I first went to Canada three years ago. Since then, I’ve travelled through eight provinces, experienced all four seasons, tasted “summer snow”, and completely fallen in love. Here are my 12 most beautiful places in Canada – spots that took my breath away and will hopefully inspire your next adventure.
#1 Canadian Rockies
#2 Shelburne, Nova Scotia
Most tourists visiting Nova Scotia head straight to Peggy’s Cove, but I was charmed by the sleepy little town of Shelburne, where a pinwheel festival was in full swing.
https://youtu.be/qCXISy5f4Do
#3 Flowerpot Rocks, New Brunswick
Have you ever walked on the ocean floor? In New Brunswick, you can do exactly that at low tide. Just make sure you leave in time – the tide comes back in just a few hours…
By the way, New Brunswick is home to some of the friendliest people on the entire planet. The locals have a wonderful sense of where friendliness ends and intrusiveness begins. Perhaps that’s why I enjoyed the Atlantic provinces even more than the West.
Oh, and there are plenty of beavers too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1NsygEdO2o
#4 Quidi Vidi, Newfoundland
If you visit at the right time of year, you can spot icebergs and puffins here 🙂
#5 Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia
Cape Breton is an island that belongs to Nova Scotia and makes up 18% of the province’s territory. The area is also known as Cape Breton Highlands National Park of Canada. Visitors come here mainly from the US and other parts of Canada. You’ll find a range of hiking trails, from short walks of a few minutes to multi-hour treks. On the trails, you might encounter coyotes, moose, and even bears.
Cape Breton was originally home to the Mi’kmaq people, who were displaced with the arrival of Europeans. The first European to spot Cape Breton was none other than John Cabot in 1497 (though historians still debate whether he first visited Newfoundland or Cape Breton). If you travel to the Atlantic provinces, you won’t escape this name. John Cabot (born Giovanni Caboto) was an Italian explorer who became the first European to reach the shores of what is now Canada.
In the first photo, you can see the view from Franey. It took us about two hours to hike up, but it was absolutely worth it! The second photo shows the Skyline Trail, where we went mainly hoping to see moose – though we didn’t spot any this time.
#6 Victoria and Vancouver, BC
If you find yourself in Victoria in spring, there’s no question about where to go – Butchart Gardens!
Victoria is actually one of the warmest places in Canada! Many retirees move here to enjoy their golden years.
From Victoria, you can easily hop over to Vancouver 😉
Vancouver, BC
Vancouver has soul, warm summers, and an amazing waterfront… If you ever had to choose between Toronto and Vancouver, choose Vancouver.
#8 Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
Think of it as Canada’s own Navagio Beach 🙂 People were swimming in the water, but you’d better be a fan of ice-cold dips if you want to try. I love the drive from Bruce Peninsula to Niagara Falls – the small towns along the way are classic North American gems with cute little shops, churches, and plenty of community events. And, above all, wonderfully friendly people.
#9 Niagara Falls, Ontario
How could I leave this one out?
If you want to feel the raw power of nature, the force of the earth… And it’s just a short trip from Toronto! If you visit, make sure to stop by the town of Niagara-on-the-Lake, which is a lovely little place. If you’d like to book a boat tour or other experience at the falls, check out options on GetYourGuide.
#10 Quebec City, Quebec
Quebec City was the very first thing I saw when I arrived in Canada. This historic city, founded by Jacques Cartier in the 16th century, is filled with French restaurants and charming cafés, all dominated by the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac hotel. Here you’ll find some of the oldest buildings in North America and a fortress that was established even before the city itself.
#11 Montreal, Quebec
Montreal is Canada’s second-largest city, the second-largest French-speaking city in the world, and the biggest city in the province of Quebec. It sits at roughly the same latitude as London, but don’t be fooled – while summers can hit 30°C, winters can plunge to minus 30°C.
#12 Cache Creek, Savona and Surroundings, BC
Kamloops is one of the least attractive places along the way. As you drive from the Rockies, the mountains suddenly disappear and strange, scrubby desert-like landscapes take over. Fortunately, it doesn’t last long… 🙂
In Cache Creek, there’s a heritage ranch – stop by for a while, spend a few dollars… and support local tourism.
Heading to Western Canada?
Check out the 15 most beautiful places in Western Canada
Tips and Tricks for Your Vacation
Don’t Overpay for Flights
Search for flights on Kayak. It’s our favorite search engine because it scans the websites of all airlines and always finds the cheapest connection.
Book Your Accommodation Smartly
The best experiences we’ve had when looking for accommodation (from Alaska to Morocco) are with Booking.com, where hotels, apartments, and entire houses are usually the cheapest and most widely available.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Good travel insurance will protect you against illness, accidents, theft, or flight cancellations. We’ve had a few hospital visits abroad, so we know how important it is to have proper insurance arranged.
Where we insure ourselves: SafetyWing (best for everyone) and TrueTraveller (for extra-long trips).
Why don’t we recommend any Czech insurance company? Because they have too many restrictions. They set limits on the number of days abroad, travel insurance via a credit card often requires you to pay medical expenses only with that card, and they frequently limit the number of returns to the Czech Republic.
Find the Best Experiences
Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can book guided walks, trips, skip-the-line tickets, tours, and much more. We always find some extra fun there!
