Canada's cities have innumerable sights, sounds and flavours to discover, and making the most of your city, either as a newbie or a long-time local, has never been easier. Whether you're trying to find new adventures on the West Coast, East Coast, or somewhere in between, there's an app for that. From parks and ski resorts to restaurants and theatres, your phone can become your one and only guide to being a tourist in your own city.
No matter where you live in Canada, Go Explore Canada is worth adding to your app arsenal. Its directory, covering all 13 provinces and territories, contains thousands of attractions and tours, as well as accommodations, restaurants, shopping malls, and even gas stations. Whether taking a vacation or a staycation, this is one app you need to have, no matter where you dwell or roam. Available for iPhones and Android devices. Price: Free
There's nothing quite like a day at the park. With a picnic, a frisbee, and family and friends (and, yes, maybe a bit of bug spray), it's relaxation at its most wholesome, and wholesomely Canadian. The Vancouver Parks app shows off the city's 200-plus parks with photos, maps and information on amenities. No matter where you are in the city, you can find the perfect park for your leisure time. Available for iPhones. Price: Free
With the Just for Laughs comedy festival, POP Montreal and the International Jazz Festival, along with its reputation as a launching pad for bands such as Arcade Fire, Montreal has earned its reputation as a cultural hotspot. With the La Vitrine app, you can stay on top of all of the events going on in the city, whether you're looking for poetry readings, design exhibitions, or the next big band. After you buy your concert tickets, you can even tell your friends about it through the app's handy social media extensions. Available for iPhones and Android devices. Price: Free
When people think of Cowtown restaurants, they think of one mouth-watering thing, but Calgary has a lot more to offer the city's foodies than steak houses. Calgary Eats 7, based on the book My Favourite Restaurants: Calgary, Banff and Beyond (7th Edition), contains more than 225 restaurants tested and reviewed by Calgary food writer John Gilchrist. Greek, Japanese or Middle Eastern, Calgary Eats 7 can find you the perfect restaurant for your current craving, get you the menu and tell you how to get there. Available for iPhones. Price: $4.99
Beautiful Halifax is so full of destinations worth visiting that locals could have lists several pages long of must-sees. With the Visit Halifax Nova Scotia App, shortening that list is easy. Hometown treasures like Pier 21, the Seaport Farmers' Market, and the many great bars featuring local fiddlers are easy to find with the app. Event details, restaurant reviews, and promotions make it easy for any Haligonian to become a tourist at home. Available for iPhones, Android and Windows Mobile devices, Blackberries, and Palm and Nokia phones. Price: Free
The City of Legends is known for its breathtaking vistas and deep history, and the Destination St. John's app is a great way to dig into the secrets of Canada's oldest city. From Signal Hill, where the first wireless transatlantic transmission was received in 1901, to the nesting seabirds of Cape St. Mary's Ecological Reserve to the pubs of bustling George Street, this app will help you find all of the nooks and crannies of the city. Available for iPhones. Price: Free
There's enough to see and do in Hogtown to fill a lifetime, and Tourism Toronto's See Toronto app can help you fit it all in. With phone in hand, you can look down on the city from the CN Tower's EdgeWalk, shop along the streets of ritzy Yorkville, people watch from the patios of College Street, and then end the day at a trendy bar on the Ossington strip. With page after page of great destinations, tips for the best festivals and concerts, and restaurant reviews, this app can help you do something new everyday. Available for iPhones, Android devices, and Windows phones. Price: Free
Sometimes exploring your city in the present day just isn't enough. That's why there's Zeitag TO, an app that uses your phone's GPS and an archive of old photographs to show you what Toronto looked like as far back as the late 19th century. With more than 500 photos that show the city's growth up to the 1980s, this is the ultimate time travelling app for the urban explorer. Your DeLorean awaits! Available for iPhones. Price: Free