Amazing Race Canada - Season 1 airports recap

With Season 2 upon us, we thought we would recap the airports that the Amazing Race Canada teams visited in Season 1.

We started with our Amazing Race Canada - Season 1 Airport Quiz. Did you try it out? How did you do? If not, take the quiz now and check your memory!.

In Season 1, The Amazing Race Canada's visited 12 Canadian airports (the links below go to our transportation guides for each):

Air Canada is The Amazing Race Canada's lead sponsor

• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• Halifax International Airport (YHZ)
• Iqaluit Airport (YFB)
• Kelowna International Airport (YLW)
• Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
• Quebec City Jean Lasage International Airport (YQB)
• Regina Airport (YQR)
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Whitehorse International Airport (YXY)
• Yellowknife Airport (YZF)

As Season 1 unfolded, we blogged about the visits, and a bit more about the airports themselves. If you'd like to read up, here's a link to all our Amazing Race Canada Season 1 blog posts.

We also did a little feature on Toronto Billy Bishop City Centre Airport (YTZ) as, while the teams didn't visit the airport, they did visit the Toronto Islands, in the city centre, where YTZ is located (read it here).

We hope you will follow along as we blog about the airports visited on Season 2 of The Amazing Race Canada. We'll even tell you about the best ways to get to/from each, in case you are inspired to visit!

Related resources:

• 5 Busiest Airports in Canada 
• Canada's Story - Airport Councils International
• End of Days - YYZ to discontinue bus service 
• Do we really hate taxis?

Amazing Race Canada - Week 6: YQR, YUL, YYZ, YQB

Another week, another 4 airports! In Week 6 of The Amazing Race Canada, the teams moved between two cities, via two different routes.

Teams lifted off for this leg of the race from Regina International Airport (YQR). We wrote about this airport - and it's transportation issues - in our Week 5 blog post.

Some of the teams connected through Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL), Canada's 3rd busiest airport.


Just a few teams passed through Montreal's airport...

Too bad the visit was so brief. Named a UNESCO City of Design, Montreal is one North America's liveliest cities, with historical buildings dating from the 17th century. Maybe they will come back?

Other teams connected through Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ), not the first visit here during the race!

The destination for the week was the amazing, historic Quebec City.

Bonjour! Welcome to Quebec City Airport!

The teams arrived at Quebec City Jean Lasage International Airport (YQB).

If you visit, you'll enjoy this airport, twice voted Best Regional Airport in North America by the Airports Council International's Airport Service Quality (ASQ) program (2010, 2011). That's a pretty high honour! You'll find a taxi the best way to get into the city from the airport. There is a bus, but it only runs Monday to Friday, a little too inconvenient for most travellers. Fortunately, the taxi ride is short: YQB is just 11 kilometres southwest of the city.

Predictably, upon arrival in Quebec City, the Amazing Race Canada teams were faced with several language related challenges, testing their French language skills, and creativity. Great fun to watch - but don't worry, you can get along here without French (just learn a few words, as a courtesy, and the locals will welcome you.

Historic Vieux-Québec (Old Town) is divided into two parts: the Haute-Ville (Upper Town) and the Basse-Ville (Lower Town).

The fabulous funicular in old Quebec City!

While there are staircases that connect the two (!), most everyone takes the very convenient Funiculaire (Funicular). It's cheap and fun.

One of old Quebec City's amazing murals
(image source: Rambling Traveler, cc on Flickr)

Down below, in Basse-Ville, is where you can find several wonderful murals painted on the sides of old buildings, one of which was featured on the Race (do you think you could have worked out that puzzle of missing pieces, described in French?!). This is also where the teams participated in ice carving, part of the winter culture here.

The stunning Fairmont Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City

Up above, in Haute-Ville, is the stunning Chateau Frontenac. While this grand hotel only got a walk-on role in the race, it truly is a gem worth visiting, even if you can't afford to stay (try a drink in the little bar overlooking the river).

Whether you stay in the historic old city, or downtown (just outside the city walls, adjacent to the Plains of Abraham the teams visited), you'll find Quebec City to be pedestrian friendly, so no need to rent a car for your visit. Unlike the Amazing Race Canada teams, you will be able to stroll the streets at a leisurely pace...

Au revior!

Source: all photos wiki commons, except where noted

Amazing Race Canada - Week 5: YXY, YVR, YEG, YYC, YQR

Air Canada was one of The Amazing Race Canada's sponsors

Lots of airports touched on the way to the destination for this week's installment of The Amazing Race Canada:

The Douglas DC-3 (CF-CPY) that now serves as a
weather vane at Whitehorse International Airport (YXY).

Whitehorse International Airport (YXY) in the Yukon - we didn't get to say a lot about Whitehorse last week, and the teams left this important Klondike Gold Rush town so quickly this week, but we'd like to recognize Whitehorse Airport as being one of the most interesting northern airports in Canada. Did you know that you can fly here from Frankfurt? Or, better yet, people fly to Whitehorse from Frankfurt?!? Kind of exciting stuff for an otherwise pretty small airport. Oh, yes, btw, the airport's official name is Erik Nielsen Whitehorse International Airport.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) - from Whitehorse, on their way to Regina, teams flew through Vancouver, yet again, this time with two possible itineraries:

A few teams flew via Edmonton International Airport (YEG)

Edmonton International Airport (YEG) - as the race spent so little time here, we thought we'd pause to talk about this airport a bit... This is now Edmonton's only airport: the previous Edmonton City Centre Airport (YXD) has pretty well ceased operations, and will be a museum site only. So, if you fly to Edmonton, leave time for the 25 kilometre trek into the city. The good news is that there is now a 747 Airport Bus that runs to YEG - if you take it, you'll be helping the locals, who are at risk of losing the service if there aren't more users.

Calgary International Airport (YYC) - the teams have been here before...

Regina Airport (YQR) - Regina, Saskatchewan was the destination for Week 5, and eventually everyone turned up here to begin the challenges.

A vintage RCMP Crown Victoria restored and on display at the
RCMP Heritage Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Fortunately, the teams had vehicles waiting for them, as Regina Airport has a severe taxi shortage (take heed, if you plan to travel here!). After racing off from the airport, here's a bit of what the teams had in store:

• Digging for Sgt. Bull Moose stuffed toys in rail cars at Saskcan's lentil splitting facility
• Laying out a Mountie's "kit" at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP)'s Heritage Centre and training facility
• Training as cheerleaders and football players at Taylor Field at Mosaic Stadium, home to the Saskatchewan Roughriders!
• Then it was a race to the Week 5 Pit Stop.

Taylor Field at Mosaic Stadium in Regina, Saskatchewan
- home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders!

It was an exciting week, with all sorts of surprises in store. We won't even attempt to summarize what happened with the teams (so many others are doing an amazing job at that) - our emphasis on the race is really the airports and the destinations.

Are you as excited as we are about Week 6 and the visit to beautiful Quebec City?