A new listing of the top cities in the U.S. gives a boost to NYC and to several California cities. I also take a look at tourism in Nova Scotia and the re-opening of a fabulous hotel in the Caribbean. My Aug. 5 Future of Travel blog. Top 20 Cities in the U.S. The Big Apple takes top prize. But California has plenty to boast about. A company called Resonance Consultancy has once again published its list of the top cities in the U.S. They used six categories for ranking American cities: place, product, people, prosperity, program and promotion. The Read more
San Francisco
Favourite Sign: This one in the Cayman Islands. It’s particularly notable for folks in the travel writing world, as “off the beaten path” is one of those phrases most of us would like to see banned from every travel story. If only I could have found a street called “Hidden Gem.” Most romantic sunrise: Sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco on the Norwegian Bliss on a TravelBrands SeaU cruise in October. I grew up in the Bay Area, so to see the bridge and sail under it like that was a big treat. I wish I had Read more
The newest version of the Best Cities in the World report by the respected Resonance Consulting group has been released, and it’s another feather in Toronto’s proverbial cap. The latest Resonance report puts Toronto squarely at #13 on the planet, ahead of such renowned cities as Sydney (25), San Diego (20), and Vancouver (29). Here’s what the report said about Toronto: “Canada’s largest city has always been a hedge for people and capital—from English companies moving here in the ‘70s from Francophone Montréal to immigrants seeking a foothold to start a better life. The thing about welcoming everyone is that Read more
Okay, that headline is a bit dramatic. I mean, Canada has cities like Vancouver and mountains like the Rockies. Not to mention Quebec City. But I’ve felt for years that the people and culture of our Maritime provinces and Newfoundland (I think I’m supposed to call it Atlantic Canada) are perhaps the most unique part of this country, and an area we should be pushing much, much harder. I have ideas about a lot of things, as my family can attest. But one thing that’s often struck me is how different Atlantic Canada is from the USA’s New England. They’re Read more
THIS ITEM ORIGINALLY APPEARED JAN. 11 on POSTMEDIA AND SUN MEDIA SITES IN CANADA. The loonie remains in the doldrums. But winter’s getting you down and you’re dying to hit your favourite U.S. getaway spot. Lucky for us, there are still some great American destinations that aren’t too expensive. There also are ways to save on visits to cities and places you might think of as outside your budget. Here are some suggestions. ST. PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER This is a favourite area for Blue Jays fans, as the Jays play their spring training games in nearby Dunedin. Dunedin is a great spot Read more
