swotc-bwc-leaderboard-728x90-3

restaurants.

Sarasota is well-known for its beautiful architecture and stunning beaches. But I hadn’t spend much time in the area until last week, when I got to explore Longboat Key and Siesta Key and some of the downtown area. I came away hugely impressed with the natural beauty and with the artwork and museums, including one that features some cool, classic cars. I fell in love with the small city of Venice, which has a great, low-key main street and a terrific beach and lots of cool history. Check my photo blog below for some nice photos and useful information!

{ 0 comments }

The new Four Seasons Resort inside Walt Disney World adds lustre to a city that’s on the rise. I also have photos of cool areas of Jacksonville and a look at two Florida spots you may not know much about; Amelia Island and wonderful Apalachicola. There’s plenty new at Disney World , including the new Seven Dwarves Mine Train ride and a revamped Dumbo ride in Fantasyland at The Magic Kingdom. I also got a kick out of the Little Mermaid/Ariel attraction and ride, partly because of the colourful fish and the great music. The new Wizarding World of Harry Read more

{ 0 comments }

Jim Byers photo Pull up a Muskoka chair at the Killarney Mountain Lodge and watch the boats go by in the channel. KILLARNEY, ONTARIO – Low-key, country charm and a dash of city glam. Folks heading to fabulous Killarney, Ontario are lucky to have several places to stay. I tested out two outstanding – and very different – properties during my visit. Killarney Mountain Lodge is a low-rise, old-fashioned kind of country spot with a big, screened-in porch, a central unit with several rooms and a series of small, wooden cottages spread over acres of grass and lovingly tended, colourful Read more

{ 0 comments }

PORT STANLEY, ONTARIO – Call it a tale of two cities. Or maybe three. On the one hand, Port Stanley is your quintessential southern Ontario town. There are old-time B and B’s with giant porches and carpets of stunning flowers and quaint shops selling outdoor gear and fashionable women’s shoes and a cute coffee shop. There’s also a busy port, one of many lovely inlets on the north shore of Lake Erie, where brilliant white boats bob in dark waters surrounded by deep green hills. But there’s also a wild beach scene, with warm, gentle waters and endless sand and Read more

{ 0 comments }

I had a coffee with a former Torontonian living in Vancouver the other day. And it was refreshing to hear her talk about how much she loves T.O. I think I live in a fabulous, fabulous city. And I think it’s worth spouting off about now and then. So, with a nod to Drake’s recent callouts of Toronto as “The 6,” here are a half-dozen reasons to check out Ontario’s capital. A GREAT WATERFRONT: Notwithstanding expensive pink umbrellas and over-priced washrooms, our waterfront has come a very long way in the past ten years. There are wonderful parks near Harbourfront Read more

{ 0 comments }