Things to do in Canada

Board the Hornblower catamaran to sail right into the roaring basin of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls, feeling the thunderous spray on your face and hearing the immense water crash around you.

Strap into a harness and step onto a 1.5-metre ledge encircling the pod of Toronto's iconic CN Tower, 356 metres above the city, for a hands-free, adrenaline-pumping walk with nothing but air beneath you.

Stroll the cobblestone lanes of North America's only walled city north of Mexico, passing 17th-century stone houses, boutiques, and the majestic Château Frontenac perched above the St. Lawrence.

Witness the Northern Lights dance across the subarctic sky from cosy teepees or out on frozen Great Slave Lake, often with brilliant greens, purples, and pinks reflecting off the snow.

Pedal or walk the 10-kilometre path along Vancouver's waterfront, passing beneath towering cedar trees, with views of the Lions Gate Bridge, sandy beaches, and the North Shore mountains.

Soar up to 2,281 metres in a glass-enclosed gondola, then step onto a boardwalk that leads to a cosmic ray station and a 360-degree panorama of six mountain ranges.

Dig into a heaping plate of crispy fries, squeaky cheese curds, and rich gravy at this legendary Montreal diner, open 24/7 and offering over 30 outrageous topping combinations.

Climb into a tundra buggy on the shores of Hudson Bay to watch wild polar bears roam the ice and spar playfully in their natural habitat during the autumn migration.

From a zodiac or kayak in Tadoussac, spot fin, minke, humpback, and even blue whales surfacing amidst the dramatic fjord where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence.

Escape downtown with a short ferry ride to car-free islands, offering sandy beaches, picnic spots, a quaint boardwalk, and postcard views of the city skyline across the harbor.

Immerse yourself in the ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’: chuckwagon races, bull riding, a midway, and pancake breakfasts that transform the city into a western festival each July.

Ascend ramps of glass and stone through galleries that explore human rights struggles and triumphs, culminating in a tower with a view over the forks of the Red and Assiniboine rivers.

Feel the electric roar of 21,000 fans inside the Bell Centre as the storied Habs hit the ice, surrounded by banners of hockey legends and the beat of the organ.

Wander a bustling covered market under the Granville Street Bridge, sampling local berries, artisanal cheeses, freshly shucked oysters, and handcrafted pastries while seagulls cry overhead.

Explore 22 hectares of meticulously themed gardens—from the fragrant Rose Garden to the serene Japanese Garden—bursting with colour in a reclaimed limestone quarry.

After dark, the Centre Block of Canada’s Parliament becomes a giant canvas for a free, bilingual multimedia projection that tells the nation’s stories through dramatic imagery and music.

Plunge down the world’s largest indoor wave pool and zip through looping waterslides in a tropical 31°C paradise, all inside a shopping mall with an NHL-sized ice rink and rollercoaster.

Hop into a zodiac and race with the rushing wall of water created by the Bay of Fundy’s record tides, crashing through rapids as the river flows backwards.

Housed in a former courthouse, the gallery’s collection of bold Canadian landscapes and West Coast Indigenous art is a journey through the country’s visual identity.

Step into the beloved book’s setting at this 19th-century farm, walking the Haunted Wood trail and seeing Anne’s room with its dress with puffed sleeves.

Trek past three vividly blue glacier-fed lakes backed by jagged peaks and the Matier Glacier, a relatively accessible alpine paradise only a few hours from Whistler.

Queue up for a thick-cut, hand-carved Montreal-style smoked meat on rye, served with a pickle and a cherry cola in the city’s most iconic, no-frills deli since 1928.

In deep winter, the world’s largest naturally frozen skating rink winds 7.8 kilometres through downtown Ottawa, lined with warming huts selling hot chocolate and Beavertails.

Among eerie hoodoos and coulees, you can see fossil beds holding remains of 40 dinosaur species and join a guided fossil safari to spot bones eroding out of the rock.

Stand where Marconi received the first transatlantic wireless signal, watching the first dawn in North America sweep over the rugged cliffs and colourful row houses of St. John’s harbour.