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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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Wooden dock and rocky shoreline along a calm lake with forested peninsula in the distance under clear blue sky

Dunnottar, Manitoba: A Quiet Evening on the Shore of Lake Winnipeg

Discover Dunnottar, Manitoba — a quiet Lake Winnipeg village with wooden piers, shallow beaches, green streets, and peaceful shoreline views, less than an hour north of Winnipeg.
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Turquoise lagoon surrounded by limestone terrain and sparse vegetation under a bright blue sky with white clouds

Steep Rock: Manitoba’s Mediterranean of Limestone and Turquoise

Emerald water, limestone cliffs dropping straight into the lake, and hardly a soul in sight — Steep Rock may be Manitoba's best-kept secret, three hours from Winnipeg.
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Turquoise alpine lake surrounded by coniferous forest and snow-capped mountains under cloudy sky

Emerald Lake: Yoho’s Underrated Jewel

The largest lake in Yoho National Park, found by the same guide who "discovered" Lake Louise — and, in our view, every bit as beautiful, with far less fuss.
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Turquoise alpine lake with forested mountains shrouded in mist and low clouds, rocky slopes visible through the fog

Lake Louise: The Lake of the Little Fishes

A glacier-fed lake the Stoney Nakoda called the "Lake of the Little Fishes," framed by the Victoria Glacier — and the parking battle that comes with its fame.
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Turquoise alpine lake with clear shallow water and rocky shoreline, surrounded by steep forested mountains under a dramatic cloudy sky

Bow Lake: Where the Bow River Begins

The turquoise headwaters of the Bow River, framed by Crowfoot Mountain and the historic Num-Ti-Jah Lodge — an easy, unforgettable stop on the Parkway.
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