Most visited tourist attractions in Canada

Canada is well-known for its natural beauty, diverse culture, and welcoming people. It has a diverse range of tourist attractions, from breathtaking natural landscapes to bustling cities and historical sites. Canada is the second largest country in the World and surely has something to offer for every desire. It is estimated that 32.43 Million tourist have visited Canada during 2019 alone. Travel industry to Canada puts about $23 Billion into Canadian economy each year!

Here are some of Canada’s most popular tourist attractions:

1. Niagara Falls is one of the world’s most famous natural attractions, located on the Niagara River on the border of Ontario and New York. The Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls are a must-see for any visitor to Canada. Each year more than 13 Million tourists around the World visit Niagara Region each year. Tourism spending in the region is over $2 billion annually and has a significant impact on the local economy. How many times have you visited Niagara Falls so far?

2. Banff National Park: Located in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains, this national park is known for its breathtaking scenery, which includes snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and turquoise-blue lakes. Hiking, skiing, and wildlife watching are just a few of the activities available to visitors. The park is 6,641 square kilometres (2,564 square miles) in size, with 96 percent of it being wilderness. Banff National Park is one of four adjacent national parks designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks. In 1984, Banff National Park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

3. The CN Tower: This iconic tower in Toronto, Ontario, provides visitors with a bird’s-eye view of the city. The tower is one of the world’s tallest freestanding structures, standing at 553.3 metres (1,815 feet). Today, the CN Tower is Toronto’s communications hub, serving more than 17 Canadian television and FM radio stations, it employs more than 500 people year-round, and it is an internationally renowned tourism destination, welcoming more than two million visitors each year. The CN Tower was built over a 40-month period by Canadian National, the Crown corporation that operated the country’s largest railway network. The CN Tower was finished on April 2, 1975, opening to the public on June 26, 1976. At 553 metres (1,815 feet), it would remain the tallest freestanding structure in the world until surpassed by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in 2009.

4. The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks are renowned for their rugged mountain landscapes and diverse wildlife. Hiking, camping, skiing, and wildlife viewing are all popular activities in the national parks of Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, and Yoho. In the Canadian Rocky Mountains, seven parks contain some of the most well-known mountain scenery on the planet. Indeed, many people around the world associate Canada with snow-capped peaks and chateauesque hotels in parks like Banff or Jasper. Over nine million people visit the seven preserves along the Alberta-British Columbia border each year. If you are nature enthusiast, love hiking, snowmobiling, skiing, snowshoeing, or even enjoy nature photography, than Canadian Rocky Mountains are definitely a must visit!

5. Old Quebec: This UNESCO World Heritage Site in Quebec City, Quebec, is known for its well-preserved 17th and 18th-century architecture. Visitors can walk down cobblestone streets, listen to street performers, and visit museums and other cultural venues. Walk along the fortified walls surrounding this UNESCO World Heritage Site, and admire the view from every angle.  For all its 400 years of incredible history, it’s still very much alive: magical in the winter and popping in the summer. Full of charming little streets and local shops, Old Québec is best visited on foot and we highly recommend a walking tour to learn about its fascinating history. Just over 4 million tourist visit Quebec City each year, including over 1.2 million from 75 countries outside Canada. Quebec City gets about $1.63 billion in annual tourism spending (2019). It has approximately 1000 hotel establishments with total capacity of nearly 16,000 rooms.

6. The Butchart Gardens are 55 acres of colourful flowers and plants in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, with a focus on sustainability. Visitors can walk through the gardens, watch a concert or other performance, and eat at one of the on-site restaurants. The Butchart Gardens are Canada’s most beautiful garden collection. Jennie Butchart and Robert Pim Butchart, an Ontario couple… founded the Gardens in 1906, well before World War I and World War II (so to say that the gardens have survived to the test time would be a massive understatement). Because there are six gardens to explore (Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, and Mediterranean Garden), I would recommend dedicating an entire day to visiting the Butchart Gardens, with extra time to enjoy the summer entertainment and firework display.

7. The Canadian Museum of History: Located in Gatineau, Quebec, this museum is one of the most visited in Canada. It includes the Canadian Children’s Museum and the Canadian Museum of History, among other exhibits on Canadian history, culture, and society. The Canadian Museum of History, located in the heart of the National Capital Region, welcomes over 1.2 million visitors each year, making it the country’s most visited museum. It is one of Canada’s oldest public institutions, dating back to 1856, and a respected centre of museological excellence, sharing its expertise in history, archaeology, ethnology, and cultural studies both within and outside of Canada.

8. Stanley Park is a beautiful urban park in Vancouver, British Columbia, known for its gardens, lakes, and forested trails. Hiking, cycling, and picnicking are all options for visitors, as are views of the city and the ocean. Stanley Park is a popular tourist destination as well as a favourite among Vancouver residents. Every year, approximately 8 million people visit the park. Stanley Park is slightly larger than 1000 acres (405 hectares) than Central Park (840 acres) (340 hectares). The 8.8-kilometer-long seawall on the park’s outskirts makes for a beautiful walk or bike ride. Stanley Park boasts Canada’s largest aquarium! The Vancouver Aquarium is not only Canada’s first aquarium, but also the country’s largest. The aquarium is a non-profit organisation that does not capture wild animals. They run a number of conservation and research programmes with the goal of better understanding and preserving animal species in the wild.

These are just a few of the many tourist attractions available in Canada. The country has something for everyone, from natural wonders to cultural and historical sites. Whether you enjoy outdoor activities, history, or arts and culture, Canada is sure to have something for you.