1182 Best Sights in Canada

This vibrant pedestrians-only shopping area is a National Historic District, and boasts dozens of stores, nightclubs, and restaurants on the ground floors of Calgary's oldest structures. The mostly sandstone buildings were erected after an 1886 fire destroyed most of the older buildings.

Readers of Canada's great humorist Stephen Leacock may recognize Orillia as "Mariposa," the town he described in Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town. Leacock's former summer home is now the Stephen Leacock Museum, a National Historic Site. Among the rotating exhibits are books, manuscripts, and photographs depicting Leacock, his family, and the region that inspired his writings. In the Mariposa Room, characters from the book are matched with the Orillia residents who inspired them.

Housed in the arsenal of Île Ste-Hélène's 1820s Old Fort, the Stewart Museum encompasses two floors full of interesting historical objects. The permanent collection has close to 27,000 artifacts consisting of military objects, images, rare books, maps, and pieces of weaponry, all of which document the history of Montréal, l'Île Ste-Hélène, and the surrounding area, from the early First Nations to today. Open year-round, the Stewart Museum is definitely worth a visit for those interested in the history of New France.

St. Francis Xavier University's campus art gallery mounts a dozen exhibits of mostly contemporary works each year and hosts talks with regional and other artists.

You can brush up on Stratford and Perth County history with permanent displays and changing exhibits that cover such topics as hockey in Stratford, the city's railroad, the settlement of the area in the early 1800s, and of course an exhibit paying tribute to one of Stratford's most famous locals, Justin Bieber. The museum's open-air Players Backstage theater now hosts its own plays and occasional concerts from the likes of Canadian talent such as Ron Sexsmith by night, and there are hiking trails and picnic areas to explore by day.

Standing out from a vast landscape of single varietal wines, Stratus specializes in assemblage: combining multiple varieties of grapes to create unique blends. Established in 2000, and emerging on the Niagara wine scene in 2005, they continue to perfect what has traditionally been a recipe for disaster for winemakers. A fine example is the Stratus White, a mix of six grape varieties that's complex and unlike anything you've ever tasted (in a good way). Sip all three assemblage wines (white, red, and ice wine) and a handful of single varietals in the modern glass-walled tasting room, installed in the world's first LEED-certified winery.  Tours must be reserved in advance and can include cheese and charcuterie.

This stunning glacier stretches down 914 meters (3,000 feet) of cliff face, forming a set of double icefalls visible from a roadside viewpoint.

The place where the Sulphur River meets the Smoky River was formerly known as Hell's Gate. Lookout platforms at this site offer beautiful views. There is a 15-site campground, two equestrian campgrounds with corrals, and two equestrian day-use sites. This site is the main access to Willmore Wilderness Park.

This well-maintained trail crisscrosses underneath the gondola on Sulphur Mountain and climbs from the parking lot to the summit. You can hike up and take the gondola down, but you should check schedules first. A restaurant and cafeteria are located at the summit along with a viewing platform and interpretive signage. Allow four hours to hike the trail round-trip. Difficult.

The small, stone weather station, a recognized heritage building, sits on top of an exposed ridge at the peak of Sulphur Mountain. It was built in 1902 and Norman Sanson was in charge of the weather station from 1902--1945. He summited the peak more than a thousand times in all seasons and his weather reports were published in the Banff newspaper under the pseudonym "Seer Altitudinous." He was 84 years old when he retired from the job and the peak was renamed Sanson's Peak in his honor in 1948. Nearby is a concrete foundation and a bronze plaque recognizing Sulphur Mountain Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site. Between 1957 and 1978, geophysicists studied cosmic rays and space particles entering the atmosphere from the station on top of Sulphur Mountain. Today you can hike up as Sanson did, or ride the gondola.

Some of the most beautiful panoramic views in Jasper can be enjoyed on this 8-km (5-mile) trail. From the summit, you can see the Fiddle River Valley, the foothills, the Miette Mountain Range, and the cliffs of Asher Ridge; it's particularly lovely in the autumn. This is a difficult hike with 700 meters (2,297 feet) of elevation gain, and the first 2.2 km (1.4 miles) is a steady climb across an open mountainside to Shuey Pass. Take the right branch when the trail splits and continue up the switchbacks to reach the summit. Along the way, you'll pass a large boulder that is a white quartzite glacial erratic that was moved there during the ice age. Near the top, the trail becomes very rocky and steep. Hiking poles can be helpful going up and coming down the steep sections. A soak in Miette Hot Springs is a great reward after the hike. Moderate.  Miette Road leading to the trailhead is closed from mid-October to mid-May.

This moderate 11.6-km (7.2-mile) hike begins on the north side of Highway 66. After hiking up about 150 meters (492 feet), you merge onto the Elbow Valley Trail. After about 1 km (0.6 mile), you will find the sign for the start of the Sulphur Springs Trail. Follow the Sulphur Springs Trail for about 4 km (2½ miles) and enjoy great views of Prairie Mountain and Nihahi Ridge. As the trail descends, the trail merges with the Elbow River Trail and the Sulphur Springs Trail ends and the Riverview Trail begins. The Riverview Trail follows along the Elbow River and provides great views into the gorges of the river. As you follow the river, the trail will take you to Paddy’s Flat campground. From the campground, you can either walk the roadway or continue along the Elbow River back to the day-use area. This trail has 416 meters (1,365 feet) of elevation gain. Moderate.

The Liverpool area has easy access to some of the South Shore's best beaches, and this one has more than a kilometer of fine, pale-color sand. Backing the beach is a dune system that shelters nesting sites for piping plovers—a clue to the location's uncrowded tranquility—and beyond this are salt marshes. Make sure to stick to the designated paths here. The shallow water makes Summerville ideal for families, and near the beach is a picnic area with tables that have sunshades. Amenities: parking (free); toilets. Best for: solitude; sunset; swimming; walking.

It's a beautiful and relatively easy hike along the Sunburst Trail from Assiniboine Lodge to Elizabeth Lake. The Sunburst Trail branches off the Lake Magog Trail just before the campground. The trail goes along the shore of Sunburst Lake past Lizzie Rummel's log cabin to Cerulean Lake and then climbs a ridge where you have the option of turning east to hike 1 km (0.6 mile) up to the Niblet or continuing straight to Elizabeth Lake. The hike is 4.4 km (2.7 miles) one-way to Elizabeth Lake without adding the Niblet and Nublet. You can do it in a loop by continuing on from Elizabeth Lake and turning east along the shore of Cerulean Lake. Easy.

Farther along Beach Avenue toward Burrard Bridge, Sunset Beach, between Thurlow and Broughton Streets, is too close to the Downtown core for clean, safe swimming. But it is a great spot for an evening stroll. It's also a "quiet" beach, which means no amplified music. You can catch a ferry to Granville Island here. Amenities: food and drink, lifeguards, parking (for a fee), and toilets. Best for: sunset and walking.

"Sunwapta" is the indigenous Stoney word for "turbulent river." There are two sets of falls at this site, but most people just see the Upper Falls, which are a short walk from the parking area. Though smaller than the Athabasca Falls to the north, they have a drop of about 18½ meters (60 feet) and are prettiest in the late spring when the spring melt is at its peak. The second set of falls is just a 3.2-km (2-mile) hike from the first set.

Marking the border between Banff and Jasper National Parks, Sunwapta is the second-highest drivable pass—2,034 meters (6,675 feet)—in the parks. Wildlife is most visible in spring and autumn after a snowfall, when herds of bighorn sheep come to the road to lick up the salt used to melt snow and ice. Be prepared for hairpin turns as you switchback up to the pass summit.

The Sunwapta Pass marks the boundary between Banff and Jasper National Parks about 108 km (67 miles) southeast of the town of Jasper and 122 km (76 miles) northwest of the Parkway's junction with the Trans-Canada Highway near Lake Louise. The pass is the second highest point on the Icefields Parkway. You'll know you're there when you see the sign marking the boundary between the two parks.

Established in 1875, this body became Canada's ultimate court of appeal in 1949. The nine judges sit in their stately art deco building for three sessions each year. The 10-foot-high statues of Justice and Truth flanking the entranceway were forgotten for 50 years and then rediscovered in 1969, buried in their original shipping crates under a parking lot.

This 4.8-km (3-mile) trail begins with a view of a waterfall on Bow River, leads through meadows and forests and past sheer cliffs, and ends at the hoodoos (spirelike rock formations formed by erosion) in the eastern part of Banff townsite. Easy.

Dating from 1894, this mill participated in the transition from water to steam power. Steam engines allowed greater flexibility about location—mills no longer had to be near a river or other water source—and provided more raw power to run factory machinery. Workers at the Sutherland mill manufactured useful wooden items ranging from carriages and sleds to wooden bathtubs, and you'll see hundreds of examples displayed inside, along with tools of the trade, some of which were ingeniously repurposed from other uses. Interesting demonstrations and hands-on activities sometimes take place in July and August.

A tribute to Swissair Flight 111, which crashed into the waters off Peggy's Cove in 1998, this memorial commemorates the 229 casualties and honors the courageous local fisherfolk involved in recovery efforts and in comforting the grieving families.

This two-for-one museum across the harbor from Sydney proper chronicle the area's prehistoric and more recent pasts. The mines museum, which occupies a small converted train station, surveys area history but focuses on Sydney's coal-mining connection. Displays at the fossil center include 300-million-year-old specimens from the Sydney Coal Fields.

The view from the top of Table Mountain is one of the prettiest scenes in the Canadian Rockies. The hike is 10 km (6.2 miles) round-trip and takes about four hours in total. It’s a moderately difficult trail with a 700-meter (2,300-foot) elevation gain and a lot of scrambling near the top, but the views are well worth the effort. The trail begins in Castle Provincial Park and ends in Castle Wildlands Provincial Park. You'll find the trailhead at Beaver Mines Lake Campground. Difficult.

"Takakkaw" means wonderful in Cree, and when you see these falls—373 meters (1,224 feet) tall—there's no question how they got their name. Although an incredible marvel of nature even when viewed from the parking lot, the falls are best experienced at the viewing spot accessed via a short, easy walk, where the roar of the water becomes great and you can feel the water spray your face. On the trail, right before you cross the Yoho River footbridge, take time to sit in Parks Canada's signature red Adirondack chairs. The trail to Yoho Lake also starts here.

This beautiful 48-meter (157 foot) tall multi-tiered waterfall lies right off the Icefields Parkway, but it's easy to miss. Look for a small roadside pullout north of the Glacier Skywalk. The waterfalls are across from the parking area.

Spanning the Nova Scotia–New Brunswick border and covering more than 20,000 acres, the Tantramar Marshes stretch from Amherst up to Sackville and are alive with incredible birdlife and other wildlife. The name comes from the French tintamarre (meaning din or hubbub) because of the racket made by vast flocks of wildfowl. The Tantramar is a migratory route for hundreds of thousands of birds and a breeding ground for more than 100 species.

Creamery Square is the hub of activity in Tatamagouche, and this waterfront heritage center on the square has gathered together several museums that were previously dotted around town. Located in a former dairy facility, the center appropriately includes the Creamery Museum, with butter-making equipment and related displays. The Sunrise Trail Museum traces Tatamagouche's Mi'kmaq, Acadian, French, and Scottish roots through interactive displays. The Anna Swan Museum relates the story of local giantess Anna Swan (1846–88), who grew to the height of 7 feet 11½ inches. Finally, the Brule Fossil Centre preserves 290-million-year-old fossil tracks that were discovered nearby in 1994. Demonstrations on boatbuilding and butter making are regularly staged. This is also the site of a Saturday-morning farmers' market from February through December.

Eco-friendly Tawse Winery is so committed to producing top-notch Pinot Noir that it installed a six-level gravity-flow system to avoid overhandling the delicate grapes. The investment seems to be paying off, especially considering it's been voted "Winery of the Year" multiple years at the Canada Wine Awards. The rural hillside winery is modern, its big stainless-steel vats visible from the tasting room. Also consider visiting their chic, small-batch sister down the road, Redstone Winery.  Don't leave empty-handed; tasting fees are waived if you buy two or more bottles.