It’s that time of year. The aroma of gingerbread wafting through the kitchen. Ice on the windshield. And a total zoo at the airport. Flying and travelling in general can be sigh-inducing at the best of times. Add in holidays and the desire to buy the perfect gift and family conflicts and crowded flights and the number on the stress-o-meter can rise to the top very quickly. With that in mind, here are a few tips for making the most of that dreaded Christmas-time trip to our nation’s major airports. Of course, as we all should know by now, arriving Read more
Few parts of the world do luxury as well as Asia. And few hotels do luxury as well as Ritz-Carlton. Which is why fans of luxury travel and way-cool Asia experiences should be excited by news of two new Ritz-Carlton properties across the Pacific. One is a beautiful resort on the north shore of Koh Samui, a fantastic island off the coast of Thailand with fabulous beaches, glimmering waterfalls and wonderful snorkeling and diving opportunities. The other is a Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Niseko Village, which is set at the base of Mount Niseko-Annupuri, the Japanese ski region. The Ritz-Carlton Koh Read more
Christmas lights that would make the Griswold family green with envy. Hot chocolate and mulled wine on a snowy winter’s night. There are plenty of traditional Christmas activities taking place over the holidays across Canada this year. But you’ll also find some oddball bits that bely our boring reputation; murder mysteries in Calgary, ugly sweater cruises in Toronto’s harbour and a festival in Newfoundland where folks are encourage to don an over-sized bra. Here’s a look at some great places and ways to celebrate the holiday season. ALBERTA The best place for winter in Canada (in my estimation) has a Read more
Europe can get hot and crowded in summer. So why not try a trip in winter? Air fares and hotels will be less expensive, often wildly so. And you won’t have the crowds. Which means more time to delve deep and really explore. Here are some great spots to try. IRELAND A bit cool, you say? Well, it’s not like summer in Ireland is a guaranteed heat furnace. So why not explore Dublin’s Temple Bar when you don’t need a reservation for the best bar stool? And why not try a night at a sumptuous spot like Ashford Castle in Read more
There’s nothing quite like arriving refreshed after a 14-hour flight to Asia. And I can’t think of a better way to manage that than with a business class ticket on Cathay Pacific. All of us who fly economy, and that’s by far the majority of what I fly, have trudged to our seats at the back of the plane and looked enviously at the folks ensconced in those dreamy pods in the front section. I was lucky enough to fly from Toronto to Hong Kong a couple weeks ago in the biz cabin on Cathay Pacific. And I’m happy to Read more
Beautiful scenery, tasty oysters, friendly people and excellent wines. Virginia is a hugely diverse state that now has a wonderful Oyster Trail that folks can check out. Here’s a link to my story in the National Post this week… http://news.nationalpost.com/life/travel/on-the-oyster-trail-in-virginia
In case you missed it (and I was away for the big event, unfortunately), there’s been a pretty major development in the travel biz here in Canada. The folks at National Geographic, who’ve been quietly adding a TON of travel trips and excursions to their well-respected portfolio, have joined forces with Toronto-based G Adventures to offer a wide package of enticing trips to historic and unusual parts of the world under the name National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures. It’s a pretty interesting mix, as G Adventures provides a younger, more vibrant audience than an established group like National Geographic Read more
