Canadian national parks, luxury hotels in Florida, top resorts in the Caribbean, and great islands in Hawaii. U.S. News and World Report has come (LINK) out with its annual list of top destinations and hotels around the world, and there are a few surprises and famous names in the group. Here are some of the top 10 lists they published today (Feb. 6, 2024). TOP WORLD DESTINATIONS Paris (hosting the Summer Olympics this year) Bora Bora (who hasn’t dreamed of an overwater bungalow in Tahitii?) Glacier National Park, Montana Rome (heading there in three weeks; such an amazing city) Swiss Read more
Europe
A look at where Canadians want to go for domestic trips this year, as well as surprising destinations for foreign visitors to Canada. Today’s post also looks at where to see the Northern Lights and how young people are looking for “roamance” on the road. CANADIAN HOT SPOTS FOR 2024: Moncton, Windsor, Vancouver and Richmond Hill? 2023 was, by many reports, considered the “return to travel”, with tourism reaching nearly 90% of pre-pandemic levels*. With travel showing no signs of slowing down, Canadians are eager to explore their own country, and far beyond, this year. Without further ado, here are Read more
As a long-time (50 years this year, wow) journalist, I do occasionally consider the dark side of things. When I see a list of the safest cities in the world to visit, for example, I always wonder who finished at the bottom. That isn’t very nice, I suppose. But I guess it’s human nature. With that in mind, I was delighted to see that a recent study of the most welcoming countries in the world was followed up with a list (from a different source) of the LEAST welcoming nations in Europe. It it may not be very scientific, and Read more
If you’re looking for a warm welcome when you travel abroad, book a trip to Italy. If you’re staying in Canada this year, think about visiting Whistler. Booking.com has announced the recipients of its 12th annual Traveller Review Awards, which are based on more than 309 million verified customer reviews. A record 1.48 million travel partners are receiving a Booking.com Traveller Review Award for 2024. Most Welcoming Places in the World For the seventh year in a row, Italy is home to the largest number of Booking.com Traveller Award recipients with 181,012. Here is the complete list of Read more
It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and that means it’s time for romance. The folks at Ubuy.com looked at TripAdvisor data to score each European capital city for romance. The criteria included the number of fine dining restaurants, 5-star hotels, and romantic tours. A romantic tour only gets one point, which I don’t understand. I also would put more emphasis on a five-star hotel than an expensive restaurant, if only because you’re likely to have more time to enjoy a hotel than a restaurant. It’s a tad arbitrary, and it doesn’t take the look or feel of a city into account. But Read more
