A trip along the Sunshine Coast is an outstanding way to enjoy the beauty of British Columbia. This was my first time visiting, and it will certainly not be my last. I fell in love with the people, not to mention the craggy hills and zig-zag harbours. There’s excellent kayaking and boating, as well as hiking and shopping. And the resorts are terrific, too.

PORT STANLEY, ONTARIO – Call it a tale of two cities. Or maybe three. On the one hand, Port Stanley is your quintessential southern Ontario town. There are old-time B and B’s with giant porches and carpets of stunning flowers and quaint shops selling outdoor gear and fashionable women’s shoes and a cute coffee shop. There’s also a busy port, one of many lovely inlets on the north shore of Lake Erie, where brilliant white boats bob in dark waters surrounded by deep green hills. But there’s also a wild beach scene, with warm, gentle waters and endless sand and Read more

BANFF NATIONAL PARK, ALBERTA – I’m standing in a pretty mountain bowl at Sunshine Meadows with small hills all around dotted with white and yellow flowers. The sky is that famous shade of Alberta blue and the deep grey hills are patchy with winter’s leftover snow. Our guide, Thalia Christou with White Mountain Adventures, points out the yellow Alpine Butter Cups and the western anemones, which look like yellow and white crocuses but grow interesting, fuzzy bits to stay warm. They look like they’ve grown hair in summer, causing Christou to refer to them as “hippie hair flowers.” We spot Read more

WATERTON LAKES NATIONAL PARK – This might be the most under-appreciated national park in Canada. Ask Canadians about Waterton Lakes , and probably half the time you’ll get a blank stare. Other times, you’ll get a small nod and the response, “I’ve heard it’s beautiful.” Most of the time, the latter phrase is followed by “But I haven’t made it yet.” Me? I don’t remember when the place first entered my mind. But I get reminded it of every time I go home to my Dad’s house in California. For years, he’s had a black and white drawing of Waterton Read more

I had a coffee with a former Torontonian living in Vancouver the other day. And it was refreshing to hear her talk about how much she loves T.O. I think I live in a fabulous, fabulous city. And I think it’s worth spouting off about now and then. So, with a nod to Drake’s recent callouts of Toronto as “The 6,” here are a half-dozen reasons to check out Ontario’s capital. A GREAT WATERFRONT: Notwithstanding expensive pink umbrellas and over-priced washrooms, our waterfront has come a very long way in the past ten years. There are wonderful parks near Harbourfront Read more