The Victoria Day weekend is behind us, which means it’s practically summer. Which makes it a great time to get out and explore great areas of Canada. Here are a few of my faves from my travels over the past few years. SOUTHWEST ONTARIO After spending most of my spare time in Ontario in regions north of Toronto, I started visiting this part of the province on a regular basis about 10 years ago. Amherstburg is a growingly sophisticated town with great shopping and food. Former Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment chief Richard Peddie owns a couple of lovely stores, Read more
Dawson City
There’s something about folks who live in tough climates that I just love. They have a sense of independence and a do-it-yourself attitude I find highly appealing. And they don’t come much tougher — or more colourful — than in Dawson City. There’s a colourful history to Dawson City, thanks in part to the “women of the evening” during the gold rush. You can learn about some of the madams’ stories on a fun walking tour of the town offered by Parks Canada. At one point, locals ran the working women out of town. One enterprising madam set up shop Read more
Canadians are increasingly worried about inflation impacting their travel budget. But you don’t need to fly halfway around the world to find great places to explore. Here are 11 great spots to check out in Canada for Canada Day, or later this summer. I haven’t been to the Northwest Territories or Nunavut, but I’ve managed to see a great deal of Canada. Here are some great places to go this summer. SASKATCHEWAN Located on a large, pretty lake north of the city, Regina Beach is one of those quintessential North American beach spots that somehow feels like something out of Read more
By now, I’m hoping you’ve heard about the famous Sour Toe swallow up in Dawson City. For years, they’ve had a grizzled, green, gross-looking preserved toe on display at the Downtown Hotel. Brave souls (I did it) take a drink of pop or whiskey or what have you with the digit floating inside in what’s called the Sour Toe Cocktail. If the toe touches your lips when you drink, you get to join the Sour Toe club and you get your name on a certificate. Mine is not proudly displayed on my mantle but I have it somewhere. They’ve had Read more
We hear a lot about the Riviera Maya, with glittering Cancun and the ruins of Tulum and the great beaches. It’s a wonderful part of Mexico. Most Canadians also have heard of Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas, the latter on the tip of Baja California. The words Riviera Nayarit probably don’t sound as familiar. But it’s a hugely popular stretch of Pacific coastline north of Puerto Vallarta, and it looks wonderful. The folks from Riviera Nayarit on Tuesday put on a great lunch at Frida restaurant on Eglinton West, thanks in part to a virtuoso job by Mexican chef Betty Read more
