In March 2021, we set out on what would prove to be the single longest road trip within one country that we've ever done.
Or probably will ever do…
Canada!
Spanning a combined 4 months of driving, we visited almost every province (at least those that can be accessed in a 2 wheel vehicle).
Covering more than 15,000km this took us from the very eastern coast in Halifax, all across to the Rocky Mountains!
Up through the Yukon (with a cheeky road trip through Alaska) and then all the way down the west coast to Vancouver.
Along the way exploring and road tripping many of Canada’s best places to visit.
The Yukon, Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, the Great Lakes, Niagara Falls, Cape Breton and a whole bunch more!
But instead of writing what would end up being an impractical and unending 4 month Canada road trip post; I instead wanted to break things up.
Highlighting what we believe to be the 10 absolute best road trips to take within the country.
Each one broken down into manageable 1 - 2 week lengths!
Let's get started…
For our journey across Canada we had our trusty camper called Helen (who we converted ourselves by the way!).
We shipped her all the way from England, and after finishing in Canada headed south all the way to the bottom of South America.
But if you don't already have a vehicle sorted, you have two main options ...
There are plenty of fantastic RV rental firms in Canada, offering a whole host of vehicles to fulfil the needs of any camper or road tripper.
The best thing about renting an RV is that you have your vehicle, accommodation and often your meals all in one place.
Which can save a LOT of money on accommodation and eating out.
Plus you have far greater flexibility in where you can stay each night and what you can see, so this would definitely be my top choice.
To rent a camper, your best bet is to head on over to either:
Some RVs can be large and more difficult to manoeuvre, so people might want to take on a Canada road trip by car.
You can check out our guide to the best car rental sites if you're unsure of who to go with!
Better yet, we've got an in-depth guide on the best car rentals in Canada which will help you narrow down your search.
Quick answer? Check out Rentalcars, they are always our top pick.
If you want to road trip Canada by car, then you'll need to arrange accommodation.
To help save time and money I have put together an in-depth guide on how to find cheap hotel rooms all around the world. This will definitely help save you money in a more expensive country like Canada.
Alternatively, if you prefer staying in unique accommodation or even homestays (which can be much cheaper than hotels) then my guide on the best vacation rental sites should be useful.
Especially for finding unique properties in places like the Rockies or Whistler!
The list below is based on when we visited each region (so east to west).
It's not based on what we believe to be best to worst; as making such a list would be very difficult.
Though I can safely say that my top two favourites are numbers 6 & 7.
Okay here it goes…
This is where we started!
Cape Breton is an island at the eastern end of the Nova Scotia province.
It’s best known for its Cabot Trail, a roadway encircling the island, taking travellers through dense forests and rugged coastline.
This has to be one of the most stunning drives in all of Canada.
We visited Cape Breton Island in March/April and were the only ones there. It was a truly magical and unique experience!
It was wild, and the weather got crazy at times, but even at that time of year it was a beautiful and unforgettable adventure.
The drive along the Cabot Trail passes through the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, with amazing views along the way.
There are plenty of stops to camp and hike, as well as loads of other adventure activities such as gold panning, sea kayaking, cycling, or even a whale watching tour.
In the winter months skiing and snowmobiling are popular activities.
For the best experience, why not check out this audio driving tour which will allow you to learn all about the Cabot Trail whilst you're admiring the views!
There are a total of 26 hiking trails throughout the National Park, the most popular being the Skyline Trail. It’s a 5 mile loop encompassing incredible views of the Gulf of St Lawrence, as well as fantastic opportunities for spotting wildlife including moose, bald eagles and bears.
We only got to see the northern part of Nova Scotia, but nevertheless the 360 km drive from Halifax along the eastern shore toward Cape Breton was wonderful. We saw so much wildlife and the ocean views there are amazing.
You could always take more time to then see the southern end of Nova Scotia too.
You can find more information on the best things to do in Cape Breton here...
There’s over 1,000 km between Halifax and Quebec City, a journey which passes through New Brunswick and a bunch of National Parks.
Some of the best things to do in New Brunswick include:
Throughout our journey through New Brunswick, we stayed at Dumfries Maple Syrup Farm for the night, and it was amazing!
I’d highly recommend you take part in a similar experience in either New Brunswick or Quebec if you’re visiting in the brief maple season.
Maple season takes place between February and April, so if you’re lucky enough to visit New Brunswick or Quebec during this time, I’d highly recommend you take part in a maple syrup farm experience.
As the capital of the Quebec province, there are lots of great things to do in Quebec City.
Some of our favourites are:
For those with some extra time, you can always head out on a sightseeing cruise which is a fantastic way to see the city!
If the conditions allow for it, this road trip can be extended to Prince Edward Island and Northern Quebec.
Prince Edward Island is Canada’s smallest province, and can be accessed from New Brunswick via the 12.9km Confederation Bridge.
The best thing about this tiny province is, you’re never more than 16 km away from the ocean. This means there’s some great seafood options around, giving PEI the title of ‘Canada’s Food Island’.
Northern Quebec forms the largest part of the Quebec province, stretching over 1 million square kms.
There’s incredible nature in this area, with Arctic tundra in the north where the winters are long and harsh.
This Canada road trip took us over 800 km through the Quebec Province and into Ontario.
Quebec City lies just over 800 km from Toronto, so of course there are lots of fascinating spots to enjoy throughout this journey.
The first stop of this Canada road trip is Saguenay.
We opted for a slightly longer route so we could stop at Montmorency Falls on the way.
Although it’s only 7.5 miles away from the city you'll want to allow a good few hours to explore here.
Fun fact: at 83m tall, the waterfalls here are 30 m higher than Niagara falls. To see some of the best views of the park and waterfalls, take the cable car.
The drive from Montmorency Falls to Saguenay will take you via the Laurentian Mountains, which is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world.
Saguenay is best known for Saguenay Fjord, which leads to the St. Lawrence River. The Fjord is definitely one of the best places to visit in Quebec, with incredible scenery throughout the whole year!
Some of the other great things to do in Saguenay are:
The next stop, and our first big city on this Canadian road trip is Montreal. It’s definitely worth stopping here for a few days. Some people even choose to start their road trips here as there are plenty of RV rental options.
There are loads of amazing things to do in Montreal, and it’s easy to see why it’s a bucket list destination for so many.
Some of our top recommendations for Montreal include:
You could always explore the city on this guided bus tour which will take you past all the best spots!
From Montreal there’s around a 2 hour drive to Ottawa. This takes us out of the Quebec province and into Ontario, and involves a slight detour from the straight route through to Toronto.
However, it’s a necessary detour to get the Canadian capital ticked off on this Quebec road trip itinerary.
Yes that’s right, neither Montreal nor Toronto are the capital of Canada! It’s Ottawa, which I’m sure is surprising for some of you to hear.
There are definitely some interesting sites and beautiful buildings to see in Ottawa, and as the Canadian capital there are of course some interesting historical and cultural sites, however you won’t need more than a day here.
Some of the best things to do in Ottawa include:
There's also this fantastic river sightseeing cruise that will take you along the Ottawa River and past many of the city's iconic landmarks.
Here's some information on the best things to do in Ottawa...
Our final stop before Toronto is the beautiful Algonquin Provincial Park. It’s Ontario’s oldest and most famous provincial park, so it must be worth a visit! This park is 7,635 sq km of maple hills forests, bogs, lakes, rivers and rocky ridges.
There are eight camping grounds to choose from at Algonquin, some of which are open all year round, as well as a wide range of biking and hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and wildlife viewing.
Some of the best and most popular hiking trails include Booth's Rock Trail, Centennial Ridges Trail, and Mizzy Lake Trail.
In the winter, there’s great opportunities for skiing, snowshoeing and skating at the park.
From Algonquin Provincial Park it’s around a 3 hour drive to reach our destination for this Canada road trip - Toronto!
This road trip encompasses around 1,600 km of some of Canada’s most famous sites in the Ontario province.
Ontario is an amazing road trip destination, with lots of RV rental opportunities.
Your starting point, the provincial capital Toronto, is full of amazing things to do, so make sure you give yourself adequate time to enjoy this incredible city.
Why not take a look at this 'Best of Toronto' city tour which includes transport and entry tickets?
This city is also a great place to start a Canadian road trip as there are lots of RV rental firms in Toronto to choose from.
And better still, it’s just a road trip away from the world renowned Niagara Falls.
It really isn’t a trip to Ontario without a trip to Niagara Falls, so head south from Toronto, then cut eastwards again, and you’re at this famous beauty spot. Also stop at the town of Niagara and surrounding vineyards - it's amazing here!
If you’re planning on spending a little longer in this area, you might want to treat yourself to a night in a hotel with a view of Niagara Falls.
Or, you can just take a day trip from Toronto as there are plenty of fantastic tour options!
Heading west from Niagara Falls sees you take in lots of the best places in Ontario.
Manitoulin Island should be a must on this Canadian road trip. It’s a lake island found in Lake Huron, which is one of the Great Lakes of North America, and one of the largest lakes in the world. The island is best accessed by a ferry from Tobermory, which is around 300 km from Toronto.
The island is absolutely MASSIVE, and is in fact the largest freshwater island on the planet. It actually has over 100 lakes of its own!
Another interesting fact about Manitoulin Island is that it’s the first site of European settlement in Canada. The pace on this island is really slow and life is pretty laid back. With amazing scenery, and no crowds, it’s a nature lover's haven.
The easiest and most popular way to get to Manitoulin is via the MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry, with the crossing taking around 2 hours. Of course, the island is an incredible place, but the crossing alone is fantastic.
Fares can vary depending on the time of year, and the type of vehicle you are travelling with, so check their website for a fare estimate.
Now I’ve mentioned before that Lake Huron is one of the Great Lakes of North America, but there are four more - Lake Superior, Michigan, Erie and Ontario. Lake Superior is the largest lake in the world.
The drive from Manitoulin to Thunder Bay is a long and unending road through Ontario. It’s over 1,000 km altogether, and the road runs along Lake Superior. There’s a whole lot of nothing along the route, really Winnipeg is the next major city, and that’s over 2,200 km away!
But if you want to just road trip Ontario, after crossing Manitoulin and driving along the Great Lakes, you could then cut back and take the other road all the way back eastwards. It’s more about the journey than the destination with this one.
Our big recommendation is to rent or buy a kayak and spend days at a time exploring the many national parks in this area.
Thunder Bay is the largest city in Northwestern Ontario, but it’s still not big enough to escape the untouched wilderness of this province.
Some of the best things to do in the city are:
Check out this guide for inspiration on the best things to do in Thunder Bay...
There’s also lots around the city for outdoor enthusiasts including Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Kakabeka Falls and Cascades Conservation Area.
This Canadian road trip takes us from Winnipeg, the largest city in the Manitoba Province, across to Calgary in Alberta.
The 1,300 km route passes through the province of Saskatchewan on the way, so you can say you drove all the way across this vast state!
It's funny, most Canadians we met actually ridicule Saskatchewan for being flat and boring. I quite liked it, but it's very open and you drive for unending hours with the reward being the Rockies.
A fun fact about Saskatchewan is that it’s home to Mac the Moose, the world’s largest moose and one of the most photographed roadside attractions in Canada.
Winnipeg is a fun city, and as the largest city in the province, there are plenty of great things to do.
Some of our favourites include:
If you're not spooked easily then why not download this smartphone audio ghost tour? Winnipeg has an interesting history when it comes to ghosts and ghouls, and it's really quite creepy!
The large flat open plains along this route mean there are clear views of the Canadian Rockies, gradually looming larger.
Instead of just heading straight for Calgary once we reached Alberta, we headed up to Edmonton first.
There’s 300 km between Calgary and Edmonton, but it’s definitely one of the best places to visit in Alberta, so well worth adding to this Canada road trip itinerary.
In fact, there's a pretty cool way to explore the city - by Segway tour!
As you head southwards from Calgary you suddenly enter the prehistoric landscapes of Dinosaur Provincial Park.
This UNESCO world heritage site is well worth a visit. There’s amazing drives, trails, camping and a visitor centre to enjoy. It's as if you enter a whole new landscape!
And outside of the rocky mountains, it’s the coolest part of Alberta to visit (based on our experience).
Another interesting sight south of Calgary is Head-Smashed-in-Buffalo-Jump World Heritage Site. This site showcases 6000 years of Plains Buffalo culture.
Admission costs 15 CAD, and visitors can enjoy vast landscapes, exhibits and programs, which teach visitors about the cultural significance of this cliff to the Plains People.
You could just as easily do this road trip the other way round. Starting the road trip in Alberta is a great idea as there are lots of RV rental options.
The Rocky Mountains are without doubt one of the best places to visit anywhere in the world.
Covering 4,800 km, the Rocky Mountains are the longest mountain range in all of North America.
Full to the brim of turquoise lakes, mountain peaks and amazing hikes, the whole area is incredible! But there are definitely some stand-out destinations.
A road trip through the Rocky Mountains will take in some of Canadas most beautiful places, starting in the south with Banff and heading all the way up to Jasper in the north.
There’s a 300 km drive between these two fantastic destinations, but with so much to see and do throughout this Canada road trip you’ll want to take your time to take it all in.
Banff National Park is home to some amazing lakes including Lake Louise, Lake Moraine, Emerald Lake and Two Jack Lake.
Some other must see stops as you head through Banff on this Canada road trip have to be Mount Norquay, Johnston Canyon and Sulphur Mountain, the latter you can reach via the Banff Gondola.
Banff National Park and Jasper National park are linked by the epic 232 km Icefields Parkway.
This route is a road tripper's dream, encompassing stunning views, mountain peaks, blue lakes and 100s of glaciers - including the Athabasca Glacier which you’re able to walk on!
In fact, this glacier hike is definitely one of the best things to do in Jasper and on this Rocky Mountains road trip.
The Athabasca Glacier is thought to be most visited glacier in all of North America.
Ice Walks on the Athabasca Glacier operate from the Columbia Icefield car park, and we’d really recommend you take this unique opportunity to walk on a glacier.
Depending on which way round you do your road trip, Edmonton or Calgary are 2 of your best bets to hire a camper!
Then either drop back at the original depot, or some companies allow you to pay a surcharge drop off fee.
There’s one road which takes you from Dawson Creek to Delta Junction, and that’s the Alaska Highway!
This 2,232 km road was constructed during World War II to contiguous America, across Canada, to Alaska.
Yes this Canada road trip ends in Alaska which is the USA, but why drive that far if you’re not going to complete the last bit?!
There are also plenty of awesome places to visit along the way so allow time for lots of stops.
When it was first completed back in 1942 it was around 2,700 km long, but it’s now over 400km shorter due to continuing reconstruction and rerouting of the highway over the years.
It was once legendary for being a rough and challenging drive, but it’s now paved the entire way.
However, there’s no denying that it’s very bumpy, and can cause a lot of damage to vehicles if you don't take it easy.
I blame this road for wrecking the fan in our van, meaning we had to ship a new one to Oregon from the UK, as well as breaking the gas regulator under our van.
But I would definitely recommend it and take it again!
Perfectly doable in a 2 wheel vehicle in my opinion.
If you’re looking for an alternative route to Alaska check out the Top of the World Highway.
This is only open for certain summer months of the year but is the only other way into Alaska by road.
We took this highway into Alaska, and then did the final stage of the Alaska highway when leaving the state.
So yes, we did the whole Alaska highway, but in 2 different points as passing on Dawson City and our failed attempt at the dempster diverted us off it. It was a great drive!
You literally do feel like you are at the top of the world.
They had tremendous wildfires when we did it (which are perfectly normal) so much of the drive was misty.
We even got booted off one of our wild camping spots because a helicopter landed 20 metres away from us and needed to secure the area as a depot for putting out a fire in the area! We also each got a cool stamp in our passport (will include pic).
The Top of the World Highway runs 127 km from Dawson City to near Jack Wade and is open from mid May to mid October.
That’s our video.
We actually broke down (kind of) just 100km in and It cost us £800 to get towed back to Dawson. Luckily it was a faulty oil light and the dempster didn't actually cause any damage. But it definitely was scary and worrying!
If you break down further along the Dempster Highway then it will cost thousands to get repaired or towed out.
We're gutted that we didn't make it the whole way as plenty of people do it in vehicles much worse prepared and in poorer condition than ours, but we lost our nerve after the experience, knowing how far we still had to go to reach the bottom of Argentina.
But we managed to do one hike before the disaster, and the views were epic!
We stopped at the Tombstone Territorial Park on our first evening, and the next morning we did a hike in the park.
Even if you weren't planning on driving the full Dempster Highway, it's worth driving to this park for the views and hikes on offer, plus the road is pretty maintained up until here!
Thankfully, we had some friends who DID make it all the way up and back on the Dempster Highway.
Below is written by Gemma from Off Track Travel ...
The Dempster Highway is Canada’s most adventurous road trip.
This epic 735km long unpaved route connects Dawson City, Yukon, and Inuvik, Northwest Territories. Elevated to protect the permafrost below, the road travels through tundra, alongside dramatic mountains and across the Arctic Circle itself.
If it’s wilderness you’re after, the Dempster will deliver. The views are simply endless, with no signs of civilisation (besides the road) in sight.
Some days, we saw more animals than people! We spotted porcupines, ground squirrels, moose and several grizzly bears.
Most people spend two days driving the length of the Dempster to Inuvik, with the long daylight hours in summer (24 hours above the Arctic Circle!) making this feat easier than it initially sounds.
If you can, however, I’d suggest spending longer. If it rains, the elevated road becomes super slippery and sliding off into the (big) ditch is a real risk.
More time also allows you to explore more places along the route, such as beautiful Tombstone Territorial Park.
The experience doesn’t stop once you reach the end of the highway, however. Spend a day or two in Inuvik, a purpose built town on the banks of the mighty Mackenzie.
One of the best places to visit in town is the Igloo Church, which features an impressive domed ceiling.
Since 2017 it has also been possible to drive beyond Inuvik to the Inuvialuit community of Tuktoyaktuk. The extra 138km is well worth the extra effort as it offers the chance to dip your toes right in the Arctic Ocean!
Due to the isolation and lack of phone signal, Dempster Highway roadtrippers need to be self-sufficient. There are only a handful of gas stations and even fewer shops.
Crowds and traffic aren’t an issue here but you need to be prepared for what you’re getting into.
A good spare tire is absolutely essential to bring as it’s fairly common to lose a tire to the Dempster’s rocky surface. A tire repair kit and portable air compressor can be very helpful to deal with small punctures.
I’d also suggest plenty of bug repellent and bear spray!
You can read more about the road trip in their full guide on how to drive the Dempster Highway.
This 2,400 km drive takes us along the West Coast of British Columbia.
It’s full to the brim of unending stretches all the way to Whistler.
If you fancy stopping here on the way you could easily spend a full day in this scenic place, or wait until you’ve reached Vancouver and make a day trip to Whistler.
It’s around a 2 hour drive between the two destinations.
Some of the best things to do in Whistler include:
It’s a drive which takes 28 hours altogether, and we drove for 8 hours a day for 5 days straight just to get through it.
The views are incredible and it's shocking how remote some people still live.
It was a strange experience being off the grid with no phone service for this long, but we saw a lot of wildlife.
As you get close south to reality, the mountainous passes winding through Whistler and other towns towards Vancouver are breathtaking.
Definitely worth spending a day or two in the area, or even skiing.
Once you reach Vancouver, allow yourself around about a week to explore and enjoy the city and its surroundings.
There are so many amazing things to do in Vancouver, so you’ll want to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy it.
In fact it was recently voted the third most livable city in the world so it must be pretty good.
If you decide to do this road trip the other way around, there are plenty of great RV rental firms in Vancouver.
And plenty of great car rental firms here as well.
Some of our top recommendations for Vancouver include:
You can also go on a whale-watching tour if you're visiting at the right time of year (typically between March-October).
Just bear in mind that’s it's a heck of a way to get to Vancouver from Whitehorse so make sure you allow yourself a good few weeks to visit all the sights.
By far the most epic Canada road trip possible.
This monster of the road winds all the way from east to west (or vice versa) of the country. From St Johns (Newfoundland) to Victoria (British Colombia)
It covers at least 7,100 km (depending on any detours), making it one of the largest routes of its kind in the world.
Even better, the Trans-Canada Highway passes through all 10 provinces of this incredible country.
Surprisingly, Canada is actually only linked by this one major highway, sometimes splitting in two. But often just one road with one or two lanes each way.
We did most of it, but came off and rejoined at different points as it doesn’t visit all the places mentioned in this guide.
As discussed below, we also haven't been as far at Newfoundland (due to weather) so our Trans Canada road trip effectively began in Halifax.
Not to worry, we will use this as our excuse to return to this wonderful country as son as possible!
The highest point of the Trans Canada Highway is Kicking Horse Pass, at 1,627 m above sea level.
Depending on which Canada road trip you're planning on doing, and where in the country you're travelling, the weather and conditions can vary.
As Canada is such a large country there’s plenty of scope for different weather and temperatures.
June to August are the summer months where the sunniest and warmest weather is guaranteed, however if you're planning on skiing, perhaps around Whistler, you might want to visit during some of the cooler months.
If you’re road tripping across Canada in winter, be aware that the conditions could be icy and treacherous on some of the roads, so always check before you travel.
September through to November is a great time to visit Canada.
The weather has cooled down but it’s still comfortable, and the colours are changing to stunning autumnal browns and oranges.
If you want to enjoy a maple syrup experience like we did at Dumfries Maple Farm, then you’ll need to visit in the maple season which is from February to April.
The great Canadian road trip takes you from one side of Canada to the other, all by road.
The perfect place to start is the Mile 0 monument in Victoria, BC which marks the start of the epic Trans Canada Highway.
The route then winds the way across the country, through 10 provinces, via brilliant spots that we’ve mentioned like Lake Louise, Head Smashed in Buffalo Jump, Mac the Moose, and the Original Tim Horton’s before finally reaching Iceberg Alley in Newfoundland.
Iceberg Alley is the ‘iceberg capital of the world’, and the icebergs you can see floating here are over 10,000 years old.
Now Canada is the second largest country in the world, so it’s going to be a pretty long road trip!
Driving across the entirety of Canada, from Newfoundland to the Alaska border, takes 23 days on the road, but to allow yourself time to see the sites, visit cities, enjoy National Parks and really take it all in, you’ll want at least 2-3 months to make the trip.
We spent around 4 months road tripping Canada.
We travelled over 15,000km, which included a trip to Alaska, and lots of other great places to visit.
Having this much time meant we had plenty of time to explore, and take it all in.
If you’re limited on time, we’d recommend choosing one of the Canada road trips above and really getting the most out of that, as opposed to cramming too much in.
ABSOLUTELY!
If this guide of the best road trips in Canada hasn’t already convinced you of this, then let me assure you that Canada is one of the best road trips we have ever been on.
Whether you’re after wildlife, mountains, nature, adventure sports, vibrant cities, historical and cultural sites or isolated remoteness Canada really does have it all.
As such a huge country, there’s so much variety on offer. It really is without doubt a bucket list destination!
Short answer, no! It's notoriously spotty, especially in more remote parts like the Yukon and much of the Rocky Mountains.
Not only that, but it's also very expensive to get data packages in Canada!
Instead, we used a mobile wifi hotspot all across the country which worked out both cheaper and offered better coverage in all provinces than a single data provider could possibly offer.
As you can see there are plenty of awesome Canadian road trips waiting for you!
Okay, so here are the province’s we haven’t YET visited.
Extra emphasis on the word “yet”, as we definitely can’t wait to return to Canada.
Newfoundland & Labrador are two incredible popular van life destinations.
And when heading west across these gorgeous countries, we found plenty of happy Canadians heading eastwards for the summer to tackle these provinces.
Accessing this region is best done in the brief warmer months as snow and ice make them inaccessible for most the year.
I will be sure to update this post once we make it there!
So for now, I would love to hear your recommendations if you have been to any of the above 3.
And highlight if road tripping Nunavut & the Northwest Territories is practical and even safe (ahem … bears … ahem).
If you have any other questions about what we covered above, please do drop them below!
If you're traveling through North America here are some other guides you may find helpful:
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