It was our first morning at Elmhirst’s Resort with two of our kids, their spouses, and six of our grandkids. I was down near the dock in front of our cottage around 7 a.m. and spotted my daughter in law. She said she and her oldest child were down by the water to watch the sunrise. “She looked at me and said, ‘Mummy, I like this place more than Toronto.’” This was the third time my wife and I had stayed at Elmihirst’s, a delightful, family-run spot on Rice Lake, a little south of Peterborough. But it was the first Read more

AUBERGE WEST BROME, QUEBEC – I first visited the Eastern Townships of Quebec 10 or 12 years ago.  I instantly fell in love with the rolling hills and the welcoming locals, not to mention the pretty villages like Sutton and North Hatley, and the amazing food. I’ve been back several times since, and I’ve enjoyed myself immensely every time. This past visit was, unfortunately, just an overnight stay. But it was at one of my fave places in Canada; Auberge West Brome. Located a few minutes from both Sutton and Knowlton (Lac Brome), the property sits in a pretty valley Read more

It’s always interesting to see what destinations travellers are looking for when thinking about their vacations or visits. Here are the top 10 destinations with the biggest year-on-year increase in Skyscanner searches by Canadians: Cardiff, Wales: +1,0456% Grenada: +156% Tivat, Montenegro: +149% Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: +139% Penticton, British Columbia: +137% Salzburg, Austria: +119% Bergen, Norway: +119% Olbia, Italy: +117% Podgorica, Montenegro: +116% Tofino, British Columbia: +83% Skyscanner also has a new report on the cheapest destinations for Canadian travellers in November: Nassau, Bahamas: Roundtrip flights starting from $321  Saint Lucia: Roundtrip flights starting from $335  Montego Bay, Jamaica: Roundtrip flights Read more

Condé Nast Travel magazine last week issued its Readers’ Choice Awards. Included was a detailed look at top spots in the Caribbean, as well as Hawai’i and Asia. Here’s a look at a few of the highlights, and some of my fave places and hotels. The Best Islands in the Caribbean at a Glance Best Caribbean island for beaches: Anguilla Best Caribbean island for diving: Dominica Best Caribbean island for honeymoons: St Lucia Best Caribbean island for island hopping: British Virgin Islands Best Caribbean island for families: Barbados The Top 10 Caribbean Islands Barbados (a personal fave) St. Barts (only Read more

CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS – A spectacular island. One of the world’s most famous families. And a stunning B&B fashioned from an old church. I recently spent 48 hours exploring the western edge of Cape Cod and the island of Martha’s Vineyard. I came away hugely impressed with the feel of the place, as well as the people and the restful scenery. Here’s a look at one way to spend a great couple days on what locals simply call “The Cape.” A FINE MUSEUM To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a lot of the Sandwich Glass Museum. I’m not a big Read more

Conde Nast Travel has come out with its annual list of the world’s best hotels, and two Canadian properties made it into the top 20. Chicago also scored remarkably well. Their Readers Choice List of best USA big cities also put three California destinations in the top 10, which is great to see if you’re a guy born and raised in The Golden State. CANADA’S TEN BEST HOTELS Condé Nast readers named  The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto’s trendy Yorkville district as the top hotel in the country. It’s a splendid place to stay, as I discovered on a visit a Read more