Top 5 Can't Miss Canadian Roadtrips

Canada or "The Great White North" has some of the most breathtaking wilderness and natural features in the world. One of the best ways to experience it is by hopping in a rental car from Auto Europe and taking a beautiful scenic road trip. With your own car on these routes you are free to stop and stretch your legs exploring gorgeous forests, glaciers, and even one of Canada's most famous wine regions. These routes and roads showcase the best of Canada's rugged beauty and Auto Europe offers the lowest rates to help you experience it all.

1. Icefields Parkway, Alberta

Spanning roughly 143 miles between Jasper National Park and Banff National Park, The route features many stunning natural formations like expansive ice fields, rushing waterfalls and clear blue glacier-fed lakes. One particular highlight is the Weeping Wall, a partially natural formation of multiple small waterfalls streaming down huge cliffs creating the illusion that the rock wall is crying. There is also the Glacier Sky Walk, which puts you on a glass observation deck 918 feet over the Sunwapta Valley. The sky walk offers unparalleled views of the valley below and is situated near routes frequented by wildlife. This road trip is best taken from June to September, though October works as well if you don't mind a higher chance of rain.

2. Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

One of Canada's most famous wine regions, the Okanagan Valley is a gastronomic hot spot full of incredible restaurants, sandy beaches, and of course award winning wineries. It is hard to beat as a recreation destination. Towns like Kamploops offer a staggering amount of outdoor activities with long summers, perfect for hiking, biking, watersports, and winters made for exploring snowy trails. Kelwona is another popular town offering plenty of outdoor activities for active adventurers, but the highlight is the massive amount of great restaurants and wineries to visit in the town. The Okanagan Valley is a great to visit year round but is best enjoyed in June to September for the warmest temperatures. April, May, and October are also great and a bit cooler.

3. Cowboy Trail, Alberta

This route is primarily located south of Calgary on Highway 22 and offers a great variety of activities and things to see. You could start your travels in Calgary, the provinces largest city. There are tons of things to do such as visit The Glenbow Museum, an art and history museum with a focus on Western Canadian history and culture emphasizing Indigenous perspectives. If you’re up for a wild west party, time your visit with the Calgary Stampede, a rodeo and country music festival which is known as the greatest outdoor show on Earth. You could even stop by the Alberta Boot Company and grab yourself some authentic Cowboy boots or other Western-style clothing. Outside of the cities, you will pass a lot of stunning scenery and historical sites such as the Bar U Ranch and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, as well as a number of Western-style towns. This trip is best done between May and October for the best views.

4. Lake Superior Circle Tour, Ontario

The Lake Superior Circle Tour is a 1,300 mile self-guided tour around the world's largest fresh water lake. The tour takes you to both Canada and the USA and actually features some historical sites from the war between the two nations. There are many outdoor activities to indulge in but the most truly unique is scuba diving shipwrecks in Lake Superior. Popular places to stop on the Canadian side include Thunder Bay with locations like The Fort William Historical Park which recreates an 1816 fur trading post. One other Highlight is Pukaskwa National Park which offers some of the best camping and hiking especially its coastal trail with The White River Suspension Bridge spanning 98 feet across and 75 feet above Chigamiwinigum Falls offers amazing views. The best time to do the tour is the warmer months from May to October, Keep in mind July and August will be the busiest months.

5. Montreal To Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec

This route offers a fantastic mix of urban and rural things to do. Montreal offers a lot from parks and gardens to museums and historical sites, there is something for everyone. One sight that cannot be missed is the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal. It was the first Gothic Revival style church in Canada and its religious, historical, and artistic importance makes it a treasure of Quebec’s heritage and one of the most visited sites in Montreal. Leaving the city, you get plenty of views of nature and wildlife on the roughly 9 hour drive to Gaspesie. Once in the peninsula there is the Gaspesie National Park containing the highest peak of the Appalachian Mountains in Canada and offering an assortment of outdoor activities. Perce Rock at the tip of the peninsula is one of the world's largest natural arches and is a breathtaking sight to behold. June to mid-September is the best time to travel this route.

These are 5 of the most spectacular road trips that you could hope to take through Canada. We hope this list has been informative and if any of these routes inspired your thirst for adventure than Auto Europe can help you to plan and get the absolute lowest rate for your Canadian get away.