Canada attractions

With sweeping views over potential enemy attack lines on the Saint-Charles River and the plateau west of Quebec City, this site was originally established as a defensive stronghold by the French in the 17th and 18th centuries. It later served as an ammunition factory, producing cartridges for the Canadian army up until the 1960s.

When you picture a lighthouse, you probably imagine the one in Peggy’s Cove—even if you don’t realize it. With its bright red roof and white walls, the main landmark in this Nova Scotian fishing village looks straight out of a postcard. While its focal point is the lighthouse, Peggy’s Cove entices visitors to linger with shops showcasing local artisans, lobster rolls on every menu, and hiking trails offering views of the bay and windswept hills.

What starts out as meltwater from the Bow Glacier in Banff National Park turns into the stunning turquoise-colored Bow River, which winds steadily through the Canadian Rockies and the outdoor and adventure towns of Banff and Canmore. The Bow River provides a natural habitat for wildlife and several species of trout, as well as many opportunities for hiking, paddling, and fishing.

The family-owned Reif Estate Winery is one of the oldest wineries in the Niagara-on-the-Lake area. Located on the banks of the Niagara River, and not far from Lake Ontario, it’s in an attractive setting, with views across the river to the United States. The estate offers wine and food tastings and events, including some more unusual wine events that mix good food, drink, and fun.

Bubbling up from beneath the Canadian Rockies at a toasty temperature (98–104℉, or 37–40℃), these hot springs have been drawing visitors to Western Canada since the late 19th century. For weary travelers, a soak in the warm, mineral-rich pools overlooking Mount Rundle is the ultimate tonic for sore muscles—though it’s great for the not-so-weary, too.

New City Hall, which replaced Old City Hall in 1965 to accommodate a rapidly growing city, is the current seat of Toronto’s municipal government. Designed by Finnish architect Viljo Revell, winner of the city’s international competition, Toronto City Hall is comprised of two curved towers as well as Nathan Phillips Square, Canada’s largest public square.

Built in the 1870s and rebuilt after a 1922 fire, Montreal City Hall (Hôtel de Ville de Montréal) has long found itself at the center of Quebec history. In 1967, the building hosted one of the most significant political moments in the province’s recent past, when then–French President Charles de Gaulle gave a rousing speech from the balcony—one that spurred Quebec’s separatist movement.

In downtown Toronto, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada houses approximately 16,000 water-bound species from across the world. The displays are arranged by region, and visitors can explore the tropical Rainbow Reef, check out the Dangerous Lagoon shark tank, and learn more about the marine life found in the waters around Canada.

Toronto Harbour is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the smallest of North America’s five Great Lakes. Protected from the lake’s tides by the Toronto Islands, the harbor offers smooth conditions for a wide range of water activities, including boat tours, ferry rides, sailing, and kayaking.

Established in 1914, the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is Canada’s largest museum. Its striking exterior blends the original heritage building with a modern, jutting extension known as the Crystal, while inside, its 18 million-piece collection features everything from Egyptian mummies to Tyrannosaurus rex skeletons and treasures from Ancient Greece. Alongside its permanent collection, it hosts a roster of temporary exhibitions, guided tours, and events.

Saint Paul Street (Rue Saint-Paul), located in Montreal’s Old Port, is an historic stretch of cafes, boutiques, galleries, and souvenir shops. Constructed in 1672, Saint Paul is the oldest street in the city and home to a few of its top landmarks, including Bonsecours Market and Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel.

Fairview Lawn Cemetery is a fascinating place to encounter some of the tragedies that have befallen Halifax, Nova Scotia. Most notably, Fairview is the final resting place of more than 100 people who were lost in the sinking of theTitanic, as well as many others who died in the 1917 Halifax Explosion that devastated the provincial capital.

A small recreation area in Toronto on the shore of Lake Ontario, Sugar Beach is not the place for a dip as swimming is prohibited. Its sandy shores are just fine for relaxing on a sunny day under the shade of a pink patio umbrella. Visitors have views of cargo ships and the Redpath Sugar Refinery, which inspired the name.

Part of the vast Columbia Icefield that straddles the border between Alberta’s Banff and Jasper National Parks, the Athabasca Glacier—a huge swath of moving ice—is one of the most accessible and awe-inspiring glaciers in North America. Like most glaciers, Athabasca is shrinking, though it’s still impressively large: It covers an area of about 2.3 square miles (6 square kilometers) and measures up to 980 feet (300 meters) at its thickest point.

Perched atop Cape Diamond (Cap Diamant) overlooking the St. Lawrence River, Upper Town (Haute-Ville) is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec). Historic fortifications, built by the French and British, enclose a series of well-preserved streets lined with buildings dating back as far as the 17th century.

Victoria's main drag, Government Street is home to many of the city's most popular hotels, shops, and restaurants. It's also the location of many top Victoria attractions, including the Royal British Columbia Museum, Emily Carr House, and British Columbia Parliament Buildings. The street is popular for visitors to stroll.

Just across the river from downtown Ottawa, Gatineau Park—a 139-square-mile (361-square-kilometer) swath of lake and wood-dotted parkland—offers nature escapes near the city. With a vast network of hiking, cycling, and cross-country ski trails, as well as lakes, waterfalls, and swimming beaches, it’s a veritable outdoor playground.

The oldest landmark in Toronto, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse is also one of the earliest lighthouses built on the Great Lakes. Though what was once a critical navigational beacon is no longer operational, visitors still enjoy viewing and taking photos of the 1808 lighthouse. The inside only opens for special events.

Ottawa’s historic food-focused ByWard Market houses hundreds of vendors hawking farm-raised meat, fresh produce, and arts and crafts. Hungry visitors and locals alike flock to this social and shopping hub, where takeout vendors sell ready-to-eat goodies and sit-down eateries offer prime seats for patrons to take in all the market action.

Standing sentinel over the city’s downtown since 1968, Calgary Tower features an observation deck with a glass floor and a revolving restaurant 627 feet (191 meters) above ground. Both afford 360-degree views across the city to the snow-capped Rocky Mountains in the distance.

Situated along the Sea to Sky Highway, Porteau Cove Provincial Park offers easy access to Howe Sound, the southernmost fjord in North America. A popular destination year-round, the park provides waterfront day-use areas and campsites, pebble beaches, picnic areas, boat launches and mooring buoys, and plenty of ways to enjoy the water.

British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley is bursting with vineyards, orchards, outdoor activities, and charming small towns. The latter offer wine-tasting rooms, fantastic restaurants, vibrant arts scenes, and resorts that serve as jumping-off points for adventures around the area. It all combines to make for a deservedly popular year-round destination.

Set at the eastern edge of False Creek, Science World’s geodesic dome—originally built for Expo 86—is an icon of the Vancouver cityscape. Experience its wide range of curiosity-igniting exhibits that cover topics ranging from the human body to sustainability.

Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, Ottawa’s glass-and-granite National Gallery of Canada (Musée des Beaux-Arts du Canada) showcases an exquisite art collection. As well as an extensive display of European and Canadian art including an assortment of indigenous artworks, the museum also houses the reconstructed 19th-century Rideau Street Convent Chapel.

Regarded as one of the most beautiful towns in Ontario, Niagara-on-the-Lake—or NOTL, as the locals call it—sits at the meeting point of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. A stone’s throw from the US–Canadian border, the lakefront town is a popular destination for day trips and weekend getaways, beloved for its striking 19th-century buildings, award-winning wineries, and the Shaw Festival theater company.

Perhaps best known as the site of the Ontario Legislative Building, Queen’s Park is a verdant oasis offering respite from the buzz of downtown Toronto. You’ll find monuments and memorials, walking paths and benches, and lawns ideal for lounging.

With its soaring towers, secret passageways, and impressive stone exterior, Casa Loma looks more like a European castle than a Toronto mansion. This Gothic Revival-style castle was built for an eccentric businessman in the early 1900s and has since been a filming location for Chicago andX-Men. Come to tour its lavish interiors and gardens, and in summer, to catch music concerts, too.

Queen’s Quay Terminal is a residential, entertainment, and shopping center on the harborfront of Toronto, Ontario. Built as a warehouse facility in the 1920s, the terminal was revitalized in the 1980s as a multipurpose complex featuring upscale shops and restaurants. The lakeside setting offers views of the Toronto Islands.

A red-brick building spanning an entire city block, Saint John City Market is the oldest farmers market in Canada, with dozens of purveyors offering everything from fish-and-chips to local breads, wine, and cheese. Located just blocks from the Bay of Fundy, the market is an ideal spot to explore St. John’s finest food offerings or grab lunch during a day of sightseeing.

A reminder of one of the city’s proudest moments, the Vancouver Olympic Cauldron was first set ablaze at the opening ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics. Although it’s no longer regularly lit, the striking 33-foot (10-meter tall structure—consisting of four glass and steel arms—provides a popular photo-op for visitors.