The Parks Canada agency opened its new reservation system last week, marking the beginning of the camping, hiking, and outdoor adventure season across Canada.

The federal agency manages 37 national parks where outdoor enthusiasts can book a campsite, chalet, or cabin during the 2023 season, offering a number of historic sites, hiking trails, beaches, and more.

After a slowdown in visitors due to COVID-19, Canada's national parks have seen a steady increase in visitors, setting a new record of 516,000 camping nights last year.

With a variety of options across the country, it may be difficult to know which parks to visit.

Therefore, travel experts who have spent most of their lives exploring the Canadian landscape shared their opinions on the national parks Canadians should visit this summer.

Marles Butcher, author of the book “Park Bagger: Adventures in the Canadian National Parks,” which details her stays in all the national parks, said that Canada's national parks are a great way to explore the country.

One of the first recommendations she gave is Mingan Archipelago National Park, a small island reserve off the coast of eastern Quebec, in the St. Lawrence Gulf.

The Parks Canada spokesperson, Eric Magnan, also recommended that the area offers 1000 islands and islets covering about 100 square kilometers.

Butcher said swimming is possible, but the cold waters usually make visitors use boats instead.

She added that the nearby town of Havre-Saint Pierre offers a refuge away from wildlife with restaurants, shops, and historic sites.

She explained that the road trip should be before Labor Day, as the park closes for the season then.

Magnan also said that Yoho National Park, located on the border of British Columbia and Alberta in the heart of the Rockies, offers a quiet wilderness experience.

He added that the park provides some of the highest waterfalls in Canada, half a billion-year-old fossil beds, and even sparkling emerald lakes.

Butcher said that near Yoho, Mount Revelstoke National Park should be visited on a day trip.

Magnan also said that Pukaskwa National Park, wild and located in Northern Ontario, is a place full of natural wonders, situated on the shores of Lake Superior, about four hours' drive south of Thunder Bay, Ontario.

In the same context, Lola Augustine Brown, an independent travel writer in Truro, Nova Scotia, said she discovered the best parks in Canada for young children.

She added that her three children were amazed by the experiences they had in Terra Nova National Park in Newfoundland, and one of Brown’s favorite parks is Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia.

Magnan said that in the Prairies, families should visit the Motherwell Homestead National Historic Site in Saskatchewan, which displays the province’s golden wheat fields and is located just over an hour’s drive northeast of Regina.

The site also provides information about traditional plant uses and how indigenous communities trade fur.

Brown said that when traveling with children, it is important for parents to choose sites close to playgrounds and ensure there are plenty of activities nearby.

For an adventure in Nunavut, Butcher recommends Auyuittuq National Park, located northeast of Iqaluit and only accessible by plane to Pangnituq, where she said: “You will see mountains and glaciers and immerse yourself in Inuit culture.”

Magnan recommends Torngat Mountains National Park, located in northern Labrador.

Butcher added that Kluane National Park Reserve in Yukon is unforgettable.