Watch Out of Office on our YouTube Channel

5 Canadian Doors You Have to Open in Your Lifetime

If you're anything like us, you love Canada. And what's better than a road trip of discovery through the most inspirational doors this country has to offer? The answer, in case you're stuck, is absolutely nothing

We’ve already told you how great the new 2015 MINI 5 door is.

How it inspired us to think about what it means for young professionals (YPs) to open as many doors as possible.

Both literally and figuratively.

And today we’re talking about a few of the best doors in the entire country. And you know what makes them the best? It’s not just simply that they’re beautiful and historic, it’s that opening them also leads to substance. 

Which is why at some point in your life you have to open these doors. From cultural inspiration to an architect’s wet-dream, each of these buildings offers a special reason to enter through the front door…

Massey Hall, Toronto
In the past 121 years, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Bon Iver, The National, and even (*sigh) Justin Bieber have taken the stage at Shuter and Victoria. These iconic red doors lead the way to one of the best music venues in the country, and if you haven’t sat in one of the wooden seats, you’re missing out on a legendary experience.  

Vancouver Library, Vancouver
A colosseum of knowledge, the main branch of the Vancouver Library is a visual circle of wonder. A nine-story rectangle surrounded by a “free-standing, elliptical, colonnaded wall featuring reading and study areas that are accessed by bridges spanning sky lit light wells”…? Um, yes please. It sounds like the future of learning.

Notre-Dame Basilica, Montreal
Screw Paris, we’ve got our own Notre Dame – and it’s plenty beautiful. Perhaps the single most iconic European building in the country, this is like stepping into Canada before it was Canada. Celine Dion was married here, Pierre Trudeau’s funeral was here, and if you’re in old Montreal, this is a must-visit.

Calgary Stampede, Calgary
Fine, it’s not a door. But it is one hell of an entrance. If you’ve ever spent a week here, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about. An absolute must-experience for every Canadian, walking into the Calgary Stampede is as important to understating Canadian identity as is visiting Notre-Dame Basilica in Montreal.

Canadian Parliament, Ottawa
The seat of our country’s power and the symbol of its democracy, the beauty of Parliament Hill is matched only by what it stands for. Walking through the front door will bring an instant feeling of pride and a sudden awareness of just how lucky you are to call this country home.  

Images courtesy of Alan Rutherford, Shawn Everhart, Focused Capture and the Calgary Herald.

#NOTABLE

Want more updates on the most Notable things happening so you know before your colleagues do? Get our exclusive newsletter here and follow us on Twitter for all the latest.

Notable Life

Canada’s leading online publication for driven young professionals & culture generators.