Canada’s Strangest Attractions You Have To See

What’s a holiday without some weird and wonderful experiences? Some of the best travel stories come from the wild, wacky and unexpected things you stumble upon along the way. There is certainly no shortage of strange attractions in Canada, and some of them simply have to be seen to be believed.

Here are our top picks for strange Canadian attractions you have to see on your holiday. Hire a motorhome in Canada and hit the road to tick them all off the list.

Carcross Desert, Yukon

Image: Joseph (own work), (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

The remote province of Yukon is known for its harsh conditions with long, cold and snowy winters. It’s not then somewhere you’d expect to find a desert. Yet, when you’re driving along the scenic Klondike Highway, which brims with lush green trees and sparkling white mountains, a cluster of sandy dunes suddenly appears.

This one-square-mile set of sand dunes we call a desert has been formed by sand from nearby Bennett Lake and makes for a curious photo stop. Full of rare vegetation that manages to survive the icy winters, this is one special little destination. Hire an RV from Whitehorse and drive for less than an hour to get to the Carcross Desert.

Narcisse Snake Dens, Gimli, Manitoba

Brave enough to come face-to-face with tens of thousands of snakes, Indiana Jones style, but minus the poison? Then head to Narcisse Snake Dens in Manitoba, about an hour and a half north from Winnipeg on the road.

Each spring, thousands upon thousands of harmless red garter snakes emerge from hibernation in their underground limestone lairs to mate, which is when the public can go and view them in the slithering masses. Watch from viewing platforms that look down upon their dens as they writhe around looking for a mate. Don’t worry; they can’t hurt you!

Another good time to view them is in September when they start to head back into their lairs. Think you can handle it?

Sainte-Flavie ‘Grand Gathering’ Statues, Quebec

Image: Dennis Jarvis (own work), (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

Make your way to the beautiful Gaspe Peninsula and feast your eyes upon the bewildering ‘Grand Gathering’ Statues at Sainte-Flavie. Here, artist Marcel Gagnon has crafted around 100 wooden human-like statues and placed them in the tide of the St Lawrence River. The figures emerge during low tide to reveal a haunting yet mesmerising scene. When the waters rise, the statues disappear once again. You can hire a Montreal motorhome and make the drive about six hours northeast to this beautiful part of Canada, which is well-worth exploring.

Crooked Bush, Saskatchewan

A grove of twisted, mutated trees amongst endless miles of empty prairies and tiny towns? Sounds sufficiently spooky. Just outside the town of Hafford in Saskatchewan, you can find creepy Crooked Bush, where aspen trees curl and bend around each other. While the mysterious formations are likely the result of a natural mutation, some like to blame it on aliens. Take a wander along the boardwalk through the grove and have a look for yourself.

Hire a campervan in Edmonton and make the four-and-a-half-hour drive east to Hafford.

Vulcan, Alberta

Image: Canoe1967 (own work), (CC BY 3.0) via Wikimedia Commons

Star Trekkies have taken over Vulcan, Alberta. Simply because this town has the same name as a planet in the popular sci-fi series, Vulcan has become a place of pilgrimage for dedicated Star Trek fans. The small town of only a couple of thousand people has fully got behind its cult status, creating a tourism centre that looks like a space station as well as other space-themed decor and attractions around town. Each year, a “Spock Days” convention is held with hundreds of Star Trek fans from around the world attending. Watch out for strange lights in the sky!

Spotted Lake, British Columbia

Sometimes Mother Nature comes up with the strangest attractions of all. The water from mineral-rich Spotted Lake evaporates each summer, leaving behind large circles of colourful mineral deposits. You can’t walk alongside this phenomenon, which is ecologically sensitive as well as culturally significant for the First Nations of the Okanagan Valley people, but it’s still a magical sight you can take in from viewpoints along the highway. Drive your Vancouver campervan hire about five hours east, and you will find this surreal destination.

Hotel de Glace, Quebec

Image: Matias Garabedian (own work), (CC BY 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons

Have you ever dreamt of sleeping in a hotel made entirely of ice? Well… maybe? It just so happens that in Quebec, you can do just that. Redesigned and rebuilt every year, you can stay in this icy palace between January and March before things start to get drippy. The ambient temperature lingers between -3 and -5 degrees Celsius - but if you’re worried about the chill, you can get a suite with a fireplace!

Everything in this hotel that can possibly be made of ice is made of ice - even the beds have an ice base. Luckily, cosy blankets and arctic sleeping bags will keep you toasty through the night. You can also while the evenings away in an outdoor spa as you stargaze at the twinkling sky. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and the only attraction of its kind in North America.

Which strange attraction do you most want to see on your Canadian itinerary? Select from the top RV rentals in Calgary, Edmonton, or Halifax to explore other popular attractions in Canada. Alternatively, picking up an RV rental in Toronto or from Hamilton is also a great choice. Let us know in the comments!