Jim Byers Member, Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) (NOTE: This story originally appeared in The Toronto Star) SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA – Walking between fabled Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge I found quiet beaches I never knew existed. In suburban San Leandro I admired pretty, yellow wildflowers on a warm January day that put a bounce in the step of a winter-weary Canadian. And in Marin County I stumbled on an old Chinese shrimping village filled with historic artefacts. The San Francisco Bay Trail is a series of pathways that skirt one of the world’s greatest natural Read more
hiking
By Jim Byers Member, Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) After nearly two years of closed borders and virtually no tourism, Australia is flinging open the doors to visitors on Monday, Feb. 21. It’s a momentous occasion for a country that has always placed a high value on attracting tourists. “There is no doubt that a full recovery will take time, but we are confident that the demand for Australia is strong,” Phillipa Harrison, the managing director of Tourism Australia, the country’s tourism board, told The New York Times. The Times said tourism was one of the fastest growing sectors Read more
This is an excerpt from my new book, “Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now.” It’s available from Apple Books (and only for Apple devices) for just $4.99 Canadian. What a deal! Here’s the link for the book: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/ontario-escapes/id1523750857 Chapter 11: Gravenhurst and Muskoka WHAT: There’s a reason some folks call Muskoka Toronto’s playground. Located just two hours (maybe less given COVID-19 traffic, or lack of same) north of the city, you’ll find amazing lakes strewn with rocky islets and towering, deep green trees. It’s as pretty as a postcard, and easy to reach. WHERE: Gravenhurst, the Read more
This is a chapter from my new book, called Ontario Escapes: 19 Great Places to Visit Right Now. It’s available from Apple Books for just $4.99. DIVERSE AND DELIGHTFUL GREY COUNTY WHAT: Grey County features lovely BnB’s, cute, quiet towns like Meaford and an abundance of beautiful nature, including Georgian Bay shorelines, rugged Niagara Escarpment hikes and tumbling waterfalls. WHERE: Meaford is roughly from 180 kms northwest of Toronto and about 34 kms northwest of Collingwood. GOOGLE MAP COORDINATES: Millhollow B&B, Meaford: JC32+GQ Meaford, Ontario Old Baldy Conservation Area: 9FRJ+QM Kimberley, Ontario Scandinave Spa: GP25+QW The Blue Mountains, Ontario An Read more
I’m paddling gently through a shallow creek that runs off the south branch of the Muskoka River on a perfect, early summer’s day in Bracebridge. I hear the call of unfamiliar birds echoing through the trees as I skim along the surface of the creek in my brilliant orange kayak. Off to my left, an iridescent, small, blue and black dragonfly comes to rest on a brilliant yellow pond lily. A few feet away, I spot a small turtle sunning itself on a log on a 22 Celsius morning. My wife and I ease our kayaks back out into the Read more
