Going on a road trip around Canada to oogle at giant beavers and UFO landing pads might sound like a crazy way to spend your vacation. But ticking these landmarks in Canada off your list is a fun way to remember your drive across Canada.
These giant monuments represent the regions they stand in and they show off the things that these places are famous for. From naturally occurring formations to manmade objects of whimsy, here are 12 landmarks in Canada that will tickle your funny bone.
Contents
- 12 Landmarks in Canada
- 1- The World’s Largest Fiddle in Sydney, Nova Scotia
- 2- Canada’s version of Nessie in Kelowna, British Columbia
- 3- The Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario
- 4- Jumbo the ‘King of Elephants’ in St Thomas, Ontario
- 5- UFO Landing Pad in St Paul, Alberta
- 6- World’s Largest Perogy in Glendon, Alberta
- 7- The Big Nickel in Sudbury, Ontario
- 8- The Wawa Goose Monument in Wawa, Ontario
- 9- The Giant Beaver in Beaverlodge, Alberta
- 10- The World’s Largest Bee in Falher, Alberta
- 12- World’s Largest Axe in Nackawic, New Brunswick
12 Landmarks in Canada
1- The World’s Largest Fiddle in Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney’s world’s largest violin overlooks the Port of Sydney in Nova Scotia.
This beacon has become a symbol for the many cruise liners that dock at the new pier and serves as a warm welcome mat to the cruise-goers who disembark for their day excursions.
The big fiddle also serves as a fabulous example of Nova Scotia’s strong musical roots, which of course stems from the thousands of fiddlers who have called this province home.
Find out more things to do in Nova Scotia.
2- Canada’s version of Nessie in Kelowna, British Columbia
Canada’s version of the Lochness monster harbours in the deep Okanagan Lake in British Columbia.
Known as Ogopogo, you will be hard-pressed to ever see this magical, mysterious lake monster.
But you can be guaranteed a fun photo-op with the green sea dragon statue in Kelowna’s City Park.
Check out these list of things to do in British Columbia.
3- The Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario
Canada’s Big Apple reigns proud outside the small, sleepy hamlet of Colborne, Ontario.
As far as big things go, this one well and truly qualifies.
One of the things to do from Toronto or Ottawa to snap a photo of the big red apple, which is purportedly the world’s biggest, while others come to purchase the legendary homemade apple pies.
Read 50 things to do in Canada for your bucket list.
4- Jumbo the ‘King of Elephants’ in St Thomas, Ontario
Another landmark in Canada is the life-size statue of Jumbo the Elephant in St Thomas, Ontario.
Jumbo may not be Ontario’s most famous landmark, which is Niagara Falls (check out these Niagara Falls attractions).
However, it stands as a tribute to Jumbo the elephant, the most famous elephant in the world.
In the circus world, Jumbo was one of the big things in more ways than one.
Jumbo was the main attraction of P.T. Barnum’s Circus.
Jumbo died tragically after being hit by a train in the small town of St. Thomas in 1995.
So it should be no surprise the name Jumbo has come to mean anything that is extra-large.
5- UFO Landing Pad in St Paul, Alberta
Who needs to fly to Mars to see if there’s life when there’s a UFO Landing Pad … in Canada.
It’s a landmark in Canada? No kidding!!
This structure located in the small town of St. Paul Alberta, was built as a Centennial project in 1967 to commemorate Canada’s 100th birthday.
Incidentally that year St. Paul, Alberta was also declared the Centennial Capital of Canada.
The pad – billed as the world’s first UFO Landing Pad – was erected to attract local and extraterrestrial tourists.
None have ever showed up.
The town further expanded the attraction in the 1990s by adding a UFO tourist info centre, where visitors can see photos and documents of UFO sightings.
Here are more cool Canada facts to brush up on.
6- World’s Largest Perogy in Glendon, Alberta
The World’s Largest Perogy can’t be eaten but is greatly admired.
In your wildest dreams, you probably wouldn’t imagine this would be the subject of a famous landmark in Canada.
The foodie symbol represents the thousands of Ukrainian settlers who arrived to plant roots in this largely rural farming area.
Head to Glendon, Alberta, the province’s Perogy Capital, to view the massive boiled dumpling objet d’art.
You can’t miss it.
The perogy sculpture stands eight meters tall and weighs 2700kg.
Head to the gift shop and Pyrogy Park Cafe right next door to purchase some real perogies to take home. The large dumpling-like structure is located in Pyrogy Park on Pyrogy Drive.
7- The Big Nickel in Sudbury, Ontario
Coin collectors will want to spend some coin to venture to see the world’s largest coin … which looms high in Canada.
It’s called the Big Nickel. This replica of the 1951 Canadian nickel coin is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest coin.
The Big Nickel is a landmark in the mining city of Sudbury in northern Ontario which was once home to the largest nickel mine in the world.
8- The Wawa Goose Monument in Wawa, Ontario
Canada’s goose gets top billing as one of Canada’s big things. Canada Goose parka apparel is known for its thick, warm down insulation.
Cinephiles love to watch the sweet documentary starring Canadian inventor Bill Lishman whose life project of the Canadian Geese was depicted in the movie classic, Fly Away Home.
So it’s no wonder there’s a roadside attraction dedicated to this bird. Head to Wawa, Ontario to see the Wawa Goose Statue.
“Wawa” is a native Ojibwe word for wild goose. The statue is 8.5m tall and was erected in 1960.
The Wawa Goose has also been immortalized in a Stompin’ Tom Connors folk song.
9- The Giant Beaver in Beaverlodge, Alberta
It gets pretty fascinating watching busy beavers but it also gets pretty surreal spotting the world’s largest beaver, and no, it’s not a monster in a horror flick either.
The Giant Beaver located in Beaverlodge Alberta is one of the landmarks in Canada that was carved to celebrate the town’s 75th anniversary.
The beloved sculpture of Canada’s national animal is 4.5m high and 8.5m long.
Now that’s one big beaver!
10- The World’s Largest Bee in Falher, Alberta
It doesn’t sting but it sure is sweet.
Of course the huge roadside landmark in Canada, about the size of a compact car, represents the town which is known as the “Honey Capital of Canada.”
Its creator, a local Richard Ethier built it entirely from steel in 1990 to commemorate the town’s first honey festival.
In Falher, more than 48,000 bee colonies are busy producing over 4.5 million kilograms of clover honey every year.
The big bee is located downtown on Main Street in Bee Park.
12- World’s Largest Axe in Nackawic, New Brunswick
You might think this monumentally huge tool was a weird prop from a B-grade horror movie, not a tourist landmark in Canada.
This solid piece of shiny steel is actually a monument to the lumber and forestry industry.
Located in Nackawic, New Brunswick and built in 1991, the huge woodsman’s axe is a symbol to hardworking Canadian lumberjacks.
In the year the axe was installed, Nackawic was named the “Forestry Capital of Canada.”
The shining, chromed-axe head is seven metres long and made of a solid piece of steel that was planted into a concrete stump 10m in diameter.
The axe handle extends 15m into the air and there’s a time capsule embedded in the axe head for future generations.
So how many of these BIG things have you seen?
What would traveling to a new place be without landmarks like these? LOL