Oxford Economics comes out with a yearly, scientific study of the world’s best cities. The group analyzes a city’s economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance and combines them into an overall score. It’s probably no surprise that Western democracies score well, but you might be surprised (a bit) by the number four entry on the list. Note, also, that Canadian cities did quite well, as did the major cities in Europe, the U.S.A. (especially California), and Australia. New Zealand also has a couple entries. Here’s the top 25 for this year. New York City London Paris Seattle Read more
Boston
Travel and Tour World has a new list out of the top 30 countries in the Americas and the Caribbean for beach lovers. I would perhaps argue that a few of the placements are a tad off-base, but it’s a pretty solid list. Here’s what they came up with, along with a note or two from yours truly. Mexico (I haven’t seen enough of the country to say, but I’ve been to fine beaches on the Riviera Maya and in Los Cabos) USA (It’s hard to dispute a country that offers up Hawaii, Florida, California, Oregon, the Carolinas, Puerto Rico, Read more
I think Michelin does a fine job with its restaurant ratings, but I’m not sure about a list they recently published of 16 top foodie destinations for 2026. I can only assume these are destinations they like, or wished to highlight, versus the best destinations in the world. If you look at it that way, the list is pretty useful; shedding light on cities and regions that normally wouldn’t get a lot of coverage on food and restaurant lists. Here’s their list of 16 spots for 2026: Venice Czechia Dolomites (Italy) Wroclaw, Poland Amalfi Coast, Italy (spectacular scenery, fresh seafood Read more
Their timing was fabulous. Tourism folks from Meet Boston and VISIT FLORIDA, along with Elite Sports Tours, gathered in Toronto this week and treated a few lucky media and travel people to box seats for the Toronto Blue Jays. As a former baseball writer for the Toronto Star who covered the team for six years, attending at least 600-700 games, I always love a night at the ballpark. To be at games when the Jays are in the thick of a pennant race, like they are now, is doubly exciting. The home side didn’t fare well in the Boston game, Read more
Skyscanner has issued some great travel tips/travel hacks for March trips. That’s especially valuable as it’s a busy time for families, what with March Break taking place for many school kids in Canada. Here’s a look at some of their top tips. Hack #1: Best Time to Book Flights Save big on airfare this month! Skyscanner data shows the best time to book flights for March. • This handy tool will tell Canadians when the best time is to book flights for travel to March hotspots in North America’s Sunny Escapes, like Mexico and Florida. • Travellers travelling from Toronto Read more
