One of Canada’s greatest tourism treasures is probably just days away from being active again. The RMS (Royal Mail Ship) Segwun, the oldest operating steamship in North America, has been treated to a $3 million renovation and should be sailing the waters of magical Muskoka in the next couple weeks. “This is an historic day in the 140-year life of the RMS Segwun and almost guarantees she will sail for another 30+ years,” said John Miller, president of Muskoka Steamships Discovery Centre, which operates the Segwun and also the Wenonah II and Wanda III ships., “We have completed phase one of Read more
history
I’m paid to have a way with words. But as the anniversary of a truly terrible day edges closer and closer, syllables and vowels and nouns and verbs aren’t coming easily. It’s a lovely, sunny day in Toronto. I am surrounded by my little green garden, which is spiked with deep pink impatiens, hanging ivy and colourful coleus. I should be sitting in my big, blue, wooden chair with my feet up after finishing a couple of travel writing assignments. But I keep thinking about Hawaii. About Maui. About Lahaina. It was a year ago tomorrow that the world came Read more
It’s been six months since the Maui wildfires, and I still can’t believe it. I was sitting in my little back yard in Toronto working on a story on a lovely summer’s day last August 8 when I saw a note from my sister on Facebook to suggest something had happened in Lahaina. I had no idea. I checked the news and was dumbstruck at how a place I have visited 50-60-80 times over the years and loved with all my heart had been almost totally destroyed. I was on Maui in October of last year and saw the damage Read more
There’s big news in the Big Apple. In another sign that shows you can’t keep a great city down, some of the world’s top museums and attractions will begin reopening tomorrow (Monday, Aug. 24) in New York City. Tourism officials say museums and low-risk indoor arts and entertainment venues will be the first properties to reopen. More information on New York State’s reopening guidelines for cultural institutions, including 25% capacity limits, timed entry and other health & safety protocols, can be found here. Upcoming NYC reopenings include: The Statue of Liberty Museum and Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration – Read more
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Grain silos turned into a zipline course. Gardening as a competitive sport. And an abundance of glorious architecture. There’s a travel cliché that gets kicked around a lot, where someone says, “If you haven’t been to Destination X in three years, you haven’t been to Destination X.” With apologies to the cliché police, it wouldn’t be a stretch to use that kind of phrase about Buffalo. I was in town a few years ago to have a look at the improving waterfront and other areas of this surprising city. I went back early last week for another Read more
