We’re number two. But our Prime Minister is number one. A new study by U.S. News and World Report found that Canada was ranked number two in the world in terms of best countries. The study looked at 80 countries in the world, examining their economic influence, quality of life and other issues. Switzerland came out on top of the overall country rankings, followed by Canada, Germany (up from fourth last year), the UK (down from third), Japan, Sweden, Australia, the United States (down one spot from last year), France and The Netherlands. Although we barely number one overall, Canada’s Read more
What a fantastic year. Our 150th birthday as a country, and another 12 months of a ridiculously overbooked travel schedule. Here’s a look back at some Canadian highlights of 2017, including great BBQ in B.C., sleeping in a former brothel in the Yukon and a sleek southern Ontario winery run almost entirely by women. The “How Did I Not Know How Beautiful This Place Was” Destination of the Year: Eastern Townships, Quebec. Lovely villages, surprisingly large hills and great places to stay, including Auberge West Brome (https://www.awb.ca/en/), Spa Eastman (http://www.spa-eastman.com/en/) and Ripplecove Lakefront Hotel and Spa. (http://ripplecove.com/en/) Best sporting moment: Read more
Anyone who travels knows that sinking feeling you get when you’re hungry prior to a flight but worried about getting through a long security lineup. You kind of say to yourself, “Hey, this is a big airport. I’ll go through security and then get a meal on the other side.” So you line up, take off your shoes and belt and go through the scanners. Then you get to the other side. And, whammo. Not a restaurant in sight. Instead of dining on a bowl of fresh pasta and that arugula salad with a glass of good Italian wine you Read more
This item appeared earlier this week on Sun Media and Postmedia websites in Canada. BARBADOS – This island in the southeast corner of the Caribbean has been a Canadian favourite for decades, a gentle, warm and welcoming place with a bit of a British feel and a series of remarkable beaches. But you also can take fun tours on rambling, rollicking 4 by 4’s, enjoy quiet walks along deserted coastlines and soak up the sun at one of the Caribbean’s best resorts. Here are seven ways to enjoy a visit to Barbados. TAKE IN A SHOW: The Harbour Lights dinner Read more
Leaving our hats in the bedroom closet. Forgetting our passports. And leaving our kids’ favourite toys under the bed at home. Just in time for the Christmas holiday season, the folks at booking.com have released a fun survey that shows the most common mistakes Canadians make when they leave for a winter vacation. We’re pretty good at remembering to take our kids with us (no Home Alone situations, thank goodness), some 88% of Canadians routinely forget to take their child’s favourite toy or comforter/blanket when they go away. This is easy to do when one has to remember travel documents Read more
“The first time I went to the area a friend showed me Sebastian’s Inlet. It was so pretty. And then there was a quiet, almost private beach with manatees.” “I fell in love.” Lori Booker is communications director for the Orlando-Melbourne International Airport, a growing facility that’s becoming a popular way for Canadians to fly to central Florida. Porter Airlines flies to Orlando-Melbourne on a seasonal basis from Toronto, as well as from Windsor and Ottawa. “It’s a wonderful way to fly,” Booker told me on a visit to Toronto last week. “You get great service and wide, leather seats Read more
This just came in on Friday afternoon: Disney is offering 20-25% off for some tickets for Canadians. With Canadian visits down in Florida the last year or two, the state has been struggling to lure folks from north of the border. They recently launched a program that offers substantial discounts to Canadians who buy various packages. And now comes the Disney deal. For Walt Disney World in Florida, Canadian residents can save 20% on advance purchase of 4-Day or longer Magic Your Way Tickets until Feb. 10, 2018. For Disneyland in California, Canadians save 25% on advance prrchase of 3-Day Read more
