Where to go next? Canadian travel writers recommend four unmissable hidden gems right here at home

Banff’s dramatic peaks and glacial lakes. Old Montreal’s cobblestone charms. Whistler’s alpine playground. There’s no denying the appeal of these beloved places, which are fixtures on the lists of Canada’s best destinations; they also need no introduction.

So we asked a few of the Star’s travel contributors to spotlight places that may get less attention but deserve much more — just a small sampling of the country’s many fascinations.

“The mountainous hiking trails in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta offer adventurers unbelievable vistas of the jagged Rockies, rolling prairies and cool blue lake — possibly all at the same time if you find yourself on a trail with a panoramic view. The park’s position at the southern edge of the province makes for a relatively uncrowded experience, and that chance to commune with nature is deeply restorative, even if you stick to the lakeside rather than scaling upwards (though you’ll want to watch out for bears).

As a bonus, in the middle of all this natural wonder is the actual town of Waterton, a quirky little community with a collection of surprisingly good bars and restaurants, including a delightful hot dog shop called Wieners of Waterton, and the postcard-perfect, historic Prince of Wales Hotel.”

“As a big fan of public art, I fell in love with little Montague, P.E.I. Sure, a city like Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, has the resources to line its malecón with dynamic sculptures, and Seville, Spain, can cover its city streets with the astonishing Metropol Parasol, but for a small town of 2,000 in Canada’s smallest province to turn itself into an outdoor art gallery is a giant accomplishment.

(Artist) Gerald Beaulieu’s three cormorants standing on posts beside the river are my favourite pieces. To boot, dueling craft breweries and taprooms — Copper Bottom and Bogside — face each other across the river. Add a marina, the excellent Lucky Bean Cafe and the Confederation Trail along the river, and you’ve got one of the most underrated small towns in Canada and just a very happy place to hang out.”

“The North stole my heart a long time ago, so anything beyond the 53rd parallel sets my adventurous soul a-racing. Pisew Falls is Manitoba’s second highest waterfall, thanks to a 13-metre drop in the Grass River, and it’s a showstopper in any season. But it’s the microclimate around the falls that’s truly underrated, especially if you’re a botany nerd like me.

I can still remember seeing lime green bunchberry leaves framing snow white blooms, an army of clubmosses that mimic a miniature evergreen forest blasting up from lichen-covered knolls — and in the centre, a single Calypso bulbosa, her five-petaled pink headdress demanding attention. It’s one of the province’s 37 native orchid species. Yes, orchids in Manitoba. To soak up more boreal beauty, head up the highway to Paint Lake Provincial Park, where the lodge has cosy cabins and a spacious restaurant patio overlooking the namesake lake. And more calypso orchids.”

“Charlevoix is a mountainous region in Quebec, on the north bank of the St. Lawrence River just beyond where the waterway widens and turns salty. It’s full of both beautiful hikes and delicious food. On my last trip there, I followed a steep climb up to the Acropole-des-Draveurs gorge, with a stop at the renowned cheese producers Famille Migneron to buy hunks of tomme and a sheep’s-milk blue. They also have an on-site, perpetually packed, terroir-loving restaurant, Faux Bergers. Next time, I’ll be booking a table months in advance.”