The Canadian Explorer
The Canadian ExplorerDiscover Canada · Explore Beyond

Road Trips

The open road, our way.

Five legendary drives, each a self-contained adventure. Roll the windows down, and let the country choose your soundtrack.

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Icefields ParkwayRoute 01 / 05

Alberta

Icefields Parkway

The most scenic drive in the world, according to almost everyone who's done it.

Lake Louise to Jasper through a corridor of glaciers, turquoise lakes, and roadside grizzlies.

Distance
232 km
Duration
3 days
Season
May – October
  • Columbia Icefield
  • Peyto Lake viewpoint
  • Athabasca Falls
  • Lake Louise
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Cabot TrailRoute 02 / 05

Nova Scotia

Cabot Trail

Where the Highlands meet the Atlantic, and Celtic music spills out of every pub.

A loop around Cape Breton's wild northern coast, with whale-watching, hikes, and lobster suppers.

Distance
298 km
Duration
4 days
Season
June – October
  • Cape Breton Highlands NP
  • Skyline Trail at sunset
  • Ingonish beaches
  • Whale watching at Pleasant Bay
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Sea-to-Sky HighwayRoute 03 / 05

British Columbia

Sea-to-Sky Highway

From cruise-ship harbour to ski-town gondola in a single, cinematic afternoon.

Vancouver to Whistler along the Howe Sound fjord — waterfalls, granite walls, and ocean on one side.

Distance
163 km
Duration
2 days
Season
Year-round
  • Shannon Falls
  • Sea-to-Sky Gondola
  • Squamish Chief
  • Whistler Village
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Gaspé PeninsulaRoute 04 / 05

Québec

Gaspé Peninsula

A French-speaking coastline of fishing villages, sea cliffs, and lighthouse-flecked headlands.

A grand loop around Québec's eastern peninsula where the St. Lawrence meets the open Atlantic.

Distance
885 km
Duration
7 days
Season
June – September
  • Forillon National Park
  • Percé Rock
  • Bonaventure Island gannet colony
  • Parc national de la Gaspésie
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Fundy Coastal DriveRoute 05 / 05

New Brunswick

Fundy Coastal Drive

The world's highest tides, on a schedule you can plan a road trip around.

From St. Stephen to Aulac along the Bay of Fundy — sea stacks, whale watching, and tidal bores.

Distance
460 km
Duration
5 days
Season
May – October
  • Hopewell Rocks
  • St. Andrews-by-the-Sea
  • Fundy National Park
  • Cape Enrage
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Plan the drive

Pair a route with a province.

Every great Canadian road trip starts with a region. Browse destinations to plan the stops either side of the highway.