DUNEDIN, FLORIDA – A sleek and sexy rooftop bar with killer sunsets. Fabulously inventive food. And a cool, Jazz Age history that’s reflected all around the property. This sleepy Florida town, best known by Canadians as the spring training site for the Toronto Blue Jays spring training games, has been something of a sleepy, under-the-radar destination for years. But not any more. With the opening of The Fenway Hotel in town late last year, Dunedin is suddenly on Florida’s front burner. On a recent evening in January it was difficult to even find a place to stand at the rooftop Read more
CRYSTAL RIVER, FLORIDA – It’s late afternoon and I’m nursing a cup of coffee on the patio outside my room at the Plantation on Crystal River. It’s mostly cloudy but I can see some breaks off to the west. The lazy person in me wants to stay and drink my coffee. The photographer in me says, “Hey, sunset!” The photographer wins. I walk out to my rental car and make the 15-minute drive out to Fort Island Beach, a pretty spot on the Gulf of Mexico. I’m expecting maybe a handful of folks on a Sunday night, but I find Read more
OCALA, FLORIDA – The prettiest, bluest springs I’ve ever seen. Terrific tacos. And a crazy good kayak ride. North Central Florida is perhaps best known as the Sunshine State’s horse country. It’s also home to some of the prettiest stretches of rivers and springs this long-time Florida lover and frequent visitor has ever seen. I’ve probably been to Florida 25 or 30 times over the years. I’ve explored remote islands in The Everglades, had drinks at the state’s oldest saloon in Fernandina Beach and gulped down giant oysters in Apalachicola. I’ve toured beautiful, serene waterways, dined at top Miami restaurants Read more
NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA – I’ve just pulled into this Atlantic coast town for the first time when I spot a place to eat that fronts right onto the beach. I step inside at The Breakers and find a super casual set-up with touches of Florida kitsch and a huge, long seating bar up against the windows for folks to check out the ocean. I pull up a chair by the window, which is open, and order a blackened mahi sandwich and a local beer from a waitress who calls me “Sugar.” I’m thinking I’ll quietly gaze out at the Read more
A sunset cruise, fine wines and the best steaks in California: A visit to Santa Barbara and Buellton
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – I’m geared up for my first-ever sailboat ride in Santa Barbara. But the weather isn’t co-operating. We’re supposed to take a sunset cruise with the folks from the Santa Barbara Sailing Center, but it’s a grey afternoon in mid-November and the prospects of an actual sunset are rather dim. But, hey, it’s warm enough for a ride on the water and this native Californian has 37 Canadian winters under his belt, so I’m not overly stressed. The captain and crew pull the ship out of the marina and out past the pretty Santa Barbara Pier, ,where Read more
LONDON – A classic yet modern hotel in one of the world’s great cities. Not to mention great food and a nearly perfect location. One Aldwych is a truly terrific hotel in central London, with wonderful design touches, large and comfortable rooms and an outstanding restaurant that’s creating a substantial buzz. The hotel makes an instant impression with a beautiful, light and airy lobby area that has a great bar. They have a full-time person in charge of flowers and plants, and when we there someone had cleverly taken a huge bouquet of flowers and hung them upside down in Read more
This is part II of my annual Jimmy Awards for best travel experiences of the year, ranging from great pasta at the Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver to an incredible wine cellar in the Bahamas and an amazing (and surprising) guitar player on the Queen Mary 2. Thanks to everyone that helped along the way! BEST SAILING TRIP: A sunset cruise with the folks at the Santa Barbara Sailing Center in California. I love Santa Barbara, but this was my first time on a sailboat in the region. They do a great job, and we had a stunning sunset. If Read more
