You just can't drive the Trans-Canada and not make a stop at Lake Louise. It's the definitive, textbook example of an idyllic mountain lake. And it's at exactly the point where you have to stop for a rest anyway when heading west from Calgary. Not surprisingly, it's also the definitive, textbook example of a smoothly run tourist trap.

Here's why:

When you ask trans-Canada travellers if there's anything to do in Manitoba, the answer is often "Hmm, well, let's see.... not much".

It turns out that often-ignored Manitoba has plenty of nice little places to enjoy, if you're willing to get off the highway for a while. It's a relatively short hop (a bit under an hour north of Highway One) to get to Lake Winnipeg.

Yellowstone National Park is not a subtle place. It includes the caldera of one of the largest known volcanoes. It's a refuge for the largest and most impressive wild animals left in North America. It's big, colourful, and at times surreal.