I’m in the south of Chile for an adventure travel conference, the Adventure Travel World Summit. It’s a fantastic event with people from around the world representing cool adventure travel products. Part of the deal is a pre-trip, which I took to Easter Island. More on that soon, I promise. The other trip was billed as a Day of Adventure. I didn’t think there was time to see the Andes so I opted for a cultural program and a short hike near the Pacific Ocean southwest of Puerto Montt, an area that doesn’t get much tourism. The hiking was wonderful, Read more
hiking
MINETT, ONTARIO – Gorgeous lake views from a beautiful lodge high on a hill. Boating and swimming activities galore. And first-rate food. Muskoka might be the best place on earth to spend a summer’s day. And JW Marriott The Rosseau is one of the best places to enjoy Ontario’s Muskoka region. You’ll find a lovely, breezy lobby upon your arrival at the resort, located north of Port Carling near the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it hamlet of Minett. There are tons of spaces to sit and sink into a comfy sofa and enjoy the warm summer air, or you can walk out onto the Read more
WOODSTOCK, ONTARIO – Shep Ysselstein makes some of Canada’s best cheese at Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese. They get their milk from handsome, contented cows that dot the rolling hills around the cheese shop and factory, just south of Woodstock. But if anything were to go wrong, Ysselstein says he knows who to blame. “My Dad,” he says with a laugh. “My parents own the dairy farm and provide our milk, so I don’t have to go very far if there’s an issue.” Gunn’s Hill is on a dirt road about five minutes south of Woodstock. But it’s only a short Read more
GRAVENHURST, ONTARIO – In one corner is a mock-up of the glorious Segwun steamship, symbol of Muskoka. In the other corner is a fabulous re-creation of an old-time Muskoka resort, complete with a front porch. In the middle are wonderful old-style postcards and a gleaming wooden boat from the days when craftsmanship was more than a marketing buzzword. Mary Patterson, a delightful historian, is giving me a tour of the Muskoka Boat and Heritage Centre on the Gravenhurst waterfront. It’s a fun spot with interactive displays that not only show wonderful wares but tells great stories of both society’s elite Read more
I’m lucky enough to have called Canada home for 34 years now. And I’ve been lucky enough to have visited many of its precious and beautiful corners, from Bonavista to Vancouver Island. Here’s a look at the provinces (plus the Yukon) I’ve made it to so far. Happy Canada Day one and all.
