Scenic Drives That Make You Proud To Be A Canadian

Few countries are as shaped by the land as much as Canada:

From soaring mountains to mossy fjords to grasslands to more lakes and rivers than anywhere else on Earth, our national identity is all about the sea, the sky and the open road that connects it.

Try out these patriotic road trips for a heightened feeling of pride in our land, from sea to sea…

Highway 99 (Sea To Sky) anytime before the Olympics
The beautiful drive to the foot of Canada’s mountain playground has long given a warm, patriotic feeling for anyone who makes the drive from Vancouver to Whistler. Add to that the fact that the world will descend on this mountain pass and its cities this February experiencing our nation on the international stage during the largest event of the year, anywhere.
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Highway+long+Olympics/2153745/story.html

Cabot trail, Nova Scotia
For a moving portrait of our Maritime heritage, trace the path of the Atlantic shoreline 300 km along winding seaside passes full of refreshing saltwater mist. Count the lighthouses and stop a while in Cape Breton Highlands National Park before leaving via a side trip to Halifax and historic Lunenburg, home of the iconic Bluenose racing schooner – for several years, the fastest vehicle in the world.
http://www.cabottrail.com/

Highway Of Heroes (401 between Trenton and Toronto’s Hwy 404)
It’s a solemn occasion when the body of a fallen Canadian soldier makes its way from CFB Trenton to undergo an autopsy in Toronto. But joining the hoards of flag-bearing well-wishers among the public and fire/police services gathered on each and every overpass along this stretch of Highway 401 is perhaps the most patriotic experience in Canada these days.
http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2008/11/11/7372241.html

Jasper-Banff (Icefields) highway, Alberta/BC
Not only is this glacier-lined Rocky Mountain corridor one of the truly great roads in Canada, the area is also a gateway to the largest concentration of natural hot springs in North America. While taking-in the sites between the area’s national parks, be sure also to take a gondola to the top of one of Jasper of Banff’s cloud-tickling mountains, some half as tall as Everest.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/jasper/visit/visit14_E.asp

Northern Ontario, Lake Superior and end of the road for Terry Fox
For some, Canada’s greatest road trip is following in the steps of Canada’s greatest hero. To follow – literally – in the footsteps of Terry Fox, travel to Thunder Bay along the Terry Fox Memorial Highway and stop at his amethyst-based memorial statue: the most remote and most famous of several that bears Fox’s name across Canada.
http://www.thunderbay.ca/Visiting/Attractions___Adventure/02_parks___scenic_views/04_scenic_views/terry_fox_monument.htm

Cape Spear to Lans Aux Meadows, Newfoundland
Drive on to the Port Aux Basques ferry and travel to Cape Spear, just east of St. John’s for the chance to be first to see the sun rise in North America. Next, make the two-day drive up the Northern Peninsula to Lans Aux Meadows: The UNESCO World Heritage Site is widely regarded to be the first and oldest European settlement in North America, dating back 1,000 years to the days of Leif Ericson (who, you could say, was tourist to Canada.)
http://www.vikingtrail.org/

St. Lawrence Seaway route, Quebec
Passing through Old Quebec City is like floating into the past and across the ocean. The area could be considered the cheapest way to visit Europe, not to mention the funnest winter carnival in the world. In the chillier months, check out the nearby ice hotel. The drive is inspiring winter or summer and a major part of the Canadian identity.
http://www.bonjourquebec.com/qc-en/routenavigateurs0.html

Ontario’s scenic drive to the National Capital
Every Canadian take the scenic route to Ottawa at some point in their lives. The tulip-carpeted Capital region in springtime is a love letter to the Canadian identity and a transformative experience for anyone who walks through the passageways of the Centre Block on Parliament Hill or looks out on the Rideau Canal from the top of the Peace Tower.
http://www.rideauheritageroute.ca/en/

Alaska Highway to the Yukon and the Arctic Circle
If the Rockies are the best road trip in Canada, the Arctic is quite possibly the greatest road trip on Earth: Starting or ending in Alaska, this highway route winds through northern BC and up to Whitehorse (the only place where you can drink Starbucks’ Yukon blend in the Yukon in one of two stores within 1 km of each other). Continue on to Dawson City to pan for gold and visit Robert Service’s cabin. The ultimate trek is the final 500 km north along the shale path of the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Circle. Turn around or stay overnight at Eagle Plains motel in the land of the Midnight Sun.
http://travelyukon.com/thingstodo/yukonscenicdrives/

Toronto to Niagara Falls (the mighty Golden Horseshoe)
Everyone outside of Ontario seems to love to hate the Greater Toronto Area. But once in a lifetime, every non GTAer should drive the 401 to North America’s third largest municipality, see Toronto’s great soaring landmark tower and bask in the misty, awesome might of Niagara Falls.
http://www.ontariotravel.net/TcisCtrl?site=consumers&key1=destinations&key2=GTA&key3=GoldenHorseshoe&language=en

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