I love lists. Partly because, as someone told me in high school, I sometimes like to argue just for the sake of it. I’d like to think I’ve mellowed since my school days, but I still shake my head at some of the travel lists that get passed around. This time I’m questioning, albeit only a little, a list of the world’s most beautiful cities from the folks at Flight Network. The study was based on input from top travel writers, bloggers and travel agents around the globe, they said. (I believe they may have asked me to participate, but Read more
Favourite Sign: This one in the Cayman Islands. It’s particularly notable for folks in the travel writing world, as “off the beaten path” is one of those phrases most of us would like to see banned from every travel story. If only I could have found a street called “Hidden Gem.” Most romantic sunrise: Sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on the Norwegian Bliss on a TravelBrands SeaU cruise in October. I grew up in the Bay Area, so to see the bridge and sail under it like that was a big treat. I wish I had Read more
This is somewhat alarming. But probably not surprising. A study released today by the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) finds that more than half of Canadians (56%) still don’t know they have new rights as air travellers. New protection laws were announced by the government of Canada six months ago, and a new set of rules comes into effect on Sunday, Dec. 15. Canadians often complain about unfair treatment by the airlines, but they’re seemingly unaware that there are new laws in place to answer some of their concerns. “It is clear that the government and the airlines need to do Read more
You can tell a lot about a place by the bulletin boards or the signs in the window of their local coffee shop. Are there are ads for organic soy milk? Goat yoga? A concert starring a KISS cover band? At the Pastry Peddler in Millbrook, a small community a few minutes southwest of Peterborough, the messages in the window seemed all about community; “Support local farmers.” “Thank a Quilter Day.” “Port Hope Fair.” I liked it already. And then I stepped inside and found beautiful, wood floors, soaring ceilings, bicycles hanging from the walls, local art on display, and Read more
This is a re-post from a trip I took in January of last year. The Florida Keys are a great place to visit during our Canadian winters. And there’s new things to see and do all the time. I wrote a piece about the Keys for TravelPulse Canada that appeared in our newsletter today, actually. Islamorada is great, but I also enjoy Marathon, Key Largo and, of course, fabulous Key West. ISLAMORADA, FLORIDA – It’s one of those perfect January days in the Florida Keys. The parking lot at Robbie’s Marina in Islamorada is full, and the patio at The Read more
A new study shows the true power of tourism in Toronto. As anyone who checks in on this site now and then can attest, I’m a big believer in tourism as an economic driver, and it’s a constant source of amazement to me that our federal and provincial governments show little interest in the subject, and that they consistently underplay the importance of tourism by giving the tourism ministry job to relative unknowns in Cabinet and by giving them titles like “Minister of Suburban Architecture, TimBit Regulation and Tourism.” So, I’m hoping that Mayor Tory and Premier Ford and Prime Read more
Spain, Edmonton, Aruba and Universal Studios Hollywood wouldn’t seem to have a lot in common. But the latest report from the folks at Expedia Canada says those are some of the hottest places for Canadians using Expedia to book their trips. When it comes to analyzing travel trends, Expedia has a leg up. Being one of the world’s largest online travel brands means being able to uncover themes across air travel, hotel stays, searches and bookings, even experiences – all in the pursuit of arming Canadian travellers with everything they need to travel smarter in 2020. And today the results Read more
