1182 Best Sights in Canada

Walkers, swimmers, and sunbathers flock to this long stretch of forest-backed sand, pebble, and driftwood beach, which is just north of Mount Douglas Park. There are several access points along Cordova Bay Road. The Beachhouse Restaurant, perched on the sand about midway along the beach (at 5109 Cordova Bay Road), serves take-out snacks plus casual lunches and dinners. Amenities: food and drink; toilets (May 1–October 30). Best for: swimming; walking.

Although those who hike this 13-km (8-mile) trail are rewarded with awesome views, it's one of the park's most strenuous treks, requiring about six hours to complete, and so it's recommended only for experienced hikers who can trace a difficult route. The return trip loops around Mount Edith Clavell and descends the Edith Pass Trail. Difficult.

Built in 1787, this unpretentious wooden building was originally home to Reverend Ranna Cossit—Cape Breton's first protestant minister—his wife Thankful, and their 10 children. Now faithfully restored and occupied by costumed interpreters, the North End residence is furnished with period pieces based on Cossit's own inventory.

Home to both of Prince Rupert's cruise ship terminals, Cow Bay is a quaint historic waterfront area of shops, galleries, cafés, seafood restaurants, yachts, and fishing boats—and it takes its name seriously. Lampposts, benches, and anything else that doesn't move is painted Holstein-style. You can stop for a coffee or seafood lunch, or shop for local crafts.

The interesting Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre has maritime paraphernalia, including historic vessels and model boats, displayed along a pier, which is also a great place to take in views of the village and boats at harbor. You may also be able to watch boatbuilders at work in the attached studio.

Just outside Charlottetown, the Cows Creamery Factory offers self-guided tours that teach you everything you need to know about ice cream production. Following a film (shown in the "Milky Whey Theater"), you can watch staff make waffle cones, whimsical T-shirts, cheddar cheese, and, of course, that award-winning ice cream. Plus, you can grab a cone afterwards, or some fun souvenirs that riff on pop culture with a bovine twist from their store.

This moderate/difficult 13-km (8-mile) hike takes hikers to the top of Cox Hill and features beautiful wildflowers and fantastic panoramic views. This trail is not highly traveled, fairly steep at the start, and you may have the summit all to yourself---make sure you don't stop at the false summit. By continuing along the trail through a treed section, you will arrive at the true summit. The best time to hike this trail is June through October. Difficult

This 2½-km (1½-mile) trail winds through fragrant pine forest, ending at a popular mountain lake. Easy.

Crescent Falls is a 27-meter (89-foot) two-tiered waterfall that is beautiful in every season. The turnoff for Crescent Falls Provincial Recreation Area is 22 km (13.7 miles) west of Nordegg on Highway 11. The gravel access road is 6 km (3.7 miles) long and there's a lookout point partway along the road where you get great views of the Bighorn Gorge. There's also a 29-site campground near the falls.

About 34 km (21 miles) northwest of Lake Louise, the Crowfoot Glacier is one of the first glaciers you see on the Icefields Parkway. Situated on the northeastern side of Crowfoot Mountain, the glacier overlooks Bow Lake---if you stop at the Bow Lake pullout, you can see the glacier and mountain on the other side of the lake. Runoff from the glacier flows into the Bow River, which runs from Banff National Park to the City of Calgary and beyond to the prairies.

The first English settlement in Canada (founded by John Guy in 1610) has been an active archaeological dig since 1995. Engaging tours of the site are given by archaeologists and archaeology students with specific knowledge of the dig and infectious enthusiasm for the region's history.

With interactive displays, interpretive tours, a shop, and an archaeological lab, this is a good place to learn about the English settlement founded here in 1610. The bright and modern museum traces 400 years of settlement in the area through interactive exhibits and a selection of the 153,000 artifacts recovered to date at the nearby archaeological site. These include trade beads and the oldest English coin found in Canada.

Its inviting atmosphere makes the center a good stop to explore the heritage of Tr'ondëk Hwëch'in First Nations people. For countless generations Hän-speaking people lived in the Yukon River drainage of western Yukon and eastern Alaska. This specific language group settled around the mouth of the Klondike River. Through annually rotating displays, as well as tours, cultural activities, films, live radio broadcasts, and performances, you can learn about the traditional and contemporary life of "the people of the river." Though somewhat sparse, the historical exhibits convey a sense of what the gold rush was like for the people who were here first. Special summer activities include music events and daily programs in beading, Indigenous medicine, and tea- and jelly-making. The gift shop sells fine First Nations art, clothing, and beaded footwear, and stocks music and books. Admission is valid for two days.

Just north of Darnley (on Route 20, about halfway between Park Corner and Malpeque), this long stretch of sands includes Thunder Cove Beach, weather-sculpted sea stacks, and a number of sandstone caves. There are no developed facilities here, other than a campground, and the beach is often almost entirely deserted except for the seabirds—so it’s perfect for those seeking a "castaway" experience. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude; sunset; walking.

This tiny spit is the final resting place of almost 200 American prisoners of war who died while imprisoned in Halifax during the War of 1812. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs unveiled a memorial in 2005 to honor the men, who died of communicable diseases such as smallpox and were buried in mass graves. Over time, the island, now a park, has become naturally linked to the mainland, so you can walk to it without getting your feet wet.

At the northern tip of the Saanich Peninsula, the three-acre estate of Deep Cove Winery specializes in estate-grown Ortega and Pinot Gris varieties. There's a year-round tasting bar as well as an area (and a patio in summer) that hosts many special events from jazz evenings, yoga-chocolate-wine sessions, and paint nights.

A walk through this small nature park is always pleasant, and a great way to pass the time while waiting for the ferry to Campobello Island. Just a few feet offshore in the Western Passage, the Old Sow, the second-largest whirlpool in the world, is visible, but its intensity depends on the state of the tide---it is at its most dramatic three hours before high tide. The water is always highly active, though, and porpoises can often be seen.

Artifacts dating back to the mid-19th century, including rare photographs of local shops, factories, and shipyards, are among the holdings of this museum of Lunenburg County history. There's also a folk-art gallery, a First Nations gallery, and the Kidology Korner, with toys and games from pretechnology days. Walking trails wind from behind the museum building through nearby parkland.

Above the CORE Shopping Centre, this balmy 2½-acre enclosed tropical roof garden provides a welcome escape from the business of Downtown. It holds 20,000 trees and plants, nearly 2 km (1 mile) of lush walkways, a sculpture court, and a playground. Alberta's largest indoor gardens, which are reached by two glass-enclosed elevators just inside the 7th Avenue light-rail transit (LRT) entrance, have a living wall and numerous ponds with rainbow trout, koi, goldfish, and turtles. Art exhibitions are held here, and there's a stage for performances.

Adults-only Gerties presents live entertainment and high-energy performances, including a scintillating cancan three times nightly in summer. This community nonprofit is the only authentic, legal gambling establishment operating in the entire North (it's also the oldest gambling hall in Canada), though the scene is mostly slots along with a few gaming tables. And there really was a Diamond Tooth Gertie—Gertie Lovejoy, a dance-hall queen who wore a diamond between her two front teeth. Admission is good for the duration of your stay in Dawson City.

On the outskirts of Woody Point, a charming community of old houses and imported Lombardy poplars, this is the main center for interpreting the geology of Gros Morne National Park. You can take in educational programs about natural history and pick up souvenirs at the craft shop. Learn about the Indigenous culture of the Mi'kmaq in Newfoundland in an exhibition called Miawpukek: The Middle River. At the back of the center's parking lot is the fine Lookout Trail, a 5-km (3-mile) walk with outstanding views of Bonne Bay, Gros Morne Mountain, and the Tablelands.

If history and quaint towns appeal to you, follow this trail, which is accessible from the Trans-Canada Highway (Rte. 1) on Route 230 or 230A at Clarenville, or at Port Blandford on Route 233. It includes two gems: the old town of Trinity, famed for its architecture and theater festival, and Bonavista, one of John Cabot's reputed landing spots. Clarenville itself is largely a departure point for these more attractive destinations.

On a hillside above the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, this 0.8-km (½-mile) boardwalk takes you past the vent of the cave to a spring flowing out of the hillside. Interpretive signage explains the geology and history of the cave and basin. Follow the Marsh Trail to observe the birdlife and the lush vegetation fed by the mineral water. Along the boardwalk are telescopes, benches, and interpretive signage as well as a bird blind on the marsh itself. Wheelchairs have limited access to the boardwalk. Easy.

This 5.2 km (3.2 miles) hike starts by crossing two suspension bridges across the crystal blue Kootenay River and finishes at a picture-perfect mountain lake. Along the forested trail there are several spots to catch glimpses of the river and surrounding mountains, plus there's a rustic log bench at the highest point on the trail to take a break. When you reach the lake you can reward yourself with a refreshing swim. Easy 

As the only day-use area in the park with small playground climbing structures, if you have children, you won't want to drive past this rest area. There are also several interpretive signs explaining how Parks Canada is helping wildlife (including bears, wolves, cougars, and ungulates) stay safe with the construction of underpasses and fencing. Read the signs before walking through Dolly Varden underpass (there are nine of them in the park) that the animals use to cross the highway to access important habitat and connect with mates. The site also has picnic tables and toilets.

Located in nearby Lac-Brome, Domaine ValBrome is a boutique vineyard producing a variety of wines and ciders, including rosé, Chardonnay, Pinot noir, and sparkling rosé, plus apple and pear ciders. Tastings are available at the boutique Friday to Sunday, 11 am–5 pm, with group tours (8+ people) offered by reservation. Visitors can enjoy tastings on the terrace or picnic in the gardens (bring your own food).

Once called the Upper Path, this has been the "second street" of St. John's for centuries, Water Street being the main street. Stretching from the bottom of Signal Hill in the east to near City Hall in the west, Duckworth Street has restaurants, bars, antiques and crafts shops, as well as lawyers' offices and a yoga studio. A few blocks east of City Hall, the Newfoundland Supreme Court is housed in a late-19th-century building with an eccentric appearance: each of its four turrets is in a different style. If you take the time to go through security and wander the halls, you will see a unique collection of artwork from the provincial artbank on the walls. Lanes and stairways between Duckworth Street and Water Street or George Street give access to some of the city's most popular pubs.