Find places in Canada

Must-Haves

• CN Tower (Downtown)
  The city's landmark, with a glass floor and views far across Lake Ontario.

Fun for Everyone

• Ripley's Aquarium of Canada (Downtown)
  A moving walkway through a shark tunnel that children love.

Great for Date Night

• Distillery Historic District (Distillery District)
  Pedestrian lanes of Victorian brick buildings with galleries, cafés and a winter market.

Off the Beaten Path

• Casa Loma (Midtown)
  A castle-like mansion on a hill with secret passages and gardens.

Fun for Everyone

• Toronto Islands (Toronto Harbour)
  A short ferry ride to car-free beaches, bike paths and the best skyline view in town.

Off the Beaten Path

• Evergreen Brick Works (Don Valley)
  A former brickyard turned weekend farmers market and nature trails.
• Scarborough Bluffs (Scarborough)
  Tall white cliffs above a quiet Lake Ontario beach.

Must-Haves

• St. Lawrence Market (Old Town)
  Historic food hall famous for its peameal bacon sandwich and local produce.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Kensington Market (Kensington)
  A bohemian maze of vintage shops, cheap eats and street murals.

Fun for Everyone

• Eaton Centre (Downtown)
  The big downtown shopping mall under a glass roof.

Must-Haves

• Royal Ontario Museum (Bloor Street)
  Dinosaurs, world cultures and Canadian history in one striking building.
• Art Gallery of Ontario (Grange Park)
  A superb collection of Canadian art including the Group of Seven.

Off the Beaten Path

• Bata Shoe Museum (The Annex)
  A surprisingly fun museum devoted to footwear through history.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Pai Northern Thai Kitchen (Entertainment District)
  A buzzing basement spot serving bold, authentic Thai curries and noodles.
• Randy's Take-Out (Little Jamaica)
  A long-running Jamaican spot for flaky beef patties and coco bread.
• Chinatown dim sum on Spadina (Chinatown)
  Busy dim sum halls and bakeries along Spadina Avenue.

Great for Date Night

• Alo (Queen West)
  An elegant French tasting menu restaurant for a special occasion.

Must-Haves

• Balzac's Coffee Roasters (Distillery District)
  A characterful café in an old pump house, perfect for a break.

Great for Date Night

• Bar Raval (Little Italy)
  A gorgeous wood-carved tapas and cocktail bar.

Fun for Everyone

• The Rex Hotel Jazz and Blues Bar (Queen West)
  Nightly live jazz in a laid-back bar.

Must-Haves

• Toronto International Film Festival (Downtown)
  One of the world's major film festivals each September.

Fun for Everyone

• Caribana Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Exhibition Place)
  A huge summer celebration of Caribbean music, costume and food.

Must-Haves

• Fairmont Royal York (Union Station)
  A grand historic railway hotel right opposite Union Station.

Must-Haves

• Notre-Dame Basilica (Old Montreal)
  A breathtaking blue and gold interior in the heart of the old town.
• Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (Golden Square Mile)
  Canada's oldest art museum with a strong Quebec collection.

Off the Beaten Path

• Pointe-à-Callière (Old Montreal)
  An archaeology museum built over the city's founding site.
• Saint Joseph's Oratory (Côte-des-Neiges)
  A huge domed basilica on the slopes of Mount Royal.

Must-Haves

• Mount Royal Park (Plateau Mont-Royal)
  The mountain park above the city with the classic Kondiaronk lookout.

Fun for Everyone

• Montreal Botanical Garden (Olympic Park)
  Vast themed gardens including a Chinese garden with lantern nights in autumn.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lachine Canal (Saint-Henri)
  A flat waterside cycling path past old factories and markets.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Schwartz's Deli (Plateau Mont-Royal)
  The legendary home of Montreal smoked meat sandwiches.
• St-Viateur Bagel (Mile End)
  Wood-fired Montreal bagels baked around the clock.
• Fairmount Bagel (Mile End)
  The other great Mile End bagel bakery, open day and night.

Must-Haves

• La Banquise (Plateau Mont-Royal)
  A late-night institution serving dozens of kinds of poutine.

Great for Date Night

• Joe Beef (Little Burgundy)
  A celebrated, rich and playful Québécois bistro.

Must-Haves

• Jean-Talon Market (Little Italy)
  One of North America's great open-air food markets.

Fun for Everyone

• Atwater Market (Saint-Henri)
  A canal-side market hall with butchers, cheese and maple products.

Off the Beaten Path

• Underground City (Downtown)
  Kilometres of connected walkways, shops and food courts.

Fun for Everyone

• Old Port of Montreal (Old Montreal)
  A riverside promenade with a big wheel, zip line and summer fun.
• Montreal Biodôme (Olympic Park)
  Walk through four ecosystems, from rainforest to the sub-Antarctic.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Café Olimpico (Mile End)
  A neighbourhood espresso bar where locals linger on the terrace.

Must-Haves

• Montreal International Jazz Festival (Quartier des Spectacles)
  Free outdoor stages fill downtown every summer.

Fun for Everyone

• Just for Laughs (Quartier des Spectacles)
  The world's biggest comedy festival each July.

Off the Beaten Path

• Igloofest (Old Port)
  An outdoor electronic music party in the deep freeze of January.

Great for Date Night

• Hotel Nelligan (Old Montreal)
  A romantic boutique hotel with a rooftop terrace in the old town.

Must-Haves

• Fairmont Le Château Frontenac (Upper Town)
  The copper-roofed landmark hotel above the St. Lawrence.

Must-Haves

• Dufferin Terrace (Upper Town)
  A wide boardwalk with river views in front of the Château.
• La Citadelle de Québec (Upper Town)
  A star-shaped fortress with a summer changing of the guard.

Great for Date Night

• Petit-Champlain (Lower Town)
  One of North America's oldest shopping streets, magical at dusk.

Fun for Everyone

• Old Quebec Funicular (Lower Town)
  A short ride linking the Lower and Upper Town.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lévis ferry (Lower Town)
  A short ferry crossing with the best view of Old Quebec.

Must-Haves

• Plains of Abraham (Battlefields Park)
  A vast clifftop park and historic battlefield.
• Montmorency Falls (Beauport)
  Falls taller than Niagara with a cable car and suspension bridge.

Off the Beaten Path

• Île d'Orléans (Île d'Orléans)
  A rural island of farms, cider makers and strawberry stands.

Must-Haves

• Museum of Civilization (Lower Town)
  Engaging exhibits on Quebec and Indigenous history.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Chez Ashton (Saint-Roch)
  A local chain loved for its poutine.

Great for Date Night

• Aux Anciens Canadiens (Upper Town)
  Traditional Québécois dishes in one of the city's oldest houses.
• Le Saint-Amour (Upper Town)
  Refined French dining under a glass-roofed garden room.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Marché du Vieux-Port (Lower Town)
  A local market for maple products, cheese and produce.

Off the Beaten Path

• Rue Saint-Joseph (Saint-Roch)
  An independent shopping street where locals eat and browse.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Paillard (Upper Town)
  A busy bakery café for croissants and sandwiches.

Fun for Everyone

• Grande Allée terraces (Grande Allée)
  The city's lively strip of bars and outdoor terraces.

Must-Haves

• Quebec Winter Carnival (Old Quebec)
  Ice sculptures, night parades and Bonhomme the snowman.

Off the Beaten Path

• Hôtel de Glace (Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier)
  An ice hotel rebuilt every winter, open for visits.

Must-Haves

• Stanley Park (Downtown)
  A forested peninsula with a seawall loop and totem poles.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Lynn Canyon Park (North Vancouver)
  A free suspension bridge over a forested canyon.

Fun for Everyone

• Kitsilano Beach (Kitsilano)
  A beach with mountain views and a long outdoor saltwater pool.

Off the Beaten Path

• Deep Cove (North Vancouver)
  Calm water for kayaking and the Quarry Rock hike.

Great for Date Night

• English Bay Beach (West End)
  Sunset central, with a famous fireworks event in summer.

Must-Haves

• Granville Island Public Market (Granville Island)
  A lively market of fresh food, crafts and buskers.

Off the Beaten Path

• Commercial Drive (Grandview-Woodland)
  An independent street of Italian cafés and quirky shops.

Fun for Everyone

• Capilano Suspension Bridge Park (North Vancouver)
  A swaying bridge and treetop walks through the rainforest.
• Grouse Mountain (North Vancouver)
  A gondola to hiking, skiing and big views over the city.

Must-Haves

• Gastown (Gastown)
  The oldest quarter, with cobbles, a steam clock and good restaurants.

Must-Haves

• Museum of Anthropology at UBC (Point Grey)
  An outstanding collection of First Nations art and totem poles.

Off the Beaten Path

• Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden (Chinatown)
  A tranquil Ming-style garden in the heart of Chinatown.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Richmond Night Market (Richmond)
  Summer evenings of Asian street food stalls.
• Japadog (Downtown)
  Japanese-style hot dogs from a beloved street cart.

Must-Haves

• Miku (Coal Harbour)
  Known for flame-seared aburi sushi with a harbour view.

Great for Date Night

• Vij's (South Granville)
  Celebrated modern Indian cooking.

Low Cost and Authentic

• 49th Parallel Café and Lucky's Doughnuts (Kitsilano)
  Great coffee with fresh doughnuts made on site.

Fun for Everyone

• Main Street breweries (Mount Pleasant)
  A cluster of craft breweries and tasting rooms.

Fun for Everyone

• Celebration of Light (English Bay)
  An international fireworks competition over the bay each summer.

Great for Date Night

• Fairmont Pacific Rim (Coal Harbour)
  A sleek waterfront hotel with mountain views.

Must-Haves

• Lake Louise (Lake Louise)
  Emerald water beneath a glacier, the classic Rockies view.
• Moraine Lake (Valley of the Ten Peaks)
  The most photographed lake in Canada, reached by shuttle.
• Johnston Canyon (Bow Valley Parkway)
  Catwalks along a canyon wall to waterfalls.
• Icefields Parkway (Lake Louise to Jasper)
  One of the world's great drives past glaciers and lakes.

Off the Beaten Path

• Lake Agnes Tea House (Lake Louise)
  A historic tea house reached by a hike above Lake Louise.

Fun for Everyone

• Banff Gondola (Sulphur Mountain)
  A gondola ride to a summit boardwalk with huge views.
• Columbia Icefield Adventure (Icefields Parkway)
  Ride onto the Athabasca Glacier and walk the Skywalk.
• Sunshine Village (Banff National Park)
  A high ski resort with long seasons and great snow.

Great for Date Night

• Banff Upper Hot Springs (Sulphur Mountain)
  A hot pool soak with mountain views, lovely in snow.

Off the Beaten Path

• Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies (Banff Avenue area)
  Mountain art and pioneer history in Banff town.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Wild Flour Bakery (Banff Avenue)
  A local bakery for breakfast and picnic supplies.

Great for Date Night

• The Bison Restaurant (Downtown Banff)
  Regional Rocky Mountain cooking in a relaxed room.

Off the Beaten Path

• Park Distillery (Banff Avenue)
  Campfire-style food and spirits distilled on site.

Fun for Everyone

• Banff Ave Brewing Co. (Banff Avenue)
  A busy brewpub for après hike pints.

Must-Haves

• Fairmont Banff Springs (Spray Avenue)
  The grand castle hotel of the Rockies.

Great for Date Night

• Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise (Lake Louise)
  Wake up to the lake and glacier outside your window.

Must-Haves

• Parliament Hill (Centretown)
  Gothic parliament buildings above the Ottawa River.
• Canadian Museum of History (Gatineau)
  Canada's story and a superb Grand Hall of totem poles.
• National Gallery of Canada (ByWard Market)
  Canadian and Indigenous art beneath a glass tower.

Off the Beaten Path

• Diefenbunker (Carp)
  A huge Cold War bunker turned museum outside the city.

Fun for Everyone

• Canada Aviation and Space Museum (Rockcliffe)
  A big hangar full of aircraft for all ages.

Must-Haves

• ByWard Market (ByWard Market)
  A historic market area full of food stalls and bars.

Low Cost and Authentic

• BeaverTails (ByWard Market)
  The original stand selling the famous fried pastry.

Fun for Everyone

• Rideau Canal (Centretown)
  A UNESCO canal that becomes a skateway in winter.

Off the Beaten Path

• Gatineau Park (Gatineau)
  Forest trails, lakes and lookouts minutes from the capital.

Fun for Everyone

• Winterlude (Downtown Ottawa)
  Ice sculptures and skating on the canal each February.

Must-Haves

• Canadian Tulip Festival (Commissioners Park)
  Spring flower displays celebrating a wartime gift from the Netherlands.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Bridgehead (Ottawa)
  A local coffee chain with fair trade beans.

Must-Haves

• Fairmont Château Laurier (Downtown Ottawa)
  A historic castle-like hotel next to Parliament Hill.