Mountains, moose and Mounties: around the globe, those three words say “Canada”. But the world’s second largest country offers far more. Stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific, it is a land of adventures in the great outdoors. Nowhere else provides such variety, from Niagara Falls and the world’s highest tides to icebergs and the spectacular Rocky Mountains.

A photo posted by Niagara Parks (@niagaraparks) on Aug 26, 2016 at 9:28am PDT

And it is all accessible. Follow well-marked hiking and biking trails in the rolling hills and rugged mountains. Or get out on the water in a canoe or sea kayak. Pull on a cowboy hat, swing into the saddle and ride the wide-open prairies, where cattle and bison roam. If you want to test your nerves, try zooming on ziplines or rafting down rapids.

As for wildlife, Canada is home to oh-wow critters, such as polar bears and whales, lumbering sea lions and perky puffins. Deep in forests are pristine lakes, home to loons. Although hard to spot, Canadian one-dollar coins bear their image – and are nicknamed “loonies” in their honour.

A polar Bear with a cub in Manitoba, Canada Credit: ALAMY

Culture? You bet. Check out the first-rate museums and galleries, where collections include works from Europe and around the world. But don’t miss home-grown talent, particularly the early 20th-century “Group of Seven” painters and contemporary First Nation artists.

But one of the delights of visiting Canada is meeting the people. That is what the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will enjoy on their visit to British Columbia and Yukon later this month (September 24-October 1). And that is what visitors will also do in 2017, when the country celebrates its 150th birthday. The festivities will include the First Nations and those who settled in the New World over centuries, from the Vikings, British and French – who provide Quebec’s je ne sais quoi – to more recent arrivals. The welcome will be huge – as big as the country itself.

1. Classic family holiday: Banff and Lake Louise, Alberta

Ever since the railway put Banff on the map in the 1880s, this beautiful part of the Rocky Mountains has been a tourist destination. And, along with emerald-green Lake Louise, it was quickly preserved as Canada’s first national park. The area is perfect for family camping holidays: keep youngsters busy with hiking, biking, rafting and canoeing, let alone spotting mountain goats and bighorn sheep – and walking on a glacier. Banff is 80 miles west of Calgary.

Grand American Adventures (0333 220 1336; grandamericanadventures.com) offers 12-day guided Family Discovery holidays from £999, including ground transport. Flights from UK to Calgary extra. Departs July and August.

A photo posted by Banff & Lake Louise (@banff_lakelouise) on Sep 8, 2016 at 12:17pm PDT

2. City culture and natural wonders: Ontario

Bustling Toronto scores for world-class museums, theatre, music, trendy restaurants and EdgeWalk, the stomach-churning experience 1,168 feet up on the CN Tower. Not for scaredy-cats! Ninety minutes south are Niagara Falls, worth seeing by boat and, for a real thrill, in a helicopter. A couple of hours north of Toronto are some of Canada’s finest golf courses and Algonquin Provincial Park. As you explore this forest and lake wilderness on a canoe and camping trip, think of the fur trappers, who paddled these waters 400 years ago.

Windows on the Wild (020 8742 1556; windowsonthewild.com) has 10-night Ontario Adventures from £1,635, with three nights in Toronto, two nights in Niagara-on-the-Lake, one at a golf resort and four nights’ camping and canoeing in Algonquin Provincial Park.

Algonquin Provincial Park in autumn Credit: ALAMY

3. French heritage: Montréal and Québec

The French ceded their Canadian colonies to Britain in 1763, but the province of Québec still reflects la vie française. Food, fashion and, of course, the language, all link back to France. In Montréal, delve into the past in the Old Port and the Pointe-à-Callière Museum; escape the tourists on the Plateau Mont-Royal. Historic Québec City is famous for its massive fortifications, but also boasts excellent museums, restaurants and boulangeries. For a younger vibe, head for the Saint-Roch Quarter. Away from the cities, the wilderness of mountains, forests and lakes is perfect for sporty types, who can end the day in a lodge with serious comforts and bonne cuisine, bien sûr.

Adagio (01707 386700; adagio.co.uk) has a new nine-night holiday exploring Montreal, Quebec City and the province’s countryside and wilderness from £2,975 with a dedicated tour leader. Departures from late May.

Historic Québec City Credit: ALAMY

4. Bears, beluga and bright lights: Manitoba

About 1,000 polar bears congregate on Hudson Bay’s western shore from July to November. The best-known place to see them is Churchill, 1,000 miles north of Winnipeg. More away from it all is the isolated, but oh-so comfy Seal River Heritage Lodge. On guided walks, you could be just 100 yards from bears that are 10 feet tall. Go in July-August and you can not only see thousands of snow-white beluga whales, but also snorkel with them in the water; from September to November, the Northern Lights are dazzling.

Prestige Holidays (01502 567222; prestigeholidays.co.uk) tailor makes eight-day trips, with two nights in Winnipeg and five nights at Seal River Heritage Lodge from £7,962 to see polar bears with guides, belugas or the Northern Lights. Departures between July and November.

A photo posted by Churchill Wild (@churchillwildsafaris) on Aug 9, 2016 at 12:13pm PDT

5. Roll across the country: See Canada by train

One of the easiest ways to admire Mother Nature’s handiwork is by taking the train. For something completely different, go in winter. Start in Toronto, with a side trip to Niagara Falls, where massive icicles look like an art installation. Then board The Canadian for a journey through the Rockies, passing through the Canadian Shield, a wild land of frozen lakes and snow-covered trees. Spend time in Winnipeg, Edmonton and Jasper. Watch for elk, moose, wolves and mountain goats; walk along a frozen river bed through Maligne Canyon. The trip ends in Vancouver, where there's time for a guided tour and dinner at the "Top of Vancouver", a revolving restaurant overlooking the city.

Great Rail Journeys has an 11-day The Canadian in Winter escorted rail journey, from £2,595 including Air Canada flights, accommodation, some meals and first class rail travel. Departs February 4 and March 4, 2017. Great Rail Journeys (01904 521 936; greatrail.com).

One of the easiest ways to admire Mother Nature’s handiwork in Canada is by taking the train

6. Maritime adventures: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island

Only a six-hour flight from the UK, Canada’s three Maritime provinces each have their own individual characters. Nova Scotia echoes its Scots and Irish settlers, with toe-tapping fiddle music and "kitchen parties” (céilidhs). Twice a day, the world’s highest tides surge into New Brunswick’s Bay of Fundy. Tiny Prince Edward Island has grand beaches and golf courses. On a circular tour, you take ferries, go whale watching, sail on lobster boats, visit vineyards, listen to folk music in jolly pubs and eat the freshest oysters, lobsters and clams.

Frontier Canada (020 8776 8709; frontier-canada.co.uk) has 12-night escorted tours of the Atlantic Maritime Provinces from £2,999 (based on two sharing). Departures from May 30 to October 3, 2017.

A photo posted by Nova Scotia (@visitnovascotia) on Aug 27, 2016 at 4:31am PDT

7. First Nations Art: Haida Gwaii, British Columbia

Canada’s Inuit and First Nation tribes have longstanding artistic traditions. The most dynamic are the Haida, whose soaring, skilfully-carved totem poles are part art form, part story telling. Modern artists, such as the late Bill Reid, attract international acclaim. But to understand the art and meet the artists, visit Haida Gwaii. These dreamily beautiful islands off the British Columbia coast are a world all of their own, with majestic spruce and cedar, bald eagles and tiny golden-crowned kinglets. Romantic yet practical is exploring under sail.

Audley Travel (01993 838 700; audleytravel.com) offers Haida Gwaii by Yacht, a 13-day trip with three nights in Vancouver and a week aboard a 68-ft ketch from £5,200. Departures April to November 2017.

Haida Gwaii, dreamily beautiful islands off the British Columbia coast Credit: ALAMY

8. Newfoundland: Nicknamed the Rock

Millions fly over Newfoundland on their way to North America. By not stopping, they miss out on an island that is truly one of a kind. On the northernmost tip is L’Anse aux Meadows, where archaeological remains recall a Viking colony 1,000 years ago. The shoreline attracts millions of seabirds, including puffins galore; offshore, icebergs float past like stately galleons; inland, moose are two a penny. Don’t miss Gros Morne National Park, with some of the world’s oldest rocks, and Western Brook Pond, a fjord with 2,000-ft cliffs and 1,000-ft waterfalls.

Discover the World (01737 214 291; discover-the-world.co.uk) has an eight-day Newfoundland Adventure tour from £1,972. Flights extra. Departures June and July 2017.

Gros Morne National Park Credit: ALAMY

9. Grizzly bears and whales: British Columbia

Watching a grizzly bear snack on salmon is a classic David Attenborough moment. So is watching grey whales, orcas, sea otters, bald eagles and the marbled murrelet, a cousin of the puffin. All these are just some of the delights of Vancouver Island and its waters. Away from the ordinary world, you explore the temperate rainforest, with its ancient, towering trees – and fly in by sea plane to a wilderness lodge. Photographers capture special moments; birders add to their life lists. Perfect for one-upping friends’ travel stories.

Naturetrek (01962 733051; naturetrek.co.uk) has a 14-day Canada: The West tour from £5,995, with expert naturalist guides to help spot the wildlife.

A photo posted by Share Vancouver Island (@sharevancouverisland) on Aug 21, 2016 at 10:13am PDT

10. Fresh and local: Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada has embraced the farm-to-table philosophy with gusto. And nowhere more so than the chefs in Vancouver. Arguably the best foodie city in North America, Vancouver’s chefs can source seafood landed 10 miles from the city centre, veg from the Fraser River valley plus orchard fruits and ever-improving wines from the Okanagan Valley. Offering value for money are innovative, well-priced restaurants and high-quality food trucks. For insider tips on what and where to eat, join a chef-led food tour of Granville Island Public Market.

Vancouver Foodie Tours (001 604 295 8844; foodietours.ca) has daily two-hour Granville Island Market Tours and Food Truck Tours that are as delicious as they are entertaining. From C$50/£29, including all the food and drink tasting.