My Top Ten Canadian Road Trips

1. The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia
The 300 km (186 mi) journey winding around the north shore of Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, is one of the world’s most outstanding marine drives. You can do it in a day, but it’s worth two, especially if you enjoy hiking, picnics, and photo ops along the way. You can break your trip at Baddeck, where you will find good hotels and restaurants. There’s the Alexander Graham Bell Museum in town which is worth a gander. You’ll also find sea kayaking available and salmon fishing (on the Margaree River) nearby. Keep your cameras handy as you pass through the highlands of Cape Breton National Park. Binoculars can also be useful as whale-watching can be rewarded along the shore. This region of the country will introduce you to the three historic cultures of the region—Acadian, Scottish and Mi’kmaq. St. Ann’s Gaelic College is renowned for its Gaelic arts.

2. The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 between Banff and Jasper, Alberta)
This 220 km (137 miles) route takes you across the Continental Divide, and right past three massive glaciers. You’ll need to purchase a national park pass, but it’s well worth the price. Take your time. You won’t only see some of the world’s most dramatic scenery; expect to come close to wildlife as well, especially at dawn and dusk—deer and black bears, maybe even grizzlies, elk, moose, and caribou. The Icefields Parkway is the central route through Banff and Jasper National Parks . Of course you’ll want to spend time at Banff and Lake Louise, but don’t miss the Crowfoot Glacier, just two miles up the road. Then at Mile 23, you’ll want to take in the arresting colour of Bow Lake flowing from Bow Glacier. Crowfoot Peak is on your left. And watch for signs to Peyto Lake and Athasbaca Falls. If you want to stretch your legs, the two-mile round-trip Parker Ridge trail at Mile 73 leads you to the Saskatchewan Glacier overlook and the Columbia Icefield—North America’s largest subpolar ice pack. Note: there may be temporary snow closures in winter.

3. Québec’s Eastern Townships (Cantons de-l’Est)
The Appalachians may seem tame compared to the rugged Rockies, but for alpine scenery reminiscent of the European piedmont, the Eastern Townships are hard to beat. A lovely route through the region would take you in a rough circle linking the towns of Knowlton, Sutton, Glen Sutton, Mansonville and South Bolton. Keep your eyes peeled for Highways 104, 215, 139, 105 and 243. The area was settled by English and Scottish farmers at the time of the American Revolution (these “United Empire Loyalists” moved from the U.S. to Canada, wanting to remain under the British crown). Also Irish peasant farmers moved here in the mid 1800s, driven by famines in their homeland. You can see evidence of their influence in the architecture and postcard-perfect farms. If antiques are your fancy, visit the town of Sutton (25 km s. along Highways 104 and 215) and the village of Dunham (30 km w. along Highways 104 and 202). And be sure to enjoy the Townships’ local cuisine—maple syrup, fruits and vegetables, locally raised beef and duck, and, if you dare, poutine (fries with curd cheese in gravy).

4. Nova Scotia’s South Shore: Lighthouse Row
Nova Scotia is almost completely surrounded by the moderating waters of the Atlantic, but it’s good, if you can, to pick a sunny day as you drive east along its southern shore. The route begins at the most southwesterly part of the province in Yarmouth, a historic seaport town with its popular lighthouse. To reach it, follow Route 304 to Cape Forchu. Leaving Yarmouth, Route 3 passes through French Acadian fishing villages on its way to Lunenburg, home to the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic. In 1921 the world-famous Bluenose was built here; a replica, the Bluenose II, is available for tours when in port. From Lunenburg, Lighthouse Row continues to the towns of Mahone Bay and Chester, filled with beautiful architecture, art galleries, and eateries. There’s plenty of golf, hiking, bicycling, sailing and kayaking available in the area, too. Plan a picnic at the beach on St. Margaret’s Bay before concluding your journey in Halifax, a city well worth a few days sauntering around.

5. Sea to Sky on Highway 99, British Columbia
Anyone who travels the breathtaking Highway 99 understands where it got its name. Horseshoe Bay in North Vancouver is the southern terminus of Highway 99 at the edge of the Pacific. This route winds you up from coastal rain forest at Horseshoe Bay, through Squamish, Garibaldi Provincial Park, and the heights of the Coastal Range toward Whistler. The winding road crosses two historic routes, the Pemberton Trail and the Gold Rush Heritage Trail. Space being minimal along steep-sided Howe Sound (North America’s southernmost fjord), the road and railway parallel each other for much of the 45 km (28 mi) to Squamish at the head of the sound. Squamish, equidistant from Vancouver and Whistler, is the place for anglers, bikers, climbers, and picnickers. Arriving at the summit of the valley that contains Whistler, observe Alta Lake, the great divide in the Sea to Sky corridor. Water flowing from its south end reaches the Pacific, while water flowing from its north end reaches the ocean through the Harrison watershed and the Fraser River.