5 Classic National Parks in Canada You Must Visit — And 5 Under-the-Radar Ones We Love

by  Will McGough | Updated on Feb 13, 2024

Visiting a national park is a classic American pastime — the United States introduced the concept when it created Yellowstone National Park in 1872, after all. However, our neighbors to the north also boast a wild range of incredible national parks and outdoor adventures, like mingling with polar bears in Manitoba or island hopping in Ontario. Here, five Canadian parks that you may know and love — and five of the country's more underrated, best-kept secrets.

Peyton Lake at Jasper National park / iStock/leamus

Banff National Park
Photo: Banff National Park / iStock/balberts

Classic Favorite: Banff National Park

Location: Alberta
Size: 2,564 square miles
Nearest City: Calgary

It’s appropriate to lead the list with Canada’s first national park. Located less than two hours from Calgary, Banff National Park shows off the incredible jagged, dramatic nature of the glacier-carved Canadian Rockies. Turquoise alpine lakes, glaciers, pine forests, a charming town by the same name, and two iconic “castle” hotels, the Banff Springs Hotel and Chateau Lake Louise, show why Banff still stands as the shining star of the whole bunch.


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