Best travel experiences in Canada

01 - Vancouver

Canada’s Pacific capital Vancouver is one of the nation’s most enticing cities, with a dazzling location, fine beaches and world-class cuisine.

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2 - The Laurentians

Some of the finest and most diverse scenery in Québec is in the Laurentians, from rolling farmland to a vast coniferous forest.

© Tom Spark/Shutterstock3 - Fogo Island, Newfoundland

3 - Fogo Island, Newfoundland

Wild and unspoiled, Fogo island is Newfoundland at its most traditional, with gorgeous fishing villages clinging to the rocky shore.

4 - Snowboarding in Whistler

Hit the slopes where Olympians triumphed at North America’s largest ski resort Whistler, with hundreds of acres of mind-blowing terrain.

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5 - Art Gallery of Toronto

With an outstanding collection of works by Canada’s Group of Seven and an architectural revamp by Frank Gehry, Toronto’s main art gallery is a must.

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6 - Lobster suppers in PEI

End a day lounging on the reddish sands of PEI’s National Park with one of the island’s celebrated seafood feasts.

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7 - Grizzly Bear Sanctuary

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Take a boat trip from Prince Rupert to this remote, lush preserve, which is home to at least sixty grizzlies.

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8 - Georgian Bay Islands

Get a taster of the Great Lakes at Ontario’s most scenic spot, the Georgian Bay Islands – easily explored by boat or kayak.

9 - Lunenburg

Of all the old fishing towns along the Nova Scotian coast, Lunenburg is the prettiest.

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10 - Western Brook Pond, Gros Morne National Park

Take a boat trip on Newfoundland’s most jaw-dropping lake in Gros Morne National Park, hemmed in by 600m walls of rock.

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11 - Pacific Rim National Park

The Pacific Rim National Park, the majestic centrepiece of Vancouver Island is beguiling mix of islets, rainforests and mountains.

12 - Whale-watching

On both the east and west coasts, venturing out to view whales – from orcas to humpbacks and minke to belugas – at close quarters is an unforgettable experience. The Bay of Fundy is a top spot for this.

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14 - Haida Gwaii

This magical west-coast archipelago of 200 islets boasts a vibrant Aboriginal culture, unique fauna and deep, mossy forests.

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15 - Newfoundland Folk Music

St John’s is an enclave of live music excellence, especially noted for the quality of its folk artists, Celtic bands and fiddlers.

16 - Ottawa’s Canadian War Museum

This impressive homage to Canada’s military history competes with the National Gallery as cultural centrepiece of Ottawa, the nation’s agreeable capital.

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17 - Niagara Falls

Millions come to see the Niagara Falls – three great sheets of water thundering over a 50m precipice.

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18 - Canoe in Algonquin Provincial Park

The wild tracts of the enormous Algonquin Provincial Park – the largest in Ontario – are best explored by canoe.

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19 - Montréal’s Just For Laughs comedy festival

Catching some of the thousands of acts at the world’s largest comedy festival in Montreal is just one of the ways to enjoy this city’s many delights.

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20 - Battle Harbour, Labrador

Step back into the world of Moby Dick at this beautifully preserved nineteenth-century fishing port in Labrador.

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21 - Vieux-Québec

With its clutch of fine old buildings, handsome location and great restaurant scene, Québec City’s historic old town feels more European than Canadian.

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22 - Mount Robson

The highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, Mount Robson, is set amid stunning scenery on the Alberta/BC border.

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23 - See a glacier up close

The largest collection of snow and ice in the Canadian Rockies is at the Columbia Icefield, home of the famed Athabasca Glacier.

24 - Cabot Trail

This scintillating highway snakes along the rugged Cape Breton coast, through misty forests and traditional Acadian and Gaelic communities.

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25 - Calgary Stampede

Let your inner cowboy (or -girl) loose at this annual bonanza of all things rodeo and Western in Calgary, the Calgary Stampede.

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26 - Drive the Icefields Parkway

Taking in the dramatic Rockies for over 200km, Icefields Parkway is one of the world’s most beautiful drives.

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27 - Polar bears in Churchill

Bleak and solitary, the northern town Churchill bills itself as the “polar bear capital of the world” – with justification.

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28 - Dawson City

Take a step back into history in this iconic frontier town, the centre of the great 1898 Klondike gold rush.

29 - Hiking in Banff

Countless trails make it easy to escape the crowds and explore the great outdoors around the Rockies’ bustling summer capital Banff.

Turquoise water of a glacier lake in the Rockies near Banff © Lucky-photographer/Shutterstock

Travel advice for Canada

Find even more inspiration for Canada here