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🇨🇦Things to Do in Canada
From Niagara Falls to the turquoise lakes of Banff - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.
Travel guide - last updated September 2026
Canada is the world's second-largest country, and most trips pick one coast rather than trying to connect them - Toronto, Niagara Falls and Quebec's French-Canadian cities in the east, or the Rocky Mountain parks of Banff and Jasper in the west. A domestic flight is the practical way to combine both. Here are 8 places worth building a trip around.
Top attractions
The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.
Niagara Falls
Three waterfalls straddling the Canada-US border, with the Canadian side offering the better view of the horseshoe-shaped Canadian Falls. The Hornblower boat tour gets close enough to feel the spray.
📍 Niagara Falls, Ontario
🚉 Nearest station: Niagara Falls, Ontario, served by VIA Rail and GO Transit from Toronto in about two hours, with the falls a 20-minute walk or a WEGO bus ride from the platform.
Banff National Park
Turquoise glacial lakes (Lake Louise and Moraine Lake among the most photographed) set against the Canadian Rockies. Arrive early for Moraine Lake in summer - parking fills and the road closes once it does.
📍 Banff, Alberta
🚉 There is no passenger rail service into Banff: Roam Transit and Brewster buses run from Calgary airport in about two hours, and Roam's local routes cover Lake Louise and the Sunshine turnoff.
Quebec City
The only walled city north of Mexico in North America, with a French colonial old town (Old Québec) that's a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the closest thing to Europe within a short flight of most of Canada.
📍 Quebec City, Quebec
🚉 Nearest station: Gare du Palais, VIA Rail's terminus in the Lower Town, a 10-minute climb or funicular ride up to Chateau Frontenac and the walled Old Town.
Toronto & the CN Tower
Canada's largest city, with the CN Tower's glass floor and EdgeWalk (an outdoor ledge walk) as its signature attraction, alongside the multicultural neighborhoods that define the city's food scene.
📍 Toronto, Ontario
🚉 Nearest station: Union, where VIA Rail, GO Transit and the UP Express from Pearson airport all arrive - the CN Tower is a five-minute walk through the SkyWalk.
Rocky Mountaineer & Jasper
A scenic rail journey through the Rockies connecting Banff and Jasper National Parks, both known for wildlife viewing and, in Jasper's case, some of the world's largest accessible dark-sky preserves.
📍 Banff to Jasper, Alberta
🚉 The Rocky Mountaineer runs seasonally between Vancouver, Banff and Jasper; VIA Rail's year-round Canadian also calls at Jasper, whose station sits in the middle of the town.
Montreal
Quebec's largest city, blending French and English influence - Old Montreal's cobblestone streets and the city's year-round festival calendar (jazz, comedy, fireworks) are the main draws.
📍 Montreal, Quebec
🚉 Nearest station: Gare Centrale, connected underground to Bonaventure metro, with Place-d'Armes and Champ-de-Mars on the orange line serving Old Montreal.
Whistler
A world-class ski resort a couple of hours from Vancouver, that converts to mountain biking and hiking terrain in summer via the same gondola system used for skiing in winter.
📍 Whistler, British Columbia
🚉 No railway runs to Whistler: the Whistler Shuttle and YVR Skylynx coaches take about two and a half hours from Vancouver airport along the Sea-to-Sky Highway.
Vancouver & Stanley Park
A city with mountains, ocean and forest within its own limits - Stanley Park's seawall is a free, flat 8.8km loop that shows off most of that in a single walk or bike ride.
📍 Vancouver, British Columbia
🚉 Nearest station: Waterfront, where the SkyTrain, SeaBus and West Coast Express meet - Stanley Park's seawall begins a 15-minute walk west, or take bus 19 to the park loop.
Mark Canada, get the stamp
In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.
Open MyPassportStoryPlanning questions
How many days do you need in Canada?
10 days suits one region well - the eastern cities plus Niagara Falls, or Banff and Jasper in the Rockies. Combining east and west comfortably needs two weeks or more given the distances involved.
What's the best time to visit Canada?
June-September has the warmest weather and the longest days, best for the Rockies and outdoor activity generally. Fall (September-October) brings strong foliage color in the east; ski season runs roughly December-April.
Is Canada good for a first-time visit?
Yes - it's an easy, English-speaking (French in Quebec) country to navigate independently, though a rental car opens up far more of the Rockies than public transport alone.
Do I need a visa to visit Canada?
Many nationalities, including the UK, Australia and most of the EU, can visit visa-free but need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before flying in; US citizens generally need neither a visa nor an eTA for a short visit. Check the official visa information for your nationality: canada.ca.
What are some things to do in Canada on a tight budget?
Stanley Park's seawall and most city parks are free, many national parks charge only a modest daily vehicle pass, and viewing Niagara Falls from the public parkland along the Canadian side costs nothing beyond parking.
Can I rent a car in Canada, and what licence do I need?
Yes, and for the Rockies and the Cabot Trail it is the only realistic way to travel. Most foreign licences are valid for visits of up to three to six months depending on the province, and an International Driving Permit is only needed if your licence is not in English or French - though carrying one avoids questions at the counter. Rental companies usually require the driver to be 25, renting to 21-24 year olds with a surcharge, and want a credit card in the driver's name. Winter tyres are legally required in Quebec from December to March and on many British Columbia highways. Transport Canada sets out the national picture at tc.canada.ca, with each province publishing its own licence rules; cars come from Enterprise, Hertz and Avis.