In Canada, national parks are more than landmarks: they're showstoppers with glittering snow-capped peaks and jewel-toned lakes that prove they really know how to shine. This is especially true in the west, where the Canadian Rockies carve unforgettable vistas through the landscape in Banff, Kootenay, Jasper, and more. But in 2017, you'll get some extra incentive to see them for yourself: in honor of the country's 150th birthday, admission to every park is free all year long. What better way to take in the views up close than by loading up the car and hitting the road?

This road trip planner will help you check no less than five national parks off your Canadian bucket list with only a handful of hours spent in the car.

Day 1 | Calgary

Calgary is the perfect place to start your grand tour of the Canada national parks and stock up on supplies for the road ahead. Got some extra time to kill before you head into the wilderness? Catch up on Canadian history with a visit to Heritage Park Historical Village, where educators in period costumes re-create the lifestyles of early 19th-century fur traders and members of the First Nations.

How to get there: Fly into Calgary International Airport.

Where to stay: Hotel Blackfoot puts you just a quick 10-minute drive from Heritage Park and less than 5 minutes from the highway.

Days 2–4 | Banff National Park

Topping our list of the best places to visit in 2017, Banff is Canada's oldest national park as well as one of its biggest, sprawling over 2,564 square miles. Head out during the summer months and you can recreate one of the most famous images of the park: the "twenty-dollar view" at Moraine Lake. The lake's waters achieve their distinctive shade of milky, turquiose-blue some time around mid-June, but it's surrounded by the stunning peaks of Ten-Peak Valley year round; it's just harder to access in the winter, when the main thruway shuts down for the season (October–May).

Driving time: about 70 minutes (109 km./68 mi.) from Calgary

Hotel: Banff Rocky Mountain Resort offers an indoor pool and a complimentary shuttle to downtown Banff.

Campground: Two Jack Lakeside Campground has stunning views of Two Jack Lake.

Day 5 | Kootenay National Park

Part of the four contiguous national parks straddling Alberta and British Columbia (the other members of the quartet being Banff, Yoho, and Jasper), the drive to Kootenay is a short one down the Alberta Highway. Your best introduction to the park is the popular Marble Canyon hike. At just one mile, it's perfect for the whole family and it leads to views of the vibrant blue Kootenay River and an impressive waterfall. The whole thing can be done in half an hour, or you can carry on to Kootenay's other most popular attraction, the Paint Pots. These iron-rich springs show off the bright red clay underneath the surface, and require just 90 more minutes of hiking to reach.

Driving time: about 40 minutes (57 km./35 mi.) from Banff

Hotel: Choose one of the comfy motels in Radium Hot Springs, where you'll have easy access to the springs' healing waters.

Campground: Redstreak Campground has standard campsites as well as oTENTiks, which are part tent, part cabin.

Day 6 | Yoho National Park

The smallest of all the parks you'll visit, Yoho is no slouch when it comes to natural and manmade wonders. Half-day rafting trips down the Kicking Horse River can give you an exhiliarating thrill (no experience required) and views of the Spiral Tunnels show trains thundering down the tracks, going in and out of mountainsides. But if you want to see one of the park's most popular sights, Takakkaw Falls, it's worth waiting until the snow melts to plan your trip; the main road is closed during the winter months.

Driving time: about two hours (160 km./99 mi.) from Kootenay

Hotel: For comfort, head to Emerald Lake Lodge, which overlooks the park's largest lake.

Campground: Kicking Horse Campground puts you just a short drive from the Upper Spiral Tunnels scenic lookout.

Days 7–9 | Glacier National Park

The park's 131 signature glaciers cover more than 50 square miles, but none is more recognizable or more photographed than Illecillewaet Glacier in the east. The best way to see it is to tackle the moderate Glacier Crest trail: a seven-mile round-trip hike that follows a steep path up toward panoramic views of Illecillewaet. For something breezier, hit the Hemlock Grove Boardwalk, where you'll be shaded by the forest canopy on a path specifically designed to be stroller- and wheelchair-accessible.

Driving time: about 90 minutes (141 km./88 mi.) from Yoho

Hotel: Palliser Lodge is an hour from the park near the ski runs of Kicking Horse Mountain and has access to resort amenities.

Campground: Loop Brook Campground receives regular evening visits from park staff, who will register you. It's also right by an easy one-hour hike that will allow you to explore the historic abandoned railways.

Days 10–12 | Jasper National Park

Your journey comes to an end with a visit to what might be the crown jewel of western Canada: Jasper National Park. It's been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984, but one of its coolest attractions has only been around since 2014: the Glacier Skywalk. Located right off of Highway 93, it gives visitors a one-of-a-kind view on a glass-bottomed walkway nearly 1,000 in the air. There's a free viewing area, but for a nominal fee you can partake in an interactive experience that'll teach you about the natural landscape. Intensify the experience by tacking on a tour of the Columbia Icefield, where you'll get a chance to walk directly on the glacier itself.

Driving time: about three hours (254 km./158 mi.) from Glacier

Hotel: Whistler's Inn has a central location in the heart of Jasper and is proudly LGBT friendly.

Campground: Just like Redstreak in Kootenay, Whistlers Campground has modern campsites and oTENTiks.