I've been to all of the Canadian provinces. Forget Ontario — these are the 3 you really ought to visit.

Prince Edward Island is famous for its red-sand beaches.

Darryl Brooks/Shutterstock I've been to all of Canada's provinces.

Ontario is great, but there are less-visited spots I love .

Cycle Prince Edward Island has beautiful scenery, and Vancouver Island has a lovely coastline.

I loved seeing the Earth's mantle in Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Canada is pretty massive.

The country spans almost 4,700 miles from east to west, touches three oceans, and hosts six different time zones.

Fortunately, I've been able to visit all 10 of its provinces.

And with so many options, I know it can seem overwhelming to choose where to explore next.

Although I enjoyed learning and experiencing what makes each province unique, a few places stand out — and they aren't in Ontario, Canada's most-touristed province .

Here are the three Canadian provinces I loved visiting, plus highlights I experienced that'll make you want to plan your own trip to each.

Explore the Earth's mantle and freshwater fjords in Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland and Labrador. jimfeng/Getty Images Humans tread on the Earth's crust, but it's not every day that you experience the second component below it, the mantle.

However, in the Tablelands in Gros Morne National Park , parts of the Earth's mantle are exposed, and visitors get a rare chance to admire this distinct structure without any digging.

When I explored the south end of this UNESCO World Heritage site , the rust-colored terrain made me feel as if I were on Mars.