Canada attractions

Learn about the wildlife, ecosystems, and economics of Ontario's waterways by visiting the Aquatarium at Tall Ships Landing. This interactive aquarium is home to a multitude of exhibits and activities that range from a massive fish tank that displays the underwater world of the Saint Lawrence River to an educational hydropower exhibit.

Animal lovers in Niagara Falls, Ontario should head to Safari Niagara, where visitors can see more than 1,000 species in a protected nature park. Visit the 150-acre (60-hectare) family-friendly attraction to see the animals, ride the carousel, and enjoy activities like paddle boats and a splash park.

The small town of Osoyoos, British Columbia, is big on adventure. If it’s outdoor activities you’re after, your options include canoeing, hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. Art galleries appeal to culture lovers, while wine enthusiasts will find plenty of worthwhile varietals to taste.

The largest of British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, Salt Spring is a cherished getaway among Vancouverites looking to escape the city. The island’s beach and cliff-bordered coastline, rain forests, and peaks promise a tranquil, back-to-nature experience, while local restaurants and markets offer just-plucked produce from Salt Spring farms.

Medalta is a former manufacturing complex turned community center, ceramic art gallery, and museum in Alberta. Where a factory once produced dishes and pottery for decades, today a museum celebrating the craft of stoneware draws visitors with historic exhibits, an artist-in-residency program, educational programming for all ages, and a gift shop.

Located in the heart of the city’s east end, Toronto's Little India is a small business district best known for its array of South Asian restaurants. Also known as the Grand India Bazaar, the area constitutes North America’s largest South Asian market and hosts the annual Festival of South Asia, one of Toronto’s most popular street fairs.

Ottawa’s Little Italy is more than a local hub for authentic Italian food and hospitality. It’s also a diverse dining and shopping district filled with culinary offerings from Greece, India, and France, as well as traditional Canadian fare. The area’s mix of architecture, art, graffiti, and cuisine draws foodies and culture fans alike.

On the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec’s Charlevoix region, Baie-Saint-Paul is a picturesque small town known for its galleries, gourmet food scene, and summer art festival. The acrobatic performance group Cirque du Soleil was also founded here in the 1980s.

Set in the shadow of the Canadian Rockies, this non-profit sanctuary is home to 20-plus resident wolf dogs—the result of interbreeding between dogs and wolves. Tours of the sanctuary allow the public to learn about, view, and meet these fascinating hybrid creatures, many of whom were abandoned or surrendered by previous owners.

Black bears, arctic foxes, and lynx are just some of the species you’ll find at the Ecomuseum Zoo Montreal, an open-air wildlife park that houses rescued, orphaned, injured, and captive-born animals native to Quebec’s St. Lawrence Valley. In addition to outdoor enclosures, the zoo has an indoor space housing reptiles, amphibians, and nocturnal creatures.

Situated within the Quebec Seminary (Séminaire de Québec, a former Catholic training college, this museum chronicles French colonial history and Francophone culture in North America. The building dates back to the 17th-century, making it one of Quebec City’s oldest, and has been designated a National Historic Site by Parks Canada.

La Malbaie is a group of towns in central Quebec that served as Canada’s first vacation resort. Known for its scenic landscape and views of the St. Lawrence River, La Malbaie was the site of US President William Taft’s summer home and continues to entertain visitors with its popular casino, chalets, and outdoor activities.

High above Whistler Bowl, stretching 427 feet (130 meters) across, the Cloudraker Skybridge connects Whistler Peak and West Ridge. The bridge also allows access to the Raven’s Eye, a cantilevered viewing platform that extends 41 feet (12.5 meters) out from West Ridge, offering incredible panoramic views.

Three fun attractions are part of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Niagara Falls: The Odditorium, which displays quirky exhibits; the Ripley’s Moving Theater motion simulator ride; and Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks. It’s a fun-filled attraction to visit before or after you’ve seen the amazing falls, and is a popular place with both kids and adults.

Quebec visitors looking for adventure shouldn't miss Via Ferrata Montmorency, a guided outdoor excursion through Parc de la Chute-Montmorency full of adrenaline-fueled activities, such as zip lining and rock climbing. Not for the faint of heart, this tour will help you enjoy the best of this beautiful park.

Originally intended for the 1976 Montreal Olympics, the Montreal Tower (La Tour de Montréal) is world’s tallest inclined tower, standing at an unprecedented 45-degree angle. A funicular cable ride to the observatory offers panoramic views of up to 50 miles (80 kilometers), from beyond the St. Lawrence River to Mount Royal.

Lake Louise Ski Resort offers some of North America’s best skiing—bar none. One of the largest ski resorts on the continent and routinely recognized as Canada’s best, if this impossibly scenic spot overlooking the glacial valley of Lake Louise doesn’t make you want to strap on those skis, nowhere will.

Little Italy was established in the early 1900s, when Toronto saw an influx of Italian immigrants, many of whom opened mom-and-pop shops on College Street West. Though some Italian-Canadian-owned businesses remain, the neighborhood has grown to include a wider range of establishments loved by locals, including bars, boutiques, and restaurants.

Is it a shopping destination or an entertainment venue? The West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, is both. With hundreds of stores spread over multiple levels, the mall has a store (or 10) for every shopper. In addition to retail therapy, the complex offers many entertainment options, from an ice-skating rink to a movie theater to an indoor water park.

The MacBride Copperbelt Mining Museum dubs itself a healthy learning and outdoor fun destination that can entertain anybody between the ages of 2 and 102. The two-kilometer-long “Loki” train ride is the main attraction; however, the museum is a true lesson on both the rich mining history in Canada’s North and the colorful characters that contributed to the development of Yukon’s capital city, Whitehorse. The museum’s wilderness setting, interpretive walking trails and a large picnic pavilion, make it a great place to spend an entire afternoon. Kids will be kept busy, too, with fun activities that teach them to stake a mining claim, scavenger hunts through the museum grounds, and a playground.

First time rock climbers who want to experience the thrill of climbing without heading to the mountains should head to Escalade Clip 'n Climb Laval. Enjoy this reinvented climbing experience that has walls designed for climbers of all skill levels, automatic belay devices, and convenient, wait-free climbing.

Set within a former coffin factory, this haunted house preys on participants’ psychological fears. Visitors make their way through a darkened maze where lighting, blood-curdling noises, and other effects are used to shock participants; their petrified expressions are caught on camera, with reaction photographs available for purchase.

A restored historic building in the heart of Toronto, the Grange is one of the oldest buildings in the city, and today is part of the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). Visitors can enjoy views of the red brick facade while strolling in Grange Park, or head inside to peek at the interior, which is home to the Norma Ridley lounge.

Devoted to all things creepy and crawly, the Montreal Insectarium (Insectarium de Montréal) houses about 250,000 insects, some living, others dead. Examine stick insects, cicadas, beetles, and tarantulas up-close, and observe a leafcutter ant colony hard at work. Displays explain the feeding, breeding, and behavioral habits of various species.

Delve into the ancient history of Beringia, the land bridge that once connected Asia with North America, at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre. You’ll learn about the Ice Age and now-extinct colossal animals like the wooly mammoth, and hear the stories of Canada’s first people. Life-size animal displays and interactive exhibits make this one of the Yukon’s top attractions for kids.

From snow tubing and ice-skating to indoor waterslides and a digital games room, there’s something for everyone at Valcartier Vacation Village, a year-round destination near Quebec City. Get a spa treatment, swim at the water park, tour the Ice Hotel, and much more.

This 70,000-square-foot (6,500-square-meter) indoor entertainment complex is packed with interactive games. Entertain yourself with video games and arcade classics such as ring toss, air hockey, and Skee-Ball, and enjoy motion simulators and virtual reality rides. Some games distribute tickets to winners, which can be redeemed for prizes.

Nestled at the foot of Blackcomb Mountain in the Upper Village at Whistler, the Fairmont Chateau Whistler offers ski-in ski-out access to the slopes in the winter and an on-site championship golf course in the summer. A favorite of celebrities, this luxury hotel has 528 rooms, fine dining, and a full range of amenities.

Ripley's 4D Moving Theater in Niagara Falls, Ontario, is a fun addition to a visit to the spectacular waterfalls that give the town its name. Kids and adults alike will love the excitement of the 4D movies, which take viewers on a ride right into the action. Sit down, buckle up, and be prepared for a few shrieks and giggles.

Inside Banff National Park, Mt. Norquay is the smallest of the area’s three ski resorts, but it still packs a Banff-shaped punch. What this former Olympic and World Cup training ground lacks in vertical runs, it makes up for with the only night skiing in Banff, a fully lit terrain park, snow tubing, and a ski school.