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Sunset over calm water with dark pebble beach in foreground, dramatic storm clouds lit by golden and orange light breaking through grey sky

Places to Visit in Canada — From National Parks to Hidden Gems

Lakes, mountains, small towns, and roadside stops we found along the way. Each one with practical details to help you decide if it's worth the drive.

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Caliper Lake Provincial Park sign with blue text and lake illustration on wooden board surrounded by forest

Caliper Lake Provincial Park: Old Pines, Camping and a Quiet Stop by the Lake

We passed the turn for Caliper Lake for several days before finally stopping for an hour. It turned out to be less of a hiking park and more of a quiet campground built beneath remarkable old pines.
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Two Explorer Canada branded insulated water bottles sitting on a log overlooking a lake with coniferous trees and a canoe in the background

The Citadel Private Retreat: Five Days in a 1930s Log Cabin on Pinus Lake

We arrived in the rain, saw the old log cabin and spent the first ten minutes wondering whether we had made a mistake. Five days later, we felt very differently. An honest account of Cabin #2, the lake, sauna, canoeing, our dog, mosquitoes and what to know before booking.
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Waterfront park with a turquoise bench on a gravel path overlooking a river, rocky shoreline, small waterfall, forested banks, cottages across the water, and stormy sky above

Nestor Falls, Ontario: A Waterfall Under the Bridge and Planes on the Water

A small Highway 71 stop that is easy to drive past: a waterfall under the bridge, float planes on the lake, old logging stories and one gas station we returned to several times.
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Sunset over a calm river with golden light reflecting on the water, trees lining both shores, and dramatic clouds in the sky

Swistun Family Heritage Park: The Old Quarry That Became East St. Paul’s Quietest Walk

A former gravel quarry turned into a quiet park of lakes and trails, 20 minutes from Winnipeg. Free entry, dog-friendly, and full of geese.
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Sunset over a calm lake with silhouetted trees along the shoreline and buoys marking the water

Nutimik Lake, Manitoba: Beach, Camping and a Suspension Bridge

A clean sand beach two hours east of Winnipeg, two campgrounds that share a name, and an 86-metre bridge built by workers hanging on cables above a fast river.
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