Canadian travellers have spoken. Air Canada Vacations has announced the winners of its first-ever Travellers’ Top Picks Awards, a celebration of Canadian wanderlust that drew over 100,000 entries and sparked a nationwide conversation about the places Canadians dream of exploring. Travellers voted across 10 categories curated by Air Canada Vacations experts, sending their favourite destinations to the summit of Canadians’ travel wish lists. The choices are mostly excellent, and I was quite pleased to see a few personal faves (Rome, Singapore, New York City and two Hawai’i destinations) make the list. “Canadians love to travel, which is what inspired us Read more
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Three Canadian airlines have received top ratings at a major airline awards show. For the sixth consecutive year, Air Canada received a Five Star Global Airline Award at the Airline Passenger Experience Association (APEX) 2026 Awards, which were presented last night. Air Canada’s onboard Wi-Fi sponsored by Bell, which is complimentary for Aeroplan members, was ranked as the Best Inflight Connectivity. (It’s a great service I use on all my Air Canada flights, allowing me to stay in touch with work issues and communicate with family and friends at 36,000 feet.) WestJet was honoured as a Four Star Major Airline Read more
Fall is almost here for folks in the northern hemisphere, which means the summer crowds are pretty much gone from many of the world’s – and North America’s – top destinations. Shoulder season is an ideal time to visit Europe, with the usual hordes having departed cities like Rome and Barcelona but with warm weather still lingering. Not to mention warm Mediterranean water. It’s also a great time to visit Northern California, which often sees it warmest temperature of the year in September and (usually) very little fog. And a fabulous time to visit Hawaii for deals and for Australia Read more
A new report from KAYAK finds domestic destinations are more popular with Canadian travellers for Labour Day Weekend this year than last year, with more than a 19% increase in searches. Top domestic travel spots include Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Halifax, a city I love. Canadians also are looking for trips to Paris and London (the England one). Top trending destinations include Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, Edmonton (an underrated Canadian city) and Dublin, Ireland, KAYAK said. A NEW ATTRACTION FOR NIAGARA FALLS One of Canada’s top destinations – and one of the great vacation spots in the world Read more
ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST – One of the world’s great drives. Sensational food. And a wide mix of places to stay. The Monterey/Big Sur region of California is one of the most magical destinations on the planet, a “pinch me, I must be dreaming” kind of place that almost defies the imagination with its mix of soft light and rugged beauty. Here are some highlights from a recent trip from Monterey to Big Sur and back, including visits to the towns of Carmel and Pacific Grove, and a stunning, hillside spot on the coast. I’m also sprinkling in some tips Read more
