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Top Things To Do In

A historic home once lived in by one of the world’s greatest writers. Fabulous food. Great, local wines. And wonderful, walkable downtowns. The Tri-Valley region of California is not only easy to enjoy, but easy to get to. The valley is roughly a 45-minute drive from downtown San Francisco, and easily reached on the Bay Area Rapid Transit System. It’s not an area that gets a ton of publicity, but that’s what makes it so much fun to explore. I grew up about 10 minutes from the area, and a post at the daily Tri-Valley Herald was my first newspaper Read more

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The Kitchener-Waterloo area is only a short drive from Toronto, and there’s so much to see. On top of that, they’re now providing a great incentive: a program called ExploreMore!, which provides anyone who books a minimum two-night stay at participating hotels with  a $100 VISA gift card to use at restaurants, attractions and retail locations in Waterloo Region. “Our local tourism industry is still in the early phases of recovery following the pandemic,” says Minto Schneider, CEO at Explore Waterloo Region. “ExploreMore! is designed to inject much-needed revenue back to our accommodation members through overnight stays, while also encouraging guests to visit Read more

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Chicago is one of the world’s great cities, home to amazing architecture, sensational food and warm, welcoming people. Here are seven great things to see, do and eat, as well a wonderful place to lay your head at night, when you visit. CHICAGO DOGS Portillo’s main restaurant on Ontario Street downtown is as Chicago as it gets; a wild emporium packed with sports paraphernalia, old cars hanging from the ceiling and other kitschy but fun pieces. They serve everything from Italian beef sandwiches to massive salads and desserts big enough to feed the starting five of the Chicago Bulls NBA basketball Read more

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Lahaina might be my fave small city in the world. It’s a delightful, tropical town perched on the dry side of the West Maui mountains, with a colourful history and a fun, engaging charm. This was the center of the Pacific whaling industry for some time, and you’ll find remnants of old jails that housed rowdy sailors. The town center also features one of the world’s largest banyan trees, which has dozens of trunks and spreads over an entire city block. It’s a great place for kids to explore and dream about being a member of the Swiss Family Robinson Read more

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The Ontario government this week announced it will provide tax credits of up to $400 for families to explore the province next year. Here’s a mini-guide to things to see and do in Stratford, Ontario. Stratford is, of course, best-known as the home of the Stratford Festival; one of the pre-eminent theatre offerings in the world. Fans come from all over the world for Shakespeare performances and modern plays alike, featuring some of the top actors and actresses on the planet. But there’s a lot more than live theatre in this town, which is less than two hours west of Read more

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