The Trans-Canada Highway runs nearly 8,000 km from St. John’s to Victoria, and almost nobody drives all of it. Canada’s great road trips are shorter and sharper: a day on the Icefields Parkway between glaciers, three days around the Cabot Trail in Cape Breton, a week on the gravel of the Dempster Highway to the Arctic Ocean.
Distances are the thing to plan around. Montreal to Banff is about 3,600 km, so most visitors fly between regions and hire a car for one loop: the Rockies from Calgary, British Columbia from Vancouver, Quebec from Montreal or Quebec City, or the Maritimes from Halifax.
The driving itself is easy. Roads are wide, signs are clear (bilingual in Quebec and New Brunswick, French only in much of Quebec), tolls are rare and traffic outside the cities is light. The hazards are wildlife, long gaps between fuel stops and winter, which closes some routes and changes the rules on others.
At a Glance#
- The classic: the Icefields Parkway, 232 km of glaciers and lakes between Lake Louise and Jasper.
- From Vancouver: the Sea-to-Sky Highway through Squamish to Whistler, the Pacific Rim Highway to Tofino, and Highway 97 through the Okanagan wine country.
- Quebec: Charlevoix from Quebec City to Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie, and the Route 132 loop around the Gaspé Peninsula to Percé.
- Atlantic Canada: the Cabot Trail, and the Viking Trail from Deer Lake past Gros Morne to L’Anse aux Meadows.
- The long ones: Highway 17 along Lake Superior, the Alaska Highway from Dawson Creek to Whitehorse, and the Dempster from Dawson City to Inuvik.
- Costs: Parks Canada admission C$12.25 (about US$9) per adult per day or C$83.50 a year; Confederation Bridge toll C$20 when you leave PEI.
The Rockies#
The Icefields Parkway (Highway 93 North) is Canada’s most famous drive, 232 km from Lake Louise to Jasper through Banff and Jasper national parks. You can drive it in under four hours, but most people take a full day for the stops: Peyto Lake from Bow Summit, the Columbia Icefield and Athabasca Glacier, and Athabasca Falls. Fuel is sold only at Saskatchewan River Crossing, roughly halfway, and there is almost no phone signal, so fill up in Lake Louise or Jasper.
A good week links it into a loop from Calgary: Canmore and Banff, the parkway to Jasper, then Highway 16 west past Mount Robson and south through the Thompson valley, or back over Highway 93 South through Kootenay to Radium Hot Springs. You need a Parks Canada pass to drive through or stop in the parks; it is checked at the gates on the Trans-Canada and Highway 93. See our national parks guide for the lakes and trails.
British Columbia#
The Sea-to-Sky Highway (Highway 99) climbs from Horseshoe Bay along the fjord of Howe Sound to Squamish and Whistler, about 120 km and two hours without stops. Pull over for Shannon Falls and the Sea to Sky Gondola above Squamish. Past Whistler the road becomes the Duffey Lake Road to Lillooet, steep and quiet, passing Joffre Lakes.
On Vancouver Island, Highway 4 (the Pacific Rim Highway) runs from near Nanaimo past the old-growth cedars of Cathedral Grove and over the mountains to Tofino and the beaches of Pacific Rim, about three hours of winding road. In the interior, Highway 97 follows Okanagan Lake from Osoyoos through Penticton and Kelowna to Vernon, with wineries and fruit stands all the way; it combines well with the Rockies via Revelstoke and Glacier National Park on the Trans-Canada.
Quebec#
From Quebec City, Route 138 follows the north shore of the St. Lawrence into Charlevoix, a region of steep hills dropping to the river, with art galleries in Baie-Saint-Paul, the clifftop resort of La Malbaie and, at the mouth of the Saguenay fjord, a short ferry to Tadoussac for whale watching. Take the inland Route 362 one way for the views.
The Gaspé loop is a week-long trip. Route 132 runs east along the south shore past Rimouski and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, the base for the Chic-Chocs mountains, around the tip of the peninsula at Forillon and Gaspé, to the famous pierced rock at Percé, then back along the Baie des Chaleurs. Small fishing villages, smokehouses and lighthouses fill the gaps.
Atlantic Canada#
The Cabot Trail loops about 300 km around northern Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, climbing over the headlands of Cape Breton Highlands with the Gulf of St. Lawrence below. Allow two or three days to hike the Skyline Trail, eat in the Acadian village of Chéticamp and stop in Ingonish and Baddeck. Late September and early October bring the autumn colours and the Celtic Colours music festival.
In Newfoundland, the Viking Trail (Route 430) runs about 490 km from Deer Lake through Gros Morne National Park and up the Great Northern Peninsula to L’Anse aux Meadows, the Norse site at the tip. Icebergs drift past in late spring and early summer. Shorter Maritime drives include the South Shore from Halifax to Peggys Cove and Lunenburg, and the Fundy coast of New Brunswick past Fundy National Park to Hopewell Rocks.
Ontario and the north#
Highway 17 along the north shore of Lake Superior, about 700 km from Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay, is the most scenic stretch of the Trans-Canada in Ontario, with granite headlands, empty beaches and the pictographs at Agawa Rock in Lake Superior Provincial Park.
The Alaska Highway starts at Mile 0 in Dawson Creek and crosses northern British Columbia to Whitehorse, with stops at Liard River Hot Springs and the Sign Post Forest at Watson Lake. The Dempster Highway is the toughest drive in the country: about 740 km of gravel from near Dawson City across the Arctic Circle to Inuvik, with two river ferries in summer and fuel only at Eagle Plains in between. An all-weather road continues to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic Ocean. Carry two spare tyres, and check that your rental contract allows gravel highways; many do not.
When to go#
June to September is road-trip season. Mountain passes and northern roads are clear, the Cabot Trail and Gaspé businesses are open, and the days are long. September is the best single month: quieter roads, cheaper rentals and autumn colour in the east. Late May and October work in the south, but some park facilities and ferries run reduced schedules.
Winter driving is possible on main highways but needs care. Quebec requires winter tyres on all passenger cars, rentals included, from December 1 to March 15, and British Columbia requires winter tyres or chains on many highways, including the Sea-to-Sky and the Coquihalla, from October 1 to March 31 or April 30 depending on the route. The Icefields Parkway has no services in winter and closes during storms.
Car hire, rules and costs#
- Car hire: cheapest from big airports (Calgary, Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, Halifax). One-way drop fees between provinces are high, and drivers under 25 pay a surcharge. Book early for July and August, when rates climb steeply.
- Licences: a valid licence from home works for a visit; the permitted period varies by province. Carry an International Driving Permit if your licence is not in English or French.
- Rules: drive on the right. Speed limits are in km/h, usually 100 to 110 on highways and 50 in towns. Right turns on red are allowed except on the island of Montreal. Handheld phone use is banned everywhere.
- Tolls: almost none. Highway 407 ETR around Toronto bills by camera (rental firms add a fee), and the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island costs C$20 (about US$14), paid only on the way off the island.
- Park passes: C$12.25 per adult per day in the Rockies parks, or a Parks Canada Discovery Pass at C$83.50 per adult and C$167.50 per family, valid a year at every national park. Parks Canada waived admission in summer 2026, so check before you go.
- Ferries: BC Ferries to Vancouver Island and Marine Atlantic from North Sydney to Newfoundland carry cars; book ahead in summer.
Wildlife on the road
Moose, elk, deer and bears cross highways day and night, and a moose collision can be fatal. Slow down at dusk and dawn, watch the verges, and in Newfoundland avoid driving after dark on rural roads.
Buy the Discovery Pass if you will spend more than six or seven days in national parks. It covers everyone in one vehicle and pays for itself on a single Rockies loop.
For the islands and beaches along these routes see our islands and beaches guide, and for first-trip logistics the Canada first-timer’s guide. Across the border, the United States road trips guide and North America road trips guide cover drives you can link on, and the world road trips guide has the global list.
Best road trips in Canada#
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More Things to Do#
Canada road trip FAQs#
What is the most scenic drive in Canada?
The Icefields Parkway between Lake Louise and Jasper is the most famous, with glaciers, turquoise lakes and wildlife along 232 km. The Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia and the Sea-to-Sky Highway north of Vancouver are the main rivals.
Can I drive in Canada with a foreign licence?
Yes, for a visit. Each province sets how long a visitor can drive on a foreign licence, usually several months. If your licence is not in English or French, carry an International Driving Permit with it.
Do I need a pass to drive the Icefields Parkway?
Yes. The parkway runs through Banff and Jasper national parks, so you need Parks Canada admission: C$12.25 per adult per day or a Discovery Pass. Passes are checked at park gates and can be bought online.
Are there toll roads in Canada?
Very few. The main ones are Highway 407 ETR in the Toronto area, which is billed electronically, and the Confederation Bridge to Prince Edward Island, which charges C$20 when you leave the island.
When is the best time for a road trip in Canada?
June to September, when all roads, ferries and park facilities are open. September is quieter and cheaper, with autumn colours in Quebec and the Maritimes. Winter trips need winter tyres and flexible plans.
Can you drive to the Arctic Ocean in Canada?
Yes. The Dempster Highway from near Dawson City reaches Inuvik, and an all-weather road continues to Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic coast. It is mostly gravel, so take two spare tyres and confirm your rental allows it.