As the second-largest country in the world, finding the best places to visit in Canada is no easy task. The country is divided into ten provinces and three territories. In such a big and adventurous place it is best to have fully insured. Insurance4u have many travel insurance coverages that fits your need.
This Blog explores the top 7 best places to visit in Canada. And while you're here, bookmark my picks for the top Canada road trips.
Top 7 best places in Canada
Vancouver
You can fulfil your sea and forest dreams on Vancouver Island, located in the southwest corner of Canada.
Explore Victoria (the capital city of British Columbia), go hiking along the coast, surf in Tofino, and visit some of Canada's oldest forests while you're there.
But most importantly, do not miss a whale-watching tour. Depending on the season, you can see Grey Whales, Orcas, Minke Whales, or Humpbacks. It is best to visit between April and October if whale watching is a priority for you. This is when Orcas and Humpbacks are most abundant.
Banff National Park
The oldest national park in Canada is Banff National Park, located in the Canadian Rockies. In addition to its sheer size and remote location, many people are drawn to this untouched piece of the world for its isolation alone – outside of Banff and Lake Louise, the park's only settlements.
There are two popular routes through the park, but it doesn’t matter too much which one you choose. Both are filled with jaw-dropping scenery, from glistening multicoloured lakes and dramatic canyons to beautiful viewpoints and majestic waterfalls. Almost all of the park's attractions are serviced by shuttle buses, so your car isn't a requirement.
Snowshoeing and paddling the lake are two great activities for active visitors, while wildlife watchers will have a blast watching the grizzly bears in Banff National Park.
Montreal
Montreal is Quebec's largest city and an artistic mecca, situated at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa rivers.
There are many things to do in Montreal, including taking a customized food tour (the city is famous for bagels, smoked meat, and poutine), hiking Mount Royal, strolling the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal, visiting the Biodome, exploring the Phi Centre, and attending a festival.
Particularly great are Just for Laughs, Osheaga (which I personally experienced), POP Montreal, Montreal En Lumiere, and St-Ambroise Montreal Fringe Festival.
Whistler
Whistler, In addition to being one of the largest, best-equipped, and most popular ski resorts in the world, this alpine village is the best place for you. Featuring over 200 marked runs winding down two towering mountains - Whistler and Blackcomb - this destination is a skier’s paradise.
Whistler's ski season is legendary, but summer visitors with their downhill mountain bikes and stand-up paddleboards make it a year-round hot spot for locals and tourists alike.
Niagara Falls
A series of impressive waterfalls, Niagara Falls is located on the border between Ontario and New York in Canada. Horseshoe Falls is the Ontario side of the Falls and offers the best views and most attractions. In addition to observation towers, restaurants, souvenir shops, casinos, and high-rise hotels, the immediate area surrounding the Falls is a premier tourist destination.
Niagara Falls, on the Ontario side, are illuminated and fireworks are displayed nightly at Queen Victoria Park during the summer, making it one of the best places to watch them. With helicopter tours, jet boat tours, an observation deck next to Skylon Tower, and elevators that take you behind the falls, you can view them from above or below.
With nearly three million residents, Toronto is the most densely populated city in Canada and is part of the Golden Horseshoe region, which stretches from Lake Ontario to Niagara Falls.
Toronto
As the provincial capital of the Ontario province, Toronto is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with fewer than 100 ethnic communities calling it home. It’s one of the only places in Canada where more than half of the residents were not born in the country. But it’s this melting pot that makes Toronto who it is. Different neighbourhoods have different food, and street signs are written in different languages.
The CN Tower is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. It was the tallest free-standing structure in the world until it was surpassed by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. From its observation deck, skypod, and 360 Restaurant, you can take in a 360-degree view of the city. Even just riding the glass elevator up is worth it!
Ottawa
As Canada's capital city, Ottawa is the meeting point of three rivers. Its population is the sixth largest in the country, and it's growing. It's unusual for the city to be bilingual; both English and French are spoken here.
In the middle of the 19th century, Ottawa was once known as Bytown, and many lumber mills were built along the Ottawa River. Now, Ottawa is a beautiful, green city with lush parks and waterways. During the summer, biking trails are popular, and during the winter, these trails are converted into ski trails. The Rideau Canal runs directly through the city centre and is the world’s largest ice skating ring in winter.
You can’t go wrong with visiting the Byward Market, but if you’re interested in history, you are in luck. The National Library and Archives, the fourth largest library in the world, is one of Ottawa's most spectacular historic buildings, even though it isn't Canada's official cultural capital.