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Visit Canadian National Parks for Free in 2017

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    If you’re at all considering a trip to Canada this year, the Canadian government has a terrific (and free) deal for you!

    Via One Mile at a Time, to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday, Parks Canada is giving away free 2017 yearly passes to Canada’s national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas.

    This is an excellent opportunity to experience Canada’s beautiful outdoors on a road trip or camping vacation.  Or even if you prefer traveling in style!

    Canada’s Inviting You to Visit National Parks for Free for All of 2017!

    I’ll show you how to get your free 2017 Discovery Pass and share ideas on where to use it!

    Free Canadian National Parks 2017

    Link:   Parks Canada

    Link:   Order Your Free Discovery Pass

    You can order your free 2017 Discovery Pass online.  And they’ll even ship it to you (anywhere) for free!

    The pass gets you (and folks in your vehicle or traveling with you) free admission to 47 national parks, plus dozens of historic sites and marine conservation areas.

    Normally, Parks Canada charges ~136 Canadian dollars (~$103) for a yearly group pass.  So this is a generous deal!
    Visit Beautiful Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada

    Keep in mind, the Discovery Pass only covers admission for yourself and passengers in your vehicle at national parks, or folks arriving together at historic or marine sites.

    Other fees, like for camping, parking, or tours, are NOT included with the pass.

    And if you forget your pass, One Mile at a Time reports you’ll still be allowed in to these sites for free (but they’d really prefer you have a pass).

    Where Can You Go?

    Whether you’re into hiking, camping, boating, scuba diving, or a history buff, there’s plenty to do at Parks Canada sites.

    And it’s a good time to travel to Canada, because the exchange rate with the US dollar is very favorable ($1 = ~1.33 Canadian dollars).  But keep in mind sales taxes and fuel prices are higher in Canada, too.

    1.   National Parks

    Link:   National Parks – Canada

    Several of Canada’s national parks are UNESCO World Heritage sites including:

    Go For a Hike at Gros Morne Mountain in Newfoundland and Enjoy the Breathtaking Views

    Many locations are perfect for hiking, spotting wildlife, fishing, and camping.  And the sightseeing can be incredible!

    2.   National Historic Sites

    Link:   National Historic Sites

    If you enjoy history, battlegrounds, forts, shipwrecks, archaeology, or learning about First Nations culture, you’ll find lots of interesting things to see and do at Canada’s National Historic Sites.

    For example, tourists flock to old Quebec City to visit the Fortifications of Quebec National Historic Site.  It’s the only walled city in North America north of Mexico, and has a wonderful European feel.

    Winter Is a Popular Time to Visit Quebec City Because of Their Winter Carnival – but Bundle Up!

    Or if you’re a War of 1812 aficionado, check out places like Queenston Heights National Historic Site or the Fort George National Historic Site, both locations of famous battles near Niagara Falls, Ontario.

    3.   National Marine Conservation Areas

    Link:   National Marine Conservation Areas

    There are 4 National Marine Conservation Areas:

    If you enjoy scuba diving, like Emily, Fathom Five National Marine Park of Canada is an excellent spot to visit.  It’s one of the top freshwater dive locations in the world, and has over 20 shipwrecks, plus numerous underwater cliffs and caves.

    You Can Scuba or Snorkel to View the Over 20 Shipwrecks at Fathom Five Park in Ontario

    If you prefer to stay dry, check out Saguenay – St. Lawrence Marine Park for some of the best whale watching in North America.  You’ll get the best views in the warmer months.

    Bottom Line

    Order your Discovery Pass online for free admission through 2017 to Canada’s national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas.

    They’ll even ship it to you for free, anywhere in the world.

    This promotion is part of Canada’s 150th birthday this year.  If you’re think you might visit, it only takes a minute to order a pass and doesn’t cost a thing.

    Have you visited Canadian national parks, historic sites, or marine conservation areas?  I’d love to hear your experience in the comments!

    Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)