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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Canada

607 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Canada

Updated May 25, 2023

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See All 607 Things To Do in Canada

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Explore Canada

Architectural Oddities 43
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Isaac Day and Deborah Aaron, owners of Giizhigat Maple Products, at the 2020 Planet IndigenUs event in Toronto.

Indigenous Maple Syrup Makers Tap Into Tradition

This sweet revolution reclaims an ancient craft.
by Courtney Edgar
During the last ice age, people moved across Beringia, a massive landform connecting Asia and North America. Seasonal hunters left behind a trove of valuable evidence of their presence at the northern Canadian site known as the Bluefish Caves.

Investigating Ice Age America’s Ancient Abattoir

Scientists know people were in Yukon 24,000 years ago. But what were they doing there?
by Devon Bidal
A lobster caught off Prince Edward Island, where Bait Masters is located.

The Race to Make Alternative Lobster Bait

As the fishing industry grapples with declining herring and mackerel, could sausage be their savior?
by Moira Donovan
Laurier University scientist William Quinton and a group of Indigenous Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ walk through a bog near the Scotty Creek Research Station in the Northwest Territories.

Canada's First Indigenous-Led Research Station Is a Symbol of Hope—And Our Climate Crisis

The Scotty Creek facility was part of an unprecedented First Nations effort to study and save the Arctic. Then the fire came.
by Ed Struzik
The Arctic hare BBYY traveled more than 240 miles during a seven-week period in 2019.

What Energized This Arctic Hare to Keep Going and Going and Going?

The animal known as BBYY traveled hundreds of miles, breaking records and shattering expectations.
by Gemma Tarlach
Residents across southwestern British Columbia and Vancouver Island are going to great lengths to keep Anna's hummingbirds safe during an unusual cold spell.

Saving Canada's Hardiest Hummingbirds Requires Extreme Care

Bird-loving volunteers are going to great lengths to help the animals survive a cold snap in British Columbia.
by Rochelle Baker
Don't let its appearance fool you: Eggnog can be badass.

The Wild and Weird History of Eggnog

The cozy cocktail has fueled prison parties and West Point riots.
by Sam O'Brien
Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, French Shore locals embroidered their own history for posterity.

How a Tiny Hamlet's Wondrous Tapestry Preserves a Complex Past

Inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry, artists and embroiderers in a Newfoundland village commemorated a lost way of life.
by Tim Johnson

Lists Featuring Canada

Fierce little cat.
Elephants playing in the mud at Elephant Nature Park.
Oh, hello!
Little Spotted Kiwi

10 Ethical Animal Places to Visit in 2019

Unique experiences from Nairobi to Chiang Mai.

12

Including Cat Island, Elephant Nature Park , and India's Giant Technicolor Squirrels

Rats of Karni Mata Temple
Paxton Gate Exterior
Albino Squirrels of Olney, Illinois

A Rat Lover's Tour of the World

15 places where rodents are celebrated, feared, preserved, and studied.

15

Including Karni Mata Temple, Nutty Narrows Bridge, and Paxton Gate

Original letter of Abraham, the son of Maimonides found in the Cairo genizah.
A sculpture of the Tower of Babel, by Alan Baughman, from the Introductory Room of the Museum of the Alphabet
Boontling word of the week in the tap room of the Anderson Valley Brewing Company.

A Linguistics Lover's Tour of the World

12 places to marvel at the history of human language.

12

Including The Cairo Genizah , The Museum of the Alphabet , and Boontling Language of Boonville

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