| Canada is an extremely large county, but many tourist attractions are
gathered along the border with the U.S. Some travelers feel
that the best tourism and travel in Canada lies in its
marvelous natural landscapes and we think they may be right, but
Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are very special.
In most travel guides, a great deal of attention is paid to the
Canadian Rockies and the Pacific Coast, but the Maritimeshave
have much to offer and are hardly a second fiddle to the rest of the
country. The
Maritimes, the Canadian Rockies, British Columbia, Niagara Falls -
there are so many wonderful choices to make when exploring Canada. Let us help - read our recommendations on
the leading attractions and the best
places to visit in Canada and then make your reservations.
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In addition to our recommended best places to visit, we provide links to
official tourism websites, if one exists, for the cities or areas we
recommend. When we are unable to find an official tourism website, we
provide what we think is the most informative of the commercial-tourism
websites for that location. Hopefully, our information will let you discover
what you need to know for planning a trip to Canada.
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Names in Teal are provinces of Canada
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Québec
Québec Province offers scenic
delight and two cities that may rank as the best of Canada.
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Québec City
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Québec City, located on the St. Lawrence River, has an Old Town
that is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's charm, history, and architecture
has a distinct European flavor.
Québec displays its French heritage in a variety of ways and the French
language is preferred by the majority of the city's citizens.
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Be sure to
see the Quartier Petit-Champlain, a fanciful neighborhood bordering
the Place Royale,
the Fortifications of Quebec (several miles of fortifications that defended
the Old Town), La Citadelle of Quebec - often referred to as America's
Gibraltar (guided tours only) and the
Québec Old Port, for views into the history of an early settlement in North America.
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Although it is a commercial
hotel, every tourist should visit the
Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac,
which dominates Old Quebec and is based on the architectural styles
of the Renaissance and Middle Ages.
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Visit the City's official tourism website
for more information.
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Montreal
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Montreal is beautiful culturally diverse city that is a great place to visit.
It is the second largest French speaking city in the world and mixes old-world charm with a modern infrastructure.
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Be sure to see picturesque "Old"
Montreal, the Montreal Museum of Fine Art, the Park Olympique built for the 1976 Olympics
and the impressive Notre Dame Basilica of Montreal.
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Take in the eclectic but charming
Plateau Mont-Royal neighborhood and the Quays of the Old Port of Montreal,
which is a tourist center for many activities, including cruises and other
excursions.
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For more information visit the
city's official tourism website.
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Ontario
Ontario's main attractions hug
the Lake Ontario Shoreline. If you have not toured the Lake, put it on your agenda of
things to do.
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Toronto
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Toronto is the "trendy" city of
Canada: it has great entertainment venues, world-class theater, fantastic restaurants, and
numerous interesting
attractions, including the
Hockey
Hall of Fame, the CN Tower, a classic "Old Town" and the
well-regarded Art Gallery of Ontario.
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The city has a number of delightful
parks that come alive in warmer weather.
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If you have time, see the
St. Lawrence Market Complex
in historic Old Town Toronto.
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Niagara Falls
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The Falls are glorious and a world-famous attraction: it's a
shame that you have to pass through an embarrassingly touristy visitor
district to see this
glorious natural landscape. However, the glitz, knickknacks and
sometimes vulgar storefronts seem to attract tons of tourists, as do
the numerous chain restaurants.
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The falls can be seen from the
Skylon Tower , for those who want to see it but not get
wet. Most visitors prefer to take the
Maid of the Mist cruise , a 30 minute adventure that takes
you very near the base of the Falls.
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You will find no shortage of hotels in Niagara Falls and you can
find detailed information about the Falls, the city and its
attractions at the
official tourism website of Niagara Falls .
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Niagara On The Lake
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Ottawa
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Ottawa, the Capital of Canada, is near the border of Quebec
Province. Ottawa is a pleasant town that is known for its
festivals (particularly its Tulip Festival), Winterlude (billed as
"America's greatest winter festival), numerous museums and overall
pleasantness.
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Favorites include touring the Parliament of Canada,
visiting the Canadian Museum of Civilization (a history of Canada's people)
and the National Gallery of Canada.
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Ottawa has a number of fine restaurants,
good nightlife and an active performing arts community that will keep your
evenings busy during a visit.
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The Capital of Canada is located
on the Ottawa River where it is joined by the Gatineau River and the
Rideau Canal Waterway. The Rideau Canal connects beautiful lakes and
rivers between upstream Ottawa and Kingston, which is located on Lake Ontario.
If you have time, arrange a sightseeing cruise along
the Rideau. In addition, river-side trails are available for some great
bicycling.
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Gatineau National Park, just
across the river in Quebec Province, is a delightful place to visit any time
of the year, but in autumn the changing colors of its forests makes it one
of the most beautiful places in the world.
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The
official tourism website of Ottawa provides additional details
on visiting this comfortable, Canadian Capital. You might also
find the official tourism website for
Ottawa & Gatineau to be very helpful.
Alberta
Lake Louise
Jasper National Park
For details on visiting the Alberta area, see
Travel Alberta the area's official tourism website.
British
Columbia
Magical may not be exactly the right word
for British Columbia but the province is incredibly beautiful and you will
not regret a visit.
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Vancouver
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Situated in a gorgeous setting,
Vancouver offers something for everyone. You will run out of
time before you run out of things to do in Vancouver. Art, museums,
parks, beaches, and good food abound.
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See
Tourism Vancouver for details about visiting this pleasant
city.
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Victoria
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There are a number of things
to do in Victoria but to the north, Butchart Gardens steals the show: although, high
tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria is quite a treat. In addition, the
Royal British Columbia Museum provides fine examples of the region's
history.
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The official
Victoria Tourism website provides a great section on things to
see and do in Victoria.
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Whistler/Blackcomb
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If you like mountain resorts,
this is the place for you. World class skiing in the winter and great
golf in the summer.
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See
Tourism Whistler for details on visiting.
- Click
HelloBC to visit the official tourism website of British Columbia.
The Atlantic
Provinces
- Canada's Atlantic Coast offers a
beautiful coastline, startlingly attractive villages, and wilderness in
abundance. Attractions are less widespread in these area, but if you
like the seashore and the remote great outdoors, these may be areas of
interest to you.
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Nova Scotia
and
New Brunswick
are popular locations, but
Newfoundland and Labrador
beckon to the outdoor enthusiast (You do remember the "Lure of the
Labrador Wilds" by Jack London?). Finally, don't forget Canada's
smallest and greenest province,
Prince Edward Island
, which has its own set of treasures to offer.
The official tourism website for
Canada has additional details about the best places to visit on our list, as
well as information on other noteworthy attractions.
For country facts on Canada as well as tourism information on driving,
personal safety, medical care and other information " see this page on
Canada from the U.S. State Department's Consular Affairs. Regardless
of your home country, we think you will find this information on Mexico to be
useful for planning a trip to Canada.
If you need information about another travel destination, try
our
Destination Guide Index
or Googling ThereArePlaces.
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