1. Calgary
The largest city in Alberta, Calgary is situated between the Canadian Prairies and the foothills of the Canadian Rockies. After oil was discovered nearby in the early 1900s, Calgary boomed into what is now one of Canada’s largest metropolitan areas, attracting thousands every year to its world-famous rodeo event, the Calgary Stampede.
While Calgary is comprised of several neighborhoods, the downtown core is where the commercial, entertainment and shopping districts are located. Stephen Avenue Walk and Barclay Mall are two popular pedestrian zones.
Calgary is home to a large number of skyscrapers with observation decks offering incredible views of the city and Rocky Mountains. The most notable of these are The Bow and Calgary Tower. There are also many family attractions including a world-class zoo, amusement parks, botanical gardens, a hands-on science center.
While the city plays host to several annual festivals of music, film and dance, the most famous is the Calgary Stampede, an Old West celebration held over ten days in July with rodeos, chuckwagon races, parades and competitions.
2. Churchill
In the summer months, tour operations take people out on the water to see the beluga whales, which migrate here by the thousands. Some tourists even don swimsuits and swim with the whales. With more than 270 species of birds, Churchill is also a birdwatcher’s paradise. Thousands of birders visit the area every summer to glimpse species like snowy owls, gyrfalcons, stilt sandpipers and tundra swans.
Churchill also presents an excellent spot to see the aurora borealis, or northern lights. Normally, the peak time to see this natural marvel is between January and March. The primary ways of reaching Churchill are by airplane and train. Train connections are from Winnipeg and Thompson.
3. Cape Breton Island
In addition to the Scots, Cape Breton also has a healthy French population, with the 18th-century Fortress of Louisbourg a major highlight. A fascinating Mi’kmaq community adds to the pleasant mixture of cultural influences.
Whale watching here is unforgettable. Sightings are just about guaranteed at the northern tip (the top of the island), which you can reach with a boat or kayak tour – the scenery alone makes it worth the trip.
Among its spectacular landscapes, the highlight is undoubtedly Cape Breton Highlands National Park with its phenomenal Cabot Trail and gorgeous lookout points. Don’t forget the scenic fishing villages such as Bay St. Lawrence, where you’ll find some excellent seafood.
4. Ottawa
Located at the meeting point of three rivers, Ottawa is Canada’s capital city, home to the sixth-largest population in the country – and growing. Unusually, the city is bilingual. Don’t be surprised to hear people speaking a mix of English and French; both are first languages here.
Previously known as Bytown, Ottawa was once a lumber town, with many mills built along the Ottawa River in the middle of the 19th century. Today, it’s a beautiful green city filled with blissful parks and waterways. Biking is popular in the summer months, and these trails are converted to ski trails come winter. Running right through the heart of the city, the Rideau Canal is a must visit. In winter the canal becomes the world’s largest ice skating ring.
One of the main things to do is visit the Byward Market. But if you’re interested in history, you’re in for a treat. While it may not be Canada’s official cultural capital, Ottawa is home to some spectacular historic buildings, such as the National Library and Archives – the fourth largest library in the world.
As the nation’s capital, Ottawa is home to many federal establishments including Parliament Hill, the government seat where the ceremonial Changing of the Guard takes place daily during the summer.
5. Whistler
Thanks to a couple of spectacular mountains called Whistler and Blackcomb, the Whistler resort is the largest and most famous alpine ski destination in North America. Located in the Coast Mountains of British Columbia in western Canada, Whistler is a two-hour trip from Vancouver along Canada’s most scenic drive, the Sea-to-Sky Highway.
At the base of the two mountains are three quaint villages, Whistler Village, Creekside and Upper Village. The Peak 2 Peak gondola transports visitors from the villages to the mountains.
Whistler had humble beginnings as a logging town. After the 1960 Olympics in Squaw Valley, a ski resort was built on London Mountain as a potential destination for the 1968 Winter Olympics. However, this wasn’t achieved until the 2010 Winter Olympics. In an attempt to steer away from its misleading name, London Mountain was renamed Whistler Mountain because of the whistle-like sound made by the native hoary marmots living in the mountains here.
Today, Whistler has many world-class ski resorts and offers extraordinary views from its mountain slopes that bring adventurers back year after year. Aside from snow sports, the mountains also make for great hiking and rock climbing opportunities.
6. Toronto
The sprawling city of Toronto is the most densely populated city in Canada, with nearly three million residents. Located on the shores of Lake Ontario, Toronto forms part of the Golden Horseshoe region, which encompasses the area from the lake to Niagara Falls.
As the provincial capital of the Ontario province, Toronto is also one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with just shy of 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 what it is. Some of the street signs are written in different languages, and diverse neighborhoods have their own distinctive cuisine.
There’s so much culture to be found in the inner city proper amongst its towering skyscrapers and thousands of multi-cultural restaurants.
One of the most popular attractions on the tourist trail is the CN Tower, the tallest free-standing structure in the world (until it was trumped by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai). It offers an extraordinary uninterrupted view of the city from its observation deck, skypod, and the 360 Restaurant. But it’s worth it for a ride up in the glass-enclosed elevator alone!
7. Quebec City
Quebec City may be the capital of the Quebec province in eastern Canada, but its French heritage, architecture and language make it appear more like a charming European village.
Perched on a hill overlooking the St. Lawrence River is Vieux Quebec, the city’s historic district, which is the only North American city still retaining its original walls. A walk along the cobblestone streets of the Old City offers encounters with old buildings like the Citadel and historic sites like the Place-Royale, the area where explorer, Samuel de Camplain, established the first North American-French settlement. Cafes, shops and bars are peppered throughout the Old City.The city’s icon, the stunning Chateau Frontenac, is regarded as the most photographed hotel in North America and offers tours even without an overnight stay. Another impressive hotel is the Ice Hotel. Open from January to April, this unique hotel features rooms with beautiful ice sculptures.
Outside the city center are several beautiful and historic parks like Montgomery Falls and Plains of Abraham, which offer breathtaking waterfalls, outdoor recreation and history of the area.
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