Most Popular Places to Visit in Canada, 2023, Top Attractions

Best Places to Visit in Canada, Top Attractions

The best places to visit in Canada are a proof that the country has a heart bigger than its size when it comes to satiating the wanderlust of every type of traveler. You would happily agree with us once you see them with your own eyes. Be it the lakes, the gardens, or the cities as a whole, Canada has got it all that would make your holiday worthwhile! Explore the cosmopolitan Toronto streets and the mountains of Canadian Rockies. There is a whole lot of destinations that  you can visit in this second largest country in the world. Canada will mesmerize you with its vibrant landscapes, raw nature, and soul-filling culture. No wonder, people oftne flock to Canada for a dose of adventure and exuberance.  This Commonwealth country is actually the world’s second largest. Most of that land area, however, is complete wilderness. That is certainly one of the draws of Canada: the utterly vast expanses of nature to really and truly get lost in. Its national parks are truly massive, offering picture-perfect vistas. Mountaineering, hiking, boating, swimming, cycling – there’s a lot of rewards here if you’re a fan of the great outdoors. Spot grizzly bears in Banff National Park, hit the powdered slopes of Whistler, or taste your way through some of Vancouver’s freshest wild salmon. There’s something in Canada for everyone. Away from the stunning nature of Canada – also including the Great Lakes Region – you can explore its culture and history. Get stuck into the Francophone region of Quebec, the sparkling skyscrapers and East Asian culture pockets in Vancouver, Toronto’s elegant Victorian architecture, and Canada’s ‘château style’ grand railway hotels and neo-gothic public buildings in Ottawa. Plan your trip to this wonderful travel destination in North America with our list of the best places to visit in Canada. From the cosmopolitan streets of Toronto to the mountain peaks of the Canadian Rockies, our neighbor to the north features a diverse set of vacation destinations. Deciding which one is perfect for your next getaway can be difficult. That's why U.S. News considered several factors, such as affordability, entertainment options and diversity of hotels and resorts, as well as user votes and expert opinions, to compile this list of the best places to visit in Canada. Vote for your favorite spot below to have a say in next year's list.

#1- Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is known for its vast interior of maple hills, rocky ridges and thousands of lakes along with a vast stretch of around 7635 square kilometres of forests and rivers. It’s a good place to go for kayaking or hiking. The park is very much famous for its unique trails such as Whiskey Rapids Trail, along the Oxtongue River, and the Barron Canyon Trail, with views from the north rim. Apart from all these, the park has got a recreated camp and a steam powered tug which entices all the visitors coming over to this place.

#2- Butchart Gardens
Butchart Gardens is quite an enchanting group of floral display gardens in British Columbia, Canada on Vancouver Island. It is said that the beauty of this place has attracted millions of tourists every year and is also a national historic site of Canada. You can come over to this place during the peak season which extends from the month of July to the month of August. During this time of the year, the gardens are in their full glow and they would definitely lure your senses. The Butchart Gardens are open year-round and each season brings its different flowers and charm.

#3- Stanley Park
Stanley Park is not only a major tourist attraction in Vancouver but also a renowned and most beloved urban park. It is basically a 400 hectare natural west coast rainforest that is filled with mountains and majestic trees along Stanley Park’s famous Seawall. Here you can have a great time at its beaches, local wildlife, amazing eateries, natural and cultural landmarks etc. This place also has Canada’s largest Aquarium

#4- Peyto Lake
Peyto Lake is formed by the melting of glaciers into a valley in the Canadian Rockies. This bright turquoise coloured lake gets its colour from the nearby suspended rock particles as well as due to the direct flow of water from the glacier. The blue water of this lake is so gorgeous that many tourists find it unbelievable and worth treasuring every bit of it in photographs, videos and films.

#5- Calgary
Calgary is the Centre city for Canada’s oil industry that is filled with skyscrapers and every shade of the western culture. That is how it is also referred to as “cow town”. While at Calgary you can watch the massive Calgary stampede rodeo, the Calgary tower, Calgary zoo, heritage parks, museums or even go skiing as well as snowboarding at Win sport.

#6- Capilano Suspension Bridge
A suspension bridge that is not like any other bridge in Vancouver should be a must visit on your list for a perfect weekend getaway. Above the Capilano river and among the dense fir trees, this place leads to somewhere calm where you can enjoy nearby restaurants , gift shops as well as watch how lit this place looks with lights wrapped on it in the evening hours. The place is also known for having cable cars and ropeways.

#7- Columbia Icefield Skywalk
With really cool educational centres and guides, you get to experience the wonderful ice field and walk on glossy glacier-like surfaces. It has been tested that a single square inch of the glass can handle over 1000 pounds of weight. If you are lucky, you’ll be able to spot mountain goats and some other beautiful wildlife here. This is because the Columbia icefield skywalk is situated in a national park.

#8- The Yukon
Wildly mountainous and sparsely populated, Yukon is a territory in North West Canada. It was initially famous for its historical Klondike gold rush in the year 1890. This place helps you know how breathtaking every bit of this place is and how friendly the people here are. You can even go on a tour of this place visiting mountains, tombs, canyons and even the gorgeous national parks.

#9- Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is a really pretty island that has a series of adventures awaiting you on a 175kilometer long island. Here each cove and every inlet reveals welcoming communities, stunning wildlife, distinct cultures and a lot more. This place itself demands adventure with a myriad of culinary, coastal and mountainous activities. You can choose to go hiking, golfing, or to places of history, music and art.

#10- Mont-Tremblant
You can find Mont Tremblant in the northwest of Montreal. This amazing place is known best for its skiing facilities especially the Mont Tremblant Ski resort which occupies the highest peak in the mountain range.  This place boasts around six rivers and 400 lakes that allow its visitors to not only enjoy the view but also make good use of countless hiking trails, mountain biking adventures, horseback riding, fishing and so on

#11- Ottawa
The Capital City of Canada is one of the most important Tourist places in Canada to visit. It has famous architectures with historical significance. The giant Victorian style architecture is notable to appreciate. The city has a National Canadian museum which has many galleries comprising with Canadian arts and artifacts that would draw the attention of every tourist. One of the famous landmarks of this place is Rideau Canal which offers you boat riding during summer and ice skating during winter making this a perfect getaway for holidays.

#12- Athabasca Glacier
Athabasca is one of the most beautiful landmarks with massive glaciers all covering all around. It is one of the most visited spots containing National Parks and glacial bodies for ice skating. It is an absolutely magnificent landmark for sightseeing of the stunning icy landscapes.

#13- Winnipeg
Present in the heart of Canada, Winnipeg is one of the magnificent tourist places in Canada with a lot of historical visiting sites. Winnipeg is an unusual place famous for its multiple cultures. You'd find 100 languages diversified with notable nationalities. This place has museums that store the story of the past depicted in the form of art and designed walls. The architecture of the historical sites are a way more beautiful that would draw your attention the most. You can experience the maximum fun with it's people celebrating traditional festivals. Amidst everything it is one of the best places in Canada for a perfect getaway adventurous activity.

#14- Glacier National Park
Experience the breathtaking views of ice covered lands by visiting the magnificent Glacier National Park. It is a remarkable place and is famously called Crown of the Continent. The astounding views are worth experiencing for it's like being in an ice age due to the presence of massive ice lands all around. Some of the most popular tourist places in Canada that you come across while travelling this place are engineering marvel and Waterton- glacier international peace park.

#15- Peggy’s Cove
Peggy's Cove is one of the popular Tourist places in Canada for its breathtaking views and picturesque landscape. This place is composed of some local fishing communities making it a significant place. It has one of the popular attractions, Peggy's Point, that owns a red and white lighthouse.

#16- Johnstone Strait
The most stunning channel of Canada, Johnstone Strait which is covered entirely with glaciers in between the island of Columbia. It is a beautiful and unique place that offers you to watch the fastest swimming dolphins. You'll also get to watch the ample amount of marine creatures during your visit to one of the best tourist places in Canada. You'd find incredible ice covered mountains with spectacular views and a number of unknown wild islands.

#17- Manitoba
Witness the wild landscapes of mountains, rivers ,lakes and forests with giant expansion of grasslands having breathtaking scenes. It has a lot of insular Islands dwelling around. You can experience adventurous activities like hiking in the mountain trails, camping, biking, canoeing, etc., that would etch your fun in one of the best places in Canada.

#18- Tofino
Tofino is one of the most beautiful and popular tourist places in Canada that serve you with the natural scenery. The sand beach present over there offers you with the marvelous experience of surfing in the high tides. Various interesting fests like Pacific Rim Whale festival, Shorebird festival, art and music festivals are some famous events worth attending.

#19- Lake Ontario
Ontario, one of Canada’s most populous provinces is named because of this lake. Lake Ontario has a significant importance here since it provides drinking water to around 9 million people. Being one of the most sought after tourist places in Canada , it boasts one of the longest urban waterfronts of the world with nearly 30 miles of beaches, marinas and green lands.

#20- Prince Edward Island
A large island in the eastern Canada’s maritime province is known as Prince Edward Island.  Known for its red sand beaches, lighthouses and stretches of fertile farmland, this island has a lot more to offer. Its delicacies include various kinds of authentic seafood, lobsters and even mussels. Apart from this there are various places of art, theatre and gallery here

#21- Cape Breton Highlands National Park
Cape Breton Highlands are considered to be one of the world’s most scenic drives that are beautifully decorated with forested river canyons, rural fishing villages and plenty of viewpoints to admire the calming beauty of this place. The highlight of this place is the world famous Cabot trail that covers around one-third of the national park. You can avail all possible adventures through the 26 different kinds of hiking trails.

#21- Niagara Falls
One of the naturally held stunning waterfalls of the World, Niagara falls attracts a large number of visitors every year with it's aesthetic scenes. There's also a large number of amenities facilities while wandering around the falls like watching the whole scene of waterfalls from the observation towers.

#22- Jasper National Park
Discover the hidden beauty of Canada while trailing around Jasper National Park. View the excellent naturescape and the spectacular snow-filled mountains and massive glaciers that would fall around your way. You can also experience adventurous activities like hiking some interesting trails, skiing, camping at the mountains, river rafting as well as wildlife safaris during your visit to one of the best places in Canada.

#23- Banff National Park
Being Canada's first ever National Park, one can experience the exotic beauty of the rocky mountains of Banff National Park which offers you to explore the massive glaciers covering all of the lakes which makes an absolute picturesque landmark. You'd spot the beautiful village life amidst the top of high mountains that would enhance you with it's spectacular views. The forest within the mountains has numerous wildlife species. You can also experience adventurous activities like hiking, biking, camping, skiing in the glaciers, etc.

#24- Vancouver
Famously known for being the most populated city and home to some of the best places in Canada, Vancouver hosts a spectacular and lively atmosphere. Not only astounding with its vibrant cityscapes, Vancouver also offers you with some venturing activities like skiing, snow sports, kayaking and numerous water sports.

#25- Montreal
Montreal is the highest ranked and the largest city of Canada lying centrally on the floor of the island of Montreal. It has many historical tourist places in Canada with multi-cultural importance. Here you can witness some of the exotic beauty of the peak, multiple cuisines, festivals, art and culture with a French accent. It has enormous heritage sites of older times. It offers you with huge opportunities to lead a complete alfresco life exploring some of the best places in Canada.

#26- Quebec City
Quebec City is the most notable gateway worth experiencing. The availability of amenities throughout the year makes it the most standout and easily accessible destination. The winter season is regarded as the peak time to visit to experience audacious snowy adventures. It has mountains offering you to experience skiing. Not only from Adventure side but also if one can go through the fun amenities, you won't go lacking. It has an ample amount of fun activities to entertain the travellers. Apart from fun, being one of the top tourist places in Canada, it has some famous landmarks of historical importance as well.

#27- Okanagan Valley
Looking out for a perfect wine hub, then pay a visit to Okanagan which is a beautiful onshore landmark. Being surrounded by exotic pine trees and densely forested parks, it is one of the best Tourist places in Canada to visit. There's the plantation of various fruits within the orchards making it famous again. Vernon and Kamloops are the two most beautiful best places in Canada where you can seek the adventure of skiing making it famed as a popular ski resort.

#28- Vancouver Island
Off Canada’s pacific coast there is a beautiful island that is known for its soft mild climate and the thriving arts community. This place is called Vancouver Island. This incredible destination is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean on all sides. Prepare yourself for thrilling adventures amidst rainforests, beaches, mountains, lakes and its pristine rivers.

#29- Whitehorse
One of the largest cities of Canada, Whitehorse is famous for offering to view the spectacular Northern Lights. Being a complete transportation hub, it is densely populated with people buzzing around everywhere in one of the best places in Canada. It is a perfect getaway to unleash your inner wild fantasy towards adventure.

#30- Churchill
The most popular as well as an important dreaming Tourist place in Canada for every traveler, Churchill is the most demanding destination in the World wide. It offers you to watch the spectacular Northern Lights which is a dream to many travelers. Churchill is not only famous for Northern Lights but also it is the main attraction for it has the huge flock of Polar bears living upon the inlands so it is called the "Polar Bear Capital of the world" . You can have safarries in the forested areas of these best places in Canada for a better view of the Churchill river and aesthetic bird-watching.

#31- St. John’s
Located in the Newfoundland islands, this city is off Canada’s Atlantic coast and is known for its landmark colourful row houses. It is also famous for its Signal hills where you can take walking trails and find the site of the first Atlantic wireless communication that is called the Cabot Tower. Here you can enjoy at George Street’s bars and eateries or visit cathedrals, museums and geo centres.

#32- Gros Morne National Park
Explore the spellbounding views of Western highlands. The Gros Morne National Park offers you to experience the stunning landscape of beaches, tropical forests as well as barren lands that would seek your eyesight. You can trail over the mountains to explore the panoramic views of the exotic floras and faunas.

#33- Whistler
Whistler is the largest ski resort of Canada. Not only skiing it also offers you with other icy and fun adventurous activities like snowboarding, fishing in the freshwater, mountain biking, snowshoeing, tobogganing and ski jumping at the stunning Olympic Park. Adventure seekers from far wide countries come over to one of the best places in Canada to experience the various types of skiing and ice skating.

#34- Toronto
If one would expect to witness the multiple cultures as well as fun-filled adventures, then head to Toronto which is a conspicuous gateway for a perfect holiday. One can seek the most fun activities as it is an epic center for music, movies as well as filming productions. The adventurous  activities like jumping from the top of the buildings would make you experience a breathtaking venture. It has a multicultural environment where you can find museums with historical significance as well as some old heritage to seek the knowledge of past happenings.

#35- Hornby Island
It is one of the two northernmost Gulf Islands and is home to many retired professionals, artists, remote workers, small business owners, and young families who love rural life. This island is most famous for hiking, marine activities, mountain hiking, retreats, and weddings. You can reach the island by ferries or private boats, visiting through the Ford Cave Marina and Tribune Bay.