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Want to explore Canada this year but not sure where to start? This post shares ideas for beautiful places to visit across this incredible country, from coast to coast to coast.
As full-time Canadian travel bloggers living in British Columbia, we are fortunate to have traveled all 10 provinces and 2 out of the 3 territories. We love Canada and love helping others plan Canadian vacations, road trips, and multi-day outdoor adventures. The following recommendations are all based strictly on our personal travel experiences.
Exploring Canada: Essential Details
Before we get started, here is some key info about traveling in Canada:
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The Main Travel Season: Runs from June to September. July and August are the absolute busiest months to explore Canada, so if you are able to visit in June or September, we highly suggest doing so (less snow, fewer mosquitoes, and reliable weather).
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It’s Huge: If you’re visiting from overseas, please be aware that Canada is a massive country! Concentrate on exploring one province or a smaller regional area unless you have multiple weeks to spare.
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Book Ahead: In most locations, we strongly recommend reserving accommodation and a rental vehicle months ahead of time.
Western Canada
British Columbia
British Columbia is our home province, and we’ve explored a good portion of it—from the ocean and temperate rainforests to dry grasslands and jagged mountains. While Vancouver Island and the Canadian Rockies are undoubtedly the most popular destinations, some lesser-known areas include:
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Columbia Valley: The ‘other side’ of the Rockies is warmer and features wetlands, hot springs, and hoodoos.
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South Okanagan Valley: Think huge lakes, desert-like hills, vineyards, and super hot summers.
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North BC: A truly ‘off track’ experience. Loop together the legendary Alaska Highway with the Stewart-Cassiar Highway, stopping at the Salmon Glacier (the world’s largest road-accessible glacier).
Alberta
The mountainous areas of Alberta are very well known (Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise), but this western province has so much more to offer. Besides the Rockies, our favorite day trip destinations from Calgary include:
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Drumheller: Host to one of the best dinosaur museums in the world, set in dramatic dry badlands scenery.
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Dinosaur Provincial Park: A UNESCO World Heritage Site rich with dinosaur bones, fossils, and hoodoos in a remote setting.
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Waterton National Park: An underrated national park with well-maintained hiking trails and a bison paddock.
The Prairies
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is not as flat as they say. Drive in any direction away from Highway 1 and you’ll discover a wildly varied landscape.
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Grasslands National Park: Less than 20k people visit every year. The West Block showcases rolling fields of grasses and eroded river valleys, while the East Block is all about dramatic badlands scenery and dinosaur bones.
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Saskatoon: Beautiful riverside trails, unique cultural experiences, and an innovative, proudly local food scene.
Manitoba
Located far from any other large city, Manitoba’s capital, Winnipeg, sits at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. Despite its size, Winnipeg is approachable and a great destination for anyone into culture, history, and food. A must-visit is the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. For outdoor experiences, Riding Mountain National Park is a fantastic starting point.
Central Canada
Ontario
Ontario is Canada’s most populated province, but there is still plenty of space and wilderness to be found.
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Toronto, Niagara Falls, and Ottawa are the big hitters.
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For a true wilderness experience, visit Quetico Provincial Park, a legendary northern canoe paddling destination with more than 2,000 lakes over 1.2 million acres.
Quebec
Quebec is Canada’s largest province and the only one with French as the sole official language.
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The Gaspé Peninsula: The perfect place for a road trip, with expansive ocean views, lighthouses, and coastal national parks.
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The Whale Route: An 850km journey along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River packed with beautiful sandy beaches and plenty of whale sightings.
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The Magdalen Islands: Canada’s best-kept secret. Situated in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, this group of tiny islands is connected by sand dunes and fringed by crimson cliffs.
The Maritimes & East Coast
New Brunswick
New Brunswick has an unfairly deserved reputation as Canada’s ‘drive-through’ province. The Acadian Peninsula presents a completely unique side to this overlooked area. It offers beautiful ocean views and a chance to become deeply immersed in authentic Acadian culture and the French language.
Prince Edward Island (PEI)
PEI is Canada’s smallest and least populated province but punches well above its weight. With more than 800km of coastline, it is best known for idyllic beach holidays. The sand ranges from tropical white to vibrant, rosy red. Beyond the beaches, PEI is famous for Anne of Green Gables, lobster rolls, and easy cycling routes.
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia boasts over 13,000 km of coastline, mountain plateaus, lush valleys, and more than 3,000 lakes. It is home to the world’s highest tides, 12 whale species, and incredible small-town charm. Highlights include Halifax, Peggy’s Cove, Lunenburg, and Cape Breton Island.
Newfoundland
The last province to join Canada, Newfoundland has a strikingly unique landscape shaped by glaciers, coastal erosion, and ancient continental formation.
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Gros Morne National Park: See the Earth’s orange-colored mantle exposed (usually buried deep below the crust).
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Avalon Peninsula: Explore the city of St. John’s, hike the East Coast Trail, and dance to live Celtic music.
The Northern Territories
Yukon
My top destination for anyone wanting to experience raw Canadian wilderness will always be the Yukon. This extraordinary territory sits between BC and Alaska and is home to only 46,000 people. Drive the unpaved Dempster Highway or visit Tombstone Territorial Park for an unforgettable experience. In June and July, most areas receive around 21 hours of sun!
Northwest Territories
Combine your Yukon trip with the Northwest Territories. Most residents live in Yellowknife, a popular destination for watching the aurora borealis (northern lights) in winter. Above the Arctic Circle, you will experience 24 hours of daylight in the summer months—this is truly the land of the midnight sun.
Nunavut
Located in the Arctic, Nunavut encompasses more than one-fifth of Canada’s total landmass. Imagine endless rolling tundra, massive icebergs, and snowmobiles as a primary form of transport. If you have the opportunity to go that far north, spend at least a few days exploring the capital city of Iqaluit.
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