USAToday this week published a list of the top beaches in the United States. It’s a good list, but they missed some great spots and overvalued some others. Here’s a rundown of their top 17, with my thoughts on places I’ve visited. Siesta Key, Florida: A fine, white sand beach that stretches on nearly forever. Maui,. Hawaii: Why they lumped all of Maui’s beaches into one entry is bizarre. That really diminishes the island’s offerings, as if they’d been listed individually you would probably see three or more Maui beaches in the top 15. Given you’re talking about the entire Read more
Canadian tourism
High-end travellers in the U.S. say Canada is their top choice for an international vacation, followed by Costa Rica. They’re also increasingly interested in cruise and wellness holidays. A new report from Resonance Consultancy, a respected tourism/travel research company, looked at the top 10% and top 1% of travel spenders in the U.S. They found that safety and easy access/proximity to the States were key factors in travel decisions. “Safety is the top factor affluent travelers consider when choosing a destination. Canada scores strongly on political stability, personal security, health care and infrastructure, particularly important for multi-generational family trips and Read more
If you thought you saw more tourists than normal in Canada this summer, you’re probably right. Destination Canada, which markets Canada to the world, says Canada’s tourism sector achieved a record-breaking summer in 2025, with May to August revenue reaching nearly $60 billion. That represents a 6% year-over-year increase. The record revenue was driven by a strong base of Canadian travellers who chose to explore our country like never before, with the highest domestic growth coming from Canadians travelling outside of their home province. That means economic benefits were spread across the country. Rising international interest also powered the record summer, Read more
What began as a heartfelt invitation to American travelers has now become an international sensation. The Eastern Townships’ Come Hug It Out tourism campaign, designed to remind visitors from the U.S. that they’re always welcome in this charming Canadian region, has gone viral, racking up millions of views and even catching the attention of Hollywood icon Sharon Stone, former star of Basic Instinct. Launched in late May across the U.S. Northeast, the campaign features a humorous yet touching video of an American traveler being quite literally embraced by the warmth and authenticity of the Townships. It is a simple, powerful Read more
Canadian travel to the U.S. is still down substantially from last year, but the numbers improved slightly in June. Statistics Canada today (July 10) said Canadian arrivals into Canada by air from the U.S. were down 22.1% in June of this year when compared to June, 2024. Canadian arrivals from the States by land were down 33.1% in June when compared to the same month last year. That’s still a major problem for U.S. tourism, but it’s a slight improvement from the previous month. StatsCan said the number of Canadians arriving back in Canada from the U.S. by air in Read more
