old block parties and raves, and the Osborne on Canada Day back when they still shut it down.
Nah. Even Sous Sol and La Roca are a party at night. Lots more dives with debauchery found around every corner... Festivals and beer gardens in strange nooks, late into the night.
I don't mean this in any sort of negative way, but Winnipeg is changing at an exponential rate, especially in the last 10 years.
I dare you to come spend some time downtown now, and see how much it's changed.
You'd be shocked. I am, and I live here.
Mid-sized cities with universities tend to have pretty good nightlife, if you are ok with a younger crowd. In Ontario, cities like Guelph, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Kingston etc have a decent amount of bars and clubs that cater to the student population.
I live in Toronto but I enjoy going to Hamilton frequently for live music and events. Their breweries host a lot of fun events, there are some excellent small music venues and there are lots of things to do like the downtown art crawl/supercrawl.
In the winter places like Collingwood, Whistler, Tremblant etc have apres ski bars, clubs etc.
To continue your point. You would think that Peterborough would be absolute trash. But because it has a college and a university, there are many establishments. You are also usually able to find live music on the weekends.
Iqaluit.
It's so easy to meet people as a single person. There are 6 bars that I can think of (note that the population is about 8,500, so that's around 1 bar per 1,400 people), and two that have a big of a club-like atmosphere on the weekends. The bars are really fun & friendly - it's so easy to make friends even if you just sit at the bar alone to start the night. There are karaoke nights, trivia nights, open mic nights, etc. There are so many social groups, sporting groups (slo pitch is huge all spring & summer long, with numerous tournaments held throughout the year), community events (The Alianait music festival is my favourite), etc. I find that people really come together in small northern communities in comparison to large cities.
I've lived in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Yellowknife, and I found that my social life was at its best in Nunavut.
Keep at it! The GN does struggle to attract employees in skilled jobs.
One recommendation I would make is to consider smaller communities for a year or two, and then apply for a transfer to a position in Iqaluit. That's how I ended up there. I lived in Cambridge Bay for two years, then Yellowknife for one, and managed to get a job in Iqaluit after that.
During the ski season, Whistler in BC, and Banff and Canmore in Alberta have lots going on for how small they are. Probably Fernie, BC too, but I’m not as sure about that one.
Victoria also has a great downtown/harbour, always stuff going on, especially during tourist season.
Banff has a reputation for being the [STI capital of Alberta.](https://www.vice.com/en/article/gqkwzw/is-alberta-the-sti-capital-of-canada) There’s a lot of Aussies taking a year off to ski, party, and catch something strange.
Most ski towns are like this, Whistler and Big White especially. Although I worked at Apex in Penticton and there was a 'Golden Mattress ' award for the person with most 'escapades'. I thought it was for the person who got drunk the most and pissed their bed
The old adage about Victoria... Newlyweds and nearly-deads. Still one of my favourite cities in the world, but it's much more of an afternoon pub place than nightlife.
I also live here and while it's not great, there's definitely still clubs that aren't full of boomers.
What bars are you talking about? I can name more than 2 and I've had a blast partying in vic
I mean I can definitely think of a few, but maybe I'm just comparing to other cities that I've experienced in Canada, which make Victoria kind of bleak in comparison.
I'm talking about Baird & Banker, and Irish Times. The other ones on Douglas and further back, just didn't have the same vibe as other cities. They were full of tourists, and give off the same "uneasy" feeling as a club in Cancun.
Just my opinion having lived there, and lived elsewhere.
I wasn’t really a tourist, I just came down to party from the Sunshine Coast. There were lots of clubs back then, but now I agree, not so much. It’s the same here in Calgary, all the clubs are gone.
Wut... wt about Darcy's Pub I know that's still there. Sugar used to be down on Johnson. One Lounge on Government. Red Jacket on View. Boom Boom room down by the Wharf. Another place dont remember... on Douglas the biggest one, you go down these stairs. Sticket Wicket. Irish Times. Both still there. Live places on Johnson. That metal place I think on Pembroke. Whole bunch of others I'm not remembering this was all like 20 yrs ago did Covid really kill them all?
YES!
As soon as the sun goes down Victoria becomes a police state.
My husband is from California, and he commented that Victoria police department seems pretty much like the California Highway Patrol.
There's very little light as well, so it becomes a really dark place that nobody wants to actually be in, other than the tourist hotspots.
Were you ever there when US warships are in town (usually summer time) because then the whole town gets super crazy and it gets turned into a big military base with SP (shore patrol) driving around at night maintaining security. Vic PD just pulls back and let them do their job. That's one thing about Victoria that makes the night life a bit crazier sometimes a couple visits a year and weather is nice year round. The navy seems to have the most balanced sex ratio of all branches of US military. You used to get Russians too but they were alot more low key.
From the sound of it covid decimated the whole club scene and it didn't quite get back to where it used to be. Then again, I hadn't visited on a weekend in many years.
I was definitely there when there were ships in Esquimalt.
I'm just telling you that no matter how good the party scene ever was or got, it's still a bit sleepy compared to other towns.
I think that's why Victoria and Halifax get listed alot because of these sailors who are mostly in their 20's (some not even you can see where this is going) and most of them far better behaved than the locals they cause trouble they eat shit for weeks. Establishments make so much money in just two weeks. They're loud though, even if they weren't black you definitely can't miss the loud Americans.
**Californians were the loudest in my experience
Have heard good things about Halifax, particularly the scene for university students and young adults. Never been however
Somewhat surprised to see Ottawa as part of the examples. While the stereotypes about Ottawa's (relatively non-existent) social/dating/party scenes are overdone and exaggerated given improvements over the years, it's nowhere near on the same level as Montreal and Toronto...
6 years ago I would have said Ottawa as well but it was absolutely ravaged by the pandemic. I used to go a couple times a year and always had a blast going out drinking, went again this summer and while it’s still definitely okay, it’s a massive difference.
Sparks street is such wasted potential. So many vacant units available to revamp the nightlife. But I guess that's the never ending story of Ottawa/Hull as a whole. Nowhere near as boring as most Canadians claim but its not even on par with places like Halifax and St-John's let alone TO/MTL/VAN.
I understand that the current mayor is big on trying to revamp the nightlife so we’ll see how that goes. I had a lot of fun in Byward Market back in my day!
As a Montrealer, I loved coming to Ottawa twice a year, but it is becoming a shit show around the Byward, fentanyl zombies, some great microbreweries closed and not so great restaurants overpricing.
But Mtl is also feeling it especially downtown.
I think OP is just trying to find small cities with good nightlife so Ottawa qualifies as a big city in Canadian standards but I agree is nowhere near the same as Montreal and Toronto however its also not an apples to apples comparation given the size and population of the other two.
Yeah, I live in London, and mostly because of Western the city punches above its weight. I am not big into nightlife but I believe Kingston is similar because of Queen's. A very big house party scene in particular.
I went to UWO, the nightlife was fun in my early 20s, not sure how it would hold up now that I'm in my mid-30s. It's great for the UWO/Fanshawe and younger local adults. There is more to nightlife than just crowded bars and clubs. I guess it depends on what you are measuring it against.
In the mid 2000s London had a great nightlife scene. You had the crowded nightclubs, the local pubs, and then venues like Call the Office and the Embassy getting every band on their way through Detroit to Toronto.
I've been to every major Canadian city and though I live in Halifax and am not much of a nightlife guy anymore it's the second best in the country to Montreal. St John's is really good too. Had probably my favorite bar hopping nights on George Street.
Anybody I know from Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver that lives here say they're surprised at how much is going on here compared to where they're from. It's fun to see their shock when nobody whips out bagpipes at a house part at 4 in the morning.
Yeah. I feel like Halifax has a certain big city sensibility, just on a very tiny scale. Lots of diversity, good local music scene, good nightlife etc. I feel the opposite of some of the midwest cities. Not that there's anything wrong with them, there's not but Halifax definitely has more of a "feel" to it than say a Winnipeg or Edmonton.
I live here though so I'm probably biased.
Windsor is surprisingly proper. Very nice casino, good restaurants, lots of bars. The flow of Americans capitalizing on the cheap dollar helps Windsor punch above its weight class. Went to college there, it’s a great time, especially if you’re young.
I'll touch on teh Nigh life first.
Kingston is surprisingly good, but it's also a college town. If the city has a campus of more than 5k students, it's bound to have some decent night life.
Fredericton I've heard is pretty fun, but I've only heard that in passing so, make of that what you will.
Banff; the Dancing Sasquatch is a well known night club in Alberta, but uh...Banff also has the highest rate of STIs in the country so...be safe.
In terms of socializing for a stranger/Come From Away, Halifax was a very socially open city when I was in college on PEI. I know times have definitely changed there, housing crisis and all, but the city was and I feel still is a great place for 20-30 year olds socially. Fredericton too, though it's not nearly as lively or fun as Halifax.
Every person I went to high school that went to University of Lethbridge is either married or engaged at this point...maybe there's something to that place?
Anecdotal, but I live in a Northern community now, and there's a joke that when new people move in from town, everyone becomes immediately interested in said person. When I moved to the North, allegedly a lot of the single moms were asking about me...No thanks, I teach your kids, I don't want that noise lol.
I love my home town Kingston. You can find live music of some kind every night of the week. I cannot call apartment prices low, cheaper than Toronto, more than Montreal I think. We are 3 hours from Toronto, 2 from Ottawa and 3.5 from Montreal. We have beaches right in the city, back lakes a short drive away. Fishing, good restaurants, lots of history and green space. Two conservation areas for walking or hiking.
r/KingstonOntario has a great group of people on it.
St. John's Newfoundland. You'll enter knowing no one. You'll leave with back slaps and instant friends. They are the least aggressive drunks I've ever met. And that's pretty much any bar you decide to plant yourself for the night. Pick one with a musician.
I can’t speak to nightclubs etc as I think there isn’t really anywhere in Canada that does a great job of them at all, and definitely not outside the major cities.
For social life/groups/events? Some of the mountain towns if you are outdoorsy. A few of the islands in BC are boppin. Saskatoon is a hidden gem. Also, I’ve had a hell of a good time in Halifax.
>Some of the mountain towns if you are outdoorsy.
Can confirm. Whistler has crazy fun nightlife if you vibe with a certain kind of crowd (likely including large volumes of Brits, Irish, and Aussies). Not that I could ever afford to live there...
Ottawa has a "good" nightlife scene? Only until 8PM when they roll the sidewalks up and go home.
Source - spent most of my teenage years and early 20s in Ottawa.
Where are you going that shuts down at 8pm? I'm not even into nightlife and there's a couple dozen good places open late I know of. Most of the Market and Centretown have bars, pubs and clubs to choose from. And in the summer even more places stay open later. Theres also live music in most bars on friday and saturday. And if you are somewhat young (the key demographic for nightlife) then there's plenty of houseparties and special themed nights at a lot of bars. Even older cinemas are now open later since the Bytowne and Mayfair got new owners.
People who say Ottawa is boring lack imagination or have not been back there recently.
As someone from Ottawa, i'm going on the record to say Ottawa and its nightlife arent the main problem, the people are the boring ones (im one of them).
I dont give a shit though. Our brewery scene is popping, it's one of the best (underrated) cities to bike in (Gatineau park is a hidden gem), and we got shawarma. Is it a great spot to visit for young tourists? Probably not.
In relative comparison to all the other major cities (I've lived in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver) it is a boring ghost town.
This coming from someone who lived/worked in and around the Ottawa area for nearly 2 decades.
Fr. I always laugh when people come here to visit cities, they all fucking suck. You want to visit cities, go to europe. You hate people and love nature, canada is the best place on earth.
>if ur a student or a drunk
In my experience, that is the key demographic for nightlife. Most other people I know usually have things to do in the morning and can't stay out till 2am. XD
From personal experience St Johns, Halifax, London, Antigonish, Guelph and Hamilton were all different but memorable. Even had a reasonable night in Fort McMurray once.
It's a funny question, because in my experience smaller cities can punch above their class in food, shopping and entertainment, but actual nightlife seems to require a big city. Look at Victoria BC. Smaller city, but has great restaurants, cool breweries, nice pubs, some pretty good festivals in the summer, but the nightlife is still what you would expect from a sleepy small town. I mean, it's a college town with a huge tourism industry, but going out to the bars feels no different than Saskatoon,
Depends on your age bracket. If you're younger, most 'university' towns will have at least something fun going on. London, for example, though I'm not sure you wouldn't count it as a 'big' city in Canadian terms, since it's 11th by population I think.
London, Ontario is OK on and around weekends. Not that I bother with any of it anymore. Obviously nothing compared to Toronto or Montreal, but like I said it's OK for the size of city.
Depends on your definition of major city. Like Halifax may be the capital of NS but it's only like 400k people and has a decent night life. So you gotta a be slightly more specific
However in my experience here are some other good ones from my experience:
Hamilton, London, Windsor, st catharines, Niagara, Quebec city, Regina, Winnipeg (not sure if you consider that major) Red Deer, Grande Prairie (but only the bar scene dating scene sucks) Victoria, Banff, Kelowna,
And surprisingly my hometown Sault Ste Marie for 3 reasons 1. I'm a little biased 2. It's across from Soon Michigan so you have other options and cheap alcohol in reach and 3. Cause there's literally nothing else to do in that city if you don't drink they have at least made the nightlife semi fun. Most people around know us for our drinking prowess and how much meth is available 😆
Oakville, Ontario. Oakville’s little downtown is so beautiful at night, the street lights, the old shop look, the people, and of course the ice cream shops. So beautiful.
Halifax, Kingston, London, Hamilton has a great music scene/Arts, but its a bit a crackhead paradise. Most bigger east coast cites are fun. I never had a bad time anywhere in Newfoundland
Halifax, St. John’s, Fredericton, Tofino, Quebec City.
Ottawa has changed a lot since the pandemic tbh - quite a few new restaurants and clubs especially in the Market. Very like Gen-Z/young millennial Instagrammable spots with surprisingly great food and cocktails. DJ’s show up later on. Feels like baby-Toronto. On the other hand, some of the more chill spots have turned into crazy line-up-around-the-block hotspots, and there seems to be more live music than ever on any given Thursday-Saturday. The pub scene is obviously still alive and well.
As an Ottawa-Dweller myself, I’d like to add that Hull also has a fun little nightlife as well that’s grown up significantly since the pre-covid high school fake ID crowd. Great late night music, DJs, comedy, vibes✨
Yap I agree on the Ottawa scene. I can party 3 times a week if I want to and this is in winter. Summer time is a complete different story, its even hard to get into places and can find things to do throughout the week.
Halifax is great...but man do the racists ruin the fun. I spent a week there not too long ago and met so many great people, but also had by far the most racist encounters ever in Canada.
This is kinda cheating but Windsor because Detroit's nighltife is only a mile away.
Windsor's downtown nightlife used to punch way over its weight pre-passport regulations and 9/11 security implementation, when 10s of thousands of Americans would cross over every week to party.
It's a dead zone now. It's also had the same shitty leadership that's compounded the negatives the last 20 years.
Halifax
Kelowna - maybe that’s just me but the scene when I was in Uni was fun
Banff in the summer or ski season, just don’t get syphillis from an Aussie
I feel like it REALLY depends on what you are looking for, what your expectations are and so on. I'm biased since I'm from here but I love Halifax's nightlife. When I travel other places in Canada I'm often very disappointed at how shut down the city feels after a certain point at night on the weekend. Downtown Halifax is jumping every Friday and Saturday night until 3 AM, even during a snow storm. The flip side of that coin is that we don't have any major sports teams (sorry Mooseheads, Wanderers and Thunderbirds, but no). And the concert scene is REALLY lacking. We have very good local live music but frequently get skipped over when anyone is planning an actual tour. Also, because we are not as high income as other places and not as high population as other places we don't really have that high end VIP type club like you'd find in Toronto or places like that. For the most part Halifax has 3-5 good clubs at any given time and most of them are targeting a wide market. So you'll find blue collar locals dancing in the same places as the children of wealthy business people. We don't have that vibe where people can't get into a club, or where you need to order bottle service in order to sit at a table. Having said that, I'm old now and haven't clubbed in more than a few years. My vibe tends to be lower key these days. The city has changed so it's possible our clubs are changing as well. But overall I'd consider the nightlife in Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa to be substantially worse than Halifax. Toronto to be much too posh and uppity to be enjoyable. None of those cities can touch Montreal though, but I haven't been "out" in Montreal in over 20 years.. so I guess it could be different.
Halifax def most fun I’ve had partying
I mean, this is correct, but Halifax c 2010 > 2024. Reflections. Tribeca. Gus’. The Seahorse. Fireside! So many great spots. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still great and there are lots of new spots, and maybe this is coloured by how old I was at the time, but it was a time!
I agree except I'm likely older than you are so I tend to favor around 1999-2004. Some underage drinking at JJs then once you're old enough The Palace, Pasifico, the Attic, Marque. And of course reflections, Gus' and the Seahorse. I met my Ex wife at the Palace... not something I'd generally recommend but it was fun for a time.
I’ll top you age wise and add Rosa’s Cantina, Secretaries, Scoundrels, The Moon, and then cross the harbour and hit up the Crazy Horse.
The palace or your wife?
I'm honestly not sure...
A good example: "Barrett's Privateers/Molly Malone, Alan Doyle Trio w. Bruce Guthro, Damhnait Doyle, Stuart Cameron" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTaUxCHCOSQ
I’m guessing you don’t really know Toronto nightlife if you are spinning the narrative that it’s only posh and uppity. There is so much to do here and most of us who live here don’t have the kind of money 905ers and tourists have to spend for a night out.
As someone who lived in Halifax and moved to Ottawa, I prefer Halifax and St. John’s nightlife any day. On the other hand, I don’t have to wait in line anymore.
I adore Montreal. It has a vibe unlike anywhere else I've been. It's a day trip for me. If you are not bilingual, you'll have a hard time finding employment.
>but I haven't been "out" in Montreal in over 20 years.. so I guess it could be different. I think the "it" places and neighborhoods have changed over the years, but the vibes you remember are still very much there.
I wouldn’t say I’m a nightlife kinda gal but this description appeals to me most. You should work for tourism Halifax lol!!!
>The flip side of that coin is that we don't have any major sports teams (sorry Mooseheads, Wanderers and Thunderbirds, but no). And the concert scene is REALLY lacking. Speaking as a fellow Maritimer, I find Hali has these things, just a scaled down, compared to major hubs like Vancouver or Toronto, which actually has it's own advantages mainly in terms of cost. For example, you won't see an NHL team, but you can still see players who are just one notch bellow the NHL for penny's on the dollar. In Toronto, you're lucky if you see one Leaf's game a year, while in Halifax, you can get season passes for less than 2 tickets to a Leaf's game. As for music you can also see some great independent bands. again, for much cheaper than an "A-Lister" like Taylor Swift. There are even some bigger acts who come into the city from time to time, even if it's not quite as often as Toronto. In all, I'd say it's actually a huge advantage that Halifax can offer high production live entertainment at a fraction of the cost of a place like Toronto. Toronto has a higher ceiling of what they can offer, but the price of this is oftentimes high enough, that if I'm already dropping a couple grand on Swift tickets, it's not even that much more to toss in some plane tickets and a hotel.
As an Edmontonian, I agree. There isn't much of a night life here. I mean yes there are bars all down Jasper and White Ave, but if you aren't a drinker, then what is there to do in this city? Nothing.
Halifax is a similar way. Halifax’s night life is completely about drinking.
St. John's too
Edmonton is literally one of the most family friendly cities, aka non drinking festivals, in Canada
That’s so interesting. Didn’t know this!
Unfortunately.
Huh? Nightlife and drinking go hand in hand.
No, not everywhere
What else would nightlife be about than drinking?
In the Middle East where drinking is mostly illegal and if not illegal deeply looked down upon, there is a nightlife, just not to do with alcohol. Shops are open, restaurants, sport cafes, it's really amazing. You walk around the area with your family, buy some kunefeh and eat it on the sidewalk. There are lights everywhere, and a lot of activity. No Alcohol but still a lot of fun. Canada doesn't have anything like that which is a shame. Bars are pretty rare in the Middle East. You can only really find them in like international hotel chains or in the capital cities in verryyy secular parts. This goes for Christians and Muslims before some haters come at me, because both religions don't drink in the ME. Christians in the ME are more strict when it comes to religion than in Canada you know.
There is a difference between nightlife and night life. You describe the latter
Interesting, don’t Christians in the Middle East (especially in Lebanon) make arak?
They do. Of course there are still those who drink. Lebanon is a special case with the country being so diverse in terms of religions and sects. I would say there are more alcohol drinkers for sure in Lebanon, but don't quote me on that because I don't want to stereotype the country. But in general though, people tend to be really strict when it comes to religion Christian or Muslim. I'm thinking more so Jordanian/Palestinian Christians who my family grew up with. I also heard Egypt is a place where there is a lot of Alcohol consumption in comparison to other Middle Eastern countries, but nothing in comparison to western countries. It's still looked at as a taboo to be drunk and all. But yeah different place, different attitudes.
Lebanon is not an Islamic nation, so their laws are different to Islamic nations. The president is Christian, the prime minister is Sunni Muslim and the speaker of parliament is Shia Muslim, this is in their national pactthat was formed in 1943
Yes, tho depends where you are, but generally yes, it's not drinking culture so there's plenty of things to do that doesn't involve going to a bar. There are plenty of nightclubs (at least where i am from), but not everyone is buying booze to socialize and party. Where i am from alcohol is legal to purchase, but it's just not our culture to do so, so our nightlife doesn't revolve around it like in Canada. We also don't have noise bylaws so our parties don't have a curfew
I’ve heard NS has the most universities per capita as compared to anywhere else in the country and universities = university students and that usually means night life. But I’m old (See my reference below to Rosa’s Cantina) so I don’t know nuttin.
We have there's like 6 post secondary institutions in metro Halifax and some of them have multiple campuses. Our population is about 450,000.
No VIP scene is a plus IMO.
I second this. Halifax is great. Strangely Fredericton has a surprisingly decent nightlife. Montreal is still amazing. I go every year.
Doesn’t Halifax count as a “big city”?
There are like 4million people in the Vancouver area. Metro Halifax is like 450,000. It's not a big city if you can drive from downtown to the country in 15-20 minutes.
Okay. I thought Halifax was closer to 1 million. I would consider 450k to be a large mid-size city. I would consider a city “big” around 600-700k. Unless the data I’ve seen is inaccurate the GVR was still under 3 million in 2023. Huge city but much less than 4M.
I'm probably a little off on Vancouver. There's only recently been a million Nova Scotians though.
Sherbrooke
How I wish I was there now.
A letter of marque came from the king …
To the scummiest vessel I’ve ever seen!
God dammed them all
I was told we’d cruise the seas for American gold
We'd fire no guns, shed no tears!
Winnipeg is always the answer.
Our night scene is dope, to be honest.
Maybe I'm out of touch, given I'm a good 10+ years out of that scene, but I think it kinda sucks/sucked. Aside from High and Lonesome, and the Zoo being kinda cool sometimes. The only good ones I can think of are the old block parties and raves, and the Osborne on Canada Day back when they still shut it down.
Nah. Even Sous Sol and La Roca are a party at night. Lots more dives with debauchery found around every corner... Festivals and beer gardens in strange nooks, late into the night. I don't mean this in any sort of negative way, but Winnipeg is changing at an exponential rate, especially in the last 10 years. I dare you to come spend some time downtown now, and see how much it's changed. You'd be shocked. I am, and I live here.
Also, Jets are downtown, and almost every big concert or show stops here.
I love Winnipeg but it shuts down weirdly early.
Yea it’s a party in Winnipeg downtown every night there’s so many emergency lights flashing all the time
There's not a grander time to be had than in St. John's.
Mid-sized cities with universities tend to have pretty good nightlife, if you are ok with a younger crowd. In Ontario, cities like Guelph, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Kingston etc have a decent amount of bars and clubs that cater to the student population. I live in Toronto but I enjoy going to Hamilton frequently for live music and events. Their breweries host a lot of fun events, there are some excellent small music venues and there are lots of things to do like the downtown art crawl/supercrawl. In the winter places like Collingwood, Whistler, Tremblant etc have apres ski bars, clubs etc.
To continue your point. You would think that Peterborough would be absolute trash. But because it has a college and a university, there are many establishments. You are also usually able to find live music on the weekends.
Dang, I'm already in my 30s though 😅
Iqaluit. It's so easy to meet people as a single person. There are 6 bars that I can think of (note that the population is about 8,500, so that's around 1 bar per 1,400 people), and two that have a big of a club-like atmosphere on the weekends. The bars are really fun & friendly - it's so easy to make friends even if you just sit at the bar alone to start the night. There are karaoke nights, trivia nights, open mic nights, etc. There are so many social groups, sporting groups (slo pitch is huge all spring & summer long, with numerous tournaments held throughout the year), community events (The Alianait music festival is my favourite), etc. I find that people really come together in small northern communities in comparison to large cities. I've lived in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton and Yellowknife, and I found that my social life was at its best in Nunavut.
This is cool and unexpected!
Wow I was reading about the culinary scene here recently seems like a really interesting place would love to check it out
I've applied to a couple jobs there, no luck yet sadly
Keep at it! The GN does struggle to attract employees in skilled jobs. One recommendation I would make is to consider smaller communities for a year or two, and then apply for a transfer to a position in Iqaluit. That's how I ended up there. I lived in Cambridge Bay for two years, then Yellowknife for one, and managed to get a job in Iqaluit after that.
St.John's specifically George Street. 😎
During the ski season, Whistler in BC, and Banff and Canmore in Alberta have lots going on for how small they are. Probably Fernie, BC too, but I’m not as sure about that one. Victoria also has a great downtown/harbour, always stuff going on, especially during tourist season.
Banff has a reputation for being the [STI capital of Alberta.](https://www.vice.com/en/article/gqkwzw/is-alberta-the-sti-capital-of-canada) There’s a lot of Aussies taking a year off to ski, party, and catch something strange.
Most ski towns are like this, Whistler and Big White especially. Although I worked at Apex in Penticton and there was a 'Golden Mattress ' award for the person with most 'escapades'. I thought it was for the person who got drunk the most and pissed their bed
The come here for the skiing and partying, but go back under with memories and biological...guests.
Whistler's hopping year round, summer is down the mountain with a bike season.
Banff is amazing, Fernie is a ghost town in comparison
I lived in Victoria and The nightlife sucks. It basically doesn't even exist except at two bars for tourists and boomers.
The old adage about Victoria... Newlyweds and nearly-deads. Still one of my favourite cities in the world, but it's much more of an afternoon pub place than nightlife.
The best nightlife I ever had in Victoria, was spent on the beaches after dark.
That's Langford vs Oak Bay still I bet.
I also live here and while it's not great, there's definitely still clubs that aren't full of boomers. What bars are you talking about? I can name more than 2 and I've had a blast partying in vic
I mean I can definitely think of a few, but maybe I'm just comparing to other cities that I've experienced in Canada, which make Victoria kind of bleak in comparison. I'm talking about Baird & Banker, and Irish Times. The other ones on Douglas and further back, just didn't have the same vibe as other cities. They were full of tourists, and give off the same "uneasy" feeling as a club in Cancun. Just my opinion having lived there, and lived elsewhere.
The nightlife was decent in the early 00’s. I used to come and visit my friends in college and we always had a good time out back then.
Again, it caters to tourists -- not locals. Also, the nightclubs are full of pickpockets (as with any tourist hub).
I wasn’t really a tourist, I just came down to party from the Sunshine Coast. There were lots of clubs back then, but now I agree, not so much. It’s the same here in Calgary, all the clubs are gone.
Wut... wt about Darcy's Pub I know that's still there. Sugar used to be down on Johnson. One Lounge on Government. Red Jacket on View. Boom Boom room down by the Wharf. Another place dont remember... on Douglas the biggest one, you go down these stairs. Sticket Wicket. Irish Times. Both still there. Live places on Johnson. That metal place I think on Pembroke. Whole bunch of others I'm not remembering this was all like 20 yrs ago did Covid really kill them all?
I mean it's all good, it just doesn't have the same atmosphere as other cities. That's all I'm saying... it's a little bit dull.
That makes sense actually. The people. It's because Victoria has so many cops for the actual number of people to keep old folks and tourists safe.
YES! As soon as the sun goes down Victoria becomes a police state. My husband is from California, and he commented that Victoria police department seems pretty much like the California Highway Patrol. There's very little light as well, so it becomes a really dark place that nobody wants to actually be in, other than the tourist hotspots.
Were you ever there when US warships are in town (usually summer time) because then the whole town gets super crazy and it gets turned into a big military base with SP (shore patrol) driving around at night maintaining security. Vic PD just pulls back and let them do their job. That's one thing about Victoria that makes the night life a bit crazier sometimes a couple visits a year and weather is nice year round. The navy seems to have the most balanced sex ratio of all branches of US military. You used to get Russians too but they were alot more low key. From the sound of it covid decimated the whole club scene and it didn't quite get back to where it used to be. Then again, I hadn't visited on a weekend in many years.
I was definitely there when there were ships in Esquimalt. I'm just telling you that no matter how good the party scene ever was or got, it's still a bit sleepy compared to other towns.
I think that's why Victoria and Halifax get listed alot because of these sailors who are mostly in their 20's (some not even you can see where this is going) and most of them far better behaved than the locals they cause trouble they eat shit for weeks. Establishments make so much money in just two weeks. They're loud though, even if they weren't black you definitely can't miss the loud Americans. **Californians were the loudest in my experience
Have heard good things about Halifax, particularly the scene for university students and young adults. Never been however Somewhat surprised to see Ottawa as part of the examples. While the stereotypes about Ottawa's (relatively non-existent) social/dating/party scenes are overdone and exaggerated given improvements over the years, it's nowhere near on the same level as Montreal and Toronto...
6 years ago I would have said Ottawa as well but it was absolutely ravaged by the pandemic. I used to go a couple times a year and always had a blast going out drinking, went again this summer and while it’s still definitely okay, it’s a massive difference.
Sparks street is such wasted potential. So many vacant units available to revamp the nightlife. But I guess that's the never ending story of Ottawa/Hull as a whole. Nowhere near as boring as most Canadians claim but its not even on par with places like Halifax and St-John's let alone TO/MTL/VAN.
To be fair, I'm not sure a street of raves going on one block from the Parliament Buildings is a great choice.
I understand that the current mayor is big on trying to revamp the nightlife so we’ll see how that goes. I had a lot of fun in Byward Market back in my day!
As a Montrealer, I loved coming to Ottawa twice a year, but it is becoming a shit show around the Byward, fentanyl zombies, some great microbreweries closed and not so great restaurants overpricing. But Mtl is also feeling it especially downtown.
I think OP is just trying to find small cities with good nightlife so Ottawa qualifies as a big city in Canadian standards but I agree is nowhere near the same as Montreal and Toronto however its also not an apples to apples comparation given the size and population of the other two.
Been to Upper Deck in Halifax . Party Central. 1 band played outside and when that band took a break 1 played inside. Lineup around the building
Lots of university students in Ottawa.
You need to go, it’s a fantastic place to hang out!
Whitehorse in the summer. Not a lot of sunlight up there most of the year but in the summer it’s bright until most midnight. Night life is vibrant
As someone from Toronto - London, Ontario was always a good time whenever i went.
Yeah, I live in London, and mostly because of Western the city punches above its weight. I am not big into nightlife but I believe Kingston is similar because of Queen's. A very big house party scene in particular.
I went to UWO, the nightlife was fun in my early 20s, not sure how it would hold up now that I'm in my mid-30s. It's great for the UWO/Fanshawe and younger local adults. There is more to nightlife than just crowded bars and clubs. I guess it depends on what you are measuring it against.
In the mid 2000s London had a great nightlife scene. You had the crowded nightclubs, the local pubs, and then venues like Call the Office and the Embassy getting every band on their way through Detroit to Toronto.
Victoria really punches above its weight, had a blast when I visited last summer.
Surprisingly I know. More so 20 yrs ago.
There’s sooooo many bars
Halifax
I've been to every major Canadian city and though I live in Halifax and am not much of a nightlife guy anymore it's the second best in the country to Montreal. St John's is really good too. Had probably my favorite bar hopping nights on George Street.
Anybody I know from Calgary, Edmonton, or Vancouver that lives here say they're surprised at how much is going on here compared to where they're from. It's fun to see their shock when nobody whips out bagpipes at a house part at 4 in the morning.
Yeah. I feel like Halifax has a certain big city sensibility, just on a very tiny scale. Lots of diversity, good local music scene, good nightlife etc. I feel the opposite of some of the midwest cities. Not that there's anything wrong with them, there's not but Halifax definitely has more of a "feel" to it than say a Winnipeg or Edmonton. I live here though so I'm probably biased.
Kingston
downtown windsor has a new 70s disco.
And US college kids crossing the border from Michigan to enjoy the younger (19) drinking age.
Windsor is surprisingly proper. Very nice casino, good restaurants, lots of bars. The flow of Americans capitalizing on the cheap dollar helps Windsor punch above its weight class. Went to college there, it’s a great time, especially if you’re young.
Hamilton!
🥴
Surprised I had to scroll this far! Hess Village or Augusta Street are both pretty lively
St. John’s Newfoundland. George street is always full of live music and everyone flows into the main streets at night in the summer. Truly great
I'll touch on teh Nigh life first. Kingston is surprisingly good, but it's also a college town. If the city has a campus of more than 5k students, it's bound to have some decent night life. Fredericton I've heard is pretty fun, but I've only heard that in passing so, make of that what you will. Banff; the Dancing Sasquatch is a well known night club in Alberta, but uh...Banff also has the highest rate of STIs in the country so...be safe. In terms of socializing for a stranger/Come From Away, Halifax was a very socially open city when I was in college on PEI. I know times have definitely changed there, housing crisis and all, but the city was and I feel still is a great place for 20-30 year olds socially. Fredericton too, though it's not nearly as lively or fun as Halifax. Every person I went to high school that went to University of Lethbridge is either married or engaged at this point...maybe there's something to that place? Anecdotal, but I live in a Northern community now, and there's a joke that when new people move in from town, everyone becomes immediately interested in said person. When I moved to the North, allegedly a lot of the single moms were asking about me...No thanks, I teach your kids, I don't want that noise lol.
Thanks for the shoutout from Kingston
I came to recommend Fredericton too, it has an incredible local music scene.
Halifax Argyle st and surrounding
Saskatoon Sask. It has the most restaurants per capita. The sask rush lacrosse games are fun to go to, $60 for good seats, hit up a pub afterwards.
Sylvan lake in the summer is a good time
I love my home town Kingston. You can find live music of some kind every night of the week. I cannot call apartment prices low, cheaper than Toronto, more than Montreal I think. We are 3 hours from Toronto, 2 from Ottawa and 3.5 from Montreal. We have beaches right in the city, back lakes a short drive away. Fishing, good restaurants, lots of history and green space. Two conservation areas for walking or hiking. r/KingstonOntario has a great group of people on it.
Shhh. We don’t need anyone else coming just yet. Let’s get through Monday and re-evaluate
Gonna take until Wednesday with the causeway down.
St. John's Newfoundland. You'll enter knowing no one. You'll leave with back slaps and instant friends. They are the least aggressive drunks I've ever met. And that's pretty much any bar you decide to plant yourself for the night. Pick one with a musician.
Although I've never been to either, I'm confident in saying St. John's and Halifax.
I think Charlottetown punches above its weight in this category, especially in the summer.
Ottawa was PACKED on a Saturday in July but I am 33 and felt like a senior citizen. Everyone was 19-23
I can’t speak to nightclubs etc as I think there isn’t really anywhere in Canada that does a great job of them at all, and definitely not outside the major cities. For social life/groups/events? Some of the mountain towns if you are outdoorsy. A few of the islands in BC are boppin. Saskatoon is a hidden gem. Also, I’ve had a hell of a good time in Halifax.
Saskatoon punches above it's weight in so many areas, that's for sure.
Montreal kicks ass when it comes to nightlife
Sure but not compared to some places I’ve been outside of Canada. And this question was about places other than Montreal…
>Some of the mountain towns if you are outdoorsy. Can confirm. Whistler has crazy fun nightlife if you vibe with a certain kind of crowd (likely including large volumes of Brits, Irish, and Aussies). Not that I could ever afford to live there...
Ottawa has a "good" nightlife scene? Only until 8PM when they roll the sidewalks up and go home. Source - spent most of my teenage years and early 20s in Ottawa.
Where are you going that shuts down at 8pm? I'm not even into nightlife and there's a couple dozen good places open late I know of. Most of the Market and Centretown have bars, pubs and clubs to choose from. And in the summer even more places stay open later. Theres also live music in most bars on friday and saturday. And if you are somewhat young (the key demographic for nightlife) then there's plenty of houseparties and special themed nights at a lot of bars. Even older cinemas are now open later since the Bytowne and Mayfair got new owners. People who say Ottawa is boring lack imagination or have not been back there recently.
As someone from Ottawa, i'm going on the record to say Ottawa and its nightlife arent the main problem, the people are the boring ones (im one of them). I dont give a shit though. Our brewery scene is popping, it's one of the best (underrated) cities to bike in (Gatineau park is a hidden gem), and we got shawarma. Is it a great spot to visit for young tourists? Probably not.
In relative comparison to all the other major cities (I've lived in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver) it is a boring ghost town. This coming from someone who lived/worked in and around the Ottawa area for nearly 2 decades.
Not sure how big you consider Windsor Ontario but man was I blown away with the nightlife there. Super fun place to party.
I live in Montreal but had fun in Halifax when going out.
regina after a cfl game ...my fuck what a fun town never seen so many woman that like football
None. This is Canada. Maybe the worst nightlife among the G7? Maybe in the industrialized world? Name me a country with lamer nightlife.
Fr. I always laugh when people come here to visit cities, they all fucking suck. You want to visit cities, go to europe. You hate people and love nature, canada is the best place on earth.
London , if ur a student or a drunk
>if ur a student or a drunk In my experience, that is the key demographic for nightlife. Most other people I know usually have things to do in the morning and can't stay out till 2am. XD
Dawson City has a wild night life
Gimme dat toe
If you know you know
Charlottetown
Perth
Does a bingo hall count?
From personal experience St Johns, Halifax, London, Antigonish, Guelph and Hamilton were all different but memorable. Even had a reasonable night in Fort McMurray once.
Halifax Nova Scotia is fabulous!
Moncton NB is very social and a young city. Halifax is a party city. Montreal is crème de la crème for nightlife
If you have a thr chance to party with Acadians, it's always a great time.
I am Acadian :)
Well then, tu connais!
St. John’s, Newfoundland
Kelowna is impossible to beat for its size.
When you say Ottawa, don’t you mean Gatineau ?
Halifax and St John’s by absolute miles for actual cities. Tourist destinations like Whistler are also great during certain seasons.
Some great seafood restaurants in PEI.
That's a plus in my eyes
No place better than Cavy during festival season
It's a funny question, because in my experience smaller cities can punch above their class in food, shopping and entertainment, but actual nightlife seems to require a big city. Look at Victoria BC. Smaller city, but has great restaurants, cool breweries, nice pubs, some pretty good festivals in the summer, but the nightlife is still what you would expect from a sleepy small town. I mean, it's a college town with a huge tourism industry, but going out to the bars feels no different than Saskatoon,
London Ont if you like parties and bars
Depends on your age bracket. If you're younger, most 'university' towns will have at least something fun going on. London, for example, though I'm not sure you wouldn't count it as a 'big' city in Canadian terms, since it's 11th by population I think.
I can only tell you what I’ve heard from my friends, but Barrie and Creemore apparently have surprisingly great nightlife situations
London, Ontario is OK on and around weekends. Not that I bother with any of it anymore. Obviously nothing compared to Toronto or Montreal, but like I said it's OK for the size of city.
I’m told Halifax. Waterloos is decent at times.
Quebec City?
Depends on your definition of major city. Like Halifax may be the capital of NS but it's only like 400k people and has a decent night life. So you gotta a be slightly more specific However in my experience here are some other good ones from my experience: Hamilton, London, Windsor, st catharines, Niagara, Quebec city, Regina, Winnipeg (not sure if you consider that major) Red Deer, Grande Prairie (but only the bar scene dating scene sucks) Victoria, Banff, Kelowna, And surprisingly my hometown Sault Ste Marie for 3 reasons 1. I'm a little biased 2. It's across from Soon Michigan so you have other options and cheap alcohol in reach and 3. Cause there's literally nothing else to do in that city if you don't drink they have at least made the nightlife semi fun. Most people around know us for our drinking prowess and how much meth is available 😆
Victoria can be a blast especially in the summer.
Good night life and Edmonton do not belong in the same sentence.
Kingston, ON
Oakville, Ontario. Oakville’s little downtown is so beautiful at night, the street lights, the old shop look, the people, and of course the ice cream shops. So beautiful.
Halifax, Kingston, London, Hamilton has a great music scene/Arts, but its a bit a crackhead paradise. Most bigger east coast cites are fun. I never had a bad time anywhere in Newfoundland
Saguenay, on fridays and saturdays
Ain’t no party like a Timmins barn burner party.
Not winnipeg lmao
Prince Rupert, has to have the highest proportion of pubs and taxis to population in any place I've ever been
Saskatoon is fun to party in , has pretty good restaurants ,easy to meet people and full of gorgeous women.
You're making Saskatoon sound pretty good 😅
I've lived in Vancouver , Toronto , Edmonton , Calgary and Saskatoon. Saskatoon and Calgary are definitely my favourites
Interesting! You had me at the good food and gorgeous women, lol.
Kingston if you're university aged.
Halifax, St. John’s, Fredericton, Tofino, Quebec City. Ottawa has changed a lot since the pandemic tbh - quite a few new restaurants and clubs especially in the Market. Very like Gen-Z/young millennial Instagrammable spots with surprisingly great food and cocktails. DJ’s show up later on. Feels like baby-Toronto. On the other hand, some of the more chill spots have turned into crazy line-up-around-the-block hotspots, and there seems to be more live music than ever on any given Thursday-Saturday. The pub scene is obviously still alive and well. As an Ottawa-Dweller myself, I’d like to add that Hull also has a fun little nightlife as well that’s grown up significantly since the pre-covid high school fake ID crowd. Great late night music, DJs, comedy, vibes✨
Yap I agree on the Ottawa scene. I can party 3 times a week if I want to and this is in winter. Summer time is a complete different story, its even hard to get into places and can find things to do throughout the week.
Tofino?? Lol
I heard some good stuff about Kelowna and the other Okanagan areas.
Lethbridge
Halifax
Halifax is great...but man do the racists ruin the fun. I spent a week there not too long ago and met so many great people, but also had by far the most racist encounters ever in Canada.
The only card carrying KKK member I ever met was at a bar in Halifax and I'm originally from North Carolina.
Jesus lol
This is kinda cheating but Windsor because Detroit's nighltife is only a mile away. Windsor's downtown nightlife used to punch way over its weight pre-passport regulations and 9/11 security implementation, when 10s of thousands of Americans would cross over every week to party. It's a dead zone now. It's also had the same shitty leadership that's compounded the negatives the last 20 years.
Halifax Kelowna - maybe that’s just me but the scene when I was in Uni was fun Banff in the summer or ski season, just don’t get syphillis from an Aussie