I posted this story a couple years ago after a visit to Burlington, Ontario. Now that Canadians are seemingly determined to stay close to home for their 2025 vacations, an easy getaway like this from the nation’s biggest city is even more attractive than ever. From trails with fabulous on-high views from the top of the Niagara Escarpment to fine dining, and from one of Canada’s greatest gardens to a stylish hotel on the shores of Lake Ontario, here are some great options in Burlington. THE GREAT OUTDOORS Mount Nemo Conservation Area The Mount Nemo Conservation Area is one of Read more
Lake Ontario
New research has discovered the most picturesque landscapes in America, with Lake Tahoe taking the top spot. Experts at Storyboards used Instagram data to analyze the number of hashtags for various landscapes in America to discover which of those are the most picturesque. Placing first on the list of the most picturesque landscapes in America is Lake Tahoe, with 2,986,225 Instagram hashtags. Situated on the border of California and Nevada, Lake Tahoe is the clearest lake in the U.S., with a 99.994% purity. There are many outdoor activities to partake in there, from hiking to fishing. There’s also gambling on Read more
A town where they make beauty products out of seaweed and pies the size of a basketball. A prairie city with great Shakespeare and a nude beach. And not one but two towns with potato museums. Americans know about Toronto. I think most of them know it’s in Canada. They’ve probably heard of Montreal and Vancouver. But there’s so much more to Canada, some of it wacky. Here’s a look at some of the lesser-known spots you should check out this summer. With the U.S. dollar buying about $1.36 Canadian these days, Americans also will find their dollars go a Read more
If you’re looking for a great weekend getaway in Toronto, The Westin Harbour Castle, Toronto is your kind of place. As a 32-year employee of the Toronto Star, which had its offices across the street for half a century, I’d been in the hotel dozens of times. But I’d never spent the night until a recent weekend in March. We had a great room, with nice, clean lines, plenty of space and a fine view of Lake Ontario. There was a comfy chair in the corner, a coffee maker and a big-screen television. As someone who bring his laptop everywhere Read more
Fabulous food from around the world. Sparkling, wild musical entertainment. Great events. Gorgeous parks with plenty of space to spread out. And more sports than you shake a hockey stick at. If you’re looking to plan a weekend staycation getaway this year, look no further than Mississauga. I recently spent the better part of a weekend in this city, just west of Toronto. And I came away hugely impressed with the sheer variety of things to do, and the quality of the experience. The pandemic closed off a lot of the things that make our cities so enjoyable to visit, Read more
