Canada’s best (and weirdest) roadside attractions

Is there anything better than a good summer road trip? 

Sure, road trips aren’t for everyone, but according to travel writer Oneika Raymond, there are a lot of benefits to hitting the highway. 

For one, you can travel at your own pace, determine departure time, itinerary, stops, etc., and you can change course at whim because you’re not restricted by flight or train schedules. 

Other benefits include:

• It’s cost effective; in many cases, driving is cheaper than flying, especially when travelling as a group and have a gas-saving car. 
• It provides a great opportunity to get off the beaten path. It’s much easier to explore rural towns that either don’t have airports or are expensive to fly into.
• There’s greater privacy and comfort. You can spread out your belongings and blast your road trip playlist or chat on the phone without worrying about someone beside you. 
• Road trips foster a sense of community. Travelling in a car with a group is a great bonding experience. 
• It’s not just about the destination. Time spent travelling by car means the journey is also part of the adventure. 

And Canada is a great place to road trip, not only because of our beautiful landscape, but because of our weird and wonderful attractions. Some of those attractions are outlined below.

Sign Post Forest

The Sign Post Forest is located in Watson Lake, Yukon on mile 635 of the Alaska Hwy. In 1942, while building the Alaska Hwy, it was common practice for the US Army of Engineers to put up a directional post at their camps. It gave directions and mileage to surrounding communities and various parts of the world. Today, there are over 77,000 signs in the forest, and the number grows each year, as travelers from around the world continue the tradition of posting their hometown signs. The Sign Post Forest takes up a couple of acres, with huge new panels constantly being added, snaking through the trees. There are street signs, welcome signs, signatures on dinner plates, and license plates from around the world.

Spend an afternoon in Watson Lake, YT. The Sign Post Forest covers a few acres and you can take in the Northern Lights science centre for a special experience.

The World’s Largest Hockey Stick

This 205-foot hockey stick was built at the Cowichan Community Centre on Vancouver Island. It’s made from Douglas Fir wooden beams and reinforced with steel and  weighs in at a staggering 61,000 pounds. This is a quick Instagram-worthy visit.

Easter Egg Pysanka

The world’s largest easter egg is located in Vegreville, Alberta, a little more than an hour from Edmonton. The Ukrainian 'Pysanka' was constructed in 1975 in honour of the early Ukrainian settlements east of Edmonton. This colourful marvel contains 524 star patterns, 3,512 facets, 2,206 equilateral triangles, 6,978 nuts and bolts, and 177 internal struts. This is another quick visit where you snap a photo and go.

Mac the Moose

Saskatoon artist Don Foulds created Mac the Moose as the official representative of Moose Jaw, SK watching over the Trans-Canada Highway in all his glory. Mac the Moose is reportedly the largest moose on Earth at 32 feet (9.8 m) tall and a weight of 10 tons. Mac's body is constructed from a heavy metal pipe framework. Thinner pipes and metal strips prop up the frame and the body is covered with metal mesh. The base that holds him is covered with three coats of cement. Mac was completed in May 1984. He is named after the late Alderman Les McKenzie, a well-known citizen of Moose Jaw. This is quick bathroom break and photo op with the family.

Big Nickel

At nine metres tall, Sudbury, Ontario’s Big Nickel is the largest coin in the world. Built in 1964, the twelve-sided monument is located at the Dynamic Earth science centre, on a small hill overlooking the town. It weighs it at close to 13,000 kilograms which is about 64,607,747 times the size of a real Canadian nickel. You can spend a little extra time here because you’ll also want to visit the science centre. Plan to spend a day there. 

World’s Largest Lobster

Shediac, New Brunswick is recognized internationally as "The Lobster Capital of the World" for its lobster fishing industry. For that reason, the Shediac Rotary Club thought it fitting to erect a monument in tribute of the delectable crustacean and promote its role in the development of the community. The late Winston Bronnum from Penobquis, New Brunswick, was commissioned to create this magnificent showpiece which he built in 1989. It stands at 11 m (35 ft.) in length, 5 m (16 ft.) in width and 5 m (16 ft.) in height, weighing 90 tonnes.

The lobster is located at the entrance of Rotary Park, so you can bring a picnic and/or explore the surroundings for an hour or so.

The World’s Largest Illuminated Fiddle

The largest illuminated fiddle in the world is located in the Port of Sydney. It pays homage to Cape Breton’s Celtic heritage and fiddle music. The statue was erected in January 2005 so it’s the newer roadside attraction on the list. It stands 17-metres tall and was created by local Sydney, Nova Scotia artist Cyril Hearn.

Because it’s in the Port of Sydney, there’s opportunity to explore the boardwalk and make it part of a larger trip.

Giant Squid

In 1878, fishermen near Glovers Harbour, N.L. caught themselves a whopper. They landed a giant squid that was 16.7 metres (55 feet) long, and was recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the biggest squid in the world. In 2001, to mark the occasion and increase tourism to the tiny Newfoundland hamlet, a replica was commissioned and built near the site of the squid's capture. Your final stop will be a quick snap and go.