Canada’s scale is difficult to quantify from a map. Spanning 9.9 million square kilometers across three oceans, the geography transitions seamlessly between dense temperate canopies, open prairies, and exposed sub-Arctic tundra. It is an environment fundamentally shaped by water, holding more freshwater lakes than any other country on Earth, flanked by jagged mountain chains and thousands of kilometers of exposed coastline.
Connecting these disparate regions is a network of over one million kilometers of public roads—providing an expansive backdrop for overland travel. Whether navigating remote northern tracks, tracking coastal food ways, or driving through isolated wilderness corridors, exploring by car remains the definitive way to understand the country’s varied landscape.
To trace this geography is to transition from the ancient canopies of the Pacific Rim Highway on Vancouver Island (Temperate Rainforest & Pacific Coast) to the rolling vineyards of Quebec’s Eastern Townships (Pastoral Countryside & Wine Country). Further north, the remote gravel tracks of the Yukon’s Dempster Highway (Arctic Tundra & Mountain Peaks) cross directly into the Arctic Circle, offering a stark contrast to the red-sand shores of Prince Edward Island (Pastoral Hills & Coastal Shallows). Along the Atlantic, the cliffs of Newfoundland’s Viking Trail (Ancient Fjords & Ocean Cliffs) and the sweeping heights of Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail (Windswept Coastline & Highlands) frame the continent’s edge, while inland, the stark sandstone canyons of the Alberta Badlands (Sandstone Canyons & Hoodoos) reveal an entirely prehistoric world.
Here are seven distinct driving routes that outline the true character of the Canadian terrain.
1. VANCOUVER ISLAND
Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island. Photo: DBC
WHILE IT WOULD take seven hours to drive the length of the island, one of Vancouver Island’s most scenic routes is from Nanaimo to Tofino along Highway 4 – otherwise known as the Pacific Rim Highway. The route winds through temperate rainforests and rugged mountains before reaching the storm- swept coastline of Pacific Rim National Park. Don’t miss a stop at Cathedral Grove, where you can walk among towering ancient Douglas fir trees, some of which are around 800 years old. In Tofino, Canada’s surfing capital, experience “rustic luxury on nature’s edge” at the Relais & Chateaux Wickaninnish Inn and go whale- watching on a floatplane tour of Clayoquot Sound. You can rent a car in Victoria; or, from Vancouver, drive to Horseshoe Bay and catch the ferry to Nanaimo. vancouverisland.travel
Recommended: Heading through BC’s wine country? Here’s where to eat, drink, and stay in the Okanagan Valley →
2. EASTERN TOWNSHIPS, QUEBEC
Photo courtesy Tourisme Cantons-de-l’Est
NOT FAR FROM MONTREAL, you’ll find yourself driving through rolling countryside and historic villages, past farms, orchards, vineyards, lakes and mountains. In fact, there are three scenic routes to choose from – the Townships Trail, the Summit Drive and the Wine Route – each with dozens of cultural attractions and epicurean stops along the way. While the options are endless, a few highlights include visiting the abbey and sampling award-winning cheese at Saint-Benoit-du-Lac, a monastery erected by Benedictines from France in 1912. Or stopping for a picnic in the lavender fields at Bleu Lavande – or experience it virtually with the immersive Chromatic Fields installation by Moment Factory. Don’t miss North Hatley, a village on the shores of Lake Massawippi, where century-old Victorian homes are now inns, B&Bs and restaurants, along with boutiques, art galleries and antique shops. Rest your head at the nearby Relais & Chateaux Manoir Hovey, a historic lakeside getaway. easterntownships.org
3. DEMPSTER HIGHWAY, YUKON
Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon.
THIS CLASSIC ROAD TRIP takes you far off the beaten path – so far, in fact, that you’ll exchange traffic jams for wildlife crossings. At 740 kilometres in length, this all-season road – most of it gravel – crosses the Arctic Circle, so you’ll need a rugged vehicle for this trip (and a spare tire or two). But you’ll also traverse some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet, from stark tundra to rugged snow-capped peaks. Start near Dawson City in northern B.C., then head north to Inuvik in the Northwest Territories. Along the way, stop for a visit at Tombstone Territorial Park in the Yukon, home to the Tr’ondëk Hwëch. Keep driving, and you’ll find yourself at 66° 33’N – aka the Arctic Circle – with views of the Richardson mountains. The end of the road is Inuvik, where you can visit the Inuvialuit Cultural Centre, the Aurora Research Institute and even an Igloo Church. travelyukon.com/en
4. PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND
Photo:@tourismpei
ONCE YOU PICK UP your rental car from the Charlottetown airport, the island is your oyster. While there’s no shortage of scenic vistas here – like red-sand beaches, rolling countryside and storybook villages – P.E.I. is also a foodie’s paradise, known for its world-class shellfish. In Charlottetown, learn how to shuck a scallop at the Culinary Institute of Canada, then drive to New Glasgow, where you can partake in a classic lobster supper with all the fixings. From there, head to New London and take a chef-led class at The Table, a culinary studio set in a renovated church. Or, stay for The Chef’s Table, a seven-course culinary experience featuring fresh island seafood, foraged foods and hyper-local produce. Finally, make your way to Malpeque Bay where you can sample the world’s best oysters. tourismpei.com
5. THE VIKING TRAIL, NEWFOUNDLAND
Gros Morne National Park
ON NEWFOUNDLAND’S NORTHERN PENINSULA is the Viking Trail, a 489-kilometre route that features majestic nature, lively culture and, of course, Vikings. The trail starts near Deer Lake on Highway 430 (there’s an airport there, or you can take the six-hour ferry from North Sydney in Nova Scotia and drive three hours to Deer Lake). From there, it winds its way through Gros Morne National Park, an ancient landscape of mountains, fjords and beaches formed by colliding continents; it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site (and worth an extended stay). The trail then takes you to L’anse aux Meadows National Historic Site – also a UNESCO site – home to the only known Viking settlement in North America. The archeological site, which offers a glimpse into Viking life, dates back to the year 1000. Stay the night in St. Anthony, known for whale- watching and icebergs, where you can soak up Newfoundland’s famous hospitality. newfoundlandlabrador.com
6. ALBERTA BADLANDS
Hoodoos, a geologic formation on a bright day in the badlands near Drumheller, Alberta, Canada
THERE’S SOMETHING RATHER MAGICAL about driving through landscapes where dinosaurs once roamed. In the Badlands, there’s no shortage of road trips to choose from – the area is spread out over 90,000 square kilometres. But whichever route you choose, you’ll drive past rolling grasslands, sandstone canyons and fields of hoodoos (sandstone formations that take millions of years to form). In Drumheller, visit the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology, home to the largest collection of dinosaur skeletons in the world. Nearby is Horseshoe Canyon and Horse Thief Canyon, both of which offer sunset views over the Badlands. Then, on the drive from Drumheller to Dinosaur Provincial Park – a UNESCO World Heritage site – pull over to visit the Atlas Coal Mine National Historic Site, where you can ride a 90-year-old narrow-gauge train. Pull over again for the Hoodoo Trail, where you can stretch your legs on a hike to see these other- worldly rock formations up close. travelalberta.com
7. CABOT TRAIL, CAPE BRETON
DESTINATION CAPE BRETON ASSOCIATION (CAPE BRETON ISLAND)
ANOTHER OF CANADA’S CLASSIC road trips, this two-lane highway hugs the dramatic Cape Breton coastline over 300 kilometres, with jaw-dropping views around each bend. While it’s worth the drive for the views alone – the wild Atlantic, windswept shores and lush forests – another joy of road- tripping in this part of the country is the infectious Maritime hospitality. Stop in historic towns with Celtic and Acadian roots – where you’re sure to hear a fiddle playing somewhere – and go whale watching, shop for souvenirs from local artisans and feast on lobster rolls and Acadian salt cod fish cakes. While you could drive 300 km in a single day, it’s best to stretch this road trip out over three or four days to enjoy everything Cape Breton has to offer. The Cabot Trail can be looped in either direction; there are various starting points, including the Trans-Canada Highway. cbisland.com
