Weird Canada: A Guide to Off-Beat Destinations

Weird Canada: A Guide to Off-Beat Destinations You Could Visit, Even During a Pandemic!

To recognize Canada Day, even during a pandemic, here’s a sampling of weird and unusual places you can visit on an all-Canadian vacation this year! From scary creatures to haunted locations, UFO landing spots and natural wonders, Canada has much to offer for an off-beat travelogue from coast to coast. Most of these sites are accessible even during regional restrictions, and many can be visited anytime! (NB: But check with locals first; hotels, for example, may not be fully open.)

Sasquatch Provincial Park, near Harrison Hot Springs, BC

Will you spot a Sasquatch if you hike the trails?

Sasquatch Trail, east of Osoyoos, BC

There’s a Sasquatch statue lurking beside the road at the entrance to this housing subdivision!

Ogopogo (Okanagan Lake), Kelowna, BC

British Columbia’s lake monster is said to ne Nessie’s cousin.

Surrey Corridor, BC

Running down from the mountains west to Vancouver, this swath of land is said to be a favourite path for UFOs.

St. Paul Landing Pad, AB

In 1967, the town built a UFO landing pad for alien visitors. Since them a UFO museum has been added.

Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, AB

One of Canada’s most haunted buildings, according to paranormal fans.

Tabor Lights, Tabor, SK

A ghostly light seen at the Tabor Cemetery, 17 miles northeast of Esterhazy, is said to dance over the headstones.

Crooked Bush, Hafford, SK

For some reason, all the aspen in this park are bent and twisted, which some have attributed to aliens.

Little Manitou Lake, near Watrous, SK

Canada’s own version of the Red Sea, this lake is high in salt content, and you can float on it!

Falcon Lake, MB

In 1967, a UFO landed near a amateur prospector, and burned him and the surrounding vegetation. Today, you can visit the site on horseback.

Hotel Fort Garry, Winnipeg, MB

Another of Canada’s great haunted hotels.

Magnetic Hill, Swan River, MB

You’ve heard of the more popular one in New Brunswick (see below), but there’s one in Manitoba too, where your car seems to coast uphill!

West Hawk Lake Crater, MB

Just like its American cousin in Oregon, this deep blue lake was formed by a giant meteor 350 million years ago.

Manipogo (Lake Manitoba), MB

Manitoba’s version of Nessie has its own Provincial Park, northeast of Dauphin.

Igopogo (Lake Simcoe), ON

Of course, Ontario has one too!

Boblo Island, Amherstburg, ON

An abandoned amusement park is said to be haunted!

Scugog Island Ghost Light, Port Perry, ON

There’s a spook light that can be seen on a road south of Port Perry, said to be the headlight of a ghostly motorcyclist.

Screaming Tunnel, Niagara, ON

This drainage tunnel is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl who as set ablaze as she tried to escape from her captor.

Hotel Bonaventure, Montreal, PQ

In 1990, a strange UFO was seen and photographed as it hung over the rooftop patio of this hotel on downtown Montreal.

Champ (Lake Champlain), PQ

Quebec lays claim to its share of a lake monster said to inhabit Lake Champlain, of which a small chunk is in Canada.

St-Georges-de-Windsor Cow, PQ

Sometimes, you just have to include a strange roadside attraction in a list like this. This one is a lookout tower in the shape of a cow laying in a field.

Magnetic Hill, Moncton, NB

The “original” Magnetic Hill in Canada, where your car rolls uphill!

Reversing Falls, St. John, NB

Because of the huge tides in the Bay of Fundy, this set of rapids flows both towards and away from the sea!

Bay of Fundy, Alma, NB

The tide here is more than 13 metres, with a turnaround of a little more than 6 hours.

Shag Harbour, NS

In 1967, a UFO was said to fall into the ocean, where a fleet of ships sped to the scene to try and recover whatever it was. Only a patch of luminous foam was discovered.

Sable Island, NS

The home of the famous Sable Island breed of horses, under government protection.

Teazer Light, Mahone Bay, NS

A phantom ship ran aground in 1813 and its light has been seen off shore ever since.

Kensington Haunted Mansion, PEI

One of Canada’s classic haunted locations.

Ghost Ship of Northumberland Strait, PEI

In the strait between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, a bright light like a ship on fire has been reported often.

Lomond Sinkhole, Bonne Bay, NF

Not easy to get to, this limestone formation has a waterfall that disappears into the ground.

Kelly’s Island, Conception Bay, NL

Strange lights that are said to be the ghosts of pirates are said to guard this small island offshore.

Bell Island, Conception Bay, NL

This larger island near Kelly’s Island is said to be even more haunted!

Smoker, the Phantom Trapper of Labrador, NL

A wily trapper evaded RCMP by painting his sled and himself white to avoid detection. His ghost is said to still mush across southern Labrador.

Point Amour Lighthouse, NL

The tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada!

Fox Lake UFO, YK

In 1996, more than 30 people witnessed a huge UFO, said to be a mile wide, float ponderously north above Fox Lake.

Bessie Gideon, Carcross, YK

The hideous ghost of this former owner of the Caribou Hotel is said to haunt the halls!

Waheela, Nahanni Valley, NT

A creature that is half wolf and half supernatural spirit is claimed to reside in the beautiful Nahanni Valley.

Smoking Hills, Paulatuk, NT

The oil shale content of this area of the Northwest Territories is so high, they spontaneously ignite and burn continuously!

Ibyuk Pingo, Tuktoyaktuk, NT

Canada’s own version of Australia’s Uluru, this small mountain of permafrost is always growing in size!

Arctic Winter Games Arena, Iqaluit, NU

A ghost is said to frighten visitors to the former site of the winter games!

Rankin Inlet Fire Hall Ghost, NU

As does a ghost in this building in Rankin Inlet!

Haughton Crater, NU

NASA uses this ancient impact site as a stand-in for Mars!

Victoria Island, NU

This is the second largest island in Canada, but is largely uninhabited. However, it possesses something very unique: an island in a lake on an island in a lake on an island in the Arctic Ocean. Really: 69.7924, -108.2395