NIAGARA FALLS, ONTARIO – The Niagara region has a reputation for great food and fabulous wine. A weekend visit in September hammered the point home in tasty fashion. One of the top places to check out, especially given this worldwide talk of a maple syrup shortage, is the Maple Trail at Maple Leaf Place, just a minute or two north of the Falls on the Niagara Parkway. It’s a lovely, bright shop with folks who know just about everything you can imagine about maple syrup. For example, did you know that 71% of the world’s production of the sweet stuff Read more
Canada
New rules for anyone flying to the United States begin in a few hours. The U.S. says that passengers on any flights that depart for the U.S. after Monday, December 6 at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (which could be interpreted as 9:01 p.m. December 5, today, for flights departing in the Pacific time zone) must show a negative COVID-19 test taken either the day of their flight or the day before. That goes for doubly vaccinated travellers, as well. Contrary to some published reports, it’s not a 24-hour window. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention site says anyone flying Read more
I like to give folks the benefit of the doubt. But I really am wondering who’s in charge in Ottawa these days. If you read today’s Globe and Mail, you’ll find a startling story in which federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos warns Canadians flying home from any country other than the U.S. that they have to isolate while they await the results of the Trudeau government’s new requirement for on-arrival COVID testing. He’s been saying that for days, so nothing unusual there. But the Globe story goes on to say that “neither he (Duclos) nor Chief Public Health Officer Theresa Read more
Today’s travel news roundup looks at Canada’s first Club Med resort in Charlevoix, Quebec. We also have news on Flair Airlines expanding into western Newfoundland and news about Porter’s plans to add service to eight U.S. cities, including Nashville. CLUB MED CHARLEVOIX NOW OPEN Club Med has officially opened the doors to its first Canadian four-season mountain resort, Club Med Québec Charlevoix. As of today, guests can stay in one of the 302 rooms including an Exclusive Collection (5 star) space with 25 suites. With stunning waterfront panoramas and sweeping views of the scenic St. Lawrence River, this 4-trident (4 Read more
Two of the most popular destinations for Canadians and Americans are putting new testing rules in place. Tourism Ireland said today that all arrivals into the Republic – whether vaccinated or not – will need a negative Covid test result from tomorrow (Dec. 3) onwards. Those travelling with an antigen test result will need to have obtained it within 48 hours of departure, and it will have to be professionally administered. No self-administered tests will be accepted. Those with a PCR test result will have a longer pre-travel window of 72 hours. Persons arriving into the state from overseas who Read more
