There’s no better day than Canada Day to talk about how difficult it is not to overload your IG feed with photos when you live in, or visit, somewhere as beautiful as this.
The gram is absolutely flooded with amazing shots of Canadian landscapes, from the historic waterfronts of the Maritimes to the breathtaking majesty of the Canadian Rockies.
Some provinces appear in far more photos and reels than others, and that’s largely because of the pull of international tourism. But every region in the country has its fair share of unique and photogenic backdrops.
Here’s an updated look at the most popular Instagram locales from coast to coast, divided by province or territory, based on the latest hashtag and location data.
Key Takeaways:
- 📸 Natural wonders hold the crown: National parks and vast landscapes like Banff, Jasper, Niagara Falls, and the Canadian Rockies continue to dominate on IG, proving that outdoor adventure is central to Canada's visual identity.
- 📸 Urban and institutional landmarks are rising: Destinations like the Old Port of Montreal, UBC, the CN Tower, The Forks and Halifax Waterfront showcase a growing trend of users capturing lifestyle, sports, campus and vibrant city content.
- 📸 The Aurora effect is real: In the northern territories, the Northern Lights are massive draws for astrophotographers and travelers alike, with Whitehorse and Yellowknife generating major volume.
- 📸 History and heritage resonate deeply: Sites celebrating history and culture, like Quebec City’s Chateau Frontenac, Wanuskewin Heritage Park and Anne of Green Gables House, highlight the appetite for stories and visual identity.
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Alberta
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Banff National Park | #banff #banffnationalpark #banffalberta | 5,200,000 posts |
| 🥈 Jasper National Park | #jasper #jaspernationalpark #jasperalberta | 4,220,000 posts |
| 🥉 Canadian Rockies | #canadianrockies #rockymountains #albertarockies | 1,410,000 posts |
The undisputed winner of Alberta tourism is Banff National Park, with 5.2M posts. The park's glacial lakes have proved irresistible to visiting photographers, and the algorithm seems to love them too.
Banff's slightly more rugged sibling, Jasper National Park, is also well represented. It offers the same staggering topography but with just enough off the beaten path credibility to satisfy purists. There are also 1.4M posts tagged with the Canadian rockies, for those who can’t decide which peak they’re staring at!
British Columbia
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Whistler Blackcomb | #whistler #whistlerblackcomb #whistlerbc | 3,360,000 posts |
| 🥈 Glacier National Park | #glaciernationalpark #glacierbc #rogerspass | 2,200,000 posts |
| 🥉 University of British Columbia | #ubc #universityofbc #ubcvancouver | 1,430,000 posts |
Whistler Blackcomb has an enormous IG presence, driven by year-round popularity. The destination for high-end winter trips seamlessly transitions into a mountain biking paradise for the summer.
We’ve also seen a massive number of images of the Glacier National Park, even though it’s far more difficult to get to. That just shows that Rogers Pass remains a premier destination for anyone looking to flex their backcountry credentials.
If you’re looking for anomalies amongst the data, here’s one. The University of British Columbia is third on the list, beating dozens of tourist landmarks simply because having thousands of students living on a stunning campus like this generates a relentless stream of content.
Manitoba
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 The Forks, Winnipeg | #theforks #theforkswinnipeg #winnipeg | 85,139 posts |
| 🥈 Assiniboine Park, Winnipeg | #assiniboinepark #winnipeg #assiniboinezoo | 38,273 posts |
| 🥉 Churchill (Polar Bear Capital) | #churchillmanitoba #polarbears #churchillmb | 8,806 posts |
The undisputed hub of Winnipeg civic life, and the winner of the most instagrammed spot in Manitoba, is The Forks. The city is always playing host to events, from food festivals and markets to winter skate events. And it all gets uploaded in real time by those who visit.
Well used as a backdrop for family grids and weekend leisure shots, Assiniboine Park is in second place. Its green spaces and unique architecture appear in tens of thousands of posts. Churchill’s volume is lower, but engagement on these posts show its a high value photo spot.
New Brunswick
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Hopewell Rocks | #hopewellrocks #bayoffundy #flowerpotrocksNB | 39,896 posts |
| 🥈 Fundy National Park | #fundynationalpark #bayoffundy #fundyNP | 33,419 posts |
| 🥉 Magnetic Hill, Moncton | #magnetichill #moncton #magnetichillNB | 19,353 posts |
The Bay of Fundy’s most photographed spot is Hopewell Rocks. Its dramatic flowerpot formations have proved irresistible for content creators in the area. Another reliable volume driver is Fundy National Park, with its beautiful coastal cliffs and atmospheric forests.
Magnetic Hill appears in almost 20,000 posts, showing that its novelty factor is as strong as ever. Bemused road trippers are still testing the laws of physics with this optical illusion, adding intriguing new reels to their IG feeds as they do so.
Newfoundland and Labrador
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Cape Spear | #capespear #capespearnl #stjohns | 32,983 posts |
| 🥈 Signal Hill, St. John’s | #signalhill #signalhillstjohns #stjohns | 322,935 posts* |
| 🥉 Gros Morne National Park | #grosmorne #grosmorneNP #newfoundland | 47,361 posts |
The easternmost point of North America, Cape Spear, is something that no traveler will visit without a photo. And its first place position just proves that the views from this windswept headland are too good not to add to insta highlights.
Second place goes to Signal Hill, St John’s. That’s largely due to broader, city-wide tagging overlaps, but there’s no denying the beauty of this vantage point. The remote location of Gros Morne National Park is the likely reason for its lower number of posts, because this soaring fjord-carved landscape is absolute IG gold.
Northwest Territories
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Northern Lights, Yellowknife | #northernlights #auroraborealis #yellowknife | 247,765 posts* |
| 🥈 Cameron Falls, Yellowknife | #cameronfalls #yellowknife #nwt | 5,106 posts |
| 🥉 Nahanni National Park Reserve | #nahanniNP #nahanni #nwt | ~3,800 posts |
The crown jewel of northern tourism is of course the Northern Lights, Yellowknife. This spot has positioned itself perfectly as the global capital for aurora chasing, which is why there are so many stunning images of it on IG right now.
Other favorites include Cameron Falls, Yellowknife, which is frequented by locals and adventurous tourists looking to log some rugged wilderness terrain between aurora viewings.
The Nahanni National Park Reserve is both exclusive and remote, which is why there are far fewer images of it. It’s a premium, bucket list location, reserved for the most serious of expeditions.
Nova Scotia
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse | #peggyscove #peggyscovelighthouse #novascotia | 144,289 posts |
| 🥈 Lunenburg (UNESCO Site) | #lunenburg #lunenburgns #novascotia | 84,707 posts |
| 🥉 Halifax Waterfront | #halifaxwaterfront #halifax #halifaxns | 42,160 posts |
Peggy’s Cove Lighthouse is central to Nova Scotia tourism in the region, and it's widely visited by those who head to the area to explore. Second spot goes to Lunenburg, a UNESCO world heritage site where the iconic, brightly painted waterfront buildings do all the heavy lifting for travel influencers.
The bustling boardwalks of Halifax Waterfront are one of the most photographed urban locations in Nova Scotia. We see a steady volume of images tagged with this location, thanks to continuous cruise ship traffic and local content creators.
Nunavut
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Iqaluit waterfront | #iqaluit #nunavut #arcticcanada | 48,172 posts* |
| 🥈 Baffin Island | #baffinisland #nunavut #arcticcanada | 15,548 posts |
| 🥉 Auyuittuq National Park | #auyuittuq #nunavut | ~4,000 posts |
The shoreline of Iqaluit Waterfront is another much photographed sight. These shots also help to keep a digital record of Arctic maritime life, tracking changing ice conditions and northern tides.
Some of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth can be found at Baffin Island, a vast geographic territory where every post represents a high-barrier-to-entry adventure. The granite peaks of Thor and Asgard are ideal for those looking to create minimalist and dramatic outdoor content. Few make the journey, but those that do are never disappointed.
Ontario
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Niagara Falls | #niagarafalls #niagara #niagarafallscanada | 5,170,000 posts |
| 🥈 Niagara-on-the-Lake | #niagaraonthelake #notl #niagarawine | 1,860,000 posts |
| 🥉 CN Tower, Toronto | #cntower #toronto #torontoskyline | 1,860,000 posts |
Niagra Falls is, unsurprisingly, the most photographed spot in Ontario. This one’s a traditional tourist juggernaut that’s made for grid posts. It’s also easy to get to, just a short drive from Canada's largest population hub.
Second place goes to Niagara-on-the-Lake, otherwise known as the aesthetic hedge to the falls. This is where Ontario's wine country and boutique hospitality come together for luxurious weekend escapes that always make their way onto IG.
Dead-even with Niagara-on-the-Lake, Toronto’s architectural anchor is still the ultimate "I was here" signature for anyone visiting the 6ix.
Prince Edward Island
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Cavendish Beach | #cavendishbeach #cavendish #pei | 103,988 posts* |
| 🥈 Anne of Green Gables House | #anneofgreengables #greengables #pei | 334,367 posts* |
| 🥉 Confederation Bridge | #confederationbridge #pei #confedbridge | 16,726 posts |
Red cliffs and rolling dunes give PEI its most photogenic natural asset, Cavendish Beach. It draws massive summer crowds to the island's north shore, and inevitably quite a few of the images captured by its visitors end up on Insta.
Anne of Green Gables House is literary tourism at its absolute finest. The massive asterisked volume here reflects a global fandom that treats this heritage site like a secular pilgrimage. Third place goes to Confederation Bridge, an engineering marvel that’s frequently photographed by road trippers as they enter or leave the province.
Quebec
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Old Port of Montreal | #vieuxport #oldportmontreal #montrealoldport | 1,020,000 posts |
| 🥈 Mont-Tremblant | #monttremblant #tremblant #tremblantvillage | 844,000 posts |
| 🥉 Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City | #chateaufrontenac #frontenac #quebeccity | ~350,000 posts |
The cobblestone streets and waterfront views of Old Port of Montreal make it a hugely popular spot for lifestyle and travel content. Similarly, the brightly colored village of Mont-Tremblant photographs incredibly well in any season.
Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City is culturally iconic but undervalued in terms of image volume. It may hold the title of the world's most photographed hotel, but its specific hashtag market leaves room for growth.
Saskatchewan
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 University of Saskatchewan | #usask #usaskatchewan #saskatoon | 32,722 posts |
| 🥈 Mosaic Stadium, Regina | #mosaicstadium #ridernation #goridersgo | 6,212 posts |
| 🥉 Wanuskewin Heritage Park | #wanuskewin #wanuskewinpark #saskatoon | 3,396 posts |
Another classic campus alpha comes in the form of USask. Its beautiful greystone architecture gives it the kind of aesthetic that works perfectly for IG, and that’s why its one of the most photographed places in Saskatchewan.
Mosaic Stadium is the heart of Rider Nation. Its image volume spikes in violent, concentrated bursts during CFL home games. Wanuskewin Heritage Park, on the other hand, is a hugely important cultural and archaeological site that finds itself in third place, with content generated here serving as more educational than a mass-tourist mill.
Yukon
Top locations
| Location | Hashtags | Posts |
|---|---|---|
| 🥇 Kluane National Park | #kluane #kluaneNP #yukon | 11,182 posts |
| 🥈 Northern Lights, Whitehorse | #northernlights #aurora #whitehorse | 704,589 posts* |
| 🥉 Miles Canyon, Whitehorse | #milescanyon #whitehorse #yukon | ~6,500 posts |
Home to Canada’s highest peaks, Kluane National Park is one of the region's most photographed destinations. Its frequented by serious mountaineers as well as tourists looking for dramatic icefield shots.
The Northern Lights at Whitehorse are another hugely popular phenomenon. The sheer volume of images of the aurora shows that Whitehouse has been successfully positioned as the region’s premier, accessible dark-sky destination.
Miles Canyon is a stunning and easily accessible basalt canyon, right on the edge of town. It offers incredible views to hikers, which is why it appears on so many IG feeds at the moment.
