The other day I talked about my favourite Canadian destinations and travel bits for 2014. Here are some thoughts (okay, a LOT of thoughts) about the U.S. and a couple Caribbean and European spots I visited during the year. Most surprising U.S. destination: Apalachicola, Florida. A super-relaxed, fun town in a quiet section of the Florida panhandle with just the right mix of old-time charm and trendy, new shops. A very good brewpub, too. Most wonderful host: The delightful Anthony Hunte of Hunte’s Gardens in Barbados. A lovely man, great conversationalist and incredible gardener. His garden is always the highlight Read more
Florida
I started going to Dunedin back in 1993 when I covered the Blue Jays for the Toronto Star. And I’ve been in love with the place ever since. The town itself is a delight, with an adorable and tiny main street surrounded by lush landscaping, plus great restaurants and unusual shops and fun places to stay. The cycling is outstanding on the Pinellas Trail, and there are now two breweries in town to go along with the fine restaurants and shops. Honeymoon Island State Park features quiet, lovely beaches, and you also can take a ferry to nearby Caladesi Island, Read more
Your winter vacation may have just become more expensive. On the other hand, if you work in the hospitality industry in Toronto you might have more money in your pocket for a holiday next year. The Canadian dollar is dropping, in case you hadn’t noticed. After being close to par against the American greenback for some time, the loonie has slipped. Badly. As of Friday afternoon, it was down to 91 cents and change against the mighty U.S. dollar. That’s about as low as we’ve been in four and-a-half years. What that means for many of us is that hotel Read more
SONOMA, CALIFORNIA – It started out weak, but ended strong. I was in Sonoma County, California the other day for a far-too-brief visit to the town of Sonoma and then to check out a couple wineries. After a short stop for lunch at a bakery/sandwich place in the pretty town of Sonoma, with its old-time square and sturdy City Hall, we headed up the road to check out the Eric Ross Winery. Of course, I was driving my Dad’s new Hyundai and the GPS took us on the most circuitous route imaginable; up and over steep hills and through canyons Read more
LONDON – It’s an impressive world in here. You can chat with a 10-foot-tall penguin from the Falkland Islands, relax in the first-class suite of an Emirates Airline A380 and pretend to sit behind the wheel of a tuk-tuk in Thailand. You also can get a massage in Indonesia, chat about trips to Montreal and get all weepy looking at giant posters of perfect, white sand beaches in Maui, Mauritius and the Maldives. The annual World Travel Market in London is a crazy, wild, impossible scene with tourism boards from around the globe meeting with buyers and journalists to nail Read more
