7 Best Places to Visit in Canada

Canada is the world's second-largest country by area, and its biggest draws range from thundering waterfalls to glacier-fed lakes to a walled city that still feels European. Here are seven places worth building a trip around.

1. Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is really three waterfalls in one: Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side is by far the largest, alongside the smaller American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls just across the border in New York. Boat tours run right up to the base of the falls, and the Niagara Parks illumination lights up the water every night after dark.

2. CN Tower, Toronto

Completed in 1976, the CN Tower stands 553.3 meters tall and was the world's tallest freestanding structure for over three decades until Dubai's Burj Khalifa surpassed it in 2007. Visitors can walk on the glass floor near the top or, for something more extreme, strap into the EdgeWalk — a hands-free walk around the tower's outer edge with nothing but a harness.

3. Banff National Park

Established in 1885, Banff is Canada's oldest national park and part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Banff Gondola climbs Sulphur Mountain for panoramic views of the surrounding peaks, and the townsite's Upper Hot Springs offer a soak with a mountain backdrop.

4. Lake Louise

This glacially-fed lake inside Banff National Park is known for its striking turquoise color, caused by fine rock flour suspended in the meltwater from the Victoria Glacier that looms behind it. The historic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise sits right on the shore, and canoeing across the lake is one of the most-photographed things to do in the Canadian Rockies.

5. Old Quebec

Quebec City's Old Town is the only remaining fortified city north of Mexico, with intact 17th- and 18th-century walls that earned it UNESCO World Heritage status in 1985. The Château Frontenac, a castle-like hotel that opened in 1893, dominates the skyline above the St. Lawrence River and is one of the most photographed hotels in the world.

6. Whistler

Whistler Blackcomb is one of the largest ski resorts in North America, and it co-hosted the alpine skiing events for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The Peak 2 Peak Gondola links Whistler and Blackcomb mountains via a record-setting unsupported span, and the resort draws hikers and mountain bikers once the snow melts.

7. Butchart Gardens

Near Victoria, British Columbia, Butchart Gardens began in 1904 when Jennie Butchart started planting flowers in a depleted limestone quarry on her family's property. Now a National Historic Site of Canada, the gardens draw over a million visitors a year across themed sections including a Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, and Japanese Garden.

Staying connected while you travel

Canada's major mobile networks (Bell, Rogers, Telus) cover all seven of these destinations, including the mountain resorts of Banff and Whistler. An eSIM lets you land with data already active instead of hunting for airport Wi-Fi — compare current Canada eSIM plans below.

Running a promo code for Canada right now:

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For more on how eSIMs work before your trip, see our beginner's guide to eSIMs. You can also browse the full list of Canada eSIM plans sorted by price.