1182 Best Sights in Canada

If you're driving or cycling across Mont-Royal, be sure to stop for a few moments at its eastern lookout for a view of the Stade Olympique and the east end of the city. Tourists enjoy the location as it's a great photo spot.

Edmonton’s first Indigenous-run center for contemporary art is definitely worth a visit. The Collective hosts three or four projects a year that focus on art exhibition, research, public art, and awareness surrounding Indigenous contemporary art.

All of the spirits at this award-winning craft distillery—vodka, whisky, gin, absinthe, etc.—are 100% made from BC fruits and grains. Stop by for a tour, tasting (C$10), or to shop the storefront. Be sure to check out their Evolve gin line, which changes color when citrus or tonic are mixed in with the spirit.

Opened in 1899, and used until 1965 when the new City Hall was built across the street, the old municipal building now operates solely as a courthouse. This imposing building was designed by E. J. Lennox, who was also the architect for Casa Loma and the King Edward Hotel. Note the huge stained-glass window as you enter. The fabulous gargoyles above the front steps were apparently the architect's witty way of mocking certain turn-of-the-20th-century politicians; he also carved his name under the eaves on all four faces of the building. The building has appeared in countless domestic and international TV shows and feature films.

For beautiful views of the Columbia Valley Wetlands, a protected ecosystem with more than 216 animal species, this 9-km (5½-mile), mostly flat trail is the answer for both biking and hiking.

Dating from 1833, this splendid galleried former court house was restored after years of neglect and misuse and was opened to the public by H.R.H. Princess Anne in 1986. Guided tours are available in summer, and occasional special events include an annual Christmas concert.

Shaped by glaciers, Old Fort Point is a bedrock knob that provides an excellent view of Jasper. It will take an hour or two to complete the 3½-km (2.2-mile) loop trail. A wide, easy path that begins behind the information kiosk leads to a very steep section of trail. It's common to see Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, the provincial mammal of Alberta, from this trail. Along the way you'll pass Jasper National Park's oldest rock, but the real highlight is the view from the top. Easy.

Vancouver's first store and oldest building was built in 1865 at the foot of Dunlevy Street in Gastown and moved to this seaside spot near the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club in 1930. It's a little wooden structure at the corner of Point Grey Road and Alma Street—west of Kitsilano en route to UBC—and is the only building to predate the 1886 Great Fire. The site is now a museum with displays of First Nations artifacts and pioneer household goods.

Montréal's favorite waterfront park is your ideal gateway to the St. Lawrence River. Rent a pedal boat, take a ferry to Île Ste-Hélène, sign up for a dinner cruise, or, if you're really adventurous, ride a raft or a jet boat through the turbulent Lachine Rapids. If you're determined to stay ashore, however, there's still plenty to do, including riding the Grande Roue, the tallest Ferris wheel in Canada; soaking in the rays at the Clock Tower Beach (you can't swim, though); and enjoying street performances, sound-and-light shows, or art displays and exhibitions.

Visiting warships from the Canadian navy and other countries often dock here and open their decks to the public. You can rent a bicycle or a pair of in-line skates at one of the shops along rue de la Commune and explore the waterfront at your leisure. In winter, rent a pair of skates and glide around the outdoor rink. You can also, quite literally, lose the kids in Shed 16's Labyrinthe, a maze of alleys, surprises, and obstacles built inside an old waterfront warehouse. With the rope and aerial courses aboard life-size replicas of pirate and royal ships, kids will also go crazy for the Voiles en Voiles adventure park.

This easy to moderate hike is great for families and is accessible in all seasons, although April through November is best. The hike is 3.6 km (2.2 miles) with an elevation gain of 168 meters (546 feet); some great views of Moose Mountain can be seen to the south. Easy

As the name indicates, the strong green color of this lake is stunning. Immediately next to the parking lot, there are a shelter, picnic tables, and outhouses, with other tables scattered throughout the forest. A hike on the interpretive lakeshore boardwalk trail takes you through the forest around the lake, where you can often see brook trout leisurely swimming in the crystal clear water.

A working artisan soapery, Olivier includes a museum with a fascinating array of bathtime memorabilia, from old bars of soap and soap-making equipment to tubs and basins. There's a skin-care art gallery, featuring paintings commissioned for soap labels throughout the years, and, naturally, plenty of soap and other skin-care products are for sale. You can book a tour to learn how the soap is made.

A four-pronged sculpture towering more than 30 feet, the Olympic Cauldron is next to the Vancouver Convention Centre's West Building. In 2010, when Vancouver hosted the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, it burned with the Olympic flame, and it's relit occasionally for Canada Day and other special events. The Cauldron overlooks the Burrard Inlet on Jack Poole Plaza, which is named for the Canadian businessman who led the bid to bring the Olympics to Vancouver. Sadly, Poole died of cancer just one day after the flame for the Olympic torch relay was lit in Olympia, Greece, at the start of its journey to Vancouver.

This 1893 Romanesque revival building, home to Ontario's provincial government, is often referred to simply as "Queen's Park," after the surrounding grounds. The detail-rich exterior is made of pink Ontario sandstone; inside, the huge, lovely halls echo half a millennium of English architecture. The long hallways are hung with hundreds of oils by Canadian artists, and a permanent space is devoted to rotating works by Indigenous artists. Various specialized tours are available, focusing on everything from the parliamentary chambers to the building's artwork and architecture. It is also possible to watch parliament in session from the public gallery. Statues of historical figures, including Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, dot the lawn in front of the building.

Toronto’s first sake brewery uses natural Ontario spring water from Muskoka and traditional Japanese techniques to produce its award-winning sake under the name Izumi Brewery. The company has a small tasting bar and retail shop featuring products made with sake kasu—the lees or yeast, left over from fermentation—such as soaps, salad dressings, and miso soup, ceramics—as well as sake glassware. Weekend brewery tours (by reservation only) offer a look at how sake is made, an introduction to Junmai (pure rice) and Namazake (unpasteurized sake), and a guided tasting of four varieties.

Niagara wineries along the Ontario Wine Route are well marked by blue signs between Grimsby and Niagara Falls.

For a full map of the wine route, pick up the free Wine Country Ontario Travel Guide, updated annually and available at wineries and tourist attractions or directly from the Wine Council.

It will take 2--3 hours to hike this 5.9-km (3.7-mile) circuit with an elevation gain of 250 meters (820 feet). You can access it either via the West Opabin or East Opabin arm. The west arm trail takes you up along the shores of Mary Lake and then climbs steeply for approximately 120 meters (394 feet) onto the rolling terrain of the Opabin Plateau, a beautiful hanging valley above Lake O'Hara. From there, the circuit continues into the Opabin Creek Valley and finally arrives at Opabin Lake, where you can see the foot of a glacier in the narrow gap in the peaks at the end of the lake. Moderate.

Near Maligne Lake, this 8.2-km (5.1-mile) hike is very steep and takes from four to six hours to complete. There are excellent views of Maligne Valley, and many opportunities to observe wildlife, including moose and bears. Be sure to make noise as you hike, and keep your distance from the wildlife. During summer, you will spot many wildflowers along the trail. Difficult.

This outfitter operates a pontoon boat at the lower end of the gorge, offering a fascinating perspective of the cliffs and wells, from May through October; rides are C$50. Zip-lining, rappelling, deepelling (like rappelling only you are facing downward), and kayaking are also offered.

Although fossils have become Parrsboro's claim to fame, this harbor town was also a major shipping and shipbuilding port, and its history is chronicled here. The house, which overlooks the Bay of Fundy, is the only surviving building from a 1700s settlement. It was later the summer home of Sir Charles Tupper (1821–1915), a former premier of Nova Scotia and briefly the prime minister of Canada. Those with roots in Nova Scotia can research their ancestors in the genealogical archives. Occasional special events might include music, afternoon teas, or model railroads.

Beautiful Overlander Falls was named for the Overlanders Expedition of 1862. The Overlanders were a group of about 150 settlers (including one woman) who traveled from Fort Garry (now Winnipeg, Manitoba) to the interior of British Columbia for the Cariboo Gold Rush. Just west of Overlander Falls, the group split, with half continuing on to the gold rush and half abandoning the dream of gold and returning down the river to Fort Kamloops. There are two ways to get to the falls, one short and one long. The short route to the falls, 0.6 km (0.4 miles) round-trip, begins at a highway pullout about 2 km (1 mile) east of Mount Robson Visitor Centre. The longer trail, 4½ km (3 miles), begins at Robson Meadows Campground. Moderate.

The oldest art gallery in Canada, first opened to the public in 1895, is on the Mount Allison University campus. It houses nearly 4,000 works of 19th- and 20th-century European, American, and Canadian artwork in its permanent collection, and there are usually rotating exhibits as well.

The Blackfoot consider the area around the Waterton Lakes to be sacred. Paahtómahksikimi is the Blackfoot name for Waterton Lake. It means "inner sacred lake." The Paahtómahksikimi Cultural Centre helps visitors connect with the Spirit of Waterton and learn about Blackfoot culture. You can participate in various activities and programs and purchase authentic handcrafted artisan products in the on-site craft store.

Close to the University of British Columbia, on Vancouver's West Side, Pacific Spirit Regional Park has 73 km (45 miles) of multiuse walking, hiking, and biking trails within its 763-hectare (1,885-acre) forest. Open dawn to dusk year-round, it also has access to Spanish Banks and Wreck Beaches.

This 2.2-km (1.4-mile) interpretive trail is an easy hike that passes through a mixed forest of lodgepole pine, white spruce, aspen, and poplar trees. After looping around, the trail takes you downstream along the Elbow River back to the campground. Easy.

Due to severe fires in the early to mid-1900s, several fire lookouts were built in the Rockies, and the Paget Fire Lookout is the oldest in Canada's national parks. This 7-km (4.3-mile) moderately difficult round-trip hike, with 520 meters (1,706 feet) of elevation gain, will have you switchbacking through the forest until you almost reach the lookout shelter (which is no longer in use). Allow plenty of time to take in the amazing views of the Kicking Horse River valley, the Continental Divide, and the surrounding peaks from the strategically placed bench. If you're feeling energetic, you can continue on to Paget Peak, but beware that it's steep, with a 446-meter (1,463-foot) elevation gain on the 1.4-km (0.8-mile) trail. The trail is also challenging because of several scree-filled and exposed sections, and there can be snow at the summit well into July. If you're a seasoned hiker, however, the views from the top are worth it. Difficult.