Updated date:

Jun 10, 2019

Seven Places to See in Canada Before You Die

Author:

Our Home and Native Land

Our family never did any travelling when I was growing up so it has always been one of my dreams. I think I am a natural explorer even though I never really venture far from home.

Money can be a big hindrance to travelling but my husband and I bit the bullet twice over the past four years and decided if we were ever going to do it it was best to do it now.

We divided our trip into two adventures. The first. Driving from Eastern Ontario to Nova Scotia stopping in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island along the way. The second, RVing with the in-laws to British Columbia. We saw a lot of places but not nearly enough to say we have seen it all. Canada is so big! And there is still so much to see.

Citation: images copyright M. E. Wood.

Poll Question

Open to Recommendations

The more suggestions the better...

What follows are my suggestions for places to see in Canada before you die based on these two trips. If you have been somewhere you would like to recommend then please consider leaving your recommendation in the guest book below or better yet... create a Hubpage and let me know and I will link to it. But make sure you let me know so I can visit too.

Niagara Falls

A busy but exhilarating experience...

Niagara Falls is a border town which falls on the Canadian side in Ontario and on the U.S. side in New York. There are two sets of falls. The larger of the two falls is on the Canadian side and are called the Horseshoe Falls because of its curved resemblance to a horseshoe.

Must see attractions at Niagara include:

Niagara Falls In Pictures - Just a glimpse of what awaits you in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

The lookout for the Journey Behind the Falls.

Rapids beneath the Great Gorge Railway -- they move 35km/hr.

Niagara Spanish Aero Car -- that is the Niagara Whirlpool beneath it.

Niagara Parks Greenhouse -- a floral fantasy.

The American falls viewed from Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Canadian Horseshoe Falls

Read About Niagara Falls - Explore through reading...

Of course it is always nice to see things first hand but it is not always realistic. Here are a few options from Amazon to give you some mist in your face.

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

Nanabijou

The Sleeping Giant or Sibley as she is known to long-term residents is a peninsula that hugs the shores of Thunder Bay, Ontario protecting it from Lake Superior. The rock formations on the peninsula resemble a reclining figure with arms folded across its chest. Of course there are many legends surrounding the figure but the most common is from an ancient Ojibway narrative about Nanna Bijou, the Spirit of the Deep Sea Water, who was turned to stone when one of his people was tricked into sharing the whereabouts of the tribe's silver mine.

As part of a provincial park its protected boreal forests and man-made trails provides a home for an array of wildlife from deer, moose and fox to shore and water birds like the heron and loon.

Must see attractions when visiting The Sleeping Giant:

View of Sleeping Giant from Hillcrest Park, Thunder Bay

Stop for a persian from The Persian Man on Balmoral in Thunder Bay.

Hopewell Rocks

During low tide visitors to the Hopewell Rocks, in Hopewell Cape, New Brunswick can walk out onto the Bay of Fundy floor to journey around these amazing natural formations.

This can be an all day adventure if you arrive early... because it is so busy I highly recommend the earlier the better during the summer tourist season.

Must see attractions when visiting the Hopewell Rocks:

Photos of Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick - Unique formations leave a lasting impression...

The grated stares that allow people to go up and down depending on tide. Very tight fit when busy.

Overview of Hopewell Rocks from above.

Jasper National Park

Every day is breathtaking...

If you long to be surrounded by mountain peaks and exceptional wildlife then you must take the time to go camping in Jasper's National Park, "Canada's largest rocky mountain park". Wake to caribou grazing outside your tent or go and hike a glacier or gaze into turquoise lakes.

Must see attractions at Jasper National Park include:

Jasper and Surrounding Region in Pictures

Mountain goats outside of Jasper campground.

On route to Jasper.

The Badlands

Not so bad...

The amazing land formations that exist in the badlands of Alberta, especially in the Drumheller area are definitely a must see. As are the Hoo Doos and the dinosaur museum.

Our time here was so short because we did not know better. I would definitely like to spend more time exploring here.

Must see attractions in the Badlands include:

Drumheller in Pictures

The Badlands landscape.

Confederation Bridge

"The longest bridge, the shortest route"

Spanning between PEI and New Brunswick this 8 mile (12.9-kilometre) bridge is a visual phenomenon to see from the sidelines and to drive.

The Confederation Bridge

The Confederation Bridge in Pictures

Coming up to the Confederation Bridge leading to P.E.I. from New Brunswick.

Coming up to the Confederation Bridge leading to P.E.I. from New Brunswick.

The Cabot Trail

The circle is complete...

Located in the province of Nova Scotia on Cape Breton Island, this is one of my favorite places to see in Canada. Water meets land everywhere you look and the land is so incredibly lush.

Must see attractions when visiting Cape Breton Island:

Cape Breton in Pictures

Driving around the Cabot Trail -- So beautiful!

Driving around the Cabot Trail -- So beautiful!

Canada Travel Wish List

Canada being such a huge topographical area with so much to see, it is not surprising that I have a wish list of places in Canada where I would like to visit but have not been... yet. This is my list in no particular order.

Newfoundland
Montreal, Quebec
Pretty much anywhere in the North West Territories but especially Yellowknife.
Anywhere in the Yukon but especially Whitehorse.
Northern British Columbia.
Wood Buffalo National Park in Northern Alberta.
Wapusk National Park in Manitoba.
Polar Bear Provincial Park in northern Ontario.

Thank you so much for stopping by to read my lens and view my photos. I really love hearing from you so please share with us where you have been in Canada and what you consider to be one of the "must visit" places. If you have never been then where would you like to go?

Canada, the Beautiful - It is so big it makes it impossible for one person to experience it all.

helen81 on August 06, 2014:

Beautiful!

Richard from Hampshire - England on July 11, 2014:

What beautiful and fascinating places. I would love to visit one day!

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on July 02, 2014:

@BarbaraCasey: Cool.. four more to go! :D

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on July 02, 2014:

@Sara2901: I could never do the Edge Walk around the CN Tower. Definitely not on my bucket list. LOL

Sara2901 on July 01, 2014:

Canada is really beautiful. Last month my daughter, her cousins and their aunt did the Edge Walk around the CN Tower. My heart stopped seeing them walk around attached only to a harness system :)

BarbaraCasey on July 01, 2014:

Cool... I've been to three of the seven already. Neat lens.

Laura Hofman from Naperville, IL on April 07, 2014:

We loved Niagara Falls, Montreal, Toronto, and Quebec. Would love to explore more of Canada! Thank you for whetting my appetite!

AnonymousC831 from Kentucky on April 03, 2014:

Great lens, love your photos.

Jimcalagoure on March 11, 2014:

This is really a great list. These places are the dream tourist places for the visitors of Canada.

sethandressen on February 26, 2014:

Beautiful! A spectacular dream.

ViolaSuSi on September 02, 2013:

Spectacular photos. Amazing the Confederation Bridge.

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on June 30, 2013:

@JohnCumbow: An across Canada train ride has always been a dream of mine.

JohnCumbow on June 29, 2013:

About 35 years ago I took the train from Vancouver, B.C. to Toronto. The scenery along the way was breathtaking. I've always wanted to take that trip again.

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on June 23, 2013:

@Northerntrials: There is so, so much more indeed. Thanks for stopping by!

Northerntrials on June 22, 2013:

I've just spent two weeks working just outside of Jasper National Park. I visited often . I wrote a few lenses

Nice list here but there's so much more.

RennyCross on June 22, 2013:

Indeed you chose 7 places that every canadian and non canadian should see before one dies. Other thing which i haven't seen is "Museum of Archaeology and History" from Montreal which I would like to see when I travel this time to Canada. I think July good time to visit. I will definitely refer this 7 places and will make sure i visit most of them.

GameHelp on June 20, 2013:

What a fantastic lens, I need to explore my home country Canada more instead of going to different countries. Very interesting!

anonymous on June 19, 2013:

Hi,

My name is Sharon and I am living in Toronto,

Me and my family are traveling a lot in Toronto,

and we traveled in Alberta, the most amazing place in the world

I also have a web site that describe all the nice places we have been

www.allfamilytravels.com

Thanks

anonymous on June 13, 2013:

i like Canada lived there

marktplaatsshop on June 13, 2013:

wow it looks like I am already there, but want to come my self, great lens.

Edith Rose from Canada on June 12, 2013:

Would like to visit all those places.

natureadventure on June 07, 2013:

Beautiful country, beautiful places to visit, and great lens.

ddayse123 on June 01, 2013:

I've been to Canada many times and I've enjoyed it each time. Niagara Falls is one of my favorite spots to visit.

anonymous on May 30, 2013:

WOW, CANADA IS KOOL, LOVED UR LENS DEAR. cheers

mos_go on May 28, 2013:

Just added Canada to my travel list. Thanks for the info!

Jeff Johnston from Alberta Canada on May 16, 2013:

Excellent, I am Canadian I used to Live close to Niagara Falls, now I live close to Jasper ;) U Jelly ;)

observant trave on April 28, 2013:

Canada is a beautiful country with some amazing landscapes and natural beauty. you have crafted this lens very well. Thanks for the efforts in making of this lens.

ajmac on April 23, 2013:

Thanks for showing all of the lovely places to see in Canada.My favourite place is Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia.Beautiful scenery and very friendly people.Great lens here. Thank you for sharing

energydoc1 on April 22, 2013:

Excellent photos. Longing to make a cross-country drive

Northerntrials on April 08, 2013:

Too true. Canada is too big and too beautiful to narrow down only 7 places. I've lived in almost every province myself as dad was in the military so we moved quite a bit. It's given me the rare privilege to see most of Canada. I think I'll take you up on the challenge to write about my favorite places in Canada. Thanks for the memories and the opportunity. Awesome lens.

Aunt-Mollie on April 07, 2013:

Gorgeous pictures. Your descriptions are like taking a tour.

RajlakshmiHB on April 05, 2013:

woww those are some amazing places

hmommers on April 04, 2013:

Looks beautiful!

Birthday Wishes from Here on April 02, 2013:

Wow, so many lovely pctures... I would love to visit them all once I get the chance to go to Canada! Great lens!!!

makorip lm on March 23, 2013:

In Seattle we are close to Canada. Love Canada, try to get to Vancouver as often as possible. Good lens.

myoyster1957 on March 23, 2013:

Nice lens, I love Canada

pauly99 lm on February 28, 2013:

Been to British Columbia many a time. Absolutely breathtaking!

Auriel on February 27, 2013:

amazing place.

Lee from Derbyshire, UK on February 21, 2013:

Brilliant lens! It's always been a long term goal of mine to make it to Canada and check out some of the amazing sights that it has to offer!

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on February 14, 2013:

I would love to spend more time on BC's coast too. Here's to both of us getting what we want. Thanks for stopping by.

ChristyZ on February 13, 2013:

Great suggestions! I love Thunder Bay and would like to spend some time in Prince Edward Island one day. :)

kabbalah lm on February 07, 2013:

I love the Banff-Jasper area

anonymous on February 04, 2013:

I live in Canada and have travelled from coast to coast. You have great pics, all are wonderful places to visit. Thanx for reminding of how beautiful our country is.

AdamzPg on January 22, 2013:

I will be in Canada in March 2014 and have bookmarked this lens as a reference. Can't wait tho explore Canada!

niels010 on January 18, 2013:

What a beautiful places are there in Canada, I definitely go to Canada for fishing

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on January 14, 2013:

@GardenerDon: Oh, yes, I could see definitely not having to take pictures after the 7th time. All the more time for just enjoying the view and not having to worry about camera gear. :D Thanks for stopping by.

Gardener Don on January 14, 2013:

The pictures of the Cabot Trail bought back great memories of a road trip there 2 falls ago. Finally, after about 7 times I quit taking pictures of quaint little harbours with lobster boats tied up - after a while they're all remarkably similar. Enjoyed your lens very much

sharonha on January 11, 2013:

Canada have a real treasure, i will suggest some time to travel to the Rockies Mountain ,

Its the most beautiful place in the world, we have done it by RV and were really enjoy from that,

If someone is interesting, I recorded our trail, so you can see it on :

www.allfamilytravels.com/the-rockies-mountain/

neverasbad on January 08, 2013:

I've been to quite a few places in Canada, but none where you've mentioned. Thanks for the list. I guess I got more traveling to do. :)

paulgrossman on January 06, 2013:

Great picture shares! I love Niagara Falls and now I'm interested in your recommendations. There really are lots of beautiful, scenic places in Canada. Time to start saving up for some trips! :) Great lens!

nacinaci on January 04, 2013:

beautiful places .... awwww

affgoal on January 03, 2013:

I've always wanted to travel to Canada - great lens!

NibsyNell on December 30, 2012:

Breathtaking! :) I am determined to visit these sights once I've saved up enough money. :)

tricomanagement on December 28, 2012:

PEI was there many, many years ago - beautiful. Toronto is still one of my most favorite cities in the world.

CanadaRed LM on December 28, 2012:

Still my Favorite lens!

Stephanie from Canada on December 28, 2012:

Great lens! So many places I want to see! Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario is also good.

applejacking on December 25, 2012:

Niagara Falls still number one in my tour destination.

imagelist lm on December 24, 2012:

Great lens with valuable info...

chattersharon on December 24, 2012:

I would love to get the Martitimes!

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on December 24, 2012:

@Sunday-Vintage: Thanks! There are just so many beautiful places. ;D

Sunday-Vintage on December 23, 2012:

As a Canadian I have to say I love your lens! There are many places in which I still have yet to visit but also have to add that the Shuswap is another beautiful place in BC :)

Jo-Jackson on December 22, 2012:

I have never been to Canada but love your photos and have Niagara Falls on my wish list.

WorldsBestDad on December 13, 2012:

I agree, Niagara Falls is absolutely beautiful and the Canadian side of the falls is much nicer than the US side. And the Maid of the Mist boat ride is definitely worth the price of admission. =)

Jeph Maystruck from Regina, SK on November 22, 2012:

Canada has a lot of hidden gems, both coasts are where it's at for scenery and well general awesomeness. Which is weird that I live in Regina, Sask, right in the middle of the country. haha

carolweez on November 17, 2012:

Beautiful lens. The images are simply breathtaking. I really hope that I will be able to visit Canada once at least in this lifetime.

Takkhis on November 14, 2012:

I want to visit all these places someday.

Auriel on November 05, 2012:

Beautiful places..great post.

TravelEase on October 31, 2012:

I have never visited Canada before but after viewing your lens, this will be my next travel plan.

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on October 24, 2012:

@Bookmama2: Unfortunately I am not a skier. I know, I know, how could I live here and not be. Sorry I could not be of help. But the most common place mentioned by others in my area is Mont-Tremblant.

anonymous on October 24, 2012:

fantastic lens.

Bookmama2 on October 21, 2012:

We've wanted to go up and go cross-country (Nordic) skiing in Canada, since you typically have snow later than we do in New York (we're mid-state), but I have trouble finding information about where to go sking when looking on the internet. Any advice would be most welcome.

TravelEase on October 21, 2012:

Amazing scenes. I haven't been to Canada, but after visiting your lens, I will make it high on my travel wish list.

thewafflingprem1 on October 12, 2012:

I have been to some of the ski resort in banff and the scenery was beautiful! Nice list.

Linda Jo Martin from Post Falls, Idaho, USA on October 10, 2012:

The Hopewell Rocks would be my travel destination in Canada.. I would love to travel through New Brunswick and Nova Scotia...

MegaLED on October 05, 2012:

thanks for the tour

JadaFuego on October 04, 2012:

The pictures are absolutely breathtaking, great job with this lens!!

Kristen from Wisconsin on September 25, 2012:

Canada is definitely on my list of places to visit. Now I have some great places to search out!

anonymous on September 23, 2012:

Hey,I live in ontario and I always see niagara falls on this type of page. I've always disliked visiting the falls because once you see the falls, you're stuck in a cheap tourist trap that's kilometers away from any other town. I think you'd be better off visiting Vancouver or the Rockies. Just my personal opinion.

olmpal on September 20, 2012:

Such beautiful and interesting places! I can't pick a favorite!

sunny saib on September 09, 2012:

The Sleeping Giant and Niagara Falls are places I'd surely visit..

Kay on September 08, 2012:

We've visited Canada and it really is beautiful! Very nice page!

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on September 06, 2012:

@anonymous: Thanks Lara! I have never really been much of a beach person. I like to take a walk there once in a while but really prefer lush forests. We have a great beach near us but after an hour of sun and surf I am pretty much ready to go home. LOL Thanks so much for passing the beach info on to fellow readers!

sofirax on September 06, 2012:

My next travel destination is Canada, definitely!

anonymous on September 06, 2012:

Hi, I'm from Manitoba. We spent this past summer traveling West with our kids which was wonderful. The mountains are beautiful. It's a breathtaking view. We've been as far as Victoria, and spent time in Sask, Alberta, and BC. It's always nice to visit but what I miss the most on these trips is the water. Lots of water in the mountains but to cold to swim in. Guess I'm a beach girl at heart. We do a lot of trips close to home here as well. Maitoba is definitely farm Industry but for recreation its lake country. Over 14.5 % of our province is covered in water. We have a world renowned beach with white sand, and more beaches than you can count. Fishing is plentiful here and week long canoe trips where you will experience wildlife and true peace like no other. Unfortunately the main highway through this province is quite boring and not a very poor representation of what it has to offer for recreation. My favorite places are Falcon Lake, Hecla island, Gimili, Grand beach, and Caddy lake which has tunnels you pass thru to get from lake to lake. I think the mountains are gorgeous, and a must see but if you like it hotter, there's nothing that tops the beaches and boating in Manitoba. :)

karen-stephens on September 01, 2012:

Thanks for the great Canadian traveling site. And thanks for visiting our site on why we love Canada as a beautiful (and cheap) place to retire in! p.s. that confederation bridge is scary in the winter~

jillbrowne lm on August 29, 2012:

North shore of Lake Superior is stunning.

karen-stephens on August 27, 2012:

You must see Haida Guai (Charlottes) this the most beautiful place for those that like magical places on earth.

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on August 25, 2012:

@anonymous: I would love to go back and spend some more time in the area. Looking back it felt rushed. I would love to see the tides come and go.

anonymous on August 24, 2012:

I'd love to see Hopewell Rocks.

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on August 23, 2012:

@tonybonura: That is definitely bitter cold. The most I have ever experienced is -50C and that was only for a few days -- I have only seen the light show a few times and it amazes me every time. Thanks for stopping by.

Tony Bonura from Tickfaw, Louisiana on August 23, 2012:

Thanks for the info. I was in Canada once in 1980 in January. We were out on a frozen oil rig in the frozen foothill of the Rockies. Except for the bitter cold (it was -40F or C in Calgary and -60F out at the rig when I got there) I did enjoy the job I was sent to do. Got to see the light show in sky and that was amazing to this Louisiana boy.

TonyB

coolmon2009 lm on August 23, 2012:

Nice article, I will add some of these destinations to my bucket list

acneanswers on August 13, 2012:

My vacation next year has to include canada after reading this. THANKS

carhireassistant on August 12, 2012:

Canada is firmly on my list of things to do in the next 3 years. Great infor, thanks.

sentanta lm on August 12, 2012:

I've been to Cape Breton - beautiful, friendly people though I did take some teasing for liking the NY Rangers who were terrible that year

esichrissa on August 11, 2012:

that falls put me to awe..awesomeness!!!!

Moe Wood (author) from Eastern Ontario on August 08, 2012: