1180 Best Sights in Canada

One of Vancouver Island's oldest estate vineyards, this family-owned, sustainably farmed winery is a favorite with the locals. Award-winning estate wines include Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Black Muscat, while the Quill label wines are blended with grapes from the Okanagan Valley. Locally made cheese and charcuterie boards, which pair perfectly with the wines, are served daily in the architecturally stunning Tasting Room. Lunch for two, including five wines, is $50.

Extending four city blocks north into Burrard Inlet, this complex mimics the style and size of a luxury ocean liner, complete with exterior esplanades and a landmark roofline that resembles five sails (it was made with NASA-invented material: a Teflon-coated fiberglass once used in astronaut space suits). Home to Vancouver's cruise-ship terminal, Canada Place can accommodate up to four liners at once. Altogether, the giant building is definitely worth a look. And the FlyOver Canada ( 604/620–8455  www.flyovercanada.com) attraction, a simulated flight that takes you on a soaring and swooping virtual voyage across the country, is an excellent reason to go inside. If this dramatic journey above Niagara Falls, the Rocky Mountains, and the vast Arctic sparks your curiosity about other parts of Canada, follow the Canadian Trail on the west side of the building, which has displays about the country's provinces and territories. Use your smartphone or tablet to access multimedia content along the way. (There's free Wi-Fi). Canada Place is also home to the posh Pan Pacific Hotel and the east wing of the Vancouver Convention Centre. On its western side stands the newer and much larger convention center—its plaza stages the 2010 Olympic cauldron and the Digital Orca sculpture by Canadian artist Douglas Coupland. A waterfront promenade from Canada Place winds all the way to (and around) Stanley Park, with spectacular vantage points where you can view Burrard Inlet and the North Shore Mountains. Plaques posted along the way include historical information about the city and its waterfront. At the Port of Vancouver Discovery Centre at Canada Place, at the north end of the Canada Place complex, you can take in a history wall with artifacts, imagery, and interactive displays.

Affectionately dubbed "Canada's Front Door," Pier 21 served as the entry point for nearly a million immigrants—refugees, evacuees, war brides, and others—between 1928 and 1971, and in a country where the population is only slightly more than 36 million, it's a significant number. It's now a national museum, honoring the huge contribution that these immigrants have made to Canada. Personal and often very moving stories have been collected from immigrants, offering insight into their quest for a new life and the success (and occasional failure) of the system. The Scotiabank Family History Centre is often buzzing with new generations of Canadians discovering their genealogy, while temporary exhibitions highlight issues such as asylum seekers, peace through diversity, and the foreign cultures that continue to enrich Canadian life. The museum also offers a work experience and mentoring program to help ease newly arrived immigrants into the workplace—your guide might have his or her own personal immigration story to tell.

A 950-square-km (366-square-mile) wilderness of wooded valleys, barren plateaus, and steep cliffs, Cape Breton Highlands National Park stretches across northern Cape Breton from the gulf shore to the Atlantic. High-altitude bogs here are home to wild orchids and other unique flora. Moose, eagles, deer, bears, foxes, bobcats, and coyotes call this home, and your chances of spotting wildlife improve if you venture off the main road and hike one of the trails at dusk or dawn. The park has 26 hiking trails, ranging from a few yards to a lookout point to 12-km (7½-mile) treks to salmon pools or to a remote cove, and guided hikes are among various activities on offer. A permit or pass is required for entering sections of the Cabot Trail within the national park and for use of the facilities; there are additional fees for camping, fishing, and golf. Full details are available at the gateway information centers.

At the easternmost point of land on the continent, songbirds begin chirping in the dim light of dawn, and whales in early summer feed directly below the cliffs, providing an unforgettable start to the day. From April through July, you might see icebergs floating by. Cape Spear Lighthouse, Newfoundland's oldest such beacon, has been restored to its original form and furnishings. There is a visitor center and souvenir shop open in the summer. The historic gun batteries can be viewed up close from the walking trail whenever weather conditions allow.

The cliffs surrounding the lighthouse are beautiful but dangerous. Rogue waves and slippery rocks have caused fatal accidents in recent years. It is important to heed the warnings and avoid getting close to the edge, as there are no barriers and no rangers on duty during the popular sunrise hour.

The reserve has some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in Newfoundland and is a good place to spot whales. Most birds visit from March through August, although some will be viewable in October. You can visit the interpretation center—guides are on-site in summer for larger groups—and then walk to within 100 feet of nesting gannets, murres, black-billed kittiwakes, and razorbills. At busy times you may have to wait your turn at the observation point. Call ahead to check on weather conditions before heading out. In July and August, the interpretation center presents local artists performing traditional music.

On Jordan's Main Street, Cave Spring is one of the leading wine producers in Canada, with Ontario's oldest wine cellars, in operation since 1871. Go for the Riesling, Chardonnay, and ice wine. It shares ownership with the Inn on the Twenty and Inn on the Twenty Restaurant (next door) and produces custom blends for the latter. There are public tours every day at 1:30 between June and September (only Friday and weekends the rest of the year).

This moderately steep 8-km (5-mile) trail will take four to six hours. Into early summer the upper section is still covered in snow and not recommended, but from mid-July to mid-August you can enjoy the carpet of wildflowers. There's also an excellent view of the Angel Glacier. Moderate.

Close to—but far enough from—the tourist hot spots of Cavendish, and protected within the Prince Edward Island National Park, this wonderful beach has a long stretch of clean, soft sand backed by dunes, low cliffs, a boardwalk, and a bike trail. Various access points (with boardwalks and stairs in place mid-May through September 30) add to its popularity, but it's big enough to provide plenty of space for all, and beach wheelchairs are available for those with mobility issues. Organized activities happen weekdays with the Parks Canada interpreters and there are trails through the dunes with interpretive panels along the way. Don't head for home when the sun starts to set—the glow of its final rays on the rich red cliffs is an unforgettable sight. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (free); showers; toilets. Best for: sunrise; sunset; swimming; walking.

The seat of the Anglican (Episcopalian) bishop of Montréal offers downtown shoppers and strollers a respite from the hustle and bustle of rue Ste-Catherine. Built in 1859, the cathedral is modeled on Snettisham Parish Church in Norfolk, England, with some distinctly Canadian touches. The steeple, for example, is made with aluminum plates molded to simulate stone, and inside, the Gothic arches are crowned with carvings of the types of foliage growing on Mont-Royal when the church was built. The stained-glass windows behind the main altar, installed in the early 1920s as a memorial to the dead of World War I, show scenes from the life of Christ. On the wall just above and to the left of the pulpit is the Coventry Cross; it's made of nails taken from the ruins of Britain's Coventry Cathedral, destroyed by German bombing in 1940.The church building is a National Historic Site of Canada.  Free Saturday group tours can be arranged by calling the office.

If you find yourself humming "Getting to Know You" as you explore Mont-Royal Cemetery's 165 acres, blame it on the graveyard's most famous permanent guest, Anna Leonowens (1834–1915). She was the real-life model for the heroine of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I. The cemetery—established in 1852 by the Anglican, Presbyterian, Unitarian, and Baptist churches—is laid out like a terraced garden, with footpaths that meander between crab-apple trees and past Japanese lilacs. Birders and nature photographers love to come to this cemetery for the 150 or so species of birds found here, including chestnut-sided warblers, ruby-throated hummingbirds, bluebirds, cedar waxwings, nuthatches, yellow warblers, woodpeckers, goldfinches, and more. And keep an eye out for the resident groundhogs and raccoons!

The tallest freestanding tower in the Western Hemisphere, this landmark stretches 1,815 feet and 5 inches high and marks Toronto with its distinctive silhouette. The CN Tower is this tall for a reason: prior to the opening of the telecommunications tower in 1976, so many buildings had been erected over the previous decades that lower radio and TV transmission towers had trouble broadcasting. It's worth a visit to the top if the weather is clear, despite the steep fee. Six glass-front elevators zoom up the outside of the tower at 15 miles per hour, and the ride takes less than a minute. Each elevator has one floor-to-ceiling glass wall—three opaque walls make the trip easier on anyone prone to vertigo—and most have glass floor panels for the dizzying thrill of watching the earth disappear before your eyes.

There are four observation decks. The Glass Floor Level is 1,122 feet above the ground. This may be the most photographed indoor location in the city—lie on the transparent floor and have your picture taken from above like countless visitors before you. Don't worry—the glass floor can support more than 48,000 pounds. Above is the Lower Level, 113 stories high, which contains the OverView observation deck and the Artmosphere, an immersive art space with frequently rotating exhibits from Canadian and Indigenous artists; the Main Observation Level is at 1,136 feet; one more floor above, at 1,151 feet, is the excellent 360 Restaurant. If you're here to dine, your elevator fee is waived. At 1,465 feet, The Top, is the world's highest public observation gallery. All the levels provide spectacular panoramic views of Toronto, Lake Ontario, and the Toronto Islands, and on really clear days you may even see the mist rising from Niagara Falls to the south. Adrenaline junkies can try the EdgeWalk attraction, which allows harnessed tower goers to roam \"hands free\" around a 5-foot ledge outside the tower's main pod. Reservations are required.

On the ground level, the Gift Shop at the Tower has 5,000 square feet of shopping space with quality Canadian travel items and souvenirs, along with a shop selling Inuit art. Displays and exhibits throughout the building feature the history of the Tower and its construction; how the Tower works today, including engineering components that make it such a unique attraction; and a dynamic weather display. Peak visiting hours for the stunning views are 11 to 4.

With an 1,100-seat main stage theater, a 1,000-seat outdoor amphitheater, and several studio stages, this block-long building—opened in 1964 to mark the centennial of the Charlottetown Conference—is the Island's leading cultural venue. From late June through September it hosts the Charlottetown Festival, which includes Anne of Green Gables—The Musical, plus concerts, comedy acts, and other productions. Weather permitting, there are free lunchtime performances in the amphitheater and on the plaza from Monday to Saturday. Off-season, a dynamic mix of touring and local productions, choral concerts, and special events is scheduled. A provincial art gallery has more than 15,000 works and around 20 exhibitions of Canadian art each year. The upper lobby has a replica of the Confederation Chamber, where the Fathers of Confederation met, and a film about the event and related historical themes.

Visible from up to 50 miles away on a clear day, the 98-foot-high steel cross at the top of Mont-Royal has been a city landmark since it was erected in 1924, largely with money raised through the efforts of 85,000 high-school students. Once upon a time, it took four hours and the labor of three to replace the 249 electric bulbs used to light the cross; today, the iconic cross is illuminated via a high-tech remote-control LED system.

Awe-inspiring and strenuous, this 17.2-km (11-mile) round-trip trail is one of the most stunning hikes in the Canadian Rockies. Conquering the trail involves taking a boat taxi across Waterton Lake, climbing 700 meters (2,300 feet), crawling through a tunnel nearly 30 meters (100 feet) long, and scrambling across a sheer rock face. The reward, and well worth it: views of a 183-meter (600-foot) cascading waterfall and the turquoise waters of Crypt Lake. This hike was completely untouched by the wildfires of recent years. Difficult.

This 3,012-hectare (7,443-acre) park sprawls above Howe Sound, embracing Strachan, Black, and Hollyburn Mountains. On a clear day, you can see Mt. Baker (in Washington State) and Vancouver Island. Although the park includes a commercial ski area, much of the terrain is a public hiking paradise (bikes are permitted on roadways but not trails). Popular hikes include the route to Eagle Bluff, cross-country routes near Hollyburn Lodge, and the first part of the Howe Sound Crest Trail (as far as Saint Mark's Summit). This is backcountry, though, and only experienced hikers should attempt the more remote routes, including the multiday Baden Powell and Howe Sound Crest trails. During the summer months, BC Parks runs a bus from Downtown Vancouver to Cypress Provincial Park.

The stories and experiences of the Yukon's First Nations peoples are one of the many topics explored throughout this museum on regional history. While touring the excellent displays of gold-rush materials in this ornate former territorial administration building, you may find it surprising just how luxurious Dawson was for the lucky few who could call themselves rich. Four restored locomotives and other railway cars and gear from the Klondike Mines Railway are housed in an adjacent building. The museum also has a library and archives, with staff on hand to help those seeking information about gold-rush ancestors, and tours are offered throughout the day (these are included with the price of admission).

This charming seaside village, on the shore of a fjord off Burrard Inlet, is just a few minutes' drive from North Vancouver's other sights. You can paddle in the fjord with a guide from the Deep Cove Kayak Centre, or head out on the Quarry Rock Hike. This 4-km (2½-mile) trip offers sweeping ocean views but can get very busy on sunny weekends (choose a weekday, or start early). Honey Doughnuts & Goodies is where locals relax and refuel.

A nice break from the steady pace of Niagara-area wineries, Dillon's set up its celebrated small-batch gin and spirits operation in the Beamsville area, prized for its clean water sources and high-quality produce. But they can't get away from grapes completely, which make up the base of the distinctly flavored gins and vodkas (rosehip, strawberry, cherry, and more). Take a tour for an in-depth understanding of the distillation process that includes apothecarian exotics like cassis, bitters, and absinthe. Outdoor picnic tables are used for summer Sunday food-truck brunches.

Dinosaur Provincial Park encompasses 73 square km (28 square mi) of Canada's greatest badlands, as well as prairie and riverside habitats. A United Nations World Heritage Site, the park contains some of the world's richest fossil beds—dating as far back as 75 million years—including many kinds of dinosaurs. Much of the area is a nature preserve with restricted public access. Self-guided trails weave through different habitats, and a public loop road leads to two outdoor fossil displays. The Royal Tyrrell Museum Field Station has ongoing fossil excavations. Interpretive programs run daily from mid-May to early September and weekends until mid-October, but many require tickets; call for reservations. You should allow at least two full days for an in-depth experience. The campground has a food-service center.

With award-winning vintages and sigh-inducing Fundy views, a stop at Domaine de Grand Pré is doubly pleasing. Vineyard tours and tastings are offered twice daily, at 11 am and 4 pm; reservations are not required (but call ahead to confirm they are happening on any given day). They take about 45 minutes, but you'll likely want to linger on the picturesque 10-acre property, so plan to have a meal at Le Caveau Restaurant or sip a glass of wine under the pergola. Live Music under the Vines events take place on certain evenings in July and August, weather permitting, and other events are detailed on the website.

The first authentic Ming Dynasty–style garden outside China, this small garden was built in 1986 by 52 Chinese artisans from Suzhou. No power tools, screws, or nails were used in the construction. It incorporates design elements and traditional materials from several of Suzhou's centuries-old private gardens. Guided tours (45 minutes long), included in the ticket price, are conducted at 11 am and 2 pm Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; these are valuable for understanding the philosophy and symbolism that are central to the garden's design. Covered walkways make this a good rainy-day choice. A concert series, including classical, Asian, world, jazz, and sacred music, plays on Thursday evenings in July and August. The free public park next door is a pleasant place to sit, but lacks the context that you get with a tour of the Sun Yat-Sen garden.

Relax away the driving miles with a dip at this luxurious, recently remodeled complex off the Klondike Highway. Lounge or swim in the four hot spring–warmed pools, clear out your sinuses in the intense eucalyptus-infused steam room, or nap in the hibernation relax room on heated-tile lounge chairs. There are also cold-plunge pools to get your blood flowing. Occasional yoga and mediation classes are included with the entry price. After your soak, enjoy gelato, espresso, and banh mi sandwiches from the café, which also serves wine, beer, and sake. There's also an RV and tent campground. The pools are open year-round and in winter provide a breathtaking way to take in the wintry outdoors while staying warm and toasty. There's also a hair-freezing photo contest each February.

Step into history at Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, North America's oldest stone church. This beautiful sanctuary on Place Royale, with its fortress-shaped altar, stands as a testament to a turbulent past. Built in 1688 and meticulously restored, it honors the Virgin Mary for aiding French forces against British invasions in 1690 and 1711. Inside, discover interesting paintings and a model of Le Brezé, the ship that brought French soldiers in 1664. Its side chapel is dedicated to Sainte Genevieve, Paris's patron saint.

It's a short 900 meter (half-mile) hike to these impressive falls, and though it can be a little steep in places, and there are stairs to descend, the payoff is well worth the effort. There are three tumbling tiers of falls, and clambering up the rocks to swim in a natural pool is a highlight, so long as you're into a cold water dip. 

The vivid green water of Yoho's largest lake is absolutely breathtaking and rivals any other lake found in the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks. It was discovered by European explorer Tom Wilson in 1882, and by 1902, the Canadian Pacific Railway had built the Emerald Lake Lodge wilderness resort for its guests to enjoy the stunning landscape. It's worthwhile to hike the 5.3-km (3.2-mile) mostly flat trail around the lake, where you can see a diversity of plants, including orchids found on the lake's southeast side, and animals like bald eagles, moose, and osprey. There are picnic areas, and Emerald Lake Lodge has a patio restaurant where you can enjoy lunch or coffee lakeside. There are canoe and rowboat rentals in summer, and in winter Emerald is a good place to cross-country ski or snowshoe. Due to its high altitude, the lake is frozen from about November to July.

This historic lighthouse, built in 1870, now signals the spot for breathtaking views, worry-free picnics, and great food such as smoked salmon and ice-shrimp sandwiches, green salads, and gooseberry fools. You bring the appetite, and the lighthouse staff packs everything else—even the blanket. Bread is baked daily here; in fact, everything is made on-site down to the desserts and freshly squeezed lemonade. Check the website for menus. Picnics start at C$27 per person and reservations are required; July and August book up especially quickly.

Flanked by sailing ships and painted a brilliant red, this museum on the Lunenburg waterfront strikes a dazzling pose. An aquarium features 14 tanks with native species and tidal touch tanks, and there are themed films in the Ice House Theatre, daily activities, and three floors of displays about shipbuilding, whaling, and other maritime endeavors. Demonstrations cover topics such as sail-making, boatbuilding, and dory launching, and dockside you can visit a restored 1938 saltbank schooner and a 1962 steel-hulled trawler. The Bluenose II, the province's sailing ambassador, is also based here. Built in 1963, it's a faithful replica of the original Bluenose, the Lunenburg-built schooner prominent during the 1920s and 1930s as the North Atlantic fleet's fastest vessel, which sank in 1946 after striking a reef.

On a wide stretch of parkland south of town sits this fort that was built in the 1790s but lost during the War of 1812. It was recaptured after the burning of the town in 1813 and largely survived the war, only to fall into ruins by the 1830s. Thankfully, it was reconstructed a century later, and you can explore the officers' quarters, the barracks rooms of the common soldiers, the kitchen, and more. Staff in period costumes conduct tours and reenact 19th-century infantry and artillery drills.