1. Red Bay, Newfoundland & Labrador.
This mainland town dates back to the 16th century, when its coast was patrolled by Spanish galleons hunting then-abundant right and bowhead whales.
2. Medalta Potteries, Alberta.
Medicine Hat's natural gas reserves helped make it a turn-of-the-century boomtown. Today, the restored kilns and warehouses of Medalta Potteries tell how the city grew alongside one of its stalwart industries: brick, tile and ceramics manufacturing.
3. Batoche, Saskatchewan.
There are still bullet holes in the rectory at the site of the 1885 North-West Rebellion's decisive battle. The former Métis settlement reveals Francophone and Indigenous history on the prairies, and the early challenges of forging a united Canada.
4. Intrepid Park, Ontario.
A monument east of Toronto marks the site of a WWII espionage school. Known as Camp X, it was set up by Winnipeg-born spymaster Sir William Stephenson—a confidante to both Churchill and FDR, known by the codename "Intrepid."
5. Grand-pré, Nova Scotia.
The 18th-century epicentre of Acadian culture was a focus of British efforts to oust French settlers from North America. Visitors learn of the settlers and their expulsion from Nova Scotia—and how the Acadian diaspora endures to this day.
6. Grosse Île, Quebec.
A quarantine station for immigrants from 1832 to 1937, this island now honours the Irish citizens who fled that country's Great Famine of the 1840s. Sadly, many died of typhus and malnutrition on the way; more than 5,400 are buried here. Despite its tragic past, Grosse Île is also a reminder of the role immigration continues to play in Canada's development.
7. Metepengiag Heritage Park, New Brunswick.
A guided tour serves up 3,000 years of Mi'kmaq culture alongside a traditional meal with cedar tea. Or enjoy campfire stories before tucking into a tipi for the night.
8. Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum, Manitoba.
This Brandon museum showcases planes and artifacts linked to the more than 130,000 pilots and aircrew who trained in Canada during WWII. Guests can even book a flight in a plane from the era.
9. Farmers' Bank of Rustico, Prince Edward Island.
Between 1864 and 1894, farmers arranged for loans at this Georgian-style building. Canada's first community-based bank, it was a notable precursor to modern-day credit unions.
10. Sgang Gwaay, British Columbia.
Visiting this Haida Gwaii island isn't easy, but it's worth it to see 30-plus sacred totem poles. They're the remnants of a community decimated by diseases brought by 19th-century European fur traders.