It wasn’t as bad as calling out the army to deal with a snowfall, but shutting down Pearson Airport on Tuesday was a very bad signal to send out. I understand that it was NOT business as usual on Tuesday. The cold snap was incredible and conditions were appalling for both operations and people. It’s completely understandable that flights would be cancelled, both arriving and departing. And it’s understandable that luggage would be delayed and other issues would pop up. But that doesn’t mean you have to halt the entire shebang and officially declare that you’ve shuttered Canada’s largest airport. Read more

ALBERTA – A snazzy and sleek spot in downtown Calgary. And a totally unexpected roadside surprise outside Canmore. I recently spent four days in and around Canmore, an absolutely breathtaking town that seems to me has most definitely emerged from the shadow of big brother Banff. I went dogsledding on a frozen lake and visited a wolf dog sanctuary and rode the gondola up Sulphur Mountain in Banff and soaked my bones in Banff’s Upper Hot Springs  and had a great massage at Solara Resort and Spa, a comfortable, newish property with huge rooms and a good location close to Read more

This coming year promises lots of great activities from coast to coast. Here are a few things to keep in mind. ALBERTA The new Glacier Skywalk on the Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper will open to the public next spring. The design was honoured with a 1st prize award at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona. Highlighted vistas and interpretive stations will lead guests to the grand finale of the Glacier Skywalk experience: a glass floored walkway 280 metres (918 feet) over the breathtaking Sunwapta Valley, complete with cascading waterfalls and active wildlife below. BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver will host Read more

ANTIGUA – I was clearly out of my league. It was my second day in Antigua, and I was on a driving tour of the south side of the island. I’d heard something about a yacht show in Falmouth harbour, but wasn’t quite prepared for what I found. I pulled my Toyota SUV into a parking area and walked towards a gate leading to the main harbour, where I was confronted by around 100 gleaming, white, monstrous (mostly) charter yachts. I had stumbled on the annual Antigua charter yacht show, held here in part because of the incredibly zig-zaggy protected Read more

Celebrities and travel, it seems, go together like popcorn and butter. Travelocity.ca has released the results of a new national survey which showcased the top 12 celebrity travel moments of 2013. Interestingly, Canadians appear to be evenly split on pop prince Justin Bieber, whose much publicized brawl in Britain earlier this year, tied for both the most and least memorable moment of 2013. “Bieber’s antics while travelling the world have been highly publicized and this was really the moment that started it all,” said Travelocity.ca resident travel expert, Brian Simpson. “So, it’s no surprise it’s the moment that resonates most Read more

ANTIGUA – I can’t verify that there are 365 beaches on this island, one for every day of the year. The tourist board says it’s true, and tourist boards never inflate their numbers. Right? All I know is I took a five-hour drive around the south part of the island the other day and spotted a dozen or so of the spiffiest, most alluring stretches of sand I’ve seen in a long time. I had plans to see a good half or two-thirds of the island. But a worker at the lovely Sugar Ridge resort I’m staying at convinced me Read more