Banff Banff National Park is the top tourist attraction in Alberta, contributing an estimated $6 billion annually to the economy.Attractions include mineral hot springs, mountain scenery, camping, climbing, hiking, golfing, horse-back riding, alpine and nordic skiing, and Lake Louise. Several ski resorts are located within the park: Sunshine Village, Lake Louise Mountain Resort, and Mount Norquay ski resort. A park pass is required for stopping in the park and permit checks are common during the summer months, especially at Lake Louise and the start of the Icefields Parkway. A permit is not required if travelling straight through the park without stopping. The Trans-Canada Highway goes through the park. The death of wildlife on the highway from vehicles is a problem, which has resulted in the highway being fenced off and the construction of wildlife under- and over-passes.

Calgary The Calgary Stampede, which bills itself as The Greatest Outdoor show on Earth, is a large festival, exhibition, and rodeo held in Calgary, Alberta for ten days every July. In 2006, the Stampede will take place from July 7-16. It is Canada's largest annual event and it features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, a midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon races, First Nations exhibitions, and pancake breakfasts around the city, among other attractions. In 2005, record-breaking attendance at the 10-day rodeo and exhibition totalled 1,242,928. The Stampede Parade which occurs on opening day, is one of the festival's oldest and largest traditions. It follows a 4.5 km route in downtown Calgary. Attendance at the parade is usually about 350,000. The parade is also televised and has a viewing audience of over 2 million. During Stampede Week, the city's residents dress in western attire, and nearly all businesses decorate their stores and offices western style.

Edmonton There are also over 70 museums in Edmonton of ranging sizes. The largest is the Royal Alberta Museum (formerly the Provincial Museum of Alberta, it was renamed by Queen Elizabeth II during her 2005 visit) which houses over 10 million objects in its collection. The main galleries are the Syncrude Gallery of Aboriginal Culture, Wild Alberta, and the Natural History Gallery. The main building, located on the river valley west of downtown in Glenora, was opened in 1967 and is now in the early stages of large-scale redevelopment [29]. Located on the grounds is Government House, the former residence of the province's Lieutenant-Governor. The RAM is in the early stages of a large 180 million dollar expansion, dubbed "Project Renewal".

Halifax Downtown Halifax is a more "people-friendly" downtown than many others in North America, due to the ample amount of hotels in the area, combined with pedestrian-friendly narrow streets, annual festivals and events, an array of interesting attractions, and many restaurants.Bars on Argyle Street.The area is home to approximately 200 restaurants and bars, providing an interesting array of world cuisine. There are also over 60 sidewalk cafes that open in the summer months. The nightlife is made up of bars and small music venues as well as Casino Nova Scotia, a large facility built partially over the water. Downtown Halifax is also known for its historic architecture. Many buildings in the area have municipal historic site status, and some are recognized nationally.

Montreal Montreal is the cultural center of Quebec and French-speaking Canada as a whole. As the largest city in the province of Quebec, the largest French speaking city in all of North America, and the third largest francophone city after Paris, France and Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Montreal is a hub for television productions, radio, theatre, circuses, performing arts, film, multimedia and print publishing. Unlike other North American cities which serve their suburbs and hinterlands, Montreal plays a national role in the development of Qubcois culture. Therefore its contribution to culture is seen as a state-building endeavour rather than a civic duty. The best talents from French Canada and even the French speaking areas of the United States converge to Montreal and perceive the city as their cultural capital.

Niagara Falls Niagara Falls is a set of massive waterfalls located on the Niagara River in eastern North America, on the border between the United States and Canada. Niagara Falls (French: les Chutes du Niagara) comprises three separate waterfalls: the Horseshoe Falls (sometimes called the Canadian Falls), the American Falls, and the smaller, adjacent Bridal Veil Falls. While not exceptionally high, Niagara Falls is very wide. With more than 6 million cubic feet (168,000 m) of water falling over the crestline every minute. it is the most powerful waterfall in North America and possibly the best-known in the world.

Ottawa Ottawa, Ontario, is the capital of Canada, and the country's fourth largest city. It is located in the Ottawa Valley on the eastern edge of the province of Ontario, right at the border with Quebec, about 400 km (250 miles) east of Toronto and 190 km (120 miles) west of Montreal. It is a city on the banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway that forms the border between the two provinces. Unlike the capital cities of countries like the United States, Mexico, and Australia, there is no federal capital district in Canada: Ottawa is a municipality within the Province of Ontario. Although it does not constitute a separate administrative district, Ottawa is part of the officially-designated National Capital Region. The population of the city proper is 808,391, while the population of the larger Census Metropolitan Area is 1,146,790 (2004), including the Quebec city of Gatineau. The mayor of Ottawa is Bob Chiarelli.

Toronto Toronto is a Canadian city located on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario, and is the provincial capital of Ontario. Toronto is a global city, exerting significant regional, national, and international influence, and is one of the world's most multicultural and ethnically diverse cities. It is Canada's financial centre and economic engine, as well as one of the country's most important cultural, artistic, and health sciences centres. Toronto was named the world's most livable city in 1994 by The Economist. It was displaced in 2005 by Vancouver, but is still ranked among the top ten. [1] The city of Toronto proper has a population of 2,481,494 inhabitants (2001 census) and is the most populous city in Canada. The population of the Toronto Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) is estimated at 5,304,100 inhabitants in 2005[2]. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA), slightly larger than the Toronto CMA, is defined by provincial authorities for urban planning purposes. Toronto is at the centre of the Golden Horseshoe, a densely populated region in Ontario which is home to roughly eight million people, or one quarter of the Canadian population.

Vancouver Vancouver is internationally renowned for its scenic setting. Vancouver has one of North America's largest urban parks, Stanley Park. The city has all the urban amenities, but also affords easy access to the Pacific Ocean and the Coast Mountains. The North Shore mountains dominate the city landscape, and on a clear day scenic vistas include the dormant, snow-capped volcano Mount Baker in the State of Washington to the southeast; Vancouver Island across the Strait of Georgia to the west and southwest and the Sunshine Coast to the northwest. The views of the city and its surroundings have made it renowned for its beauty.

Victoria Victoria is a Canadian city, and the provincial capital of British Columbia. It is also the seat of the Capital Regional District. Victoria is located on Vancouver Island, and is considered a major tourist destination. Located near the southeastern tip of Vancouver Island, and overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the City of Victoria has a total population of approximately 74,100, and is the thirteenth most populous municipality in the province. The metropolitan area comprising thirteen municipalities informally referred to as Greater Victoria has more than 335 000 and is the largest urban area on Vancouver Island. The city's chief industries are tourism and provincial government adminstration. Other major employers include the Canadian Forces (the township of Esquimalt is the base for the Pacific Fleet), and the University of Victoria (located in the municipality of Saanich).

Whistler Whistler, British Columbia is a Canadian resort town incorporated as a resort municipality, with a permanent population of approximately 9,965. Over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for its world-famous snow skiing and mountain biking at Whistler-Blackcomb. Whistler is located on Highway 99 approximately 44 kilometers north of Squamish. Its pedestrian village has won numerous design awards and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines for the past 15 years