From Newfoundland to the Yukon Territory, and everywhere in between.
These days it seems we only ever call up of Canada whenlooking for an escape valve program . But a sojourn to our neighbor up north is well worth it . Six times the size of Alaska and with all the scenery ( northern lightsincluded),Canada is full of natural wondersfrom seacoast to coast — as well as right offshore .
timber dominate most of this country , so you do n’t have to go very far alfresco of major cities to find rewarding hiking and loom waterfalls ( Niagara Falls is just two hours fromToronto , if that gives you an idea of how snug major landmarks are ) . beach are not only near cities , some are even in them ( Vancouvercounts nine alone ) . And with cooking stove like the Rockies cutting through the country , you ’ve got endless amounts of trails for trekking .
From billion - year - old cliffs to gorgeous frozen lakes , fjord , and rainforest - filled island , here are the most beautiful places to visit in Canada , as selected by travel editors . You might even already set out planning your next vacation here before leave your current one .
Jasper National Park|Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Moment/Getty Images
Abraham Lake
AlbertaAs wintertime temperatures at this lake in the Canadian Rockies immerse to -30 grade , methane gas from decay constituent material at the bottom takes on an aerial formation . By the one thousand thousand , bubble stream upward and immobilise fast in the ice . The result is a stone - hard frozen lake with constellations of glassy orbs suspended underfoot — a gorgeous passel with an edge of peril , give the flammability of the gas . After the thawing , this Brobdingnagian lazuline lake remain stunning in summertime .
Western Brook Pond
Newfoundland and LabradorThe 10 - Admiralty mile - tenacious Western Brook Pond inGros Morne National Park , on the western bound of Newfoundland , is a innate chef-d’oeuvre — and just get there is an adventure . From St. John ’s , the only major metropolis on the island , you ’ll need to drive eight time of day , then hike up two miles to enter the sauceboat . Those will take you out on the pristine lake for incredible views of cascading waterfall , billion - twelvemonth - old drop , and the Long Range Mountains . Once you ’re there , your company in the fjord will be bald eagles , whales , caribou , Navy SEAL , and foxes .
Bay of Fundy
New BrunswickThis aquatic fantasia is home to a 50 - base tidal range , five times higher than the norm on the Atlantic — the world ’s largest . Twice day by day , some 160 billion piles of H2O — enough to fill the Grand Canyon — move in and out of the Bay of Fundy . That activity draws rafters , kayakers , and anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of whales or the critter in the many long tide pools . At low tide , take the air along the ocean floor and see Hopewell Rocks , naturally eroded crags shaped like arches and keyhole . By high tide , the sea will swallow all but the tops of the columns , some of which are capped with lucullan foliation .
Jasper National Park
AlbertaThis vast treasure in the Canadian Rockies is a hotspot year - round . During the summer , take part in epic backcountry cost increase and visits to waterfalls and wintry lakes ; in the winter , Marmot Basin offers woolgathering ski terrain , including new trails that spread in 2021 for the first time in 56 years . TheJasper SkyTramgives you 50 miles of views from 7,472 foot up Whistlers Mountain . As a sorry - sky preserve , the parking area strives to eliminate any visible light that could interpose with views of the macrocosm at night , making it a name and address for stargazers and astronomers . It ’s also a tremendous road trip destination : The Icefields Parkway , one of the world ’s most scenic driving , features more than 100 ancient glaciers and a methamphetamine hydrochloride - floor observation walkway 920 foot above Sunwapta Canyon .
The 8 Best National Parks in Canada
When you’ve exhausted Zion and Yosemite, it’s time to go north.
Queen Charlotte Islands (Haida Gwaii)
British ColumbiaHaida Gwaii , the northernmost island chain below the Alaskan panhandle , is full-bodied with First Nations refinement , rainforest , and cliffside ocean prospect . The 150 island ( Graham and Moresby are the largest ) and the Haida people on them are renowned for their totem poles and argillite carvings . From June through August , traveller can give ear summer festival and performances by local Haida performing artist , as well as indie , rock , and Latin groups . It ’s also premier bird - view territory : TheDelkatla Wildlife Sanctuaryis the migratory home of about 140 unlike skirt specie . All that Haida Gwaii has to offer is worthy of preserving , which is why visitant must agree toa formal pledgepromising to treat the acres with respect and concern .
Cavendish Beach
Prince Edward IslandPeople around the world knowPEI , Canada ’s teensiest state , as household to fabulous oysters and , maybe incongruously , Anne of Green Gables . Even without the literary tourer flocking here , it ’s deserving seeking out the responsibility ’s white - sand shorelines like Cavendish Beach , which feature rocky red cliffs , historic lighthouses , and fuss - gratuitous tramp trails . PEI is also a resort area for mystifying - sea sportfishing , kayaking , parasailing , and golfing . As if you want another reason to confabulate , one of the good is simply cracking open a fresh cold - water lobster caught that Clarence Day by one of the fisherman in the nearby villages .
This Gorgeous Red-Sand Island Is Even Better in the Fall
Goats, ghosts, and crimson leaves add to the autumnal vibes.
Banff National Park
AlbertaBanff National Park , a few hour northwards of Montana on the border of Alberta and British Columbia , is the zenith of the entire Rocky Mountain area — it ’s tall , jagged , and glorious . But within Banff , Lake Louise is a standout . Its glacier - fed amniotic fluid sparkle a tint of Caribbean blue , and it ’s ringed by an alpine background straight out of a Bob Ross painting . In the summer , boat paddle around the 1.5 - mile - long lake or hop on a sightseeing car to the top of Mount Whitehorn for views of the lake and Victoria Glacier . In the wintertime , that same lake becomes one of the world ’s most scenic outdoor rinks .
After Dark in Banff National Park? It’s Time to Search for Steve
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Dempster Highway
YukonThe Dempster Highway is 450 mil of gravel - topped adventure as it wind up northerly from Dawson City through the Ogilvie and Richardson Mountains , past the Arctic Circle and tundra scenery , river ferries , wayside grizzlies , interminable sun , and rugged backcountry tenting in Tombstone Territorial Park . Here , you may hike up through land barely explored by humans — meaning it ’s practically free from befoulment . Just find some land away from the highway and start exploring . And , of course , keep your gaze upwards for a tremendous light show .
Montmorency Falls
QuébecThe cliff where the Montmorency River tumbles into the St. Lawrence is a dizzy 275 invertebrate foot tall — a height that throw Niagara seem downright diminutive . Seven naut mi from Québec City , you could take in the fall from a cable automobile or look up to the view by climbing the stairway by the visitor center . Rock crampon can clamber around the interior of the canyon , rappel down the rocks to a zip descent across the canyon . And in the summer , the international fireworks competition uses the fall as the ultimate backdrop .
Capilano Suspension Bridge
British ColumbiaBuilt in 1889 , the 450 - foot - farseeing Capilano Suspension Bridge swing 230 feet above the Capilano River , a major water reservoir for Vancouver residents . It may be a manmade attractive feature ( no doubt , improbably designed ) , but it put up one of the most spectacular view of the West Coast rainforest — it ’s best after a rainfall , but striking any prison term of the class . Once you ’re on stable ground , head a few miles downhill to Vancouver ’s beaches .
Auyuittuq National Park
NunavutThe name of the ballpark stand for “ the land that never thaws , ” in shell you were wonder how warmly to dress . The Penny Ice Cap , a remnant of crank eld glaciations , cut across Auyuittuq with its tolerant , rocky vale and sheer - faced lot . Adventurous explorers can enjoy boost unmarked route above the Arctic Circle ; skier can come after Akshayuk Pass and lay out up clique at Summit Lake . Or , if you ’re even more hardcore , go up the world ’s marvelous vertical cliff , Mount Thor .
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Bruce Peninsula
OntarioYou’d expect to come up aqua water , shipwrecks , coves , and ocean stacks off the coast of France , Italy , or Greece . But Ontario ? It ’s all there atBruce Peninsula , a gallant national park three hours from Toronto . Visitors from the bounteous urban center drop the weekend here pitch a frisbee around on the beach , play tipsy rounds of golf , embark on a crank - bottom gravy holder sail , or scuba plunk to research 22 shipwrecks atFathom Five National Marine Park . The wrecks were a result of ships that sink during a lumber gold rush at the last of the 19th century .
This Rugged, Surreal Coast Is Hiding Just Above The Canadian Border
Shipwrecks, spelunking, and rock spires await on this untamed peninsula.
Cape Breton
Nova ScotiaJutting into the lobster - filled North Atlantic water system , Nova Scotia ’s Cape Breton Island claims one of the unspoilt drives in Canada . The 185 - mileCabot Trail — name after the Italian explorer who bumble on North America in 1497 — skirts the rugged coastline in persuasion of slip away bald-headed eagles and giant , including fin , minke , humpback , and pilot . Once you ’re done explore , relish survive Celtic and Acadian music in minuscule - town public house and bars , which are particularly brisk during theCeltic Colours International Festivalin October .
Gaspésie
QuébecFrench - speaking and maritime culture collide at the southern bank of the Saint Lawrence River with pastel - colored bungalow , roadside lobster rolls , flocks of gannet seabirds , and a fistful of gorgeous common , includingForillon National Park , with its epical seaboard drop . There are several cute town along the way to terminate at with eatery serve fantastic local transportation , like tonic Salmon River , cider wine , local Malva sylvestris , and poutine . The peninsula , which is a turn larger than Belgium , make for a striking 550 - mile loop starting and wind up in Québec City . Do n’t make the trip without grabbing a pint of craftsmanship beer in view of the predominate 300 - foot Percé Rock .
Churchill
ManitobaThis town of 1,000 house physician in northern Manitoba is known as the polar bear cap of the world — and for near cause . Only accessible by air or track , you ’re almost guaranteed to see a gelid bear if you visit in October or November , when the largest ground carnivores meet by the 100 . The area is also home to baby ( and adult ) beluga whales , seal , caribou , and up to 250 Bronx cheer species . And for over 300 night a yr , you ’ll want to front up to look up to the aurora borealis , the finest light show on Earth .
Spot Polar Bears and The Northern Lights All In One Trip
For six weeks every year, this town in Canada has more polar bears than humans.
Grasslands National Park
SaskatchewanCanadians might rip Saskatchewan for being a province of never - end flatness , but Grasslands National Park , a few nautical mile over the border from Montana , transform that thrusting into the most generous of regard . The park is 350 square miles of extreme peace and purdah disturbed only by an copiousness of animal like black - dog prairie dogs , bison , elk , silver-tip , and carcajou . Camping here is great , too , because you may walk around and notice your own spot anywhere as long as it ’s out of doors of a designated encampment . Do n’t forget to look up at the wiz at night — Grasslands is the darkest of Canada ’s dark - sky conserve .
The Northwest Passage
NunavutOne spot to add to your listing of must - visit places is the Northwest Passage , the long - seek - after Europe - Asia link that stifled many an explorer , including Sir John Franklin ’s 1845 expedition ( the whole work party vanish and turned to cannibalism in their desperation ) . melt down glacier make by climate modification have made the 900 - mile route that wind through Nunavut ’s northern islands more approachable than ever in summer , leading a few sail ancestry to provide expedition . Along the way , you ’ll see frigid bears , Arctic birds , humpback and beluga whales , outback Inuit community , and — if you ’re lucky — one of Franklin ’s recently discovered shipwrecks .
Prince Edward County
OntarioJust two and a one-half hours east of Toronto , Sandbanks Provincial ParkisCanada ’s version of White Sands National Park — if it had beautiful turquoise - water beaches , that is . Along with stretches of beaches and towering dunes , Sandbanks has some easy - go hiking trail and first-class campgrounds . But what makes a misstep here even more worthwhile are the cute villages , biking trails , wineries , and restaurants in surrounding Prince Edward County .
Nahanni National Park Reserve
Northwest TerritoriesThis vast and relatively outback park is a well - merit member of UNESCO ’s World Heritage syndicate . It features spectacular mountain ranges , a falls twice the height of Niagara Falls , 3,000 - foot canon , and the savage South Nahanni River . The park is a rude vacation spot for hike , multi - day canoe trip , white - water rafting , careen climbing , and soaking in sulfur hot springs . It also offer up one - size - fits - all hiking experiences cast from a five - mi trek up Sunblood Mountain to the grueling experience of undertake the granite peaks surround Glacier Lake , known as the “ Cirque of the Unclimbables . ”
Abraham Lake is like its own optical illusion.|Cavan Images/Cavan/Getty Images
Even from the only major city on the island, it’s still an eight-hour drive and two-mile hike to reach the boats of Western Brook Pond.|FedevPhoto/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Lover’s Arch at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park in the Bay of Fundy.|Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography/Moment/Getty Images
A trip to the Canadian Rockies is always a good idea.|Francesco Riccardo Iacomino/Moment/Getty Images
The ancestral territory of the Haida Nation comprises 150 rocky islands off of British Columbia’s West Coast.|Kimberly Nesbitt/iStock/Getty Images
Head to Cavendish Beach for hiking and fresh lobster.|Kenneth_Keifer/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Banff is more than superb skiing—although that’s enough of a draw for us.|benedek/E+/Getty Images
Talk about a road trip.|Dave Hutchison Photography/iStock/Getty Images
Québec’s Montmorency Falls makes Niagara seem small.|Onfokus/iStock/Getty Images Plus
Soak up rainforest views in North Vancouver.|Peter Adams/Stone/Getty Images
Despite its name, the “land that never thaws” is great in summer, too.|Cavan Images/Getty Images
Scuba diving through shipwrecks is one of the many attractions.|naibank/Moment/Getty Images
After cruising the cape, settle in for drinks on the water.|Photo courtesy of Destination Canada
The view alone is worth the visit (but the cider wine and cheese don’t hurt, either).|Denis Roger/Shutterstock
Get up close and personal with polar bears in Churchill.|Marco Pozzi Photographer/Moment/Getty Images
Admire the bison from afar.|mysticenergy/E+/Getty Images
You’re bound to see beluga bears while exploring Nunavut’s northern islands.|Photo courtesy of Destination Canada
Dunes for days.|Alison Hancock/Shutterstock
This is a true choose-your-own adventure situation.|GeGiGoggle/Shutterstock
