Travellers to Canada can take advantage of free admission and discounted camping fees when they explore the country's national parks and national historic sites using the Parks Canada Discovery Pass.

With the special offer available until 2 September 2025, now is the time to explore Canada's natural phenomena, from iconic turquoise lakes to majestic waterways, and connect with stories and traditions, from the Fortifications of Quebec to the Fortress of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia.

The Parks Canada Discovery Pass is a gateway to unforgettable adventures, with free admission available at more than 80 iconic destinations. Read on for a few of the best:

Explore National Parks

From the world-renowned Rockies to the rugged coastline of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada's iconic national parks are sanctuaries for wildlife and the ultimate playground for adventure-seekers.

Alberta's legendary Banff National Park is famous for its breathtaking turquoise lakes, roaming wildlife and Rocky Mountain peaks. Join the Consolation Lakes guided hike for an easy amble through alpine meadows and pristine forests, serving up panoramic views of the majestic Quadra Glacier. Along the way, your Parks Canada guide shares stories of wildlife and the work being done to protect them.

British Columbia, in Canada's west, is home to some of Canada's most spectacular national parks, where ancient landscapes and dramatic geology tell the story of our planet's past. Join a Parks Canada guided hike through Kootenay and Yoho national parks to explore the world-renowned Burgess Shale fossil sites, part of the UNESCO Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. These internationally significant treasures reveal a remarkably well-preserved marine ecosystem that existed more than 500 million years ago, long before the age of dinosaurs. Along the way, you'll encounter glacier-carved canyons, alpine valleys and awe-inspiring snow-capped peaks.

In Canada's most easterly province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the UNESCO World Heritage Gros Morne National Park offers guided tours that connect visitors to the park's geological wonders, including the Tablelands, where the Earth's mantle is exposed.

Observe the fascinating phenomenon of 'tuckamore', the spruce and fir trees stunted by frost and whip, giving them a wind-swept profile. Meander along Steve's Trail through a tuckamore forest to a seaside meadow. Breathe in the scent of conifers, hear the crash of breakers on the beach and take in the stunning views of the park's northern coastline.

Cultural immersions

From historic military sites to literary legends, Canada's cultural landmarks and immersions bring Canada's rich stories vividly to life.

Step inside the living history and romance of Old Québec with your Parks Canada Discovery Pass. At the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site, explore the only remaining fortified city north of Mexico, where stone walls, soldiers' quarters, and sweeping views reveal stories of defence, resilience and change.

Join a Parks Canada guide on a walking tour of the fortifications, gain access to a soldier's casemate not open to the general public, and meet costumed characters at Artillery Park as you journey through 300 years of military history.

Further east, lovers of Anne of Green Gables can take advantage of free admission to Green Gables Heritage Place in Cavendish, Prince Edward Island. Walk through the rooms of the Victorian home, restored to the period of the late 1800s, and stroll through the gardens and trails that inspired Lucy Maud Montgomery's beloved tale.

Head into Avonlea Village, a real-life recreation of Montgomery's fictional town, and sing along with the longest running annual musical in the world, Anne of Green Gables - the musical. While you're there, spend a day (or a week) hiking the Prince Edward Island National Park, and take a swim at one of the pristine beaches.

National Marine Conservation Areas

Use your Parks Canada Discovery Pass to explore Canada's National Marine Conservation Areas, abundant with country's most extraordinary aquatic ecosystems, above and below the surface.

Often referred to as an 'inland ocean', Lake Superior in Ontario is as vast as it is gorgeous. Called Gitchi Gummi, or 'The Big Lake', by the Anishinaabe people of the region, the Lake Superior National Marine Conservation Area is one of the largest protected areas of freshwater in the world, covering more than 10,000 square kilometres of lake bed.

Enjoy a guided tour to safely explore striking formations like basalt outcroppings, geodes, and 2.7-billion-year-old rocks in this unique place of ancient geology, dramatic weather, and rugged shoreline. For storm chasers and nature lovers alike, it's a wild and unforgettable experience.

The Francophone province of Quebec boasts one of the best places in the world for whale watching. The Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park is a marine protected home to 13 species of whales, along with seals, seabirds and more.

Nestled in the cliff at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord, the Pointe-Noire Interpretation and Observation Centre is a hidden gem offering spectacular views of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, the ideal place to observe belugas and minke whales in their natural habitat. Soak up breathtaking views of the river as you picnic on its shores, and participate in interpretive activities with naturalist guides to learn more about the marine park's rich biodiversity and maritime culture.

GETTING THERE

Air Canada offers daily direct flights to Vancouver from Sydney and Brisbane. Direct flights from Sydney to Vancouver are also available on Qantas. Internal flights are available throughout Canada from all major cities, in addition to the VIA Rail train service.

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