1182 Best Sights in Canada

A quick detour on the ferry (C$14 one-way) across Lac des Deux-Montagnes brings you to this small town with old houses now used for art galleries, boutiques, and Christmas shops. In winter there's an "ice bridge": basically a plowed path across a well-frozen lake. Taking a walk across the bridge is a singular experience.

This small but interesting aquarium, established in 1969, is at the Huntsman Marine Science Centre, a private not-for-profit research and education institution. Marine exhibits include a huge two-story tank with indicators showing the varying levels of the Fundy tides, teeming touch tanks that delight children (and adults), rare wolffish, sea horses, squid, salmon, and a pair of very entertaining harbor seals (fed at 11 and 4 daily), as well as free movies and slide shows. A trail leads to the beach on the Saint Croix River (depending on tides). Check the website for other feeding times, behind-the-scenes tours, and sleepover opportunities. Also consult the website or call for driving directions—it's not easy to find.

A 25-minute drive outside city limits takes you into another world, that of the Huron-Wendat Nation, one group of Canada's First Nations peoples. The Huron-Wendat are famous for their handcrafted clothing, decorations, and hunting tools, which are on display at the village. A "traditional site" offers a fascinating traditional village exhibition, complete with longhouse, dances, and storytelling. Visitors can take guided tours and discover some stunning crafts in the huge gift shop. Traditional meals are served in an on-site restaurant. The spectacular Kabir Kouba waterfall, carved into a deep and steep gorge, is definitely worth a stop as well.

Nearly 1 million artifacts on Native and maritime history are on display at the museum building, and there's also a replica Native American village. Visitors can expect contemporary art and extensive photography pieces, in addition to traditional Native art and archaeological collections.

Accessible by bridge from Île Lamèque, Miscou, on the northeastern tip of New Brunswick between the Bay of Chaleurs and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, has white sandy beaches, and the dunes and lagoons are good places to see migrating bird species. This is also a beautiful place to view fall colors, not in the trees but the peat bog foliage, which turns aflame in reds and oranges.

A free, government-run ferry from the wharf in St-Joseph-de-la-Rive takes you on the 15-minute trip to the island where Jacques Cartier's men gathered coudres (hazelnuts) in 1535. Since then, the island has produced many a goélette (a type of sailing ship), and the families of former captains now run several small inns. You can bike around the island and see windmills and water mills, or stop at the stores selling paintings and crafts, such as traditional handwoven household linens.

The name of the park is ᐄᓃᐤ (ÎNÎW), pronounced (ee-nu), a Cree word meaning "I am of the Earth." The name River Lot 11 acknowledges the historic home of Métis landowner Joseph McDonald. Located in Queen Elizabeth Park, this exhibit includes six artworks by Canadian Indigenous artists, all of which were conceptualized to tell the story of ancestral lands of the Indigenous peoples whose descendants entered into treaty with the British Crown.

After a complete C$38.4 million metamorphosis, the Insectarium, reopened in 2022, now houses more than 3,000 plants of 150 different varieties and approximately 175 species of insects—including up to 80 species of butterflies flitting about any one time. The reconfigured spaces, inspired by real insect habitats, feature chambers, nests, vegetation, galleries, and soil. Immersive educational experiences aim to replicate life as seen and felt by an insect. For instance, the ground vibrates and ultraviolet visual effects mimic a bug’s vision. In this way, visitors are encouraged to move around the way an insect would, by, say, having to squeeze through tunnels or hold on to vertical rods meant to imitate blades of grass. With the new Insectarium, the first of its kind in North America, the hope is that this more intimate experience will lead visitors to rethink our relationships with bugs. The revitalized venue also includes exhibits and a children's activities room.

You don't have to be a Buddhist to appreciate the intricate workmanship of traditional Chinese art and culture inside this magnificent Buddhist temple, one of the most exquisite examples of Chinese palatial architecture and second-largest Buddhist temple in North America. Amid the peace and tranquility, the temple holds regular Buddhist ceremonies, lectures, and meditation classes, and conducts tea ceremonies. There is also a renowned bonsai garden, resource library, and museum on the grounds, as well as a cafeteria offering Taste of Zen lunch service on Saturdays and Sundays. Because of the sacred nature of the temple, photography is restricted to outside areas. To reach the temple by public transit, take the Canada Line to Brighouse Station, then catch Bus 403 to the temple.

Housed in a former railway station, this small museum has a range of artifacts relating to the community's coal mining past and the everyday life of the miners and their families, along with an antique-filled study room and film screenings. Volunteers offer personalized guided tours. 

Harness racing has been happening here since 1926, and the Wednesday and Sunday races held throughout July and August are about as traditional as you get. This is the perfect spot for local color, and placing bets is pretty fun even if your horse doesn't come in! 

The center preserves a superb example of a coastal ecosystem that protects the exceptionally fertile oyster beds in Bouctouche Bay, a salt marsh, and an important 12-km (7½-mile) sand dune. Hiking trails and an 800-meter (½-mile) boardwalk with ramps and stairs to the beach make it possible to explore sensitive areas without disrupting the environment of one of the few remaining great dunes on the northwest coast of the Atlantic Ocean, and electric vehicles provide tours for visitors with mobility issues. An outstanding interpretive center puts the ecosystem in perspective with nature exhibits, a film presentation, a saltwater aquarium, and seasonal special events. The staff regularly conducts guided walks. Swimming is allowed.

The marine ecosystems of the southern New Brunswick coast are preserved in this lovely 600-acre park on a peninsula close to downtown, where a salt-marsh boardwalk, eight walking trails, a seal observation deck, and a lookout tower make bird- and nature-watching easy. Many shorebirds breed here, and it's a staging site on the flight path of shorebirds migrating between the Arctic and South America—a wildlife tracking system here feeds data to Bird Studies Canada as part of an important research and conservation project. The Children's Forest has a playground and there are picnic sites and gas barbecues. Various educational programs, guided walks, and activities are offered. Motor vehicles are excluded on Saturday before noon.

This park is 10 km (6 miles) from Port aux Basques and makes a good first or last stop on the island, particularly if you're on a camping trip. The area is rich in natural flora, and the shoreline is a nesting site for the piping plover. The Smokey Cape Walking Trail to Cape Ray Beach covers a rocky, barren terrain; a smaller trail leads to waterfalls on the Barachois River. A sandy, freshwater lagoon is suitable for swimming. The park has 75 campsites, including 22 with electrical service. The day-use area offers picnic tables and fireplaces.

This reproduction of London's home from 1897 to 1898 is constructed with half the wood from his original wilderness home that was found south of Dawson in the 1930s. The other half was sent to Oakland, California, where a similar structure sits at Jack London Square. The small museum contains photos and documents from London's life and the gold-rush era. Half-hour talks are given twice daily during peak season.

An ultramodern facility, this famous winery blends state-of-the-art wine-making technology with age-old, handcrafted enological savvy, as evidenced by the stainless steel trough by the entrance. A multitude of tours, workshops, and events are offered. The hourly public tour is a great introduction to winemaking and includes three tastings and a mini-lesson in wine tasting. Its award-winning VQA wines can be sipped in the tasting gallery and purchased in the retail boutique.

Serving Toronto's Japanese community and thousands of lovers of Japanese culture, this space features a traditional garden and offers workshops and classes in martial arts, music, visual arts, traditional dance, cooking, and more. Visiting art shows are frequently in rotation, as well as artist talks and movie screenings; there's even a Japanese film festival each June. Plan a visit if checking out the nearby Aga Khan Museum.

Jasper Lake is actually part of the Athabasca River—it's a point where the river broadens—and you can wade far out into its shallow waters and the beach is sandy. The scenery is beautiful, with lovely reflections on the water, and the Jasper Lake Sand Dunes, the Canadian Rockies' only sand dunes, are nearby.

The only sand dunes in the Canadian Rockies were formed during the last ice age and are constantly being reshaped by wind. They sit along the edge of Jasper Lake, which is not really a lake as it's part of the Athabasca River. The river widens and you can wade out very far on its sandy bottom; it's particularly popular on hot summer days. There's also a large roadside pullout and toilets.

The 1914 cobblestone-and-timber structure that houses the Jasper townsite visitor center is a superb example of rustic Canadian architecture. Parks Canada staffers here have information about trails, backcountry hiking, wildlife viewing, and interpretive programs. You can pick up maps, brochures, and other helpful materials as well. Parks Canada also operates an information desk at the Columbia Icefield Glacier Discovery Centre, 103 km (64 miles) south of Jasper townsite.

Located at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, this planetarium has the largest telescope in the Canadian Rockies. In its dome, an astronomy expert conducts an interactive tour of the dark night sky—a fitting experience given that Jasper is the world's second-largest Dark Sky Preserve.

The tram whisks you 973 vertical meters (3,191 vertical feet) up the steep flank of Whistlers Mountain to an impressive overlook of the town and the surrounding mountains. The seven-minute ride deposits you above the tree line (be sure to bring warm clothes) at the upper station. From here, a 30- to 45-minute hike leads to the summit, which is 2,464 meters (8,085 feet) above sea level. Several unmarked trails lead through alpine meadows beyond.

Those in the know avoid the crush of the crowds at Kits Beach and Jericho Beach in favor of this small park with a huge cherry tree framing gorgeous views over English Bay toward the North Shore Mountains. Steep stairs lead to a rocky beach below.

Home to the Jericho Sailing Centre, this Point Grey beach is popular for windsurfing and kayaking (rentals are available), especially at the western end. Swimmers can use the eastern section, where the expansive sands and a grassy park invite sunbathing. In July, the Vancouver Folk Music Festival brings thousands together over folk, world, and indie bands. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), toilets, and water sports. Best for: swimming, walking, and windsurfing. 

On the Glooscap Trail, 35 km (22 miles) southwest of Amherst and 70 km (43 miles) northeast of Cape Chignecto, Joggins is famous for Coal Age fossils that were embedded in sandstone, then uncovered through erosion caused by Fundy's surging tides. You can spy them outside, in the sea cliffs, or inside the center. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this striking museum has a large, well-curated collection of specimens dating back some 300 million years, along with interesting displays outlining the region's geological and archaeological history. For an extra fee, you can book a 30-minute or 90-minute guided beach tour on certain weekends in June, July, and August (reservations are essential and available on the website). Bear in mind that the beach is reached by a steep slope and staircase, over boulders and watercourses.

In the center of Vancouver, this park hosts community festivals and is a popular place for family picnics. There's an attractive farmers' market on summer Saturdays, and it's also home to Trout Lake, the city's only freshwater lake, which has a sandy beach and a swimming raft.

Located in Kinsmen Park, this living history museum showcases the life of John Walter, a Scotsman who immigrated to Canada in 1870 to build boats for the Hudson's Bay Company. Walter built one of the city's first permanent residences, and the community of Walterdale grew up around his property. Today, you can watch crafters at work and visit buildings as they would have looked between 1870--1942. You can also explore Kinsmen Park and its numerous walking and biking trails.

Built deep into the earth with only the entryway protruding aboveground, this geological shrine is literally embedded in Signal Hill, itself made up of 550-million-year-old rocks. (The province's oldest rocks date back 3.87 billion years.) There are exhibits on the solar system and how Earth took form. Step on an oil platform in the ExxonMobil Oil & Gas Gallery, and learn about how oil and gas are formed.

A family-friendly 3.1-km (1.9-mile) loop trail circles this lake passing some of the oldest Douglas fir trees in Alberta. The lake is in the montane zone of the park and is a good place to spot wildlife. There are lovely views of Mount Rundle and Cascade Mountain and picnic tables if you want to linger. Because the lake is smaller and somewhat sheltered, it tends to have smoother water for paddling.