This is the first in my regular “Destination Spotlight” stories, in which I’ll give a quick taste of some places to check out in North America and around the world. CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA This is an outstanding beach town about a half hour north of San Diego. There’s a great, walkable downtown filled with cool restaurants such as Shorehouse Kitchen and The Goods, which dishes out inventive donuts and good coffee. You’ll find plenty of independent shops, including Fahrenheit 451 book store. The Beach Terrace Inn is a fun, boutique hotel on the water. Leo Carrillo Ranch Historic Park is named Read more
restaurants.
Ocean Hotels Group, the family-owned collection of Barbados hotels and resorts, celebrates the opening of O2 Beach Club & Spa, a new five-star all-inclusive luxury boutique resort located in St Lawrence Gap on the South Coast of Barbados. After months of transforming the previous Ocean Two Resort & Residences and expanding the property with 42 new oceanview and oceanfront suites, the new resort has been aptly named “O2” as a nod to the symbol of oxygen, the element as natural and life essential as the act of breathing. The O2 Beach Club & Spa has 130 luxurious rooms and suites Read more
Michelin and VISIT FLORIDA today revealed an expansion of The MICHELIN Guide, with the announcement of The MICHELIN Guide Miami, Orlando and Tampa. The partnership combines VISIT FLORIDA’s strength in tourism with Michelin’s 120-plus years of experience in gastronomy. “MICHELIN Guide inspectors look forward to discovering the world-class culinary landscape in Miami, Orlando and Tampa,” said Gwendal Poullennec, international director of the MICHELIN Guides. “From the excitement and glamour of Miami to Orlando’s iconic attractions and the rich culture of Tampa’s Gulf Coast, Florida’s gastronomy is unique, diverse and intriguing for locals and travelers across the globe.” The inaugural edition Read more
Canadians can expect vaccine passports for international travel in the coming days. There’s also more help coming for trouble tourism businesses, and potential vaccines on the horizon for Canadian children. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today (Oct. 21) said fully-vaccinated Canadians travelling overseas or using airplanes or interprovincial trains will soon have to show a vaccine passport. Starting November 30, you won’t be able to fly without it, or take an interprovincial train. The cards will have a QR code and the word Canada with a maple leaf flag over the final “a,” according to the Toronto Star. In a Read more
Montreal is one of the great cities of the world. Here are some ways to enjoy it in a new, socially-distant fashion. A great bike ride You can rent bikes from the folks at Montreal on Wheels on the Montreal waterfront (Rue de la Commune). They’re solid, comfortable, multi-speed bikes. They also have electric ones if you need a boost. We were heading west to Griffintown over flat terrain along the Lachine Canal, so we opted for the old-fashioned kind of bike and used pedal power to get around. The Montreal waterfront is simply outstanding. There’s a great café on Read more
