Canada has a large domestic and foreign tourism industry. The second-largest country in the world, Canada’s incredible geographical variety is a significant tourist attractor.
Much of the country’s tourism is centered in the following (busiest) regions: Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver/Whistler, Niagara Falls, Vancouver Island, Calgary/Canadian Rockies, British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, and the national capital region Ottawa. The large cities are known for their culture, diversity, as well as the many national parks and historic sites.
Lake Louise, Banff, Alberta
Situated at the foot of alpine peaks in Banff National Park, Lake Louise is easily one of the most beautiful attractions in Canada. It’s well worth dodging throngs of tourists to experience the crystal-blue waters and stunning vistas. There’s plenty to do at the lake, including booking a serene gondola ride in the summer and ice skating in the winter months. The nearby resort village of Lake Louise is the highest community in Canada at 1,540 meters (5,052 feet).
Location: Banff National park, Alberta
Type: Glacial lake
Activities: Hiking, Horseback riding, Rockclimbing
Hotel de Glace, Quebec City
Can you truly call yourself a Canadian if you haven’t slept in a bed made of ice? If your answer is a resounding no, it’s time to book a room in Quebec City‘s famed Hotel de Glace. Constructed every year from more than 15,000 tonnes of snow, the hotel features 36 rooms, a bar and an outdoor spa with saunas. The temperature in the hotel is between -3°C and -5°C, so guests bundle up in arctic sleeping bags through the night. While prices for overnight stays are steep, the hotel offers tours for visitors just passing through.
Location: 1860 Boulevard Valcartier, Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, QC G0A 4S0, Canada
Type: Hotel
Activities: Made from ice and snow, you can enjoy the infrastructure.
Nahanni National Park Reserve, North West Territories
It is the first place in the world to be given UNESCO World Heritage status in 1978. It’s no wonder—this reserve in the southwest part of the North West Territories features 30,000 square kilometers of the pristine northern wilderness. The park protects the Mackenzie Mountains Natural Region and is home to the Nahanni River, which winds through mountain valleys and canyons. (Here are more must-visit parks across Canada.) The river’s breathtaking features include sulfur hot springs and Virginia Falls, a vertical drop twice as steep as Niagara Falls, and easily one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Canada. The park is also home to a large variety of wildlife, including wolves, woodland caribou, mountain goats, and black bears.
Location: Fort Smith, Unorganized, NT, Canada
Type: Mountain
Activities: hiking, rock climbing, river rafting
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
The ROM is Canada’s largest museum and houses more than six million objects, including a 90-foot-long baurosaurus, a 900-carat cerussite gem and a rare bust of Cleopatra VII. But the building itself is just as fascinating as what’s inside it. In 2007, the ROM opened the Lee-Chin Crystal designed by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind. The unusual, crystal-like design is said to have been inspired by the museum’s rock and gem collection. It stands adjacent to the ROM’s original building—first opened in 1914—and its impressive exterior is made of 75 percent glass and 25 percent brushed aluminum.
Location: 100 Queens Park, Toronto, ON M5S 2C6, Canada
Type: Museum
Activities: increase your knowledge
SGang Gwaay, British Columbia
Located on the small island of SGang Gwaay off the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Island archipelago (Gwaii Hanaas), the village of Nan Sdins was once a thriving community of the indigenous Haida people. But by the 1880s, the disease had completely destroyed the population. Today, the site is home to the remains of 10 original 19th-century Haida houses and 32 carved mortuary totem poles. Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1981, the village is a testament to the art, culture, and history of the Haida First Nation.
Location: Haida Gwaii, North Coast of British Columbia, Canada
Type: Cultural
Activities: you can enjoy the work on art
Source: Reader’s digest
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