Bruce Peninsula National Park: Some of the stunted eastern white cedar trees that cling to the cliffs along Georgian Bay, above, are over 1,000 years old--and less than five feet tall. The park is also home to more than 30 species of orchids, best seen in early June.

Point Pelee National Park, Ontario

It's all about birds and butterflies on this tiny peninsula, which pokes into Lake Erie like a dagger. More than two-thirds marsh, the beach-fringed finger of land, measuring just six square miles, is a haven for tired birds and butterflies migrating across the Great Lake to Mexico and beyond. In May, up to 25,000 bird-watchers also land here, for the show.

When to go: May for songbirds, which are also plentiful (but less colorful) in autumn. September for monarch butterflies. It's difficult to predict exactly which days they'll flutter in, but updates can be had by calling a special sighting hotline  (519/322-2371).

Photo op: Take your long lens for the one-mile stroll on Marsh Boardwalk, then climb aboard the free tram from the visitors center for a 10-minute ride to short trails at the park's tip, the hot spot for bird and butterfly shots. In season, the monarch butterflies often spend early mornings and late afternoons huddled by the thousands in the trees, conserving their warmth and energy.

Where to stay: The Wild Rose B&B in Wheatley, 15 minutes from Point Pelee, is owned by Tom Hince, a birding expert, and Lily Shuster, a former park employee (rooms from $75, 519/825-9070, www.netcore.ca/~peleetom). Other convenient locations are the communities of Leamington and Kingsville, close by.

Fascinating fact: It's the most southerly point in mainland Canada, with approximately the same latitude as both Rome and Boston.

You need to know: For May, book at least six months ahead.

Budget secret: Point Pelee National Park doesn't have camping, but just 20 minutes away, you can pitch your tent under the towering oak and hickory trees of Wheatley Provincial Park (519/825-4659, ontarioparks.com/). For dinner, pick up fresh perch or pickerel from the roadside fisheries en route.

Planning: 519/322-2365; local information, 800/265-3633, visitwindsor.com/.

Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec

Gouged out by a glacier, with banks blanketed in thick forest and flanked by rugged cliffs, the spectacular, 60-mile Saguenay Fjord eventually merges its warm waters with the chilly St. Lawrence Estuary, creating one of North America's richest feeding grounds for whales. Settle yourself on the shore, and you may even spot a blue whale--the biggest mammal on earth.

When to go: May to October.

Photo op: For belugas, head to the viewing platforms at Baie Sainte-Marguerite and Pointe-Noire. On the fjord's south side at Rivière-Éternité, Zodiac boats navigate 1,000-foot cliffs that dwarf even passing cruise ships (adults $22, kids 12 and under $14, Parc Du Saguenay, 877/272-5229).

Wildlife: In summer, finback, minke, and enormous blue whales congregate in the area where the waters meet. Humpbacks and sperm whales also visit. Small white belugas stick around all year. Look for birds gathering over the water--it's a telltale sign of whales beneath.

Where to stay: Base yourself where the rivers merge, in the French-Canadian village of Tadoussac. Founded as a fur post in 1599, today it trades in tourists and crafts. The 39-room Hotel Le Beluga is simple but central (from $67, 418/235-4784, le-beluga.qc.ca/).

Fascinating fact: Remember the 1984 Rob Lowe movie The Hotel New Hampshire? That was shot at the grand, red-roofed Hotel Tadoussac, which was built in 1864. It's got a dining room with gorgeous murals, where there's a huge, $22 evening buffet.

You need to know: Interpretation centers run by provincial governments often keep the English translations of park information stashed somewhere in a binder--you may have to ask for it.

Planning: 418/235-4703; Tourism Quebec, 877/266-5687, bonjourquebec.com/; Tourisme Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, 877/253-8387, tourismesaguenaylacsaintjean.qc.ca/.

Fundy National Park, New Brunswick

When you paddle in deep water past the park's coastal cliffs, it's hard to imagine that you can return later in the day and have a beach stroll in exactly the same spot--here, tides are so massive, they push rivers back upstream.

When to go: Late June to mid-September.

Photo op: Sumptuous Dickson Falls, where waters cascade down moss-covered boulders. A one-mile loop trail near the headquarters leads you there. For a gripping coastal view of the park, head to Butland Lookoff on Highway 114.

Also, during the Bay of Fundy's extreme low tide--which draws 200 billion tons of water--you get the chance to explore the ocean floor with a park interpreter. Walks are offered daily in July and August.

Wildlife: Deer, moose, and black bear all live here, and beaver lodges are easy to spot from Highway 114. More than 100 species of birds also nest in the park, including the reintroduced, endangered peregrine falcon.

Where to stay: Inside the park at Fundy Highland Inn & Chalets (from $64, 506/887-2930, fundyhighlandchalets.com/) and Fundy Park Chalets (from $45, 506/887-2808, fundyparkchalets.com/). There are more motels and guesthouses located in the village of Alma, at the park entrance.

Fascinating fact: The Bay of Fundy's tide draws 200 billion tons of water, which is approximately the same as the daily output of all of the earth's rivers combined.

You need to know: Dress for the park's two-climate zone. You can be toasty on an inland trail and chilled by the moist coastal air 10 minutes later.

Budget secret: In July and August, every child's park admission includes a one-hour "Junior Naturalist Program" excursion, such as a visit to a beaver pond.

Planning: 506/887-6000; Albert County Tourism, 506/734-2660, albertcountytourism.com/; Tourism New Brunswick, 800/561-0123, tourismnbcanada.com/.

Prince Edward Island National Park, Prince Edward Island

Beyond PEI's rolling green hills, creamy-white churches, and mussel farms are the long, sandy beaches, rust-red cliffs, and giant shifting sand dunes of Prince Edward Island National Park. Spread across 25 miles of the north shore, this is one of Canada's smallest--yet busiest--parks.

When to go: Late June to late August.

Photo op: Dunes grow to 60 feet at Greenwich, at the park's west end.

Don't miss: The state-of-the-art Greenwich Interpretation Centre at the east end has interactive exhibits and hiking trails; nearby archaeological digs have found 10,000-year-old traces of habitation. And visit the turn-of-the-century Green Gables House, which was the inspirational setting for L. M. Montgomery's classic children's novel Anne of Green Gables.

Where to stay: You can find cottages for $40 a night through Prince Edward Island Tourism Information (888/734-7529). Dalvay-by-the-Sea, a National Historic Site at the eastern end of the park, is an elegant Victorian home built in 1895 by an oil tycoon. It's now an upscale inn and restaurant (from $115 per person, 902/672-2048, dalvaybythesea.com/)

Fascinating fact: The rubbery Irish moss that washes up on the beach is used as a thickener in toothpaste.

You need to know: The sand dunes, which host fox dens, are extremely fragile and held in place by the tufts of marram grass. Stick to boardwalks and footpaths.

Planning: 902/672-6350; area tourism information, 888/734-7529, peiplay.com/.

Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Nova Scotia

The highlight of the 367-square-mile park, which stretches across the top of Cape Breton Island, is a driving tour: the spectacular 66-mile section of the Cabot Trail. A roller coaster of a road flanked by ocean and forested highlands, it climbs to heights of 1,200 feet (with breathtaking coastal views), twists around hairpin turns, and sinks down to the shore, threading in and out of the park boundaries and through small communities and fishing villages. You can drive the route easily in a few hours, but with all the scenic pull-offs, hiking trails (ranging five minutes to five hours), beautiful beaches, and opportunities to spot wildlife, consider taking several days.

Although the scenery is superb all along the entire Cabot Trail the most awesome coastline views can be found at the lookouts between Pleasant Bay and the southwest border of the park.

When to go: Summer or autumn. Leave enough slack in your schedule for days with bad visibility--they occur often.

Wildlife: Keep an eye out for roadside moose, gliding bald eagles, and highway scenic stops for whale spotting.

Where to stay: The Acadian village of Chéticamp, at the park's west entrance, has a waterfront boardwalk, seafood restaurants, and crafts shops. Laurie's Motor Inn rents rooms from $72 (800/959-4253, lauries.com/). At the east gate, the best choice is the seaside community of Ingonish. Nights at Glenghorm Beach Resort start at $64 (800/565-5660, capebretonresorts.com/). Between the two, try Cape North's Country Haven B&B (from $49, 902/383-2369, bbcanada.com/countryhaven).

Budget secret: The park's Highland Links Golf Course, at Ingonish Beach, was rated Canada's best public course in 2002 by Score Golf magazine (top price for 18 holes is $63, 800/441-1118, highlandslinksgolf.com/). Casual lobster meals--with a seaside view--cost just $11.50 at the Chowder House, on the main road in Neil's Harbour. The Highland Sitting Room in historic Keltic Lodge (800/565-0444), a province-run resort on a cliff overlooking Cape Smokey and the dark North Atlantic, is a gorgeous spot for a light lunch.

Planning: 902/224-2360; Tourism Nova Scotia, 800/565-0000, explore.gov.ns.ca/; Cabot Trail, cabottrail.com/.