Uniquely Canadian experiences with Parks Canada
Want a one-of-a-kind Canadian travel adventure to add to your bucket list? Discover unique and unusual things to do in national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas on your next Canada vacation. 450 000 km2 of original stories await!
Free admission and discounted overnight stays
The Canada Strong Pass is back! Enjoy free admission and 25% off camping and overnight stays with Parks Canada from June 19 to September 7, 2026.
Atlantic Canada
Dare to sleep in a prison
Location : Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site - Nova Scotia
Experience the fortress in a completely new way as a ‘voluntary inmate’ in the fortress prison, an officer on-duty in the Place d’Armes guardhouse, or as a town resident in a period style house. Take advantage of having the fortress to yourself for the night and cozy up by the fire just like they did 300 years ago.
Discover the haunted history of the Citadel
Location : Halifax Citadel National Historic Site - Nova Scotia
Slip into the shadows of the Halifax Citadel and hear its haunted history on a ghost tour. Explore the passageways and inner chambers of this historic fort and find out if the many legends of ghost hauntings are true.
Dare to be scared on a ghost tour
Discover more exciting historic activities with Parks Canada
Immerse yourself in an explosive atmosphere
Location : Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site - Nova Scotia
Add an explosive element to your visit and enlist to be a cannoneer in training at the Fortress of Louisbourg. Light the fuse and wait for the blast of a cannon identical to the ones that defended 18th-century Louisbourg.
Location : Signal Hill National Historic Site - Newfoundland and Labrador
Take part in a similar experience by firing the noon day gun at Signal Hill! At the stroke of noon, let the people of St. John’s know it’s time for lunch with a resounding crack. Be part of an iconic tradition and feel the pride of operating this impressive piece of artillery.
Walk on the inside of the earth
Location : Gros Morne National Park - Newfoundland and Labrador
Explore the place where ancient continents collided. This is one of the few places on Earth where the planet’s mantle is exposed. It only took 400 million years of erosion, no big deal! Walk through the Tablelands, a surreal barren orange landscape, and learn how the site helped prove the theory of plate tectonics.
Escape from a sod hut
Location : L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site - Newfoundland and Labrador
No gimmicks, gadgets or hidden rooms – just you and up to 3 friends with 45-minutes to escape an authentic timber-and-sod hut in the most unique of locations - the first known evidence of European presence in the Americas. Can you pass The Test of Tykir and take your place at the side of the legendary Leif Eriksson?
Rise and fall with the highest tides in the world
Location : Fundy National Park - New Brunswick
Walk the seafloor at low tide and admire the ocean floor's treasures, then hop in a sea kayak and paddle the same area at high tide just 6 hours later. In the Bay of Fundy, the difference between high and low tide can be as much as 16 metres. That’s the height of a four-story building! This unique phenomenon is caused by the gravitational attraction of the sun and moon on the oceans of the earth and the unusual combination of resonance and the shape of the bay in Fundy.
Quebec
Explore out-of-this-world rock formations
Location : Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve - Quebec
Feel like you have entered an alternate universe as you walk through the largest concentration of monoliths in Canada. Let the thousands of islands and islets of Mingan Archipelago fascinate you with their arctic-alpine plants, colonies of birds and naturally sculpted monoliths. Head out on a sea excursion for a closer view of the flowerpot rocks.
Enjoy whale watching
Location : Saguenay–Saint-Laurent Marine Park - Quebec
Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park is renowned as one of the world’s top whale watching destinations—even from the shore! Over 13 whale species pass through these waters, with 6 commonly spotted. Explore up to 22 unique discovery sites throughout the entire protected marine area, and take advantage of the various stunning viewpoints, perfect for watching marine mammals feed, just meters away.
Ontario
Live the Cali life… in Ontario
Location : Point Pelee National Park - Ontario
Explore the Tip Trail and trek to the southernmost point of mainland Canada, which, believe it or not, is the same latitude as northern California! More than 390 species of birds have been recorded in the Point Pelee Birding Area. While migration peaks in spring and fall, a good variety of birds can be spotted throughout the year.
Swim, snorkel or dive over shipwrecks
Location : Fathom Five National Marine Park - Ontario
Venture to the first marine conservation area in Canada for some of the best freshwater diving opportunities in the world. Explore clear, clean water, submerged cliffs, caves and overhangs, and a whopping 22 historic shipwrecks, some in as little as 15 feet of water. It’s no wonder it’s recognized as a world-famous scuba-diving site! Know your own physical limits and beware, the waters are very cold all-year-round.
Prairies
Go on a bison photo safari
Location : Riding Mountain National Park - Manitoba
In Manitoba, bison silhouettes are everywhere—on signs, license plates, and in stores—making them seem as common as chipmunks. But spotting one in the wild is rare. Bison were released at Riding Mountain national park, thanks to a conservation program. Be on the lookout for bison in the Lake Audy Bison Enclosure, where a herd of approximately 40 plains bison reside and scientific research occurs.
Gaze up at a protected sky
Location : Grasslands National Park - Saskatchewan
Check out Grasslands National Park, one of the darkest Dark-Sky Preserves in all of Canada. Take part in Dark-Sky programming, and learn about the stars, moon, galaxies and constellations. Parks Canada not only protects a vast network of cultural and natural heritage places, it also protects the night sky from artificial light pollution. Enjoy the magic of the universe and who knows, you might even find yourself wishing upon a shooting star.
Western Canada
Sleep in an authentic tipi
Location : Rocky Mountain House National Historic Site - Alberta
Sleep under the stars in an authentic tipi and dream of the bison roaming beyond the campsite. For an incredible view of the night sky, unobstructed by trees or light, visit the bison lookout. In mid to late July, fireflies add a magical touch.
Find and hold fossils that predate dinosaurs
Location : Yoho and Kootenay National Parks - British Columbia
Join a Burgess Shale guided hike, a once in a lifetime adventure, to discover fossils more than half a billion years old. This glimpse into early life on Earth includes some of the oldest and most complex fossils in the world. Using a magnifying glass, see if you can make out the many fine details such as eyeballs, guts, brains, and more!
Explore ancient Haida villages
Location : Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, and Haida Heritage Site - British Columbia
Step into Haida homeland, steeped in spirituality and natural beauty, where the land, sea, and people are interconnected: Gina waadlux̱an gud ad kwaagid – everything depends on everything else. Meet the Haida Gwaii Watchmen, who protect 5 village sites where Haida culture and ancestral traditions continue today. Their presence is the highlight of any visit. Monumental poles, longhouses, hot springs, culturally modified trees, and other cultural sites are part of the rich heritage to explore and respect.
Northern Canada
Visit a park bigger than Switzerland
Location : Wood Buffalo National Park - Alberta and Northwest Territories
At over 44,000 km2, Wood Buffalo is the largest national park in Canada, and bigger than the entire country of Switzerland. It’s also home to Wood Bison, North America’s largest native land mammal, as well as the world’s only known Whooping Crane nesting area, the rarest bird in North America! Wood Buffalo sure is larger than life, but it’s the everyday activities that pose the most magic.
Experience the Klondike Gold Rush
Location : Klondike National Historic Sites - Yukon
Travel north to Dawson City, once known as the “Paris of the North” where the legacy of the Klondike Gold Rush and the cultural traditions of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in blend seamlessly. Step inside historical buildings and chat with costumed guides to hear the stories of the quirky characters who once walked the wooden boardwalks of this storied town and to learn about the full scope of our shared history. Save some time to explore the famed Klondike goldfields and follow the trail to the spot where gold was found in 1896.
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