Canada is the second largest country in the world and is known for its vast, untouched wilderness. It has massive national parks that offer beautiful views and a variety of outdoor activities such as mountaineering, hiking, boating, swimming, and cycling.
In these parks, you can spot grizzly bears, enjoy skiing in Whistler, or indulge in delicious wild salmon in Vancouver. Canada has something to offer for everyone. Besides its stunning nature, you can also explore its cultural and historical attractions.
Discover the Francophone region of Quebec, experience the vibrant East Asian culture in Vancouver, admire Toronto’s elegant Victorian architecture, and marvel at Ottawa’s grand railway hotels and neo-gothic public buildings.
If you are planning a trip to North America, Canada is a wonderful travel destination with many amazing places to visit.
12. Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a breathtaking trio of waterfalls located on the border between Ontario, Canada and New York, USA. The Ontario side of the Falls, called Horseshoe Falls, has the most attractions and provides the best views.
The surrounding area is a popular tourist destination filled with observation towers, restaurants, souvenir shops, casinos, and tall hotels.
On the New York side, there is a city known as the ‘honeymoon capital of the world,’ where you can get a marriage license without having to wait.
For those seeking both romance and adventure, Niagara Falls is the perfect place, offering a wide range of exciting things to see and do.
Queen Victoria Park on the Ontario side is one of the best spots to admire the Falls, where they are lit up and fireworks are displayed every night during the summer. To get an even more unique perspective, visitors can choose to view the Falls from above or below.
Options include helicopter tours, jet boat tours, an observation deck near Skylon Tower, and elevators that take you behind the falls.
11. Vancouver
Vancouver is a large city in Canada, known for its diverse food scene and seafood, like prawns and salmon. The city has a mix of cultures, offering a variety of cuisines to enjoy.
The main attraction in Vancouver is Stanley Park, a vast area with forests, gardens, and recreational facilities, including an aquarium and a water park.
Other popular sites include the food market in Granville Island and the waterfront complex at Canada Place, which is also the location of the Vancouver Convention Center. Chinatown is a vibrant neighborhood with shops, restaurants, and beautiful gardens.
Vancouver is often referred to as the ‘Hollywood of the North’ because of its significant TV and film industry. It is also home to the fourth-largest cruise ship terminal globally, with many passengers traveling to Alaska.
With its proximity to beaches and ski slopes, Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the best cities to live in.
The city attracts outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy activities like rollerblading, jogging, and dog walking along the Seawall or playing volleyball on Kitsilano Beach.
And don’t forget to take a swim in Canada’s longest pool, which is nearly three times the size of an Olympic swimming pool!.
10. Banff National Park
Banff National Park, nestled in the Canadian Rockies, is the oldest and one of the largest national parks in Canada. Many people are attracted to this remote and vast area for its isolation, apart from the two points of civilization found in Banff and Lake Louise.
The park offers two popular routes, but both are equally breathtaking, showcasing stunning sights like colorful lakes, captivating canyons, scenic viewpoints, and magnificent waterfalls.
You don’t need to have your own car, as shuttles are available to take you to the park’s main attractions.
Active travelers can enjoy snowshoeing or paddling on the lake, while wildlife enthusiasts will have an exciting adventure, particularly in search of the highly anticipated grizzly bear sighting.
The town of Banff provides a range of options for accommodations, shopping, and dining, serving as the primary settlement in the park. Accessed via the Icefields Parkway, Lake Louise offers luxurious lodging options amidst the backdrop of turquoise lakes and majestic mountains.
Other smaller villages like Lake Minnewanka and Sunshine Meadows are also present in the park.
9. Toronto
Toronto is a big city in Canada with lots of people living there, about three million. It’s located near Lake Ontario and is part of an area called the Golden Horseshoe, which stretches from the lake to Niagara Falls.
Toronto is the capital of the Ontario province and is very diverse, with almost 100 different ethnic groups living there. Many people in Toronto were not born in Canada, which is different from other places in the country.
The city has signs in different languages and different neighborhoods with their own types of food. Toronto has many tall buildings and a lot of different restaurants representing different cultures.
One famous thing to see in Toronto is the CN Tower, which used to be the tallest structure in the world. You can go up the tower and see the entire city from the observation deck, skypod, and the 360 Restaurant. The elevator ride to the top is also really cool!.
8. Quebec City
Quebec City is the capital of the Quebec province in eastern Canada. However, its French heritage, architecture, and language give it the appearance of a charming European village. Vieux Quebec, the city’s historic district, is located on a hill and overlooks the St.
Lawrence River. It is the only North American city that has managed to keep its original walls intact.
In the Old City, you can take a stroll along cobblestone streets and explore old buildings such as the Citadel and historic sites like the Place-Royale, where the first North American-French settlement was established by explorer Samuel de Camplain.
Throughout the Old City, you’ll find cafes, shops, and bars scattered around. One of the city’s main attractions is the breathtaking Chateau Frontenac, which is often considered the most photographed hotel in North America.
You can even take tours of the hotel without staying overnight. Another impressive hotel worth mentioning is the Ice Hotel. It is open from January to April and showcases rooms adorned with beautiful ice sculptures.
Outside the city center, you can visit several stunning and historically significant parks, including Montgomery Falls and Plains of Abraham. These parks offer magnificent waterfalls, opportunities for outdoor activities, and a chance to learn about the area’s history.
7. Churchill
Churchill, a small town with about 1,000 residents, is famous for its polar bears and attracts large crowds every year.
Located in Manitoba province on the shore of Hudson Bay, it is known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World.” Besides polar bears, Churchill is also a great place to see beluga whales, birds, and the aurora borealis.
The best time to see polar bears is during October and November when they come to the shores in search of food. To ensure the safety of both tourists and bears, the tourism industry offers guided tours and tundra buggies.
In the summer, visitors can go on boat tours to see the thousands of beluga whales that migrate to Churchill. Some tourists even swim with the whales while wearing swimsuits.
With more than 270 species of birds, Churchill is a paradise for birdwatchers, who flock to the area every summer to spot rare species like snowy owls, gyrfalcons, stilt sandpipers, and tundra swans.
Additionally, Churchill offers an excellent opportunity to witness the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. The best time to see this natural phenomenon is typically between January and March.
If you wish to visit Churchill, you can reach it either by airplane or train. The train connections are available from Winnipeg and Thompson.
6. Calgary
Calgary, the largest city in Alberta, is located between the Canadian Prairies and the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. In the early 1900s, when oil was discovered nearby, Calgary experienced a significant growth and became one of Canada’s biggest metropolitan areas.
Its renowned event, the Calgary Stampede, attracts thousands of people every year. The city is made up of different neighborhoods, but the downtown area is where you can find the commercial, entertainment, and shopping districts.
Two popular areas for pedestrians are Stephen Avenue Walk and Barclay Mall. Calgary boasts numerous skyscrapers with observation decks that offer breathtaking views of the city and the Rocky Mountains. The most well-known ones are The Bow and Calgary Tower.
In addition to the impressive skyline, the city has various family-friendly attractions such as a top-notch zoo, amusement parks, botanical gardens, and a hands-on science center. Calgary is also a hub for numerous annual festivals celebrating music, film, and dance.
However, the most famous of these is the Calgary Stampede, a ten-day Old West celebration held in July featuring rodeos, chuckwagon races, parades, and competitions.
5. Montreal
Montreal is the second-largest city in the Quebec province, situated at the meeting point of the St Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is known as Canada’s cultural capital and is renowned for its diversity, energy, and openness.
The city embraces modern street art, hosts a lively music scene, and has a vibrant nightlife in its newer areas. French is the primary language spoken in Montreal, making it the second-largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris.
This, along with its charm, has earned it the nickname of the ‘Paris of North America.’A visit to Montreal is a treat throughout the year, but autumn is particularly stunning when the city’s iconic skyline is surrounded by trees displaying vibrant shades of burnt orange.
The highlight is the historic area of Old Montreal, with its cobblestone streets, delightful museums, and centuries-old buildings dating back to the 17th century. Don’t miss the opportunity to climb the clock tower at Quai de l’Horloge for breathtaking views of the St.
Laurence River and the distant city.If you’re in the mood for shopping, Montreal offers exciting districts such as the downtown underground complex, the Carrefour Laval mall, and the colorful Bonsecours Market.
4. Whistler
The Whistler resort is known for its impressive mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, making it the largest and most famous alpine ski destination in North America. It is located in British Columbia, Canada, specifically in the beautiful Coast Mountains.
To reach Whistler, you can take a scenic two-hour drive from Vancouver along the Sea-to-Sky Highway. At the base of the mountains, there are three charming villages called Whistler Village, Creekside, and Upper Village.
Visitors can easily travel from the villages to the mountains using the Peak 2 Peak gondola. Whistler started as a small logging town but later became a premier ski destination.
It was originally named London Mountain but was renamed Whistler Mountain due to the distinctive sounds made by the hoary marmots living there. Nowadays, Whistler offers top-notch ski resorts with breathtaking views.
It attracts adventure enthusiasts year after year not only for snow sports but also for hiking and rock climbing experiences.
3. Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island, located in north-eastern Nova Scotia, used to be an independent colony until it merged in 1820.
It is the only place in North America where Gaelic is spoken, and it offers traditional Scottish music concerts due to the thousands of Scottish expats who settled there in the early 19th-century.
Cape Breton also has a considerable French population, and the Fortress of Louisbourg from the 18th-century is a significant attraction. The presence of a fascinating Mi’kmaq community adds to the diverse cultural influences.
Watching whales in Cape Breton is an unforgettable experience. You are almost guaranteed to see them at the northern tip of the island, and you can reach this area with a boat or kayak tour. The breathtaking scenery alone is worth the trip.
One of the island’s most remarkable landscapes is Cape Breton Highlands National Park, where you can explore the incredible Cabot Trail and enjoy stunning lookout points. Additionally, don’t miss the charming fishing villages like Bay St.
Lawrence, known for its excellent seafood.
2. Vancouver Island
Vancouver Island is the biggest island off the West Coast of North America. It has beautiful lakes, waterfalls, fjords, and mountains that hikers love to explore. People who enjoy being outdoors are drawn to the island because it has the mildest weather in Canada.
The island is famous for Butchart Gardens, Tofino (a town known for its surfing), and the wilderness in the north. From there, you can take a ferry to Prince Rupert and even Alaska. Vancouver Island is a great place for wildlife enthusiasts.
Whale watching and kayaking with orcas are popular activities, and you can also see many birds and grizzly bears. With most of the population concentrated in Victoria, the island’s capital, you can truly immerse yourself in nature.
Strathcona Provincial Park is one of the best places for a nature walk, offering breathtaking scenery. Don’t miss Cathedral Grove, an ancient forest, or the opportunity to play golf on one of the island’s fantastic courses.
1. Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada and has a growing population. It is unique because it is bilingual, with both English and French being spoken. It was previously called Bytown and was known for its lumber industry.
Now, it is a beautiful city with parks and waterways where biking is popular in the summer and skiing in the winter. The Rideau Canal is a must-see attraction, especially in winter when it becomes the largest ice skating rink in the world.
The Byward Market is a popular destination, and Ottawa is also home to historic buildings like the National Library and Archives. As the capital, it has many federal establishments, including Parliament Hill where the Changing of the Guard ceremony happens daily in the summer.
