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Things to Do in Canada 270
Canada’s Strangest Travel Stories & Legends
Good morning!
Did you know? Off the coast of Nova Scotia, Oak Island has been the site of one of the world’s longest-running treasure hunts — with search efforts dating back more than 200 years. Despite countless excavations, millions of dollars spent, and even a hit TV series following the search…no one has ever definitively proven what’s buried there.
Which raises a fair question:
What else in Canada doesn’t quite make sense? Oak Island is just one of many strange stories tied to real places across the country.
Some are historic.
Some are mysterious.
And some have been passed down for generations without ever being fully explained.
So with April 1st here, we thought we’d skip April Fool’s and explore a few of Canada’s strangest travel legends — the kind you can actually visit for yourself.
Believe them or not…
They’ve definitely kept people talking.
PS: If you know of other legends, hit reply and let us know!
Read
Canada’s Strangest Travel Legends
The Headless Valley — Nahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest Territories
This one is hard to ignore.
In the early 1900s, several gold seekers were reportedly found dead — without their heads — in what is now Nahanni National Park.
No clear explanation was ever confirmed.
Today, it’s one of the most breathtaking wilderness areas in the country.
👉 Epic river trips
👉 Towering canyons
👉 One of Canada’s most unsettling backstories
It was also one of the world’s first UNESCO World Heritage Sites. We’ve taken a 5-hour sightseeing flight over Nahanni, which is a great way to get an overview, but one of our bucket-list adventures is a multi-week rafting trip.
The Oak Island Mystery — Nova Scotia
For more than 200 years, people have been trying to uncover what’s buried beneath this small island.
Theories include:
pirate treasure
lost manuscripts
secret societies
Millions have been spent digging.
Still no definitive answer.
👉 You can visit.
👉 You will leave with more questions.
The Ghost Bride — Fairmont Banff Springs, Alberta
One of Canada’s most famous hotel legends.
The story goes that a bride fell down a staircase on her wedding day — and her spirit still wanders the halls.
👉 A luxury mountain stay
👉 With a side of unexplained footsteps
The Ghost Ship of Vancouver Island — British Columbia
After the tragic wreck of the SS Valencia in 1906, stories began to surface.
Fishermen and sailors reported:
phantom lifeboats
glowing figures
sightings of the ship itself
Over a century later… the legend hasn’t disappeared.
👉 The coastline is stunning.
👉 The stories? Still eerie.
Ogopogo — Okanagan Lake, British Columbia
Stories of a long, serpent-like creature in Okanagan Lake go back generations — including sightings from credible witnesses.
Locals tend to say:
“Probably not real…”
“…but also not impossible.”
👉 Either way, it’s a great excuse to visit the Okanagan.
The Lost Lemon Mine — Alberta (Crowsnest Pass)
One of Canada’s most famous lost treasure stories.
In the 1800s, a prospector supposedly discovered a rich gold deposit in southern Alberta… then lost it (or was killed before revealing it — depending on the version).
👉 Still unsolved
👉 Still drawing treasure hunters
👉 Adds a Western Canada legend to your mix
Whether true or not, Crowsnest Pass is full of history. From going underground on a mining tour to learning about one of Canada’s biggest tragedies, learn more in our video above.
🎁 Want a Trip With a Bit of Mystery?
If you’re looking for something a little different this season,
Let the destination surprise you.
Our Adventure Scratch-Off Cards turn travel into a simple game:
Scratch → Reveal → Go.
No overthinking required.
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International Departures
International Legend: Stonehenge — England
If Canada has mysterious lakes and lost treasure… England has Stonehenge.
Built over 4,000 years ago, this circle of massive standing stones continues to puzzle historians and archaeologists. How were they transported? Why arranged this way? And what was it actually used for?
Theories range from ancient burial grounds to astronomical calendars — but no one knows for sure.
👉 One of the world’s most famous “we still don’t know” destinations.
Watch
While we didn’t find any headless bodies, we did learn about why Nahanni National Park became the first UNESCO World Heritage Site on the planet. Check it out in our video featuring the Northwest Territories…
Beaver Bites
Does your family have what it takes? If you’ve ever dreamed of being on Family Feud Canada, they are currently accepting submissions. We’re definitely going to apply, but just remember that Popeye’s favourite food is spinach, not chicken!
Vancouver Island has a new attraction. Malahat Skywalk has introduced its new glass cube that defies gravity at 250 metres above sea level. The cube, called “The Overhang,” will open on May 16 and will be set up beyond the edge of the Malahat SkyWalk’s 10-storey spiral tower peak.
United Airlines is tired of people listening to their portable devices without headphones, so they’ve now made it an official rule, and can kick passengers off the flight for not wearing headphones. Let’s see if more airlines move on this…
We’re not really sure Canada needs another burger place, but for fans of the celebrity chef, you might be excited to hear that Bobby Flay is opening his first Canadian restaurant in Toronto.
Looking for something funny to watch? SCTV, the influential Canadian sketch show, is now on Prime Video. The show has some incredible actors, including Eugene Levy, Martin Short, and the dearly departed Catherine O’Hara.
Giveaway Update
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