The ultimate coast to coast Canada itinerary
Canada is full of diversity. From coast to coast, you’ll experience the mighty Rocky Mountains, the prairies, the winter freezing provinces (which I live in!), and coastal cities. Canada doesn’t just have diverse scenery but also a lot of cultural diversity as well. It is the second-largest country in the world for its acreage after Russia.
Canada is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west coast, the Atlantic ocean on the east coast, the Arctic ocean up north, and the United States down south. The Canada-US border is the longest land border in the world!
Has an epic road trip across Canada already crossed your mind? Make sure to keep reading for my top recommendations on stops along the way you just can’t miss out on your coast to coast Canada itinerary!
British-Columbia
Vancouver Island
Home to some spectacular scenery, Vancouver Island is a great place to stop on your coast to coast Canada itinerary or even on your British-Columbia road trip. Vancouver Island is also home to British Columbia’s capital city, Victoria. Coastal beaches provide great conditions for surfing year-round. If you’re adept at hiking, Vancouver Island is home to the West Coast Trail.
Tofino
Tofino has endless beaches and is very popular with surfers.
Vancouver
Stanley Park is part of the Vancouver area. What sets Vancouver apart from other Canadian cities is that it has a huge green space on the edge of town. Stanley Park is home to ancient cedar trees as well as huge Douglas fir trees. The seawall is a great way to spend an afternoon walking on a paved walkway offering a great scenic view. Other activities in Vancouver are the aquarium, totems, gardens…
Whistler
Whistler is probably one of the biggest centers for winter sports in Canada. While it is highly associated with skiing and snowboarding, it is a year-round destination. With its many hiking trails, mountain biking trails, and golfing outside of wintertime, there is plenty to keep you occupied. The scenery is quite breathtaking as well. One main attraction in Whistler is the Peak 2 Peak Gondola which joins the Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The ride offers a spectacular view!
Yoho National Park
This national park is home to some of British Columbia’s most rugged terrain. You’ll find some snow-capped peaks, crystal clear lakes, waterfalls, and rivers. Many hiking trails give you easy access to the backcountry. Driving by car is also a great way to explore the scenery. Takakkaw Falls are a part of this park and are known to be one of the highest in North America.
The Okanagan Valley
The Okanagan Valley is known for its lush valleys and beaches, lakes, mountains, and orchards. In the summertime, it is a popular destination for students to go fruit picking as a summer job.
Glacier National Park
Glacier National Park and Revelstoke National Park are scenic areas for climbers and hikers alike. This park lies in one of Canada’s most inhospitable areas, the almost inaccessible Selkirk Range of the Columbia Mountains. There are about 400 glaciers in and around this park. If you are not an avid climber or hiker, you can always drive through the park and witness how beautiful it is. Glacier National Park is also home to Rogers National Pass Historic Site.
Kootenay National Park
This park adjoins Banff National Park. Some great stops in the park are Marble Canyon, hiking Sinclair Pass, and Stanley glacier.
Mt. Robson Provincial Park
Closer to Jasper, this park is home to the Canadian Rockies’ highest peak at 3 954 meters! These mountains are dominated by glacier-capped peaks and huge waterfalls. A very popular hike is the Valley of the thousand falls.
Alberta
Banff National Park
Banff National park is home to the city of Banff but also the famous Lake Louise and Moraine Lake for their turquoise-colored water. (I personally prefer Moraine Lake to Lake Louise!) Most people explore this park by car by stopping at the many lookouts along the way. Hiking is one of the main activities in the summertime and skiing or snowboarding in Lake Louise ski resort in the wintertime.
Jasper National Park
Going to Alberta, you cannot skip Jasper! Even though it is a very small town, it has all the charm of a mountain village. In Jasper National Park, you can explore Maligne Canyon and Lake. In the park, there are also the Athabasca Falls that is a must! Surrounded by glaciers, the view is magnificent! If you are doing a coast to coast Canada trip, it’s a stop you must add to your itinerary.
Icefields Parkway and Columbia Icefield
From Banff National Park to Jasper National Park, you will be driving through the Icefields Parkway where the Columbia Icefield is located. This drive is considered one of the most beautiful in Canada. A new attraction to this park is the Glacier Skywalk. It’s a huge observation platform standing above the valley below.
Drumheller and the Royal Tyrell museum
Known as the town of Dinosaurs, various dinosaurs inhabited this region about 75 million years ago. The Tyrell museum is part of this park and has a great variety of fossils and full-sized dinosaur remains. The area is called the badlands.
Waterton Lakes National Park
This park straddles the Alberta and US border, more specifically Montana. On the American side, this park is called Glacier National Park. Most people go to this park to hike on the alpine trails, camp, or take a sightseeing tour.
West Edmonton Mall
If you are an avid shopper, this mall is for you! This huge complex hosts a Waterpark, the Toyota Ice Palace ice rink, a mini-golf, an aquarium with live shows, a bowling alley, a movie theatre, and many, many, many stores!
Wood Buffalo National Park
This is the largest park in Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This park is located on the Alberta and Northwest Territories border. The park extends across the Athabasca-Peace River Delta, one of the largest inland deltas in the world. The top attraction in this park is the wildlife, more specifically the wood bison.
Calgary
Every year, Calgary is the host of the famous Stampede. The stampede is basically a festival with rodeos, country artists, games, lots of popcorn, and candy! It is a must if you are in the area during Stampede. If you want to attend a rodeo though, make sure to book your tickets in advance.
Saskatchewan
Prince Albert National Park
This natural park is quite different from British Columbia and Alberta as Saskatchewan is part of the prairies. Prince Albert National Park is an undulating landscape instead of mountainous terrain. In the park, there are lakes and aspen-dotted uplands. You might just sight a white pelican, a sturgeon river plains bison, moose, wolf, black bear, fox, lynx, caribou, and even some eagles in the northern forest. In the south of the park, you could spot some deer, elk, badgers, and coyotes.
Regina
Regina is a cosmopolitan commercial and cultural center. There are many arts and heritage attractions to see.
Saskatoon
Saskatoon is a city up north of Saskatchewan. You’ll find many activities to entertain every age of the family. The city has multiple museums and you can visit Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo for fun times with the kids.
RCMP Heritage Center
This center is the largest in Canada. The RCMP Heritage Center displays equipment, weapons, photographs and so much more! At the Center, you can try RCMP regalia or join an informative tour.
Cypress Hill and Grasslands National Park
Saskatchewan’s highest point is located in Cypress Hill. This park straddles the Alberta and Saskatchewan border and the Grasslands National Park is near the US border to Montana. Like Drumheller in Alberta, this park is home to the T-Rex Discovery Center and its full-size skeleton replicas.
Manitoba
Polar Bears at Churchill
Churchill is also known as the Polar Bear Capital of the world. In the fall, people come to watch these amazing creatures wander onto the ice to hunt seals. If you’re lucky, you might just witness the northern lights as well!
Grand Beach Provincial Park
Known as one of the nicest beaches in Canada, this beach is on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. During the hot summer months, this is a nice little getaway from the city.
Riding Mountain National Park
Riding National Park is a nice scenic combination of recreation area and nature reserve. Near Lake Audy, you could spot a herd of bison who roam freely in this area. The park offers many walking and biking trails.
Canadian Fossil Discovery Center
This discovery center hosts the largest collection of marine reptile fossils. All the fossils are from Manitoba.
Winnipeg
One of the top things to do in Winnipeg is visiting the Forks. Located near the downtown area, you’ll find the Forks Market and Johnston Terminal. Restored historical buildings, they are home to shops, restaurants, and more.
Ontario
CN Tower in Toronto
This is one of Canada’s most iconic attractions. Located in downtown Toronto, the CN Tower offers great views of the city and even a glass floor for the more adventurous. At the foot of the tower, you’ll find the newest Ripley’s Aquarium and Roger’s Center.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls has actually three different falls, but the most popular ones are the Horseshoe Falls which drop 57 meters. Niagara Falls are located right in the village itself so you can easily wander the streets of the city while enjoying the falls.
Parliament Hill in Ottawa
Ottawa is Canada’s capital city. During the summer months, visitors can witness the changing of the guard. If you are visiting on July 1st, make sure to attend Canada’s biggest Canada day event!
Canada Wonderland
Looking for some excitement and fun on your trip? This is the place to go! This is a huge amusement park. You’ll find roller coasters and thrill rides for all ages, a waterpark, a dinosaur park, live shows, and much more.
Quebec
Mont-Tremblant
Mont-Tremblant is definitely worth a stop on your coast to coast Canada itinerary. Mont-Tremblant is the highest peak in the Laurentian Mountains. You’ll find great dining, entertainment, and skiing. It is a beautiful pedestrian village.
Montreal Botanical Gardens
The botanical gardens are home to outdoor and greenhouse gardens. The organization also offers, workshops, talks, and educational material to help visitors with their own gardening hobbies. Within the same park, you’ll find the insectarium and planetarium.
Old Montreal
Most of Montreal’s top attractions are located near this area. Nearby, you’ll see the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Place Jacques-Cartier, the science center, the Natrel skating rink, and the newest addition, the Ferris wheel which provides beautiful views of the Old Montreal.
Quebec City
Quebec City is a must-stop in Canada! You’ll find many beautiful spots like Place Royale and Quartier Petit-Champlain where 17th and 18th Century buildings are standing. You also have the Château Frontenac nearby.
Hudson Bay
One of the most remote regions of Canada. Some areas even reach the Arctic Circle. This harsh terrain is home to some rarities of this world. You’ll find over 800 species of Arctic vegetation. Migratory birds, seals, and polar bears sometimes make an appearance. Occasionally, you might even spot a beluga in the bay.
Forillon National Park
Situated at the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula, this park is wild and rugged. Impressive scenery with limestone cliffs and the isolated Cap des Rosiers lighthouse in the background. This lighthouse is actually the tallest in Canada.
Magdalen Islands
This place is probably one of my favorites with British Columbia. When I first got there, I thought the scenery was straight out of Jurassic Park! With its impressive cliffs, it is an amazing place to be. Home to a lot of watersports, you won’t be bored. You’ll find red cliffs all over the place, great food, great views, and even greater people. The Magdalen Islands are worth the detour (quite a big one but so worth it)!
New-Brunswick
Bay of Fundy National Park
The Bay of Fundy is home to the highest tides in the world! They can measure up to 19 meters! They occur twice a day and over time have carved a coastline with dramatic cliffs, sea caves, and rock formations. Because of the tides, this brings much plankton and you can spot up to 12 species of whales in the area. Within the park, you can find three spectacular waterfalls, Dickson Falls, Laverty Falls, and Third Vault Falls.
Hopewell Rocks
At high tides, the rock formations look like tree-clad islands. When the tide is low, you can actually descend the stairs and walk among giant sea-stacks on a rocky beach.
Grand Manan Island
This island is a small fishing community. Only accessible by ferry it is near the Bay of Fundy. On this cliffs-sided island, bird watchers will have the opportunity to witness more than 240 species including the Atlantic puffin. The island is also popular for whale-watching as there are many species around.
Prince-Edward Island
PEI National Park
This park offers beaches, wildlife watching, outdoor activities, historic buildings as well as great camping spots.
Charlottetown
This little town has a Victorian charm. There is a beautiful walkway at the harbor that leads to Victoria Park.
Confederation Bridge
The Confederation Bridge was finished constructed in 1997 and is the first bridge to connect Prince Edward Island to Canada’s mainland. The bridge is 12.9 kilometers long and is the world’s longest over freezing water and is considered one of Canada’s top engineering accomplishments.
Nova-Scotia
Halifax
Halifax has a beautiful boardwalk along the Harbour leading from Pier 21 Museum to the Seaport Farmers Market. This is where you will find the ferry to Dartmouth and many options to take a sightseeing tour.
Peggy’s Cove
This is a small fishing village less than 50 kilometers from Halifax. The lighthouse there is probably the most photographed one in Canada! The lighthouse sits on the foggy Atlantic Coast marking its perilous point. Stark, wave-battered granite bluffs surround the Peggy’s Cove lighthouse. Peggy’s Cove is also home to the Swissair 111 Memorial site for the plane that crashed in the ocean near Peggy’s Cove in 1998. This is one of my favorite places to visit. Worth a bit of time to enjoy it on your coast to coast Canada itinerary for sure!
Cape Breton Highlands National Park
This National Park hosts the highest peaks in Nova Scotia. If you are a hiker, you won’t be disappointed with this park. With its coastline of beaches and cliffs and its inland forests and rivers, there is plenty to see.
Lunenburg
This is a brightly colored village and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its most famous craft is the Bluenose schooner. The boat won many races before sinking near the coast of Haiti. You can often see the Bluenose II in port.
Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens
It is one of North America’s finest gardens.
Newfoundland
Gros Morne National Park
Probably one of the nicest National Parks on the east coast, it offers a magnificent landscape of fjords and mountains. You can do some rock climbing, hiking, boat excursions, camping and so much more. Gros Morne National Park is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Signal Hill National Historic Site
The park overlooks the Atlantic Ocean near St-John’s harbor. During different times of the year, you can spot some icebergs close by. I had never seen an iceberg in my life before visiting Signal Hill. It was very impressive!
Bonavista peninsula
Visitors can watch for whales, puffins, and icebergs from this peninsula.
Cape Spear Lighthouse National Historic Site
Just 11 kilometers from St-John’s, this is the most easterly point in North America and has Newfoundland’s oldest lighthouse. It is a popular spot to watch the sunrise.
Twillingate and Fogo Island
This little fishing village on the Kittiwake coast is great for whale watching and iceberg spotting. Twillingate is home to the Long Point Lighthouse built-in 1889. Recently, a hotel was built on Fogo Island and is now a great tourist area.
If you really are into the whole Canada experience, the territories up north can make up for a great adventure. I personally have never been to any of them (unfortunately) but these places would definitely be on my to-do list when I get to either of them.
Yukon
SS Klondike National Historic Site
The sternwheelers on the Yukon river remained the most important mode of transport for a long time after the gold rush in Yukon. Today it has been restored and offers great tours.
Miles Canyon
This used to be a treacherous part of the Yukon River before a dam was constructed which tamed the river. Many supplies and lives were lost in this area during those days. Hiking trails and a scenic setting are great to explore. You can also visit a 25 meters suspension bridge which is only a couple of minutes drive from the downtown area.
The northern lights
If you are visiting between January and April, you are most likely going to see some northern lights. You’ll be able to see the Aurora Borealis even from the city.
Takhini Hot Springs
Located not far from Whitehorse, they are known for their therapeutic and curative traits. Takhini Hot Springs has two pools to take advantage of. One is kept around 42 degrees Celsius and the second one is 36 degrees Celsius.
Northwest territories
Nahanni National Park Reserve
This park is quite remote but is one of Canada’s treasures. The raging Nahanni river flows through canyons of the Mackenzie Mountains. You can also see the stunning Virginia Falls, one of the most impressive waterfalls in Canada. In this National Park, you can also treat yourself to the Rabbitkettle Hot Springs. However, you can only visit them as part of a guided tour to help preserve the fragile environment.
The Northwest Passage
This passage gives access, through the Arctic Ocean, from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Victoria Island
Situated off north from Canada’s mainland, this is the third-largest island in the Canadian Archipelago. It lies north of the Arctic Circle.
Nunavut
Baffin Island
This island is the fifth-largest in the world. The east coast is similar to Norway with its fjords. The cost of living there is quite expensive and the climate is very unfriendly. The island has lots of insects in the summertime as well. This island is more for the travel specialist looking for some adventure in Canada.
Auyuittuq National Park
Meaning land where it never thaws, the park sits on the Cumberland Peninsula southwest of Baffin Island. A big portion of the park is occupied by the Penny Ice Cap, a remnant of ice-age glaciations. Mount Asgard is quite impressive to see.
Iqaluit
Iqaluit is now home to a modern town with a hotel, school, hospital, cathedral, radio and weather station, and even a camping site. It is a great place to gather information on the community living there.
Quttinirpaaq National Park
Located in the extreme north of Ellesmere Island, this extreme mountainous and glaciated area is known to attract experimented hikers. In this dry Arctic climate, warm and moist temperatures allow for some plants to grow and animals to exist. You can spot muskoxen, Peary caribou, arctic foxes and wolves, lemmings, and over 30 species of birds.
So this sums up my ultimate coast-to-coast Canada itinerary! I hope this has inspired you to visit some places you hadn’t thought about! Leave me a comment on the places you have been on this list!
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links. I would never recommend anything I don’t personally love and use!
Keep reading for more on Canada!
Our Magdalen Islands road trip itinerary
20 photos to inspire you to visit the Magdalen Islands
Summer camping gear packing guide
20 photos to inspire you to visit Canada
