2019 Travel Guide to Canada by Globelite Travel Marketing Inc

2019 TRAVEL G U I D E TO

2019 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CANADA

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T H E T R AV E L G U I D E S TO

THE 2019 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CANADA - CONSUMER EDITION THE 2019 TRAVEL INDUSTRY GUIDE TO CANADA The Travel Guides to Canada are published by Globelite Travel Marketing Inc. Joseph P. Turkel, President and Group Publisher • Valerie Saunders, Vice President • Judi Scharf, Vice President

PUBLISHER Valerie Saunders

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PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER Joseph P. Turkel

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Margo Pfeiff Kate Pocock Barbara Ramsay Orr Joanne Sasvari Margaret Swaine Hans Tammemagi Judy Waytiuk

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Table of Contents National 8 MAP OF CANADA 10 13 REASONS WHY CANADA ROCKS 14 TRAVELLERS’ TIPS 18 OTTAWA-GATINEAU: REGION ON THE RISE 26 VICE-REGAL RESIDENCES:

A GLIMPSE INTO HISTORY 28 CRUISING IN CANADA: BON VOYAGE 30 RAIL: RIDE THE RAILS! 34 SHOW-STOPPING SEASONS 38 WILDLIFE VIEWING: CALL OF THE WILD 42 INDIGENOUS TOURISM:

A BOUNTY FOR ALL CANADIANS 46 DRINK: A TOAST TO CANADA 49 FOOD: A TASTE OF CANADA 52 FIND YOUR PERFECT SPA 54 GOLF: CALLING ALL SWINGERS!

CANADA’S FINEST FAIRWAYS BECKON

NEW FRANCE FESTIVAL • QUÉBEC CITY TOURISM/SIMON ARMSTRONG

CANADIAN ROCKY MOUNTAINS • TRAVEL AB/TRAIL RIDERS OF THE CANADIAN ROCKIES

Provinces and Territories 56

BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA’S GLORIOUS GATEWAY

ALBERTA URBAN ART, ALPINE VISTAS AND COWBOY TRAILS

SASKATCHEWAN CITYSCAPES TO NATURE ESCAPES

MANITOBA WARM, WET, WILD AND WONDERFUL

ONTARIO SO MANY CHOICES, ALL IN ONE PLACE

80 WATERLOO REGION: WHERE PASTORAL

PLEASURES MATCH URBAN DELIGHTS

82 ONTARIO'S RESORTS: YOU WORK HARD.

PLAY HARDER.

88 THE GOOD LIFE: STAY & PLAY IN

SOUTH EASTERN ONTARIO 92 NIAGARA RISING 96 NIAGARA PARKS: ENGLIGHTENED

STEWARDSHIP OF THE FALLS AREA

97 NORTHERN ONTARIO: THE SPIRIT OF ADVENTURE 106

RETREAT. RECHARGE. REFLECT. 111 NUNAVIK: QUÉBEC’S FAR NORTH 112

CN TOWER, TORONTO, ON • DESTINATION CANADA/ALAN BRUTENIC

QUÉBEC

NEW BRUNSWICK GO WITH THE FLOW

116

NOVA SCOTIA WHERE MOTHER NATURE MEETS FATHER TIME

120 HALIFAX: WHERE OLD AND NEW INTERSECT 124 EXPERIENCING THE SOUTH SHORE 128

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND AS YOU LIKE IT

132

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR TIMELESS APPEAL

137 WESTERN NEWFOUNDLAND: FOUR WAYS 140

YUKON EXPLORE WILDERNESS AT ITS HEART

146 WHITEHORSE: DISCOVER MORE 150

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES LAND AND CULTURE

154 ARCTIC AIR MAP 156

NUNAVUT CANADA’S POLAR NORTH

CONSUMER GUIDE COVER: JASPER NATIONAL PARK, AB • VIA RAIL CANADA TRAVEL INDUSTRY GUIDE COVER: HORSESHOE FALLS, NIAGARA FALLS, ON • SHUTTERSTOCK/RENATO.VS

SOMER ISLAND

BEAUFORT SEA

BANKS ISLAND Sachs Harbour

VICTORIA ISLAND

Ulukhaktok

Paulatuk Aklavik

KING WILLIAM ISLAND

Cambridge Bay

Gjoa Haven

Inuvik Kugluktuk

Old Crow

Fort McPherson

Bathurst Inlet Fort Good Hope Ma cke nzi e

YUKON

NUNAVUT

Norman Wells Déline

Tulita

Baker Lake

Dawson Mayo

Great Bear Lake

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Keno Hill

Wrigley

Behchoko

Yu kon

Ross River

Fort Simpson

Fort Liard

Fort Smith

Rainbow Lake

BRITISH COLUMBIA GULF OF ALASKA

Fort St John Dawson Creek

Marilla

PACIFIC OCEAN

La Ronge

Saskatc hewan

Edmonton

Wetaskiwin

Meadow Lake

Banff Canmore Calgary Revelstoke

Kamloops

Powell River Whistler Courtenay Vancouver

Kelowna Trail Cranbrook

Lethbridge

Grand Rapids

Saskatoon Yorkton Melville

Medicine Hat

Norway House

Le Pas

Lloydminster Prince Albert N. Battleford

Red Deer

Williams Lake

Port Hardy

Thompson Flin Flon

sca aba Ath

Moose Jaw Swift Current

Gillam

Lynn Lake

g ipe inn eW Lak

Bella Coola

VANCOUVER ISLAND

SASKATCHEWAN

Jasper

HAIDA GWAII

Southern Indian Lake

Kinoosao

La Loche

Grande Prairie

George

Churchill

MANITOBA

bia Colum

Masset Skidegate

Brochet

Fort McMurray

Peace River

Fra se Prince r

Kitimat

Points North Landing

ALBERTA

New Hazelton Prince Rupert

High Level Peac e

Dease Lake

Stewart

Uranium City Stony Rapids

Lake Athabasca

Peace Point

Fort Nelson Juneau

Arviat

Fort Resolution

Hay River Watson Lake

Lutselk’e

Great Slave Lake

Fort Providence

Whitehorse

Ranki

Yellowknife

(Rae-Edzo)

Beaver Creek

Ne lso n

ALASKA USA

Colville Lake

Regina

Weyburn Estevan

Pine Dock

Balmertown Dauphin Brandon

Winnipeg

Sioux

Kenora

Thun

Victoria Seattle Bismarck Portland

Helena

Columbia

Fargo Duluth

Billings

Minneapolis St-Paul

Salem

Snake

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Great Salt Lake

Cheyenne

Salt Lake City Carson City

Omaha

i ipp iss iss M

Pierre Boise

Ma Des Moines

Lincoln Denver

Kansas City

ri Missou

SOMERSET ISLAND

Pond Inlet

CANADA

BAFFIN BAY

BAFFIN ISLAND

G AM ND

Clyde River

Igloolik

PRINCE CHARLES ISLAND FOXE BASIN

Naujaat

Qikiqtarjuaq

Pangnirtung

UT DAVIS STRAIT

Cape Dorset

Coral Harbour

Iqaluit Chesterfield Inlet Kimmirut

Rankin Inlet Ivujivik

Arviat Killiniq

Kangirsuk

Puvirnituq

UNGAVA BAY

Churchill

Inukjuak

OBA

Kuujjuaq

HUDSON BAY

Gillam

Nain

Ne lso n

Fort Severn Winisk

Hopedale

Kuujjuaraapik Shefferville

rway House Chisasibi

pids

Fermont Fort Albany

peg

Sioux Lookout

Kenora

Thunder Bay

Nakina

Lake Michig an

Milwaukee Madison

n uro eH Lak

i ipp iss iss M

nsas City

Sault Ste Marie Sudbury

Minneapolis St-Paul

Detroit

Indianapolis Ohio

HavreSt-Pierre

Riv.-du-Loup Edmundston

Mont Tremblant North Bay Gatineau Montréal Pembroke

Toronto

OTTAWA

Kingston

Lake Ontario Hamilton Niagara Falls London Buffalo ie e Er Lak

Montpelier

Harrington Harbour Natashquan

aw St-L Rimouski

Saguenay

Québec

Pittsburgh ri Missou

Blanc-Sablon

Sept-Iles Port-Cartier nce Baie-Comeau ere

Roberval

Cleveland

Chicago

QUÉBEC

Matagami

Owen Sound

Lansing

Goose Bay

Cartwright

Labrador City

Chibougamau

Kapuskasing

Marathon Timmins Kirkland Lake Wawa Lake Superior

Duluth

Des Moines

Waskaganish

Nipigon

Fargo

NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR

JAMES BAY

Moosonee

Balmertown

Makkovik

Churchill Falls

ONTARIO Pickle Lake

LABRADOR SEA

Hebron

Gaspé

Bathurst

Iles de la Madeleine

Saint John

dy un fF yo Ba

Catalina

St. John’s

Lamaline

CAPE BRETON ISLAND

Halifax

Portland

NEW BRUNSWICK

Philadelphia

Channel-Port Harbour aux Basques Breton

MonctonCharlottetown Sydney

Albany Boston Providence Hartford New York

Fleur de Lys

ILE D’ANTICOSTI

Fredericton Augusta

St. Anthony

NOVA SCOTIA PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND ATLANTIC OCEAN

ICE HOTEL, QC • DESTINATION CANADA/XAVIER DACHEZ

13 Reasons Why Canada Rocks BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

The rugged Rockies might not seem to share much with the sandy shores of Prince Edward Island, and comparing the fertile fruitlands of Ontario with the awe-inspiring Arctic is like comparing, well, apples and snow. One thing, however, remains constant: wherever you go in this vast land, you’re sure to find something remarkable. Here are 13 of the reasons why Canada rocks.

POLAR BEARS, CHURCHILL, MB • DESTINATION CANADA/MAX MUENCH

CONFEDERATION BRIDGE, PEI • SHUTTERSTOCK/RICHARD PENTZ

20,000 SHADES OF GREY: BRITISH COLUMBIA

In some places, red-breasted robins announce the arrival of spring. On the western shore of Vancouver Island, it’s the return of the grey whales—some 20,000 of which swim by as they make the 8,000-km (4,970-mi.) trip from the balmy breeding lagoons of Mexico to feeding grounds up north. Whale watching boats depart from towns like Ucluelet and Tofino. But since the massive mammals follow the coast

closely, you can also observe them without leaving land. The peak viewing time in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is from March through May (www.parkscanada.gc. ca/pacificrim).

edible evidence of that legendary Western hospitality (www.stampedebreakfast.ca).

Saskatchewan may call to mind waving fields of prairie grain, yet this landlocked spot has real waves as well. In fact, 100,000 or so lakes and rivers cover about a tenth of the province, providing some of the best freshwater fishing anywhere. World record-breaking burbot, northern pike and brook trout have been caught here; trophy-sized walleyes—Saskatchewan’s official provincial fish and its most popular game species—also lure in anglers. Whether you are passionate about fly fishing or eager to try ice fishing, experienced local outfitters can set you up (www.tourism saskatchewan.com/things-to-do/fishing).

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS: ALBERTA

Hungry attendees will be happy to hear that pancake flipping is as much a part of the Calgary Stampede as bull riding and barrel racing. In fact, an estimated 200,000 pancakes are served at free breakfasts hosted city-wide each July during the 10-day event. Many also come with a side order of entertainment. The tradition started in 1923, when chuckwagon driver Jack Morton began inviting random folks to share his morning meal; now it serves as

TALES: SASKATCHEWAN 3 FISH

CLAWS CÉLÈBRE: BRUNSWICK 7 NEW

Shediac, a cute Acadian fishing community, bills itself as the “Lobster Capital of the World.” Whether or not that’s technically true, this town obviously loves the King of Crustaceans. One is proudly displayed on its coat of arms; another—a 55-tonne whopper, albeit made from metal—is its main attraction. Moreover, since 1949, it has honoured the catch du jour each July during the five-day Shediac Lobster Festival. The highlight of the event is a nightly contest during which recruits attempt to crack and consume three lobsters as quickly as possible (www.shediaclobsterfestival.ca).

CALGARY STAMPEDE, AB

BEAR NECESSITIES: 4 MANITOBA

You can see a polar bear just by picking up a “toonie”—the two-dollar coin. But if you want an up-close look at the planet’s largest land predators, make tracks for Churchill. This tiny community on the western shore of Hudson Bay is one of the only human settlements where they can be seen in the wild. Because it sits on a polar bear migration route, hundreds pass through as they travel to the ice floes in October and November. Cool Tundra Buggies— complete with oversized wheels and an outside viewing platform—take guests to observe them on unforgettable day tours (www.everythingchurchill.com).

EVENTS: 5 DRAMATIC ONTARIO

Shakespeare said “All the world’s a stage,” and Stratford—a small city in southwestern Ontario named for the Bard’s birthplace— actually feels like one during its signature event. Typically, each year, from mid-April through October, the Stratford Festival HMS EREBUS, NU • PARKS CANADA

draws about half a million theatregoers to multiple venues. Founded in 1953, it had humble beginnings: plays were originally performed in a tent. From the start, however, the festival attracted luminaries from the theatre world. Sir Tyrone Guthrie was its first artistic director and Sir Alec Guinness starred in its inaugural production of Richard III (www.stratfordfestival.ca).

6 COLD COMFORT: QUÉBEC

What beats walking in a winter wonderland? How about sleeping in one? At the Hôtel de Glace, everything—including the glittering guest room furniture—is made entirely of ice and snow: some 28,000 tonnes. Its thick walls act like a thermos, so you can chill without getting too chilly; and the ice-block beds, topped with a solid wood base and a comfortable mattress, an isolating bed sheet and Arcticrated sleeping bags, are très cosy. Built anew each year, the Hôtel de Glace is in Valcartier Vacation Village and open from January to late March (www.valcartier.com/ en/accommodations/ice-hotel).

CLIFF NOTES: SCOTIA 8 NOVA

The Joggins Fossil Cliffs on Chignecto Bay are more than just another pretty rock face. After all, they provide an unparalleled look at what life was like 300 million years ago during the Carboniferous Period. Some 200 species of fossilized plants and animals have been discovered here, among them Hylonomus lyelli, the earliest known reptile and the first known vertebrate able to live entirely on land. Cited by Charles Darwin in The Origin of Species, this 15-km-long (9.3-mi.), tide-washed UNESCO World Heritage site has been dubbed the “Coal Age Galápagos” (www.jogginsfossilcliffs.net).

A RECORD-BREAKING PRINCE 9 BRIDGE: EDWARD ISLAND Although P.E.I. joined Confederation in 1873, the province wasn’t physically connected to the rest of Canada until the billion-dollar Confederation Bridge opened between Borden-Carleton and Cape Jourimain, New Brunswick, 124 years later. Comprised of almost 13 km (8 mi.) of curvaceous concrete, the so-called “fixed link” qualifies as the longest bridge in the world spanning ice-covered water. It took a team of more than 5,000 workers four years to build this 11-m-wide (36-ft.) engineering marvel; motorists can cross it in a mere 12 minutes (www.confederationbridge.com).

SIGNALS: NEWFOUNDLAND 10 MIXED & LABRADOR The provincial capital’s leading landmark, Signal Hill, is crowned by an imposing stone tower, which was erected to commemorate the arrival of Giovanni Caboto in 1497. The Genoese explorer is better known to anglophones as John Cabot. Coincidently,

AURORA BOREALIS, YELLOWKNIFE, NT • DESTINATION CANADA/TESSA MACINTOSH

all of the modern-day visitors who tweet about the tower or post cellphone pics of it to Facebook and Instagram owe a debt to another trail-blazing Italian, Guglielmo Marconi. The radio pioneer ushered in the era of global communications when he received the first transatlantic wireless signal here on December 12, 1901 (www. parkscanada.gc.ca/signalhill).

A DECIDELY DIFFERENT DRINK: YUKON

More than a century after the Klondike Gold Rush ended, Dawson City is still a place where “strange things are done in the midnight sun.” If you want proof—about 40 proof to be precise—head to the Sourdough Saloon in the Downtown Hotel and order a Sourtoe Cocktail. The off-beat beverage has one key ingredient that hip mixologists tend to overlook—namely a dehydrated human toe. To become a certificate-carrying member of the Cocktail Club, you can drink your shot fast or you can drink it slow, “but your lips must touch the toe” (www. downtownhotel.ca/sourtoe-cocktail).

CELESTIAL SIGHTS: NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

Neither words nor pictures can truly convey the beauty of the aurora borealis, a natural

phenomenon sparked by surges of solar and magnetic energy. You simply have to see the iridescent colours dance across the night sky yourself. An ideal place to do it is the Northwest Territories, where “the greatest light show on Earth” is visible about 240 days a year. The absence of light pollution in Wood Buffalo National Park—Canada’s largest national park and the world’s largest Dark Sky Preserve— creates top viewing opportunities from mid-December to mid-March (www.parks canada.gc.ca/woodbuffalo).

SINKING SENSATIONS: NUNAVUT

Nunavut doesn’t make headlines often, but in 2014 the news went viral: after 168 years, the HMS Erebus—one of the ships from the ill-fated Franklin Expedition— had been discovered in its icy waters by Parks Canada archaeologists. The feat was repeated in 2016 when her sister ship, the HMS Terror was located. Sir John Franklin, his crew and both vessels disappeared in 1846 while trying to traverse the Northwest Passage—and gain a lucrative trade route between the Atlantic and Pacific. Finding them helps solve one of the world’s great marine mysteries (www.parkscanada.gc. ca/franklin).

FISHING, ROWAN’S RAVINE PROVINCIAL PARK, SK • DESTINATION CANADA/TOURISM SK/GREG HUSZAR

VICTORIA CONFERENCE CENTRE, VICTORIA, BC • DESTINATION CANADA/BRETT RYAN

Travellers’ Tips BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

ENTERING THE COUNTRY First impressions count, so the Canada Border Services Agency makes entering the country comparatively easy. Vacationing citizens of Britain and most EU or Commonwealth countries need only a valid passport and, if travelling by air, an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Visas aren’t required; however, a return ticket and proof of sufficient funds may be requested. American citizens travelling between the U.S. and Canada must produce a passport or other WHTI-compliant document, such as a NEXUS card (www.cbp. gov/travel). If in doubt, consult Citizenship and Immigration Canada (www.cic.gc.ca). There are no limitations on what personal effects can be brought into Canada. Gifts must be valued at $60 or less each. Duty-free limits for adults when returning to Canada after 48 hours or more are 1.5 l (53 imp. oz.) of wine, 1.14 l (40 imp. oz.) of spirits or 8.5 l (299 imp. oz.) of beer or ale. Adults may also bring up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 200 g (7 oz.) of tobacco or 200 tobacco sticks. The use of firearms is strictly controlled,

Whether you’re coming for business or pleasure, chances are you will want to hit the ground running. So it’s beneficial to have a handle on the essentials before arriving. Provincial and territorial agencies are valuable resources, and their websites are often packed with practical, region-specific information. More details can be found in the federal government’s on-line portal (www.canada.ca). But we’ve compiled our own compendium of tips to help with your trip prep.

and the buying or selling of illicit drugs is severely dealt with. However, possession of up to 30 g of legal cannabis is permitted for adults. Drug-impaired driving is illegal and it is also unlawful to take cannabis across the Canadian border whether entering or leaving (www.canada.ca/en/services/health/ campaigns/cannabis). When travelling, prescription medications should be kept in original containers in case customs officials want to see them. In the interest of public health, restrictions are also placed on the importation of animals, plants and foods (www.inspection.gc.ca).

GETTING AROUND Flights operated by Air Canada (www.air canada.ca) and carriers like WestJet (www. westjet.com) or Porter (www.flyporter.com) link many Canadian cities. In some airports, a departure tax is levied on top of taxes included in your ticket price. The national train system, VIA Rail, offers cross-country service, with connections to certain U.S. cities (www.viarail.ca). Intercity bus service is also available in some areas through companies such as Greyhound (www.

greyhound.ca). Civic buses provide public

transit in many communities; Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Montréal, moreover, have excellent subway and local rail systems. Taxi service has been a foundation in cities and municipalities for many years, however, upstart Uber is available in some major cities. For many travellers, though, driving is the preferred way to go. The cornerstone of the national road network is the Trans-Canada Highway, which stretches 8,030 km (4,990 mi.) from Victoria, B.C., to St. John’s, Newfoundland, with ferries covering coastal waters at each end. Canadians drive on the right and follow rules similar to those in Britain and the U.S. At intersections you may turn right on a red light if the way is clear and unless posted otherwise (except on the Island of Montréal). Speed limits, stated in kilometres, vary but are usually around 100 to 110 km/h (62 to 68 mph) on highways and 50 to 60 km/h (31 to 37 mph) in urban areas. Radar detectors are illegal in most locales. Seat belts are compulsory, and children weighing less than 18 kg (40 lb.) must be in

Why run on treadmills when you can run free?

Star t your journey at #BringBackWildhood

16 child restraint seats. Every province and territory, save for Nunavut, forbids using hand-held electronic devices when driving. Permissible blood alcohol limits vary, but drinking and driving laws are strictly enforced nationwide. British and U.S. driver’s licences are valid in Canada for up to three months. Car rental companies are found at airports and in many municipalities. Internationallyobserved age limits apply, and drivers should present an acceptable credit card. All motorists must have accident liability insurance. Americans driving across the border should obtain a Canadian Nonresident Inter-Province Motor Vehicle Liability Card, commonly known as a yellow card (available from their insurer in the U.S. only) before leaving. Drivers should also bring their vehicle registration card, a letter of permission from the registered owner or a rental company contract stipulating permission for use in Canada.

HEALTH AND SAFETY Even in Canada’s largest cities it is generally safe to walk the streets and use public transportation at night. Nevertheless, prudent visitors will let common sense be their guide and take the usual precautions. Belongings left in parked cars should be stowed out of sight. Purses and wallets are best kept beneath outer clothing; passports and other valuables stored in a hotel safe. To avoid unnecessary grief if theft occurs, keep a list of credit cards and other important numbers in a secure place. In the event of illness or accident, it is reassuring to know that Canada’s health services rank among the world’s finest. Most hospitals are publicly managed, their fees set by provincial authorities. Non-residents hospitalized in Canada are charged a daily rate. These differ by province and can be cost prohibitive, so it is important to purchase travel health insurance before leaving home. Canadians travelling domestically can typically rely on their provincial health coverage. All provinces and territories except Québec have a co-operative agreement allowing physicians to submit claims for services involving out-of-province residents to the local medical plan; these are then charged to that resident’s home plan. Residents who are required to pay for health services can submit receipts to their local ministry office for possible reimbursement. Services not covered while travelling out of province include

ambulances and prescription drugs from pharmacies. Buying supplementary medical insurance can alleviate these costs.

A TIP ABOUT TIPPING Service charges are seldom added to bills, except in resorts. Gratuities of 15 to 20 percent are customary for waiters, taxi drivers and similar personnel. Porters and bellmen expect $2 to $5 per bag handled; a room maid, $2 or $3 per day.

MONEY MATTERS Canada’s paper currency comes in 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 dollar bills, which differ in colour but not size. Coins are in 5¢, 10¢ and 25¢ denominations; there are also $1 and $2 coins, dubbed the loonie and toonie. U.S. currency is widely accepted at the prevailing exchange rate, though you should expect to receive change in Canadian funds. Sales taxes are added to the price of virtually everything, including meals and lodgings. For starters, there is a federal 5 percent Goods and Services Tax (GST). Except in Alberta and the territories, there is also a provincial sales tax (PST), which is sometimes combined with the GST to create one Harmonized Sales Tax (HST). This means you’ll pay an extra 10-15 percent on top of most advertised purchase prices. Automated teller machines (ATMs) that accept international debit cards are plentiful, and many are accessible around the clock. Just bear in mind that four-digit PIN codes are considered standard—if yours has more, change it before leaving home. To minimize transaction fees, choose an ATM affiliated with your home bank; users of Cirrus or PLUS networks can research locations on-line. Americans who’d rather pay by credit card should note that chip & PIN cards are commonplace here; however, transactions can often be processed using the old swipe and sign method, too.

OPERATING HOURS Most communities have branches of major banks which are open, at minimum, from 10 to 3 on weekdays. Banks are closed on legal holidays, but exchange bureaus in cities, airports and at border crossings usually remain open. Museums and similar sites are typically open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; some close on Monday but have

evening hours (and often reduced prices) once a week. Store hours are generally 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, though these may be extended on Thursday and Friday nights; times vary on Sunday. Shopping centres are typically open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Supermarkets often have longer hours. Drugstores may remain open until midnight with some 24-hour locations, and convenience stores sometimes operate 24/7. Canada’s liquor laws vary between provinces and territories, and liquor store hours vary accordingly. The sale of spirits, wines and beer in provinces differ, with most being sold in provincially-owned or supervised stores, as well as some available in private shops.

COMMUNICATIONS The Canadian telephone system is identical to the U.S. one and shares the same international country code (01). Telephone numbers have a 3-digit area code followed by the 7-digit phone number (note that in some areas, 10-digit dialing is required for local calls). Toll-free numbers are prefixed by 1-800, 1-888, 1-877, 1-866, 1-855, 1-844 or 1-833. For emergencies, dial 911; for directory assistance, dial 411; for the operator, dial 0. Public phone booths, while increasingly rare, can be used for local or long-distance calls. The cost of the former is 50¢; you can pay for the latter with coins, a phone card and sometimes a credit card, or by reversing the charges. International visitors can typically use their own multiband cell phone but should be mindful of high roaming and data charges. One way to avoid these is to ask your provider to temporarily add Canadian access to your service plan before arriving. Renting a travel phone or bringing an “unlocked” cell phone and then buying a local SIM card are other alternatives. On-line options such as Skype, FaceTime or WhatsApp offer cheaper ways to keep in touch. Most hotels provide broadband connections or WiFi, at least in common areas. Many airports, bus and train stations, ferry terminals and libraries also offer WiFi; ditto for countless coffee shops and fast food franchises, including those ubiquitous Tim Hortons outlets. If you are bringing a phone charger, laptop, or any other electrical device, be advised that Canada (like the U.S.) has a 110-V, 60-Hz current. To use 220-V British equipment, you’ll need a power converter plus a plug adaptor.

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If you haven’t been to Ottawa-Gatineau lately, you might not recognize the place. In the last few years, Canada’s capital region has utterly remade itself. RIDEAU CANAL NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE • DESTINATION CANADA

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE The National Arts Centre has a grand new glass entrance, offering superb views of Confederation Square and Parliament Hill (www.nac-cna.ca). On the other side of the Rideau Canal, the airy new home of the Ottawa Art Gallery (www.oaggao.ca) has won acclaim for its architecture, its collection of works by local artists and its light-filled café. A sleek building at 50 Sussex Drive, overlooking Rideau Falls, has been transformed into the Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s new Centre for Geography and Exploration (www.rcgs.org/50sussex ). There, visitors can see free exhibitions on topics such as Arctic research. On top of these changes, the single largest infrastructure project in Ottawa’s history is due to open late this year: the first phase of a new light rail transit (LRT) route, which will stretch 12.5 km (7.8 mi.) from west to east (www.octranspo.com ). When it is up and running, visitors and locals alike will be able to travel by train to popular local attractions such as the Canadian War Museum, CF Rideau Centre and Parliament Hill. Ah, yes, Parliament Hill. Ottawa’s bestknown site will be changing significantly, and it will be open to visitors in a whole new way.

NEW ON THE HILL At the beginning of the year, the Centre Block on Parliament Hill—home to the House of Commons and the Senate—closed for what is expected to be a decade of extensive renovations. Of course, Canada’s government hasn’t shut down. Parliamentarians have simply moved to temporary digs. Via a new visitors’ centre (visit.parl.ca), people can tour the House of Commons in the West Block on the Hill and the Senate in a

LE CAFÉ, NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE • DESTINATION CANADA

heritage former train station across the street. The latter was formerly closed to the general public for many years, so the chance to peek behind its grand columns is a nice side benefit of the Parliament Hill restoration.

A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP By mid-year, Ottawa’s inventory of hotel rooms is expected to jump by about 10 percent from 2017 levels, an increase of about 1,000 rooms. That means visitors now have an even wider range of places to stay. Attached to the new Ottawa Art Gallery, Ottawa’s first Le Germain Hotel (www.leger mainhotels.com/en/ottawa) opened last June. That same year, the Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites by Hilton (www.hilton. com) opened downtown, off the Sparks Street Mall, and a second Homewood Suites by Hilton opened near the Ottawa International Airport. In west-end Kanata, Canada’s first GLo- hotel opened last November, part of a new boutique brand from Best Western (glo.bestwestern.com). It offers guests easy

access to concerts, hockey games and other events at the nearby Canadian Tire Centre. Hotel construction doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. In the ByWard Market area alone, a new Holiday Inn Express (www.ihg.com) is slated to open at King Edward Avenue and St. Patrick Street in August, and developers have proposed to build a new Hampton Inn by Hilton and to expand the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market hotel (www.hyatt.com ).

ARRIVE IN STYLE Ottawa International Airport (www.yow.ca) is in the midst of a renovation and expansion project that will include new restaurants and shops, a relocated security screening area and a hotel. Plans are also in the works to extend the LRT system to the airport by 2023.

DINING, SHOPPING AND SPORTS The historic ByWard Market area, in the shadow of Parliament Hill, is one of the

WINTERLUDE • DESTINATION CANADA/CANADIAN HERITAGE

city’s best-known shopping and restaurant districts (www.byward-market.com/en/ home). It’s a stone’s throw from the CF Rideau Centre, home to upscale retailers such as Nordstrom, Michael Kors, and Tiffany and Co. (www.cfshops.com/ rideau-centre.html). Beyond downtown, vibrant neighbourhoods packed with independent restaurants and boutiques include Wellington West, Westboro and the Glebe. The latter is also home to TD Place (www.tdplace.ca), a recently redeveloped site featuring everything from shops, restaurants and cinemas to a lively farmers’ market, the home stadium of both the Canadian Football League’s Ottawa REDBLACKS (www.ottawaredblacks.com) and the professional Ottawa Fury FC soccer team (www.ottawafuryfc.com), and the arena where the Ontario Hockey League’s Ottawa 67’s (www.ottawa67s.com) play. Speaking of hockey, the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators (www.nhl.com/ senators) play their home games at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata.

CULTURE AND HISTORY

CANADIAN WAR MUSEUM • DESTINATION CANADA/CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY CANADIAN AVIATION AND SPACE MUSEUM • DESTINATION CANADA

Ottawa and its sister City of Gatineau, on the opposite shore of the Ottawa River, are home to numerous national museums and historic sites. For art lovers, the Canadian and Indigenous Galleries at the National Gallery of Canada show how creators from many artistic traditions have influenced each other (www.gallery.ca). The gallery’s big show this summer will be Gauguin: Portraits, the world’s first show devoted solely to the French artist’s pictures of people. The Canadian Museum of Nature (www. nature.ca) is a magnet for animal lovers and families. One highlight is the Canada Goose Arctic Gallery, where visitors can learn about the ecology, geography and Indigenous peoples of Canada’s polar regions through multimedia installations, rare artefacts and interactive games. Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal designed the sinuous curves of the Canadian Museum of History (www.historymuseum. ca), on the shore of the Ottawa River. This summer, in its exhibition Neanderthals, the museum will highlight the history of some of humankind’s closest forebears. The heart of the museum is the Grand Hall, where sunshine from six-storey windows illuminates a permanent display of totem poles and other artworks created by Indigenous peoples of Canada’s West Coast. History lovers should also leave time for two other Ottawa sites. The Canadian

21 War Museum (www.warmuseum.ca) shines a light on Canada’s military and peacekeeping activities, in conflicts ranging from the days before European colonization to recent operations in Afghanistan, Somalia and elsewhere. Beginning on July 26, the museum will host a temporary exhibition focusing on Canada’s involvement in the Korean War. On Ottawa’s western edge, the Diefenbunker (www.diefenbunker.ca) is a restored Cold War-era underground installation that was designed to shelter Canada’s government in the event of a nuclear attack. Completed in 1961 and decommissioned in 1994, it is now a fascinating time capsule of its time and place, complete with vintage maps, furniture and more.

FRESH AIR The Ottawa area offers an abundance of easily accessible opportunities for outdoor fun. Depending on the season, visitors can skate or paddle along the 19th century Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site that winds through the heart of the city. Multi-use recreational paths along the canal are part of a network stretching over 600 km (373 mi.) throughout the region. Some of these paths lead through Gatineau Park, a 361-sq. km (139 sq. mi.) wilderness on the Québec side of the Ottawa River (www. ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/gatineau-park). Speaking of the river, it offers superb whitewater rafting. Visitors can try a short day trip within the city limits with Ottawa City Rafting (www.ottawacityrafting.com). They can also tackle wilder waters northwest of the capital with companies, such as OWL Rafting (www.owlrafting.com), that offer a variety of day and weekend packages for everyone from young families to serious thrill seekers.

FABULOUS FESTIVALS Ottawa is home to countless festivals throughout the year, including events focused on everything from chili to jazz. Some of the largest include Winterlude on the first three weekends of February (www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/ campaigns/winterlude.html), the Canadian Tulip Festival from May 10 to 20 (www. tulipfestival.ca) and a massive rock festival, RBC Bluesfest, from July 4 to 14 (www.ottawabluesfest.ca). For more information, visit www. ottawatourism.ca.

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Vice-Regal Residences: A Glimpse into History

In Ottawa and Québec City, you can enjoy a bit of royal glamour—for free! Rideau Hall in Ottawa and the Citadelle in Québec City are the two official residences of Canada’s Governor General, the Queen’s representative in Canada. Throughout the year, guided tours are available. Here’s what you can see and do at each site.

LAURA BYRNE PAQUET

AT HOME IN OTTAWA Rideau Hall was originally the villa of stonemason Thomas McKay, who made his fortune as one of the primary builders of the Rideau Canal locks. Over the years, the house has been greatly expanded, and one of the architectural highlights is the Ballroom, inaugurated in 1873. With its pale blue walls, gilded ceiling and one-ton Waterford crystal chandelier, it is the grand setting for Order of Canada investiture ceremonies and other national events. The Tent Room, with its red-and-whitestriped walls and ceiling, also makes a big impression on many visitors. Originally an indoor tennis court, it was sometimes redecorated with swags of fabric for opulent events. The tent-like look proved so popular that it became a permanent aspect of the décor. Visitors can also explore Rideau Hall’s pretty grounds, on their own or using the self-guided tour brochure available at the

visitor entrances. The 32-ha (79-acre) property’s attractions include an outdoor skating rink, a cricket pitch and thousands of trees. Among them are roughly 150 trees planted by visiting dignitaries, including John F. Kennedy, Kofi Annan and Diana, Princess of Wales.

MILITARY GRANDEUR IN QUÉBEC

is part of the Citadelle of Québec’s fortress, a National Historic Site of Canada, located high atop Cape Diamond in Old Québec. After a fire destroyed part of the Governor General’s residence in 1976, a new wing was constructed with a contemporary décor featuring walnut, granite and aluminum accents. That wing now houses a sunroom, space for official events and a grand foyer with twin spiral staircases.

So why does the Governor General have two official residences? The answer lies in Canada’s complex history. Colonial Governors had lived in Québec City since New France was founded in the early 1600s. In 1872, five years after Ottawa became Canada’s capital, Governor General Lord Dufferin revived that tradition by establishing quarters in Québec City. The building that is now the Governor General’s second official residence was built by the British Army in 1831 as an officers’ barracks. Officially known simply as “Building 28,” it

One added benefit of touring the residences is the chance to see valuable artefacts and artworks. Both buildings are furnished with fine antiques and with works by noted Canadian artists, such as Emily Carr, Jean Paul Lemieux, Jean Paul Riopelle and Allen Sapp. Depending on the time of year and the size of your group, you may need to make an advance reservation for your free tour. For more information, see www.gg.ca/

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PORT OF VANCOUVER, BC • SHUTTERSTOCK/MARINA POUSHKINA

Cruising in Canada: Bon Voyage BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

PACIFIC PLEASURES Canada’s signature cruise is undoubtedly the west coast one that traces the British Columbian shoreline from mid-April through mid-October. Since it covers a hefty

Instagramable scenery? Check. Intriguing ports of call that promise unique sites and excursions? Check. How about a wide variety of vessels and up-to-date facilities? Cruise ship passengers in Canada can tick those boxes, too. Factor in the endless on-the-water options available in a country that boasts Great Lakes, mighty rivers, plus three oceans and it’s easy to see why this place adds up to one incredible cruising destination.

portion of the so-called Alaska Route, stunning vistas are guaranteed. Indeed, few sea-going experiences can compare with threading the island-studded Inside Passage, where snow-crowned mountains,

glacier-carved fjords and abundant marine life vie for attention. Luckily, the ports you visit en route are as appealing as the sights you see from your deck chair. Take Vancouver. The nation’s busiest

29 home port drew over 900,000 passengers in 2018 alone, most of them travelling north on big-name boats; however, this vibrant city isn’t just a convenient embarkation point. It delivers a full slate of urban enticements—top-rated restaurants, theatres and oh-so-trendy shops among them—along with easy access to the area’s parks and peaks. Victoria, meanwhile, mixes a “high tea” tradition with high adventure opportunities. If you really want to go wild, eco-oriented outfits like Maple Leaf Adventures, Bluewater Adventures, and Outer Shores Expeditions all have sailings that include Haida Gwaii, “The Galápagos of the North.”

ATLANTIC IDYLLS On the opposite side of the country, historic communities, towering tides and legendary Maritime hospitality make the Canada/New England Route another classic choice from late April to early November. The scenery does not disappoint, especially in autumn when forests blaze with brilliant foliage; nor do the distinctive ports. Leading the list in passenger traffic is Halifax (coincidentally, the birthplace of cruise pioneer Samuel Cunard). Notable for its deep harbour and charming waterfront attractions, Nova Scotia’s capital received more than 316,000 cruisers last year. Charlottetown (home to Anne of Green Gables and world-class golf), Saint John and Sydney (gateways to the Bay of Fundy and Cabot Trail, respectively) are other top calls. Specialty sojourns that focus exclusively on this area—like One Ocean Expeditions’ “Fiddles and Sticks” trip—are increasingly available; however, most cruises begin or end in New York or Boston, meaning you can see key ports in as little as four nights. Extended itineraries are offered, too. So boats may veer across open seas to Newfoundland, where ports like St. John’s (a centuries-old city that also features on transatlantic trips) and Corner Brook (the launch pad for Gros Morne National Park) extend a warm welcome; or they may head through the Gulf of St. Lawrence and follow the eponymous river.

INLAND ADVENTURES This second alternative is rapidly growing in popularity, and rightly so because the fabled St. Lawrence has much to recommend it. Woods, whales, fjords and photogenic headlands make it an eastern answer to B.C.’s Inside Passage—one infused with Québécois charm. Consequently, pocket-sized ports

that showcase its natural beauty are emerging as destinations in their own right, while two marquee stops routinely win rave reviews. Québec City, after all, is famous for its UNESCO-designated fortifications and beautiful heritage buildings; while Montréal (one of the world’s largest French-speaking cities) has a storied past that is accented with cosmopolitan élan. The vessels that visit these ports, moreover, cover an impressively broad spectrum in terms of size and style. Luxury lovers, for example, can live large on Cunard’s renowned Queen Mary 2, or opt for intimacy on Victory Cruise Line’s boutiquey M/V Victory I and II. The mere arrival of the latter—a pair of 202-passenger sister ships which began plying the St. Lawrence River and Great Lake routes in 2016 and 2018, respectively—further illustrates the way that new entries on the Canadian cruise scene are maximizing the potential of the inland waterways.

NORTHERN DELIGHTS

magnetic pull. Quark Expeditions and Adventure Canada, for instance, both put new vessels into service on the Arctic Route in the past few years; tellingly, the first of these also refurbished one of its polar expedition ships in 2017 (the Ocean Adventurer, formerly Sea Adventurer) in order to provide intrepid passengers with a greater degree of comfort. Admittedly, such voyages aren’t for everyone. Specific destinations can be hard to pinpoint due to the vagaries of tides or weather; and landing places, sometimes accessible only via Zodiac, aren’t necessarily ports per se since the population might consist solely of walruses. The upside is that the “Great White North” has great white wildlife (think polar bears, beluga whales and snowy owls), unspoiled scenery, plus a rich Inuit culture; and the vessels that sail here can get cruisers up close to it all. As an added bonus, the majority have resident experts well-versed in subjects like natural history and Native customs who will share their knowledge through formal lectures and guided excursions.

The once-frozen Arctic is heating up as well, and in summer, when seas are navigable, there are ever-increasing possibilities for bucket listers and nature buffs who feel its

With choices like that available, there’s never been a better time to come aboard in Canada!

Ride the Rails!

BY LIZ FLEMING

VIA RAIL CANADA

When negotiations to make Canada a country were underway, it was the promise of a railroad that would bind one coast to the other that clinched the deal. On that history-making day in 1867 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the concept of a permanent link between the West and the Maritimes convinced the Fathers of Confederation that our nation could become a reality.Â

31 Built in the late 1800s, the railway soon enabled valuable freight to be moved, making our country a solid business proposition for all provinces. While freight was key for the growing economy, the railway was equally important for European tourists, eager to see this vast country. Soon tourist travel rivalled freight, and exploring the exciting young country by train became ultra-fashionable. Capitalizing on a profitable trend, the Canadian Pacific Railway Company built glamorous, luxurious hotels designed to rival the most elegant European châteaux. Located conveniently near the train tracks, the CP hotels invited guests to relax at the end of a day of touring. The combination of elegant accommodation, and this magical manner of travel, fostered a thriving Canadian rail tourism industry. Rail travel still entices tourists with train journeys topping the list for sophisticated travellers from all over the world. Many areas of the Far North can still only be reached by train, and sitting in a comfortable railway car is by far the most inviting way to cross vast stretches of prairie, see the Rocky Mountains, and experience the wealth of natural beauty that is Canada.

VIA RAIL For travellers looking for an easy, safe, sustainable and enjoyable travel experience in Canada, VIA Rail is a great choice! Since May 2014, VIA Rail has worked to improve its service offerings by focusing on customers and their travel needs. Some of the enhancements include upgrades to the Business Class service on the Québec City-Windsor corridor, which offers refurbished accessible lounges, a spacious on-board environment, a greener and more relaxing trip, complimentary meals and personalized service. WiFi accessibility is also included on the Ocean eastern overnight long-haul service between Montréal and Halifax. VIA Rail offers some of Canada’s best scenic travel experiences, including one of the world’s most legendary and popular long-haul rail journeys—the Canadian— a cross-country service linking Toronto and Vancouver. Welcoming close to 100,000 travellers every year, this route offers breathtaking landscapes, cosy accommodations, attentive and courteous service and outstanding dining. Day trippers love the Québec CityWindsor corridor as a means of experiencing some of the country’s most vibrant cities. Every year, when the streets of

LONG HAUL CANADIAN, PRAIRIE SUNSET • VIA RAIL CANADA

Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Québec City explode with the energy of iconic festivals and events showcasing top talent from around the world, VIA Rail Canada makes getting there part of the thrill. Festival-hop from city to city to experience some of Canada’s many great events. If you’re a nature lover, be sure to make the trip between Jasper National Park and the rugged North Pacific Coast of Prince Rupert, BC. This two-day rail journey winds along the Skeena River where wild grizzlies, black bears, moose, bald eagles, elk and mountain sheep gaze as you pass. Visit the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary and explore Prince Rupert’s remarkable

Museum of Northern BC, which houses the fascinating history, culture and art of the Northwest Coast in a traditional longhouse. You can also opt for the WinnipegChurchill train which travels through 1,697 km (1055 mi.) of Canadian landscapes, from the Prairies to boreal forest to subarctic tundra. You’ll travel through many unique communities and enjoy two days and two nights of awe-inspiring views. Once in Churchill, you’ll be immersed in untamed wilderness. Bask in the warm village atmosphere and experience some truly memorable moments. Be ready for adventure as you enter this world of exceptional flora and fauna (www.viarail.ca).

WINNIPEG-CHURCHILL TRAIN AND NORTHERN LIGHTS • VIA RAIL CANADA

WHITE PASS & YUKON ROUTE RAILWAY If you’ve ever longed to see Canada’s farthest northern locations, such as the Klondike Gold Rush country, you’ll want to book a seat on the long-serving diesel and steam locomotives of the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway. This authentic vintage train, an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, makes a steep 914 m (3,000 ft.) climb through gorges and glaciers on a narrow-gauge track. If you are really keen to explore further, complete your adventurous itinerary by adding a motor-coach tour through parts of Alaska, British Columbia or the Yukon (www.wpyr.com).

ROCKY MOUNTAINEER

BENNETT STATION • WHITE PASS & YUKON ROUTE RAILWAY

AGAWA CANYON TOUR TRAIN Fans of the legendary Group of Seven artists will want to journey into the remote northern Ontario wilderness that inspired these talented painters on-board the Algoma Central Railway’s Agawa Canyon Tour Train. Not only does the 367-km (228-mi.) round trip from Sault Ste. Marie wind through the spectacular canyon from late June until mid-October, attracting wildlife lovers and nature enthusiasts alike, but it also stops at Mile 114 to allow for exciting hikes to the AGAWA CANYON • TOURISM SAULT STE. MARIE

floor of the Agawa Canyon, created by glacial retreat some 10,000 years ago. A GPS-triggered commentary in six languages makes sure you don’t miss a thing along the way, telling stories of fur traders, explorers and the Ojibway people. While spring and summer tours are certainly beautiful, autumn is the most popular time for this train tour. In fact, so many leaf peepers come looking for autumn colours that booking a full year ahead is recommended (www.agawatrain.com ).

Is the Rocky Mountaineer at the top of your bucket list? You’re not alone! Featuring once-in-a-lifetime views of majestic mountains, glittering lakes and pristine western Canadian wilderness, this iconic train offers a spectacular experience. Guests can choose from two levels of service: SilverLeaf or GoldLeaf, both of which include delectable food and wine, outstanding attention to detail and fascinating, informative on-board commentaries. Multi-day excursions include such iconic destinations as Vancouver, Whistler, Lake Louise, Jasper, Calgary, Banff and Kamloops. Add optional excursions such as city tours and helicopter rides to your itinerary and enjoy the overnight accommodations included in Rocky Mountaineer trips. Combine your rail tour with a stay at the luxurious Sonora Resort, the ultimate Pacific-Northwest wilderness retreat, or plan a pre or post Alaskan cruise experience from Vancouver, B.C. aboard select Holland America Line ships (www.rockymountaineer.com).

TRAIN DE CHARLEVOIX This rail adventure travels 125 km (78 mi.) through the stunning but remote countryside between Québec City’s Montmorency Falls and La Malbaie, stopping in seven picturesque towns and coastal villages as travellers enjoy a gorgeous view of the St. Lawrence River. The service runs daily from mid-June to mid-October (www.reseaucharlevoix.com). There is no other country in the world that can rival Canada for stunning landscapes, untouched wilderness views, rugged Rocky Mountain peaks and shimmering northern lakes; and, there is no better way to experience that beauty than from the comfort of a train!

Discover Canada by train Explore the beauty and grandeur of Canada’s majestic landscapes at a pace that allows you to be in tune with the nature around you. Available for travel all year-round between Toronto and Vancouver, you will be charmed by the Canadian®. When you travel with VIA Rail Canada, all you have to do is sit back, relax and let the sublime sink in.

Tademark owned by VIA Rail Canada Inc. ®Registered trademark owned by VIA Rail Canada Inc.

MONT-TREMBLANT, QC

Show-stopping Seasons BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

WINTER

Arrive in the coldest months and you’ll understand why Canada is nicknamed the “Great White North.” Vast quantities of snow fall on much of the country, but there’s no need to hibernate because winter provides ample outdoor opportunities.

Canadians, on the whole, are low-key characters unaccustomed to making flashy gestures, but Mother Nature here knows no such modesty. On the contrary, she orchestrates her seasonal display with dramatic flair, turning each of the four acts— winter, spring, summer, and fall—into an attention-grabber. So come: enjoy the show!

SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING Impressive mountains and deep powder translate into high-calibre skiing— particularly in the Rockies, which straddle the British Columbia/Alberta border. Whistler Blackcomb, one of the continent’s

largest ski resorts, has slopes appropriate for every skill level, plus cross-country trails, tricky terrain parks, amenity-filled accommodations and après-ski action, all within two hours of Vancouver (www. whistlerblackcomb.com). Kicking Horse (www.kickinghorse resort.com ), Fernie (www.skifernie.com ),

CANADIAN TULIP FESTIVAL, OTTAWA, ON • SHUTTERSTOCK/DAVID P. LEWIS

Canada’s highest vertical drop, the area features Whistler-esque perks such as winter zip-lining.

ICY ALTERNATIVES

Sunshine Village (www.skibanff.com) and Lake Louise (www.skilouise.com) are other regional standouts. Away from their well-groomed runs, adrenaline junkies can take advantage of many off-piste possibilities as well. It’s estimated that 90 percent of the world’s heli-skiing occurs in British Columbia, and local operators let skiers and snowboarders access pristine powder by air (www.heliski.com ). Veering east, Ontario’s premier ski resort is Blue Mountain, about two hours north of Toronto (www.bluemountain.ca); Québec’s leading ones are Mont-Tremblant north of Montréal (www.tremblant.ca) and Mont-Sainte-Anne near Québec City (www. mont-sainte-anne.com). Newfoundland’s Marble Mountain (www.skimarble.com) is also noteworthy. Aside from having Atlantic

From climbing frozen waterfalls in the Rockies to snowkiting over frozen lakes on “The Rock” (Newfoundland), cool options abound. If you want to stick with the classics, you can skate alfresco almost anywhere—even in the middle of major cities—given the wealth of natural and artificial rinks. Variations on tobogganing, similarly, are available on countless hills and slick pro tracks, like those at WinSport’s Canada Olympic Park in Calgary (www. winsport.ca) or the Whistler Sliding Centre (www.whistlersportlegacies.com/whistlersliding-centre/overview). And don’t forget snowshoeing, an ancient mode of transportation made easier by today’s lighter equipment. Folks who dream of yelling “mush” can try dogsledding, another timehonoured tradition, in most provinces and territories. Snowmobiling is a speedier update, and there’s no shortage of trails; you’ll find more than 22,000 km (13,670 mi.) worth just in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Of course, simply sitting back to savour the aurora borealis is appealing, too. While Mother Nature’s dazzling light display is visible in many northern locales, clear skies and an enviable position below the aurora oval make Yellowknife an optimal observation point (www.astronomynorth.com ). Not to be outdone, city dwellers host

their own dazzling seasonal celebrations. Foremost among them is the Québec Winter Carnival—the world’s largest winter carnival —which brings snow sculptures, sleigh rides and cold-weather competitions, all enhanced by the joie de vivre of historic Vieux-Québec for ten days, from early to mid-February (www.carnaval.qc.ca/en ). Top draws elsewhere include Winterlude in the National Capital Region (www.canada. ca/en/canadian-heritage/campaigns/winter lude.html) and Winnipeg’s Festival du Voyageur (www.heho.ca/en/festival ).

SPRING

The first day of spring can look very different depending on where you are. Some Canadians will be digging out from the latest snowstorm; others will already be in gardening mode. No matter when the thaw sets in, though, it’s greeted warmly.

TRAIL MIX Events like the World Ski and Snowboard Festival, staged in Whistler each April, prove how persistent the white stuff is (www.wssf.com). As the mercury rises, however, even winter wonderlands morph into playgrounds for sunnier pursuits. In fact, once the snow melts, it isn’t uncommon to see mountain bikers tackling the vertigo-inducing slopes that Alpine skiers formerly swooshed down, or nature buffs taking to the paths their Nordic counterparts traversed earlier. Each province and territory has trails that put lovely landscapes within easy reach

MISCOU ISLAND, NB • DESTINATION CANADA/TOURISM NB

of hikers and bikers. The marquee one is The Great Trail, which is the longest of its kind in the world (www.thegreattrail.ca). P.E.I.’s pastoral section—the gently graded Confederation Trail—follows a converted rail bed across the Island from tip to tip (www.islandtrails.ca ). If that sounds daunting, city systems such as Saskatoon’s Meewasin Valley Trail (www.meewasin.com) or the Grand Concourse in St. John’s, NL, give urbanites a taste of the country (www.grandconcourse.ca ).

FLOURISHING FLORA The maple leaf is our national symbol, yet this time of year the tree’s sap matters just as much because making syrup from it is a rite of spring. Over 70 percent of all maple syrup comes from Canada and, as the sap rises, producers from Ontario to the Atlantic kick into high gear for “sugaring off.” Québec alone has several hundred cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks), so there are lots of places where you can see the sweet treat made, then sample it poured on pancakes or poured over snow to create taffy-like la tire. Blooming flowers are another sure sign of spring. Residents of Victoria do a blossom count in early March, gleefully broadcasting the results (www.flowercount.com); and before long the city’s acclaimed Butchart Gardens are awash with colour (www.butchart gardens.com ). But it takes the rest of the country time to catch up. The University of Alberta Botanic Garden outside Edmonton doesn’t open until May (botanicgarden. ualberta.ca); ditto for notable Maritime

cousins including Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Royal Historic Gardens (www.historicgar dens.com) and New Brunswick’s Kingsbrae Garden (www.kingsbraegarden.com ).

SUMMER

Summer—when the weather is warmest, the days are longest and the tour options are broadest—is the peak period for vacationers. Landlubbers have plenty to do and warmed-up water beckons, making this the time for a true surf-and-turf experience.

LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES The number of hiking and cycling enthusiasts enjoying recreational trails continues to multiply in summer. Towering mountains, moreover, tempt an increasing number of climbers. With the Coast Mountains and Rocky Mountains to the west, the Appalachians to the east, the Canadian Shield in between, and the heart-stopping St. Elias Range to the north, the choices are endless for intrepid types who have set their sights high (www.alpineclubofcanada.ca). When something more down to earth is in order, Canada’s National Parks deliver (www.parkscanada.gc.ca ). During July and August they put together a full roster of programs, enabling visitors to participate in scheduled events that run the gamut from horseback riding and birdwatching to interpretive walks and nighttime stargazing sessions. The fact that many of these are affordable or free, and geared toward families, is a welcome bonus.

BEACHES If beach bums had to pick a single province, it would probably be P.E.I. Boasting over 800 km (500 mi.) of sand and saltwater temperatures that can reach 25°C (77°F), the smallest province is a summer paradise. From the sandy expanses of Cavendish and Greenwich—both part of Prince Edward Island National Park (www.parkscanada. gc.ca/princeedwardisland)—to the “singing sands” of Basin Head (www.tourismpei. com/provincial-park/basin-head), there is a beach to suit every taste. Tourists continuing cross-country, though, don’t have to wait until they hit the Pacific to take the plunge again. Witness Wasaga Beach on Georgian Bay (www.wasagabeach.com), the world’s longest freshwater strand; or Lake Winnipeg’s aptlynamed Grand Beach (www.grandbeachtourism. com ), complete with 12-m-high (39-ft.) sand dunes. Then there are the beaches of Saskatchewan’s Little Manitou Lake where it’s never a case of sink or swim—the water has a high saline content that allows you to float effortlessly (www.manitoubeach.ca ). Based on the destination, activities can range from swimming and sandcastle-building to organized entertainment and educational programs.

BOATING Visitors who would rather be on the water than in it are spoiled for choice as well. Canoeing, a quintessentially Canadian pastime, is popular, especially in Ontario where the longest network of interconnecting canoe routes on earth awaits. Ready to

37 amp things up? Whether you brave waves generated by Fundy’s record-smashing tides in the far east or churning whitewater rapids in the wild west, rafting is a rush. For the ultimate adventure, soak in the scenery— and get plain soaked—on an extended rafting expedition down a challenging river in the Yukon or Northwest Territories. If fishing is your idea of fun, boat operators—both on oceans and interior waterways—will happily hook you up. Multi-taskers will be pleased to hear that it is also easy to combine boating with world-class wildlife watching. From the seat of a tour vessel or your own kayak, you can admire beluga whales in northern Manitoba, ogle bowhead whales and tusked narwhal in Nunavut, or commune with the orcas in Johnstone Strait off Vancouver Island. Newfoundland’s Notre Dame Bay promises a double delight; whales there, humpbacks among them, often come with a side order of icebergs.

AUTUMN

Thanks to bountiful harvests and brilliant foliage, fall is an ideal travel time. Just arrive early if you’re venturing beyond major locales. Outlying tour operators, and even lodgings, might close after Canadian Thanksgiving—Columbus Day in the U.S.— and not reopen until May.

FALL FLAVOURS Nationwide, vintners toast the grape harvest by popping corks and hosting festivals that feature winery tours, tastings, seminars, food pairings and the like. The largest of the lot—the Niagara Grape & Wine Festival, held in the heart of Ontario wine country— bridges three September weekends (www. niagarawinefestival.com). B.C. counters in late September and early October with the Fall Okanagan Wine Festival, a 10-day fete in the famously fertile Okanagan Valley (www.thewinefestivals.com). Nova Scotia’s burgeoning wine industry also shows off with open houses and the occasional grape stomp. For a different spin on the harvest theme, visit a U-pick apple orchard, negotiate a corn maze, or attend an agricultural event in the province’s Annapolis Valley. Top contenders are the Hants County Exhibition, a September fixture since 1765 (www.hantscountyex.com), and the Kentville Pumpkin People Festival, a family-oriented October affair that sees the town populated with hundreds of quirky pumpkin-headed characters (www.kentville.ca ).

STANLEY PARK, VANCOUVER, BC • SHUTTERSTOCK/ROMAKOMA

FLAMBOYANT FOLIAGE It’s not only foodies and farm fans who appreciate autumn here. Canada ranks high on any leaf peeper’s bucket list because the blend of deciduous trees creates a remarkable range of colours. Once contrasting stands of evergreen and a backdrop of blue water are added to the equation, the results are extraordinary. Although beautiful across Canada, the fiery display tends to be best in the central and eastern portions of the country from the third week of September until mid-October. Québec’s Laurentian Mountains and the Gaspé Peninsula offer spectacular fall road trips, as do New Brunswick’s Fundy Coast and the St. John River Valley where weathered bridges and barns enhance the postcard-worthy palette. Cape Breton’s Cabot Trail is a feast for ears and eyes since peak colours coincide with the music-oriented Celtic Colours International Festival in early

October (www.celtic-colours.com ). For a painterly perspective, drive into Ontario’s Algonquin Park or ride the Algoma Central Railroad (www.agawatrain.com) to see scenery that inspired the Group of Seven.

DEGREES OF DIFFERENCE Big-name attractions can be equally fabulous in different seasons. Consider Ontario’s Rideau Canal. In warm weather, this UNESCO World Heritage site is beloved by boaters; in the coldest months, a 7.8-km (4.85-mi.) stretch in central Ottawa becomes the world’s largest naturally frozen skating rink. Niagara Falls is another case in point. Summer’s iconic cascades resemble supersized ice sculptures in winter; rushing meltwater lends extra oomph in spring while the proximity of so much fine Niagara wine adds an intoxicating element in autumn.

BIGHORN SHEEP, LAKE MINNEWANKA, AB • SHUTTERSTOCK/NATALIA PUSHCHINA

Call of the Wild BY HANS TAMMEMAGI

Canada’s vast, varied terrain provides a habitat for countless creatures, and the same can be said of its waterways. After all, the land is dotted with lakes, laced by rivers and lapped by three oceans. Even the skies here are crowded because this country is home to three major north-south migratory flyways and boasts nearly 600 Important Bird Areas. As a result it supports more kinds of wildlife than you can shake a camera at. Here are some of the most memorable, with tips on where to find them.

LIVING LARGE Canada is blessed with several species of bears, including iconic polar bears. White, like the snow of their northern habitat, they are considered the largest of all terrestrial carnivores. In Churchill, Manitoba, the “Polar Bear Capital of the World,” you can take a tour from mid-October to midNovember aboard a special tundra vehicle that lets you safely get close to them. Grizzlies, who reside mostly in the western and northwestern part of the country in forested and mountainous areas, can be seen from spring to fall (they hibernate in winter) on cruises along the Great Bear Rainforest or on several guide-led outings. They can also be viewed at B.C. sanctuaries like Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, Khutzeymateen Provincial Park outside Prince Rupert, and Kicking Horse Resort near Golden. Black bears, smaller than grizzlies although still formidable, are found throughout Canada and it’s not unusual to spot them while driving in remote areas or canoeing. Their fur can be black, reddish brown and occasionally even white, as evidenced in the ghostly kermode or spirit bear found along the central and northern B.C. coast. Although black bears, like grizzlies, are shy and generally avoid humans, if you encounter one, keep a safe distance away.

NORTHERN GANNETS, CAPE ST. MARY’S ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, NL • SHUTTERSTOCK/GGW

These big bears are an extraordinary sight, yet the spine-tingling sound of a wolf in the wild is equally impressive. The largest members of the dog family, wolves hunt in packs of six to ten throughout remote areas. The number of humans who come to hear them in Ontario`s Algonquin Provincial Park is far greater. Park rangers organize “Wolf Howls” where you can imitate a howl, and hope to receive answering cries.

HOOFING IT Nothing sets the pulse beating like the sight of a bull moose with enormous antlers stretching 1.8 m (6 ft.) across. Moose are present in most forested wilderness

areas and, being adept swimmers, are often seen in wetlands. Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland is an excellent viewing area all year. Bull moose can be aggressive, particularly during the autumn rut. Drive carefully in moose country, especially at night; moose encounters can cause serious damage. Large herds of bison/buffalo once thundered across the plains of North America providing livelihood for Indigenous Peoples, but they were hunted close to extinction during the 19th and 20th centuries. Since then they have made a partial recovery and herds can be seen in Wood Buffalo National Park in northeastern Alberta and southern Northwest Territories,

GRIZZLY BEARS, MINSTREL ISLAND, BC • DESTINATION CANADA/BROOK SPEED/FAREWELL HARBOUR LODGE

WHALE WATCHING, TADOUSSAC, QC • LE QUÉBEC MARITIME/MARC LOISELLE/TOURISME CÔTE-NORD-MANICOUGAN

as well as Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan and Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba. It is awe-inspiring, but rare, to see an immense herd of handsomely antlered caribou stretching far across the tundra. From late April to early May, Arctic Haven Wilderness Lodge in Nunavut will take you to watch the migration of approximately 250,000 caribou. The “Big Three” wildlife observation package offered by Inuit Adventures in the Nunavik, Québec region includes excursions with Inuit guides in search of the polar bear in its natural habitat, witnessing the great caribou migration and encounters with small herds of muskox. FOX KITS, SK • SHUTTERSTOCK/PICTUREGUY

DIVING IN The beaver, Canada’s national symbol, is an aquatic rodent with a large paddle-shaped tail and prized thick fur. Found in waterways throughout Canada, beavers are industrious, felling trees with their sharp buckteeth and building lodges and dams. Primarily nocturnal, they are best viewed at dusk. One popular place to spot them is Jacques-Cartier Park near Québec City. It offers beaver-related activities from May to September. Beluga whales, not much bigger than dolphins and white in colour, are called the canaries of the sea for their constant singing. Every summer about 3,000 belugas gather in the Churchill River delta in

northern Manitoba. You can get close by boat tour and listen to them chattering via a hydrophone. Belugas are so gentle you can venture out on the water in kayaks for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Orca, a.k.a. killer whales, cruise all oceans, but are particularly abundant around Johnstone Strait near northeastern Vancouver Island and in the Salish Sea near Victoria. Extremely intelligent animals that live in matrilineal pods, their high dorsal fins slice elegantly through the water. Numerous boat tours are offered. You may also see grey whales up to 15 m (49 ft.) long, especially around Tofino during their migrations in March and October, as well as dolphins, seals, and sea lions. The Atlantic coast and the St. Lawrence River are also prime locales for whale watching. Every summer some 15 species— including minke, humpback, finback and right whales—swim into the Bay of Fundy to mate, play and feast on the bountiful food churned up twice daily by the powerful tides. Salmon live in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and are renowned for spawning, that is fighting their way upstream to lay eggs and die in the same freshwater location where they were hatched. Spawning salmon, the lifeblood of the west coast, provide food for bears, foxes, wolves, eagles and more, who then fertilize the forest with their droppings. Spawning salmon can be seen in fall and the first half of winter at many locations, often far inland.

FLYING HIGH Featured on our dollar coin, loons are duck-sized birds, regally patterned in black and white. Excellent swimmers, they catch small fish in fast underwater chases. Other than in the extreme north, their eerie, echoing calls can be heard on numerous lakes, especially in the Canadian Shield. Canada geese, another national icon, are so common across the country they have become a pest at some golf courses and parks. In the air, however, they fly in an elegant V-formation. Once migratory, many now reside here year-round. The bald eagle, a noble raptor most associated with the United States, actually builds enormous nests in tall trees across most of North America. The bald eagle, with its white head and tail, is particularly abundant in western British Columbia. The best time to see eagles in B.C. is in fall and the first half of winter when they gather, sometimes in the thousands, at spawning sites such as Brackendale and the upper Harrison River. On the other side of the country, huge numbers of ethereal snow geese make quite a sight in spring and fall when they take their migratory pit stops along Québec’s

CARIBOU MIGRATION • HEIKO WITTENBORN

St. Lawrence River. The Bay of Fundy provides another avian spectacle. In late July and August, more than two million tiny sandpipers flock into the coastal region to gorge on shrimp before flying south. Mary’s Point in New Brunswick and Evangeline Beach in Nova Scotia are two top places for viewing. Newfoundland is also a hot spot for birders. The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve,

For your guide to the adventure of a lifetime: 1-855-657-3319

for instance, has North America’s largest Atlantic puffin colony, while the Cape St. Mary’s Ecological Reserve is known for razorbills, cormorants, kittiwakes, and dive-bombing gannets.

MUCH MORE This is but a small sampling, a teaser, to encourage you to get outdoors and see the vast array of creatures that live in Canada.

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HERITAGE PARK HISTORICAL VILLAGE, CALGARY, AB â&#x20AC;˘ TRAVEL AB/COLIN WAY

Indigenous Tourism: A Bounty for All Canadians

There is good news for anyone interested in trying Indigenous Tourism products in 2019. Steady development, all-time visitor records, and global interest means you are on the right track. Double figures top tourism charts, as new visitor sites, additional activities, and new destinations make for magnetic appeal to first-time visitors, as well as return vacationers seeking authentic experiences across our tantalizing Canadian geography.

BY GREGORY B. GALLAGHER It may surprise you to know that Canada boasts some 1,875 Indigenous businesses and the demand is growing. Experts believe there is a noticeable choice deflection by U.S. travellers away from distant international trips, and Canada is obviously benefitting from this change. It is also giving rise to a healthier curiosity about Canadian culture and geography, with Indigenous tourism primed and ready. Ancestral interests nationwide continue

to establish a dynamic menu of unique activities for even the most experienced travellers. Indigenous tourism products and services offer lasting memories steeped in the dynamic cultures of the most ancient people of Canada.Â

WEST The Crossing at Ghost River is an enchanted overnight Indigenous adventure in the Alberta foothills between Calgary and Banff.

Guides lead corporate or private visitors on a journey spanning notions of time and culture, highlighted by customary drumming and unique storytelling, walking through captivating landscapes to learn about the healing plants growing underfoot and watching authentic cuisine being made. Choose to stay in their comfortable lodge set on 145 picturesque acres, or book a corporate retreat and mix business with pleasure, Rockies-style (www.crossingexperience.ca).

43 Spirit Bear Lodge, in British Columbia’s tiny central coast community of Klemtu, is 150 nautical miles by float plane from Vancouver Island’s northern-most town of Port Hardy, or an easy flight from Vancouver’s South Terminal, which is included in packages. The Great Bear Rainforest, the largest intact coastal temperate rainforest on the planet, is protected from the Pacific Ocean tumult; and, is where travellers often journey to view one of the world’s great natural mysteries—the kermode or spirit bear. A visit here also allows you to encounter orca whales, grizzly bears, eagles, ravens and a host of other inhabitants of this remarkable setting, located within the Kitasoo/Xai’xais First Nations long-established territory and co-managed by the Kitasoo Nation and the Province of British Columbia (www.spiritbear.com).

IGLOO BUILDING, NUNAVIK, QC • HEIKO WITTENBORN

CENTRAL The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) opened in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 2014, and has already won over 37 awards, including the Best Non-Profit Social Media

Marketing Campaign, the Award of Outstanding Achievement in New Media and the National Cultural Tourism Award from the Travel Industry Association of Canada (TIAC). Architect Antoine Predock’s magnetic design is modelled after ice, clouds and stone, and set in a field of sweet grass at

the legendary Forks of Manitoba’s Red River. Don’t miss the Mikinak-Keya Spirit tour, a distinct cultural experience which explores the Anishinaabe, Cree and Dakota seven sacred teachings (www.humanrights.ca). If your spirit needs renewal, visit Saskatchewan’s Northern Plains People.

A gathering place to celebrate our traditions and share our stories

Take a break from your world… and experience ours! WELCOME TO THE KWANLIN DÜN CULTURAL CENTRE where we celebrate the culture and traditions of the Kwanlin Dün First Nation. Come explore our exhibits, experience amazing festivals, meet Artists in Residence, and take a tour of our inspirational Centre with a local guide.

1171 Front Street • Whitehorse Yukon • www.kdcc.ca • 867-456-5322

EAST

STANDING BUFFALO FIRST NATION POWWOW, SK • DESTINATION CANADA/TOURISM SK/GREG HUSZAR PHOTOGRAPHY

Body/mind/spirit experiences unfold at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park as its expansion evolves with new construction, landscaping upgrades and other surprises. A new bison herd will be added to the outdoor experiences, and other elements will weave together prior to their grand reveal in 2020. Make plans to experience an overnight at the traditional Tipi

Village (minimum 15 people) from May to October. Learn the tipi raising techniques, take a medicine walk, and sit together at the fireplace while cooking bannock (unleavened bread). Not to be missed is the Han Wi Moon Dinner & Storytelling Excursion, offered once each month from May to September. Book early (www.wanuskewin.com).

Immerse Yourself in an Indigenous Experience. CAPE BRETON ISLAND . NOVA SCOTIA

destinationmembertou.com

For great hospitality in Ontario, make the trip to Manitoulin Island, the largest freshwater island in the world. Manitoulin Island is the site of the Wiikwemkoong Annual Cultural Festival, one of eastern North America’s longest running powwows. Enjoy time-honoured cuisine and crafts while exploring the powwow grounds. The most popular tour, the Unceded Journey, is an educational experience, as guides share stories about the 1836 and 1862 Manitoulin Island treaties, intrigue you with the local lore of Zhibzhii—the underwater spirit—and take you back in time to the now infamous “Manitoulin Incident” (www.wiikwemkoong.ca). Just outside the UNESCO site of Old Québec City, you may discover what the Huron-Wendake community calls “the history we never told you.” Stay in an authentic Indigenous 4-star boutique hotel called Hôtel-Musée Premières Nations, gracefully built along the banks of the Akiawenrahk (St. Charles River), and now featuring an indoor pool, fitness centre and dining terrace overlooking the riverside. Inspired from historical longhouses, units are constructed with natural materials such as stone, leather and wood. Or invite the whole family to stay in a longhouse, the First Nations symbol of family, hospitality and the legendary welcome of Indigenous Peoples worldwide. This option encourages visitors to experience the myths and legends, to taste the traditional bread (bannock), have a fire keeper tend the embers as well as your dreams throughout the night, plus you’ll have a regular room in the hotel for modern conveniences, and breakfast the next day at La Traite Restaurant. Must-sees are the Wendat Creation Myth installation at the west entrance to Old Wendake, and their annual Wendake International Pow Wow on-site from June 28-30. Ask about their “Experience” packages and educational offerings for children (www.tourismewendake.ca). The new Innu wild island site, on Apinipehekat Island along Québec’s idyllic Lower North Shore, offers tourists complete cultural and natural immersion throughout the year with residents of Unamen Shipu, an Indigenous community steeped in ancestral traditions (winipeukut.ca/?lang=en).

MARITIMES Newfoundland and Labrador outdoor adventurers trumpet the virtues of their majestic Torngat Mountains Inuit-led Base

45 Camp & Research Station experience, immersing participants in this dreamy geography and stunning wildlife viewing. The tallest mountains in Canada east of the Rockies spy over a mythical mix of fjords, rivers, flood plains and coastal wilderness. Torngat Mountains Base Camp treks—both Wolf and Caribou Adventures—are classic outdoor explorations that rival any wild exploit worldwide (www.thetorngats.com). Mi’kmaq powwows on Prince Edward Island’s Lennox Island sparkle in late July; the hungry crowds go to the Aboriginal Food Festival (www.lennoxisland.com). The Indian Art & Craft store makes its home on the peaceful shores of famous Malpeque Bay. New Brunswick calls everyone interested in attending powwows to a full seasonal menu of options, from St. Mary’s First Nation Powwow which takes place in mid-June at the Old Reserve Gound in Fredericton, to the Pabineau First Nation Powwow at the new Flying Eagle Memorial Powwow Grounds during mid-July, or the Eel Ground First Nation Powwow around the same time (www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca). Across this bay in Nova Scotia, elders

share stories about creation at the Wagmatcook Culture and Heritage Centre (www.wagmatcook.com). Listen to their ancient tales teaching how to live properly, how animals interact with the elements, and details about powerful ceremonial tools of their society—like the medicine wheel. Less than two hours from Halifax, view petroglyphs created by the Mi’kmaq First Nations Peoples in the 18th and 19th centuries at Kejimkujik National Park, where it is also possible to camp out under the stars (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/kejimkujik).

NORTH If Nunavut and the Canadian Arctic are on your bucket list, contact Adventure Canada for access to Canada’s northern passages aboard a cruise ship (www.adventurecanada. com). Follow whales, seals and narwhal in small Zodiac boats up close, photograph endangered polar bears, or bask in the other-worldliness of the aurora borealis (northern lights) in the comfort of your ship. If Indigenous ownership and supporting sustainability in your travels is important to you, book with Tundra North Tours based in Inuvik, Northwest

For your guide to the adventure of a lifetime: 1-855-657-3319 For your guide to the adventure of a lifetime: 1-855-657-3319

Territories. They feature a wide array of explorations from river tours, to reindeer excursions, introductory 3-day visits, and the 7-day Ultimate Arctic Adventure Package (www.tundranorthtours.com). Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre beckons visitors from June 28 to July 4 for their popular annual Adäka Cultural Festival— Adäka means “coming into the light” (www.kwanlindunculturalcentre.com). Whitehorse’s waterfront is the Yukon site for this colourful event, mixing traditional and contemporary musical performers and creative artists from local Yukon First Nations, as well as Indigenous guests from around the world. The mélange of entertainment, together with unique workshops and handmade crafts, are imbued with the infectious Yukon spirit and light guarantees guests memorable fun (www.travelyukon.com). Increase the excitement in Puvirnituq, an isolated community in Northern Québec. Here you can enjoy a dog sledding adventure across the sea ice and get a hands-on course with an Inuk master igloo-builder, and even sleep under the northern lights in the igloo that you built (www.inuitadventures.com).

INUITADVENTURES.COM INUITADVENTURES.COM

VANCOUVER FOODIE TOURS, BC • DESTINATION CANADA

A Toast to Canada BY MARGARET SWAINE

BRITISH COLUMBIA SUNNY WAYS AND SUNNY VINEYARDS Sunny Okanagan is the place many Canadians think about moving to for their retirement years. The Canadian version of a riviera, it has glittering lakes as a backdrop to ski hills, golf courses, cycling and hiking routes, and wine trails. Three 10-day annual wine festivals take place in winter, spring and fall as well as signature events throughout the summer (www.thewinefestivals.com). Winter season mountaintop wine festivals at Sun Peaks are days filled with skiing, wine crawls, sparkling brunches and progressive tastings (www.sunpeaksresort. com/wine-festival). Oliver Osoyoos Wine Country has some great signature events: the Half Corked Marathon in May, an 18 km

Canadians love a good homegrown drink. Of late, craft breweries, artisanal distilleries and cideries have blossomed across the nation. Spirits range from the unique Birmingham’s Dill Pickle Vodka to the sublime Royal Crown Northern Harvest Rye Whisky, selected by a British critic as the world’s best whisky in 2016. This northern country is also home to over 700 licenced wineries and is the world’s leading producer of icewine.

(11 mi.) run through beautiful vineyards; Winter in Wine Country in November and December, which includes the Festival of Trees; and Pig Out in spring (www.oliver osoyoos.com). Many of the wineries have excellent restaurants and some have great accommodations. Mission Hill’s Terrace Restaurant, open May to October, offers an unforgettable alfresco dining experience overlooking the vineyards and set against the spectacular backdrop of Okanagan Lake. Locally-sourced fare is complemented with herbs and vegetables from their own varietal gardens, along with locally foraged ingredients (www.mission hillwinery.com). Quails’ Gate offers flights of wines and locavore meals in their Old Vines Restaurant and patio overlooking the same lake (www.quailsgate.com). The Sonora

Room at Burrowing Owl Estate Winery (www. burrowingowlwine.ca) and Tinhorn Creek Vineyard’s Miradoro Restaurant (www.tinhorn .com) have breathtaking views and delectable food. Hester Creek, one of the oldest wineries in the region, has a great restaurant, Terrafina, and unique accommodations (www. hestercreek.com). Spirit Ridge at Nk’Mip Resort was the first Indigenous owned and operated winery resort in Canada. Here the Osoyoos Indian Band People have created a wine and cultural experience, bar none (www.hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/canada/ spirit-ridge/ylwub). On Vancouver Island, visit wine, mead, cider, and premium spirits producers. The first commercial vineyard was established in the Cowichan Valley in 1970 and the Island’s first winery opened in 1992. Today,

47 around 175 ha (432 acres) are under vine producing grapes for over 32 wineries (www.vancouverisland.travel/listings/ sip-savour). The Gulf Islands nestled in the Georgia Strait, which separates Vancouver Island from the mainland, are home to an additional 12 wineries. Vancouver Island Expeditions offers local food and drink tours such as the Comox Valley Craft Brewery Tour (www.vancouverisland expeditions.com). Started in 2014, the BC Distilled festival is the largest spirits event in Canada, exclusively for local distilleries (www. bcdistilled.ca). For brews there are the BC Ale Trails (www.bcaletrail.ca) with over 100 craft breweries.

THE PRAIRIES CRAFTY TIPPLES While the Prairies are not known for their wines—the climate just isn’t suitable—the craft brewery business is booming and spirits are on the rise. Winnipeg Tasting Tours takes customers to the city’s best microbreweries—including Little Brown Jug, Half Pints Brewing, One Great City Brewing Co., Trans Canada Brewing and Torque Brewing (www.winnipegtasting tours.ca). Capital K Distillery, Manitoba’s first craft distillery, started with Tall Grass Vodka and has since added Tall Grass Gin, Tall Grass Espresso Vodka, Tall Grass Dill Pickle Vodka and others to its lineup (www.capitalk distillery.com). Saskatoon in Saskatchewan has two great distilleries. Black Fox Distillery makes truly fabulous gins, vodkas and liqueurs made largely from local grains, fruits and botanicals. Their oaked gin won the world’s best cask gin at the 2017 World Gin Awards (www.blackfoxfarmanddistillery.com). Lucky Bastard Distillers makes whisky in very small batches—often single barrels yielding only about 300 bottles of whisky— from local ingredients along with some unusual flavoured vodkas such as Horilka, a Ukrainian honey pepper vodka, and Birmingham’s Dill Pickle Vodka (www. luckybastard.ca). Alberta also has a flourishing craft beer scene. Canadian Craft Tours offers a Calgary Brewery Tour that takes in four from among Eighty-Eight Brewing, Paddy’s BBQ & Brewery, Annex Ale Project, Prairie Dog Brewing, Tool Shed, Banded Peak Brewing and Last Best Brewing (www.canadiancraft tours.ca/products/calgary-brewery-tour). Eau Claire Distillery, a farm-to-glass

operation in Turner Valley, produces its spirits—including the province’s first single malt whisky—from local Alberta grain (www.eauclairedistillery.ca).

ONTARIO A CENTRE OF WINE FESTIVALS AND ICEWINE Ontario is the largest wine grape producing province in Canada, with over 7,300 ha (18,000 acres) of vines. The Niagara Peninsula is the largest Canadian wine appellation— with ten additional sub-appellations— encompassing more than 100 wineries. The wine route starts less than an hour from downtown Toronto (www.wine countryontario.ca). In Niagara-on-the-Lake a Winemakers’ Selections Tasting Pass allows purchasers to enjoy a local wine at some two dozen wineries around town (www.wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com). The annual Niagara Grape and Wine Festival takes place over three weekends at wineries and other locations throughout Niagara. The fall harvest celebration is packed with live entertainment, culinary and wine seminars, parades and, of course, Niagara wines at favourite local restaurants. The wineries get into the groove by offering wine and culinary pairings (www.niagara winefestival.com). Icewine, made from frozen-on-the-vine grapes, is an iconic Canadian wine often touted as Canada’s greatest liquid luxury. Niagara’s Icewine Festival offers wine lovers, cocktail fans and foodies fabulous winter experiences. Held over three week-

ends in January, there are gala dinners, icewine tasting menus, fireside samplings and lots of icewine poured at the outdoor street festivals in the towns of Niagara-onthe-Lake and Jordan Village (www.niagara winefestival. com/events). Prince Edward County, Ontario’s newest wine appellation, has been touted as one of Canada’s top tourist destinations. The area’s allure in the past had been its giant sand dunes, quaint towns and nature trails. Now it has grown into an important wine region with some 45 wineries; some, such as Huff Estate, with excellent accommodation and dining (www.princeedwardcountywine.ca). A visit to Essex Pelee Island Coast (EPIC) Wine Country could mean meandering along the shoreline to sample the wares of a dozen or so wineries, lunch or dinner at a winery and an overnight stay in a unique B&B (www.epicwineries.com). Take a Wine Trail Ride for both exercise and cool sipping (www.windsoreats.com/places/ wine-trail-ride).

QUÉBEC SUPER COOL WINES AND CIDERS Visitors can plan their own tours on the website choosing from five distinct wine growing regions: Eastern Townships, Montérégie, Ouest-du-Québec, Centredu-Québec and Est-du-Québec (www. vinsduquebec.com/en/route-des-vins). Located 45 minutes east of Montréal, The Brome-Missisquoi Wine Route links wineries along four suggested signposted ANNAPOLIS VALLEY, NS • SHUTTERSTOCK/TETYANA DOTSENKO

48 circuits totalling 203-km (126-mi.) in the beautiful Eastern Townships (www.laroute desvins.ca). On The Triangle circuit, you will find the province’s first winery, Domaine des Côtes d’Ardoise, opened in 1981 in Dunham, which is remarkable not only for its wines but for its exhibition of sculptures gathered from more than 80 artists (www.cotesdardoise.com). The Magog-Orford Harvest Festival, held annually on the first two weekends of September, offers an opportunity to sample Québec regional food and wine products in a picturesque setting (www.fetedesvendanges. com/en). With an annual production of over 60 ciders, Montérégie is the pioneer of cider production in Québec (www.monescapade. ca/en/cider-route). Ice cider (made from frozen-on-the-tree apples) was first made in the Eastern Townships by a French winemaker, Christian Barthomeuf, at his winery/ cider house, Clos Saragnat, in Frelighsburg (www.saragnat.com). Domaine Pinnacle is famous for its flat, sparkling and ice ciders (www.cidredomainepinnacle.com/en). Top microbreweries in Montréal include Brasserie Dieu du Ciel, Brasserie Harricana, Mabrasserie, La Succursale, Siboire, Boswell Brasserie Artisanale, Le Saint-Bock, Microbrasserie 4 Origines, Benelux and Pit Caribou, many which also serve gastro pub food. Eater Montréal publishes a map to the twenty-four essential Montréal microbreweries and craft beer bars (www.montreal.eater.com/ maps/best-montreal-brewpubs-beer-bars). On Île d’Orléans, Cassis Monna & Filles cultivates 16 ha (39.5 acres) of blackcurrants

to produce over 50,000 bottles per year of cassis liqueurs (www.cassismonna.com/en).

THE MARITIMES LOCAL FLAIR COMING ON STREAM Nova Scotia is Canada’s fourth largest wine producing province. Its wine trail has about a dozen wineries making quality wines from 100 percent locally grown Nova Scotia grapes and fruit (www.winesofnovascotia.ca). Grape Escapes offers a number of tours, some which include lunch or dinner at a winery (www.novascotiawinetours.com). Domaine de Grand Pré, the oldest farm winery in Atlantic Canada, has an awardwinning restaurant, Le Caveau, which focuses on regional Nova Scotia product prepared with a global flair (www.grandpre wines.com). Benjamin Bridge makes champagne-method sparkling wines recognized as among the top in the world (www.benjaminbridge.com). The Good Cheer Trail offers an exciting mix of tours, tastings and special events at wineries, cideries, microbreweries and distilleries (www.goodcheertrail.com). The Halifax Beer Bus takes people around Halifax to taste and learn all about Halifax’s exploding craft beer scene (www.halifaxfoodtours.com). The state-of-the-art Authentic Seacoast Distilling Company opened its doors in June 2016 as the home to award-winning spirits and craft beer brands, including the GLYNNEVAN whisky (www.authenticsea coast.com). The Halifax Distilling Co is the first of its kind on the Halifax waterfront (www.halifaxdistillingco.ca). New Brunswick has around a dozen

PELLER ESTATES WINERY, NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON • ON TOURISM

wineries to visit (www.tourismnewbrunswick .ca/Products/Groups/Wineries). At Motts Landing Vineyard & Winery in the beautiful St. John River Valley, wines are made from estate grown grapes such as the unusual Louise Swenson grape (www.mottslanding vineyard.com). At Magnetic Hill Winery and B&B, in a restored 1867 historic site overlooking Moncton, visitors can picnic on the grounds while enjoying a sip of estate-grown fruit wines such as blueberry, cranberry and strawberry, as well as those from local New Brunswick grapes—all vinted on the premises (www.magnetichillwinery.com). In 2012, Distillerie Fils du Roy opened in PetitPaquetville making absinthe and a gin that uses a local tree, the Thuja occidentalis evergreen, in its botanical recipe (www. distilleriefilsduroy.com). In P.E.I., the Rossignol Estate Winery offers a remarkable variety of table wines, fruit wines and liqueurs. Family-owned Matos Winery & Distillery offers tours and tastings just minutes from Charlottetown, and the Beamish Family Organic Orchard has expanded to produce craft spirits and liqueurs reflecting an authentic Island taste experience at Deep Roots Distillery. Islanders have made illegal moonshine throughout their history, and Myriad View Artisan Distillery brings this Island tradition forward for all to enjoy with their “Strait Shine” (www.straitshine.com). In Newfoundland, Rodrigues Winery, Auk Island Winery, Quidi Vidi Brewery, Port Rexton Brewing Co., YellowBelly Brewery, Western Newfoundland Brewing Co. and The Newfoundland Distillery Company have all come on stream (www.newfound landbeer.org).

THE NORTH SPIRITS AND BREWS In 2016 Yukon Brewing Company released Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Whisky through its sister company, Yukon Spirits. One of only two single malt whiskies made in Canada at the time, it garnered multiple Canadian Whisky Awards in both 2017 and 2018. Yukon Brewing also offers international award-winning craft beers and brewery/tasting tours (www.yukonbeer. com). The NWT Brewing Company opened in the fall of 2015 (www.nwtbrewingco.com). With all these new craft distilleries, breweries, cideries and over 700 licenced wineries, a good local drink is always near at hand in Canada.

MALPEQUE, PEI • TOURISM PEI/YVONNE DUIVENVOORDEN

A Taste of Canada BY MARGARET SWAINE

Culinary tourism is a force of nature in Canada. From walking food tours of cities to tasty rural trails, there is a cornucopia of good eats on the road. Creative young chefs reinterpret Canada’s regional dishes, showcase ethnic influences and play with exotic spicing. Heirloom produce from local farms, indigenous wild foods foraged from the forests, organic meats and fresh seafood fished from the oceans and lakes are among their cherished ingredients. Sustainable, artisanal and locavore are their buzz words.

50 brick oven, puts out the best breads and pastries imaginable (www.thenightoven.ca). In Alberta, as Canada’s ranch heartland, elk, bison, wild boar, caribou and beef— which many refer to as Canadian Rocky Mountain Cuisine—are plentiful. Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts has its own 540 acre game ranch to provide for its two restaurants in the City of Calgary and dining at the lodges in Banff, Lake Louise and Emerald Lake (www.crmr.com/mountaincity-restaurants-rockies). Chuck’s Steak House in Banff offers a full-on taste of Alberta raised beef with a platter containing 5 oz. each of wagyu, prime and grass fed dryaged steaks (www.chuckssteakhouse.ca).

ONTARIO COUNTLESS TASTE TRAILS AND FOOD FESTIVALS LAURENTIANS, QC • TOURISM LAURENTIANS

BRITISH COLUMBIA BOUNTY FROM THE OCEAN, FORESTS & LAND Specialties on the menu in British Columbia include wild salmon, golden honey mussels, spot prawns, geoduck, BC bison, Fraser Valley duck and Salt Spring Island lamb. There is a wide range of guided culinary tours—sometimes led by chefs— in southern B.C., particularly near the Okanagan Valley, Cowichan Valley and Fraser Valley. City tasting tours in Victoria, Vancouver and Whistler visit restaurants and culinary neighbourhoods (www. hellobc.com). Cornucopia Whistler, celebrating 23 years in November, is an annual 11-day indulgence of local food and drink that pairs homegrown chefs with top B.C. producers, breweries, distilleries and wineries (www.whistlercornucopia.com). St. Lawrence, a Québécois eatery in Vancouver under Québec-born chef J.C. Poirier, and The Courtney Room, a haute meat and seafood spot in Victoria, were in the top ten Canada’s Best New Restaurants 2018 by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine (www.canadasbestnewrestaurants.com). Off the Eaten Track offers fun foodie tours such as the Gourmet Ice Cream & Pizza Tour of Vancouver and the Chocolate and Churches tour of Victoria (www. vancouver.offtheeatentracktours.ca). On the Wild Foraging – BC Rainforest Lunch & Walk, offered by Swallow Tail Culinary Tours, participants discover native B.C.

ingredients in the forest: fiddleheads, licorice fern, big leaf maple flowers, nettles, oyster mushrooms and wild chamomile, to name a few (www.swallow tail.ca). Edible Canada on Granville Island offers a restaurant, artisan retail shop and handpicked gift baskets containing locally-made gourmet products (www. ediblecanada.com).

THE PRAIRIES GRASSLAND GRAINS AND RANCHLAND MEATS Manitoba’s Parkland region has a selfguided Cinnamon Bun Trail with about seven trail stops along the way (www.park landtourism.com/cinnamon-bun-trail). In season, Winnipeg’s Exchange District BIZ offers tours to some of their delectable oneof-a-kind restaurants (www.exchangedistrict .org/tours/food-tours). West End BIZ covers the eateries in the west end of the city (www. westendbiz.ca/west-end-restaurant-tours). Eating and drinking tours of the downtown area feature cocktail crawls, beer and appetizer tours and even breakfast samplings (www.downtownwinnipegbiz.com/events). Saskatchewan has more than 40 percent of Canada’s farmland and Saskatoon’s culinary scene takes full advantage of it. Chef Dale Mackay at Ayden Kitchen and Bar, The Food Network’s Top Chef Canada season one winner, shows off the bounty of the land (www.aydenkitchenandbar.com). The Night Oven Bakery which uses local, organic and heirloom grains such as red fife, mills the flour in-house and bakes in a wood-fired

Home to the Ontario Pork Council, Stratford, famous for the Stratford Festival, boasts a Bacon & Ale Trail along with a Chocolate Trail and seasonal trails such as Foraging for Wild Edibles (www. visitstratford.ca). In Prince Edward County, pop into a cidery, brewery, or ice cream shop for a cold treat or sample fine pinots and chardonnays at wineries in this picturesque area on the north shore of Lake Ontario. Check out the cool cocktail and food scene at the Drake Devonshire (www.thedrake.ca), enjoy fresh laid eggs for breakfast at one of the bucolic B&Bs such as Wilfrid Boutique Farmhouse (www.thewilfrid.com) or sign up for a cooking class to learn the tools of the trade at The Waring House (www. waringhouse.com). Butter tarts were a staple of pioneer cooking in both Upper and Lower Canada (now Ontario and Québec). The townships of Mapleton, Minto, Southgate, Wellington North and West Grey’s self-guided Butter Tarts and Buggies Trail combines these sweetly delicious pastries with insights into the Mennonite culture (www.butter tartsandbuggies.com). Ottawa is home to the only Canadian campus of the renowned Le Cordon Bleu French cooking school (www.cordonbleu. edu/ottawa). C’est Bon’s gourmet walking tours are an ideal introduction to the National Capital Region’s vibrant food scene (www.cestboncooking.ca/gourmetfood-tours). Ontario has some 450 annual culinarythemed festivals and events many of which are listed in their on-line calendar (www. ontarioculinary.com).

QUÉBEC A GOLDMINE OF FRENCHCANADIAN SPECIALTIES New France’s first inhabitants ate hearty meals to cope with the rigours of everyday life and the cold winter climate—evolving a distinct home-cooking style over the centuries that became Québec classics, such as: tourtière, meat and pork pie; cipaille, a layered wild meat pie; fèves au lard, baked beans; cretons, a fatty pork spread; tarte au sucre, sugar pie; and soupe aux gourganes, broad bean soup (www.quebecoriginal.com/ en-ca/savour). Maple syrup plays a big role in traditional food with more than 13,000 producers in the province. In spring, Québécois gather at some 200 cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks) to enjoy baked beans, oreilles des crisse (crispy pork rinds), and pancakes all drenched in maple syrup (www.quebecoriginal.com/ en-ca/savour/sugaring-season-is-here). A dish that has gained North American recognition is poutine—french fries topped with cheese curds, then slathered in gravy. On the Route to Gourmet Delights in central Québec (www.tourismecentreduquebec.com), Fromagerie Lemaire offers poutine in its country-style restaurant and still warm curd cheese to eat while watching the cheesemakers at work through a panoramic window. From Petite-Rivière-Saint-François to La Malbaie, epicureans treat themselves to a gastronomic adventure on the Charlevoix Flavour Trail which features some 24 specialty producers and 20 restaurants (www.tourisme-charlevoix.com/en/whatto-do/routes-and-circuits/flavour-trail). The Eastern Townships, renowned for its gourmet cuisine, has dozens of local producers and agritourism locations (www.easterntownships.org/tag/296/ createurs-de-saveurs-local-producers) as well as a number of Village Cafés (www. easterntownships.org/taste-the-townships). Montréal counts more than 400 chefs including many top names. But it is also famous for bagels (St-Viateur and Fairmount) and smoked meat (Schwartz’s and Main Deli). The city is host to around 40 annual food festivals and events, from the most famous Montréal Highlights Festival to La Poutine Week (www.lapoutineweek.com). In the Laurentians, the Chemin du Terroir is a signposted trail that takes travellers through more than 226 km (140 mi.) of country backroads and byways, with delicious food and drink discoveries at every turn (www.laurentides.com/en/ chemin-du-terroir).

THE MARITIMES THE GLORY OF SEAFOOD The culinary scene has exploded in Nova Scotia. The Seafood Trail brings together the Chowder Trail and the Lobster Trail to offer a collection of restaurant, retail and fishery experiences that highlight the province’s incredible seafood products (www.novascotia.com/eat-drink/novascotia-seafood-trail). In New Brunswick, travellers can build their own trail to farmers’ markets, restaurants and sites via the website (www.tourism newbrunswick.ca/See/FoodAndDrink.aspx). There are tasty snacks hard to find anywhere else, like dulse—a salty sea treat—and hearty Acadian dishes. Visitors to Acadian Sturgeon and Caviar will meet owner Dr. Cornel Ceapa (a PhD in sturgeon biology) who raises sturgeon to sell around the world. The PEI Flavours Culinary Trail guides people to the Island’s distinct regions, each with its own culinary traditions, as well as to restaurants, farmers, fishers and local markets (www.peiflavours.ca). In Fortune Bay, long-time Islander and Food Network Chef Michael Smith has transformed the restaurant at The Inn at Bay Fortune into FireWorks, where a 25-foot brick-lined, wood-burning fireplace in the centre of the restaurant is the anchor for the “Fire Kitchen”—every dish is cooked over fire (www.innatbayfortune.com). The International Shellfish Festival includes shucking competitions using local Malpeque, one of the world’s finest oysters;

about ten million are harvested every year (www.peishellfish.com). Newfoundland is known for its seafood and traditional dishes such as salt fish and brewis (made with hard tack or dry bread) and Jiggs’ dinner (boiled salted beef and vegetables). At remote and gorgeous Fogo Island Inn, ingredients that most often find their way onto guests’ plates are those that are fished, farmed, and foraged right on the Island: scallops with parsnips and rhubarb jelly, salt cod and shaved turnip, roasted cabbage and bakeapples (www.fogoislandinn.ca).

THE NORTH WILD HARVESTS UNDER THE MIDNIGHT SUN In the Yukon, Michele Genest and Beverley Gray are authors of the books The Boreal Gourmet and The Boreal Herbal, respectively. They explain what you can harvest in the “Land of the Midnight Sun.” At Gray’s Aroma Borealis Herb Shop in Whitehorse, visitors can arrange to join her on a foraging outing (www.aromaborealis.com). Michele Genest offers workshops and events, along with her latest cook book, The Boreal Feast (www. borealgourmet.com). In the Northwest Territories “Shopping in the Boreal Forest” is an interpretive walk with biologist Rosie Strong (www.experienceyellowknife.com/ packaged-tours/#tour-73). Whatever their fancy, wherever travellers go in Canada, they are sure to find their taste nirvana.

PRAIRIE GARDENS ADVENTURE FARM, BON ACCORD, AB • GOV’T OF AB/CURTIS COMEAU

TEMPLE GARDENS HOTEL & SPA, MOOSE JAW, SK

Find Your Perfect Spa

Are you seeking a rural retreat? A haven by the sea? A getaway where you can enjoy tapas in your bathrobe? Perhaps an ancient Asian-inspired ritual or the rejuvenating benefits of taking the waters? From coast to coast, there’s a Canadian spa experience to soothe body and soul.

BY ANITA DRAYCOTT

COUNTRY CHARM

STE. ANNE’S SPA, GRAFTON, ON Tucked into the rolling hills of Northumberland County, Ste. Anne’s, at first glance, looks more like a Scottish castle than a spa. One enters the rambling 19th century fieldstone estate via a walled perennial garden. Guests choose from all sorts of treatments and activities including mud wraps, hiking, painting classes and yoga. Where else can you make a bathrobe your uniform during the entire stay—whether en route to one of your treatments, while sipping afternoon tea or enjoying a four-course dinner? The gluten-free goodies from Ste. Anne’s Spa Bakery make sweet souvenirs, especially the tarts, now part of the Kawarthas Northumberland Butter Tart Tour (www.steannes.com ).

seven pavilions house over 40 distinctive rooms around a pond with views of Mont Orford. The Health Immersion Package starts the session with a health coach to determine goals, naturopathic consultations and a health routine package to take home. The regimen includes three gourmet “tonic” meals and numerous daily activities such as hikes, fitness classes, workshops and the use of various baths, pools and saunas. Spa Eastman was known as the first health and wellness resort in Canada when it opened in 1977; it was awarded “The Best Spa in Canada” by Spafinder’s 2015 Wellness Travel Awards in all categories combined. They also operate the urban Spa Eastman Montréal (www.spa-eastman.com).

MOUNTAIN RETREATS

SPA EASTMAN, EASTMAN, QC

WILLOW STREAM SPA, FAIRMONT BANFF SPRINGS, AB

At Spa Eastman, located in the Eastern Townships about an hour from Montréal,

The Willow Stream Spa pays homage to the natural mineral springs that first beckoned

travellers to this “Castle in the Rockies” more than a century ago, while drawing energy from the surrounding Rocky Mountain setting. The indoor mineral pool provides the ultimate in relaxation, complete with classical music piped in from below. Outside on the terrace, inhale the invigorating alpine air while steeping in the whirlpool. Many treatments incorporate local ingredients such as rose oil and mountain lavender (www.fairmont.com/ banff-springs/willow-stream).

FOUR SEASONS RESORT AND RESIDENCES WHISTLER, BC The Four Seasons Spa offers high-altitude therapies at the base of Blackcomb Mountain —a top ski destination with breathtaking scenery. The signature treatment starts with an exfoliating scrub using maple syrup and brown sugar. Next, while cocooned in a warm clay and algae body wrap, a therapist massages your hair and scalp with Moroccan oil. A full body massage using

53 detoxifying butter completes the pampered journey. Treat the kids to a Glacier Spa fruit-scented manicure and pedicure (www. fourseasons.com/whistler/spa).

BY THE SEA

THE SPA AT THE ALGONQUIN, ST. ANDREWS, NB The Algonquin Resort opened in the seaside resort town of St. Andrews in 1889. In 2014, after a $50 million renovation, the resort reopened as the first Canadian property in Marriott’s “Autograph Collection.” Combined with AVEDA products, local organic honey figures prominently on the spa menu. Try the Lavender Honey Facial, Warm Honey Body Scrub or Warm Honey Manicure and Pedicure. Honey possesses natural antibacterial properties and antioxidants. It is extremely moisturizing and soothing to the skin (www.algonquinresort.com/spa).

THE DOL-ÁS SPA FOX HARB’R RESORT, WALLACE, NS The recently renovated Dol-ás Spa was named one of the “Top 25 Spas in Canada” in the 2017 Canadian Spa & Wellness Awards. Owned by the multi-millionaire co-founder of the Tim Hortons fast food restaurant chain, the Dol-ás Spa at Fox Harb’r Resort excels at pampering its clientele. Consider a massage using stones from the sea in the outdoor gazebo. The spa offers a full range of treatments, including a Men’s Executive Menu and the Fox Harb’r Signature Facial, developed exclusively for the resort by Cellcosmet, an anti-aging skin care line from Switzerland (www.foxharbr.com/spa).

ASIAN INFLUENCES

SPA OFURO, MORIN-HEIGHTS, QC Ofuro’s Nordic-style spa offers replenishing rituals in several Asia-inspired buildings in the Laurentian Mountain retreat. Immerse yourself in a variety of hot and cold indoor and outdoor pools, steams and saunas. Or take a dip in the river. Try a shiatsu massage or consider a Zen pedicure. Prolong your healthy holiday with a stay in one of five guest rooms on the property (www.spa ofuro.com).

TEN SPA AT THE FORT GARRY HOTEL, WINNIPEG, MB Pamper yourself like a sultan. Ten Spa in the Fort Garry Hotel offers a variety of cleansing and purification therapies modelled after the ancient bathing rituals of the Ottoman Empire. All hamams begin with Moroccan mint tea and a Turkish delight. After that, chose from several steamy journeys including a self-administered salt rub, preceding a head, scalp and foot massage, olive oil washes and the application of warm mud. Add on a facial, manicure, pedicure and lunch with a glass of bubbly (www.tenspa.ca).

TAKING THE WATERS

TEMPLE GARDENS HOTEL & SPA, MOOSE JAW, SK

Take a soothing soak anytime of the year in Canada’s largest indoor/outdoor therapeutic geothermal mineral pool on the rooftop of the Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa. Similar to the famous pools in Bath, England, the “liquid gold” waters, piped in from an

STE. ANNE’S SPA, GRAFTON, ON

ancient underground seabed, contain such compounds as Epsom salts and a variety of minerals to soothe weary muscles and relieve tension. At the Sun Tree Spa, aquatic yoga classes take advantage of the water’s buoyancy to improve flexibility and balance in an exceptional rooftop prairie setting. The spa also practices the ancient healing art of reflexology (www.templegardens.sk.ca).

SCANDINAVE SPAS, FOUR LOCATIONS ACROSS CANADA Scandinave Spas are designed so guests may relax and rejuvenate by participating in a cycle of heat therapies, refreshing cool rinses and relaxation periods. The prescribed routine: spend about ten minutes warming your body in a sauna, eucalyptusscented steam bath, hot tub or thermal waterfall. Heating the body helps increase blood circulation which, in turn, cleanses by promoting the elimination of toxins. Then it’s time to close the skin’s pores by cooling off beneath a bracing Nordic waterfall or a dip in a cold tub. The third part of Scandinave’s routine is chill-out time. Snooze in the solarium, swing in a hammock or cosy up with a good book and a cup of organic tea. The warming, chilling and relaxing steps may be repeated as often as you wish. Most people spend at least three hours. The optional final step to ultimate bliss is a relaxing massage that promotes circulation and recharges the body’s cells by releasing toxins. Scandinave Spas are located in Whistler, BC, Blue Mountain, ON and in MontTremblant and Old Montréal, QC (www. scandinave.com ).

SPA OFURO, MORIN-HEIGHTS, QC

Calling All Swingers! Canada’s Finest Fairways Beckon BY ANITA DRAYCOTT

Having chased dimpled white Titleists over six continents in my quest to play the world’s best courses, this golf addict proudly opines that Canada boasts no lack of stellar tracts. My bucket list includes oceanside gems, mountain marvels, prairie bargains and some surprises that have been ranked among the best on the planet. We are spoiled for choice.

THE RISE, VERNON, BC Aptly named, The Rise, a rollicking roller coaster set high above Okanagan Lake, is the design debut of PGA pro Fred Couples in collaboration with Gene Bates. The signature 15th hole challenges players of all levels with a slight downhill left-toright dogleg and a second shot requiring a carry over water to an angled green. Bring your camera as this course is truly a drama queen, and don’t be surprised if your ears pop due to the alpine altitude (www.therise.ca).

TOWER RANCH GOLF CLUB, KELOWNA, BC Just minutes from downtown Kelowna, Tower Ranch continues to make the SCOREGolf Top 100 list. Canadian architect Thomas McBroom transformed a cattle ranch into a rugged gem covered in golden fescue and fragrant wild sage. Plenty of bunkers, including numerous deep ones fringed with wild grasses, are a McBroom trademark. I’ve been in enough of them to give them my own nickname— “McBrunkers” (www.golftowerranch.com).

STEWART CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, CANMORE, AB Formerly a coal mining area, Stewart Creek offers sensational views of the Three Sisters peaks. Despite its formidable setting, Canadian architect Gary Browning accomplished his goal to create a course that is playable and challenging from all five sets of tees. “Too often the forward tees miss the great pleasures of a championship course,” remarked Browning who has succeeded in his intent to “take players’ breath away” (www.stewartcreekgolf.com). THE LINKS AT CROWBUSH COVE, PEI • TOURISM PEI/JOHN SYLVESTER

EVERGREEN GOLF COURSE, NIPAWIN, SK

THE ALGONQUIN GOLF COURSE, ST. ANDREWS, NB

Canadian architect Les Furber’s design of Evergreen Golf Course, set in the middle of a mature forest of Jack pines, spruce and poplar trees, will challenge golfers of all levels. The forest is in play throughout the championship tract, especially on the 15th and 16th holes that are like islands in a sea of trees. Nearby, Tobin Lake attracts avid anglers hoping to break walleye and northern pike records (www.evergreen golfcourse.ca).

The Algonquin Golf Course first opened in 1894 with design input by the acclaimed Donald Ross (of Pinehurst No. 2 fame). It was recently redesigned by Canadian golf course architect, Rod Whitman. The Maritime tract overlooking St. Andrews by-the-Sea and the Bay of Fundy reopened last July with a more links course feel while making the course enjoyable for both casual and serious golfers. (www.algonquinresort.com/golf).

GRANITE HILLS GOLF CLUB, LAC DU BONNET, MB Carved out of the rugged Canadian Shield and spectacular woodlands, Granite Hills, winding its way along the shores of scenic Lac du Bonnet, is Manitoba’s newest golf course—opened in 2007. Lots of elevated tees provide sweeping vistas of five lakeside fairways. For those arriving by boat, Granite Hills has a public dock. The golf scene in Manitoba is surprisingly good and affordable (www.granitehills.ca).

THE BRIARS GOLF CLUB, JACKSON’S POINT, ON The Briars is a private golf club, but guests of The Briars resort have playing privileges. The first nine holes, designed by Stanley Thompson, opened in 1922. In 1971, Stanley Thompson’s able apprentice, Robbie Robinson, created the back nine. In the years following, architect Doug Carrick, who apprenticed for Robinson and his team, made some alterations. Perhaps it’s because of this seemingly seamless series of designers that The Briars has retained the traditional style of a Scottish woodlands course. You can take a cart but it’s really a joy to walk the meticulously manicured fairways and greens shaded by mature trees (www.briarsgolf.com).

FAIRMONT LE CHÂTEAU MONTEBELLO GOLF CLUB, QC Designed in 1929 by Canada’s legendary Stanley Thompson, the Montebello golf course meanders over hilly forested terrain with plenty of rocky outcroppings and wondrous views of the surrounding Laurentian Mountains. Keep an eye out for wildlife as the course is designated as a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary. After your round, check into the Fairmont Château Montebello—possibly the cosiest, yet largest, log cabin in the world (www. fairmont.com/montebello/golf).

CABOT CLIFFS, INVERNESS, CAPE BRETON, NS When Cabot Links opened in 2012 it caused a sensation in the golf world as Canada’s first and only true links course. In 2016 Cabot Cliffs, created by the renowned design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, opened. Fairways tumble and twist down from a forested glade high above the sea. They meander up and over dunes, cross meadows and ravines, and skirt ragged cliffs. Golf Digest has described Cabot Cliffs as, “the second coming of Cypress Point,” and has ranked it 9th on its list of 100 Greatest Golf Courses in the World (www.cabotlinks.com).

THE LINKS AT CROWBUSH COVE, MORELL, PE Thomas McBroom routed his Maritime masterpiece through 1,000-year-old sand

dunes on the Island’s north shore. Each fairway presents its own unique series of challenges. There are nine water holes, plenty of pot bunkers and sudden gusts from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to keep you on your toes. You’ll get great bang for your buck here and on other PEI courses (www.golfpei.ca/course/crow bushcove).

THE WILDS RESORT AND GOLF CLUB, SALMONIER RIVER, HOLYROOD, NL Designed by Robert Heaslip and aptly named, The Wilds is a swath of giddying golf playing up, down, over and through mighty rock outcroppings, stands of fir and spruce, ponds and rivers. It is arguably the toughest test of golf in Newfoundland. Number 18 has to be one of Canada’s best finishing holes. The gushing sound of a waterfall is a tad distracting at the tee of this challenging par five. Remember to stop for a moment and soak in the breathtaking views of the Salmonier River (www.thewilds.ca). For golf course listings across Canada: www.golfadvisor.com/course-directory

Provincial golf associations are listed at the bottom of Golf Canada’s home page: www.golfcanada.ca. STEWART CREEK GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB, CANMORE, AB

56 4,991,687 Victoria www.hellobc.com Victoria International Airport, 25 km (16 mi.) from downtown Vancouver International Airport, 15 km (9 mi.) from downtown Abbotsford International Airport, 9 km (6 mi.) from downtown and 66 km (41 mi.) from Vancouver Kelowna International Airport, 15 km (9 mi.) from downtown

British Columbia VICTORIA HARBOUR • SHUTTERSTOCK/GTS PRODUCTIONS

Canada’s Glorious Gateway BY JOANNE SASVARI

All that natural beauty offers plenty of opportunity for adventure, skiing, sailing, surfing and simply soaking in the scenery. But there is also a dynamic cultural life here, from the ancient traditions of the First Nations Peoples to the joyfully European and Asian international influences in the cuisine.

Canada’s westernmost province is a gateway between Asia to the west and the rest of the country to the east. It is an important centre for trade and commerce with vibrant cosmopolitan cities and flourishing creative industries. It is, above all, a place where work and play, nature and culture, coexist beautifully.

“Beautiful British Columbia,” the licence plates read. And who can argue with that? Towering mountains, lush valleys, crystalline waters, vibrant cities—every corner of the province, it seems, is an Instagramable one.

GETTING VANGROOVY Vancouver is the province’s biggest city, a modern, multicultural metropolis that is regularly rated one of the world’s most livable cities. Bordered by mountains and ocean, it has an easygoing lifestyle that combines outdoor adventure with urban sophistication. Vancouver is home to

57 vineyards, mountain parks and the surfing mecca of Tofino. Between Vancouver Island and the mainland are the Gulf Islands, populated by a quirky mix of artisans and fisherfolk. Further north is Haida Gwaii, a remote archipelago of unspoiled natural beauty and traditional Indigenous culture.

PEAKS OF PERFECTION Think of B.C. as wave upon wave of towering mountain ranges: the Coastal Mountains, Cascades, Selkirks, Kootenays and Rockies, just to name a few. Those mountains are not only scenic, they are also popular destinations for outdoor enthusiasts of all sorts. Many are located in the province’s more than 1,000 parks and protected areas. Others, like Whistler Blackcomb, Sun Peaks and Big White, are world-class ski resorts with full-service villages and year-round activities, including dozens of top-notch golf courses.

COWBOYS AND CHARDONNAY The sunny Thompson and Okanagan valleys stretch through the middle of the province. To the west is the cowboy country of the Thompson region, with its dude ranches and vast grasslands. To the east, the Okanagan is B.C.’s wine country, with its vineyards, orchards and sophisticated culinary culture. Both offer plenty for outdoor enthusiasts to do, whether it’s houseboating on Shuswap Lake, scaling the Skaha Bluffs or cycling along the trestles of the abandoned railway line that hurtles across Myra Canyon.

TATSHENSHINI-ALSEK PROVINCIAL PARK • DESTINATION CANADA/NOEL HENDRICKSON

Canada’s largest and busiest port, as well as thriving film, tech, tourism and green businesses. It is also a centre for culinary excellence, celebrated for its obsession with fresh, seasonal farm-to-table ingredients. From Vancouver, it is just a short drive to the farming communities of Fraser Valley, the exceptional Asian cuisine of Richmond and the seaside communities of the Sunshine Coast.

ISLAND HOPPING Escape to the idyllic isles along the Pacific coast. The largest is Vancouver Island, a ninety-minute ferry ride from the mainland; it is home to B.C.’s historic capital city, Victoria, as well as

Special Events JANUARY – FEBRUARY • DINE OUT VANCOUVER FEBRUARY – MARCH • VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL MARCH • PACIFIC RIM WHALE FESTIVAL, TOFINO/ UCLUELET APRIL • WORLD SKI & SNOWBOARD FESTIVAL, WHISTLER APRIL – MAY • FEAST TOFINO MAY • CLOVERDALE RODEO & COUNTRY FAIR MAY – JUNE • VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL MAY – OCTOBER • RICHMOND NIGHT MARKET JUNE • VICTORIA INDIGENOUS CULTURAL FESTIVAL JUNE – JULY • TD VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL • WILLIAMS LAKE STAMPEDE JUNE – SEPTEMBER • BARD ON THE BEACH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, VANCOUVER JULY • NANAIMO MARINE FESTIVAL & WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BATHTUB RACE JULY – AUGUST • HONDA CELEBRATION OF LIGHT FIREWORKS COMPETITION, VANCOUVER • PRIDE, VANCOUVER AUGUST • THE FILBERG FESTIVAL, COMOX • KAMLOOPA POWWOW, KAMLOOPS SEPTEMBER • VANCOUVER FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL OCTOBER • OKANAGAN FALL WINE FESTIVAL • VANCOUVER WRITERS FEST NOVEMBER • CORNUCOPIA, WHISTLER NOVEMBER – DECEMBER • CANADA’S NATIONAL GINGERBREAD SHOWCASE, VICTORIA

www.HelloBC.com/things-to-do/events

INTO THE WILDERNESS Back in the 1860s, gold was discovered up in the Cariboo region, and the Rush was on. Today, people are more likely to visit the wide open spaces of B.C.’s north for

HAIDA GWAII • DESTINATION CANADA/MAPLE LEAF ADVENTURES

unparalleled wilderness experiences. That could mean bear watching along the northern coast, fly fishing in a rushing river, paddling through the still waters of the Bowron Lakes, camping out under the northern lights, or panning for gold in historic Barkerville.

WHAT’S NEW? Tiny Rossland in the West Kootenays is going big time with the new boutique, ski-in, ski-out Josie Hotel, whose luxurious accommodation and fine cuisine from chef MarcAndre Choquette are expected to transform RED Mountain into an international winter destination (www.thejosie.com). Skip the traffic and enjoy unbeatable views of Vancouver from the comfort of the new Pacific Ferries Hop-On/Off City Boat Tour. Sail from Coal Harbour across Burrard Inlet to North Vancouver, then, at your leisure, hop back on-board for a trip under the Lions Gate Bridge and around Stanley Park to Granville Island (www.pacificferries.ca/ hop-on-boat-tour).

Just a short, scenic trip via SeaBus from downtown, North Vancouver’s newly cool Shipyards District bustles with shops, restaurants, markets, a major art gallery and the SeaSide Hotel—a new chic boutique property (www.lowerlonsdalebia.ca). The Okanagan Valley has welcomed its first urban winery, the legendary Harry McWatters’ TIME Winery—with tasting room, bistro and auditorium—in downtown Penticton (www.timewinery.com). From the highest peaks . . . The new Cloudraker Skybridge and Raven’s Eye Cliff Walk soars over Whistler Bowl at a giddy elevation of 2,182 m (7,160 ft.), offering a bird’s-eye view of Whistler Village and Garibaldi Provincial Park (www.whistler blackcomb.com). . . . To the deepest depths. A helicopter whisks guests from Whistler over B.C.’s southernmost icefield to a frozen cave called The Blue Room, to descend and enjoy a decadent five-course dinner—

59 starting with Champagne and caviar— for a mere $20,000 a couple (www. headlinemountainholidays.com).

CITY LIGHTS Beauty and personality—Vancouver has it all. Think craft beer and food truck festivals, yoga on the beach and glitzy shopping destinations such as North America’s only McArthurGlen Designer Outlet (www. mcarthurglen.com). Embraced by the ocean and mountains, the city features a livable mix of high-rises and heritage homes, graceful gardens and funky neighbourhoods. At its heart is the lushly forested 400-ha (1,000-acre) Stanley Park, one of the world’s great urban parks. But Vancouver is also the glittering glass towers of downtown; the multicultural neighbourhoods of Chinatown, Little Italy and Little India; the hipster cool of Gastown and the trendy restaurants of Kitsilano; as well as attractions including Science World, the North Shore ski hills and Capilano Suspension Bridge Park (www.tourismvancouver.com). Across the Strait of Georgia, at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is a city of historic charm, passionate foodies and endless outdoor activities. It is

VICTORIA CONFERENCE CENTRE • DESTINATION CANADA/BRETT RYAN

considered by many to be Canada’s most cycling-friendly city, and is home to several spectacular gardens, including the worldrenowned Butchart Gardens. Many of the city’s attractions cluster around the bustling Inner Harbour, including the floating homes of Fisherman’s Wharf, the

Royal BC Museum and the neo-baroque BC Parliament Buildings (www.tourism victoria.com). Head inland to the Okanagan Valley and you’ll come to Kelowna, a bustling centre of commerce, technological innovation and wine culture (www.tourismkelowna.com).

Exclusive Spa Treatments • Exceptional Fine Dining • Live Entertainment Nightly Exclusive Spa Treatments • Exceptional Fine Dining • Live Entertainment Nightly

Downtown Vancouver, Canada Downtown Vancouver, Canada reservations@wedgewoodhotel.com • 1.800.663.0666 • wedgewoodhotel.com reservations@wedgewoodhotel.com • 1.800.663.0666 • wedgewoodhotel.com

THE GREAT OUTDOORS In British Columbia, the great outdoors truly is just that—great: from ocean playground to mountain peaks, windswept plains and fertile farmland. Head for the hills. This mountainous province boasts 13 major ski resorts (and many smaller ones) with epic powder, heart-stopping descents and pristine backcountry bowls, as well as miles of trails for those who prefer skinny skis and snowshoes. In summer, the resorts turn their lifts and trails over to daredevil mountain bikers and hikers eager to explore the alpine meadows. But you don’t have to climb a mountain to find adventure here. Awash as it is with rivers, lakes and the Pacific Ocean, B.C. is popular for water sport enthusiasts. You can sail alongside orcas in Desolation Sound, paddle the Bowron Lakes, raft down the Fraser Canyon, surf the waves near Tofino or cast for trout in Lake Country. Those who prefer to stay on dry land can also hike through dozens of national and provincial parks or ride a horse under the endless skies in the grasslands. Even city slickers can find mountains to climb

and waters to sail right in their own backyard.

Quick Fact HUNDREDS OF SPECIES OF BIRDS VISIT B.C. EACH YEAR—INCLUDING THE DESIGNATED IMPORTANT BIRD AREA (IBA) BOUNDARY BAY—WHEN THEY MIGRATE ALONG THE PACIFIC FLYWAY FROM ALASKA TO PATAGONIA.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE First there were the Indigenous Peoples who fished, hunted and traded for some 10,000 years in what is now British Columbia. Then the Europeans arrived, followed by newcomers from Asia. Today, the three cultural strands are woven together here, vibrantly and indelibly. First Nations culture is preserved in many galleries and museums, including the renowned UBC Museum of Anthropology (www.moa.ubc.ca), and thrives in authentic experiences such as the Kamloopa Powwow (www.indigenous bc.com). Stories of the Europeans who arrived to extract B.C.’s vast natural

SNOWMOBILE TOUR, WHISTLER • WHISTLER TOURISM/THE ADVENTURE GROUP

resources in the 18th and 19th centuries come to life in Barkerville, a former Gold Rush town turned living museum (www. barkerville.ca), or the Fort Langley National Historic Site (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ langley). The Asian experience is captured in the historic Chinatowns of Victoria and Vancouver, as well as in the City of Richmond, with its modern Asian shopping malls (www.visitrichmondbc.com). And all three traditions come together at the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ gulfofgeorgiacannery).

MUST SEE, MUST DO Climb the Via Ferrata—an “iron road” of cables, ladders and handholds up Whistler Mountain (www.whistler.com). Then swing over to Whistler’s Audain Art Museum to take in a remarkable collection of works by B.C. artists (www.audainartmuseum.com). In Vancouver, take the foot passenger ferry across False Creek to Granville Island and its galleries, shops, restaurants, theatres and popular Public Market (www.granville island.com).

VANCOUVER AT DUSK • SHUTTERSTOCK/R.M. NUNES

At the Great Bear Rainforest on B.C.’s northern coast, First Nations guides will take you on a search for the elusive white kermode spirit bear (www.spiritbear.com). Go faster, higher, stronger at the Richmond Olympic Experience, North America’s first official member of the Olympic Museums Network (www.richmondoval.ca/therox). Join a whale watching tour from Tofino. You’ll spot dolphins, orcas, sea lions and, if you’re lucky, majestic humpbacks frolicking in the waters off Vancouver Island (www. tourismtofino.com).

bountiful Okanagan Valley vineyards (www.route97.net). The Pacific Marine Circle Route meanders from Cowichan Valley’s wineries to the towering rainforests of remote southwest Vancouver Island, with panoramic ocean views along the way (www.circleroute.ca). Take the week-long Hot Springs Circle Route through the Kootenay Rockies and soak in the region’s spectacular mountain views as well as its mineral-rich hot springs. For info on these and other driving trips visit: www.hellobc.com/travel-ideas/road-trips

Taking tea at the Fairmont Empress Hotel is a longstanding Victoria tradition. Even better? Cocktails. Stop by for the royal purple Q 1908 cocktail at the hotel’s chic Q Bar (www.fairmont.com/empress-victoria).

SCENIC DRIVES From the rushing waters of Hell’s Gate to the First Nations heritage village of Tuckkwiowhum, the winding Fraser Canyon scenic drive along Highway 1 offers a thrill a minute, with delicious stops en route. The open road of Route 97 takes you from the windswept grasslands of the Thompson River Valley cowboy country through the

FAMILY FUN Little ones (and big ones, too!) will love meeting British Columba’s wilder residents. Whale watching off Vancouver Island is an epic adrenaline rush, but you can also hang with sea lions and other marine creatures at the Vancouver Aquarium (www.vanaqua.org). Learn about cougars and coyotes at the BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops (www.bcwildlife. org), go bug-eyed at the Victoria Bug Zoo (www.victoriabugzoo.ca) and The Exploration Place Museum and Science Centre in Prince George (www.theexplorationplace.com), or visit the resident grizzlies at Grouse Mountain (www.grousemountain.com).

Park Pick

KOOTENAY NATIONAL PARK

Icy waterfalls and steamy hot springs. Deep canyons and towering mountain peaks. Remote wilderness within easy reach. Kootenay National Park, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a place of beautiful contrasts. It is long and narrow, running eight km (five mi.) on either side of Highway 93 in southeastern B.C. Its quirky shape is the result of a 1920 agreement between the provincial and federal governments that created the park in exchange for a highway through the Rocky Mountains. As a result, rugged though it is, many of the park’s greatest attractions are easily accessible, even by wheelchair, including the popular healing Radium Hot Springs (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/kootenay). Forget the map, use the app: To explore Kootenay National Park, download Parks Canada’s first guided driving tour app, Explora Kootenay.

National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888

4,307,110 Edmonton www.travelalberta.com Calgary International Airport, 18.4 km (11 mi.) from downtown Edmonton International Airport, 30 km (19 mi.) from downtown

Alberta PEACE BRIDGE, CALGARY • SHUTTERSTOCK/EB ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY

Urban Art, Alpine Vistas and Cowboy Trails

Backdropped by the Rocky Mountains to the west and great swaths of prairie to the east, Alberta is first and foremost an outdoor lover’s paradise. Five of Canada’s national parks are found in Alberta, beckoning travellers year-round with a myriad of recreational offerings such as skiing, boating and hiking—along with more esoteric pursuits such as ice walking, caving and skijoring (dog-assisted Nordic skiing).

BY SUSAN MATE Urban escape artists flock to Alberta’s two largest cities, Edmonton and Calgary, for retail therapy, gourmet dining, rustic spas and shopping at North America’s largest shopping and entertainment complex, West Edmonton Mall. Alberta is blessed with a diverse heritage that encompasses First Nations history, pioneer spirit and a rich immigrant culture that draws New Canadians from all parts of the globe. The annual Calgary Stampede

celebrates all things cowboy and rodeo early each July. Edmonton K-Days follows up with a tribute to northern Alberta’s Klondike heritage, while dozens of other festivals across the province celebrate Alberta’s unique pockets of regional pride—think perogies in Vegreville, or beef jerky in Longview. An acclaimed new Central Library in Calgary’s revitalized East Village opened last fall and is an architectural marvel. Edmonton’s renewed Royal Alberta Museum opened

downtown in October to similar recognition. The biggest urban centres, Edmonton and Calgary, are cosmopolitan cities, while smaller cities including Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge and Airdrie serve as important regional hubs for shopping, government, tourism and agriculture/industry. Alberta’s dining scene is innovative and fiercely local, emphasizing Rocky Mountain Cuisine such as game, fish and world-famous

LAKE LOUISE • SHUTTERSTOCK/TIMOTHY YUE

offers a great opportunity to photograph wildlife, including its resident buffalo and, of course, elk. Alberta’s glacier-fed waterways—particularly the Bow and Red Deer rivers—lure anglers with the promise of top-notch trout fishing. In the same day, visitors can play the back nine of a world-class golf course, hopscotch past cactus patches in search of ancient rock carvings in the desert, and then retire to the hotel hot tub to watch the sunset.

VENTURING OUT

grain-fed beef. From upscale hotel dining rooms in the big city to eclectic alpine bistros in Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise, the restaurants consistently win international awards.

NATURE’S WONDERLAND Provincial recreational areas help keep Albertans and their visitors outdoors. Spread across 661,848 sq. km (255,541 sq. mi.) of pristine terrain, the five major snow resorts and sprawling backcountry lure powder-hounds from November to May. Try dogsledding through the untouched Spray Lakes valley, or take a guided ice walk in frozen Maligne Canyon near Jasper. The lakes of Kananaskis Country are a delight for ice fishing in winter and boating, hiking and cycling in the summer. The 4,645-sq. m (50,000-sq. ft.) Kananaskis Nordic Spa opened late last year with outdoor hot, warm and cold pools and treatment rooms. Elk Island National Park east of Edmonton

Float your boat down a river or head for calmer waters along Lake Minnewanka or Moraine Lake in Banff National Park. Bonus: hear the crack of avalanches overhead, well out of your path but still powerful. Chase champagne powder from the top of first-rate resorts such as Sunshine Village, Lake Louise or Marmot Basin, or explore them in summer to unveil abundant wildlife and colourful carpets of wildflowers. Canada Olympic Park in northwest Calgary has a national athlete training centre, a snow park and Olympic museum, while Peter Lougheed Provincial Park boasts unparalleled opportunities for adventure all year-round. Bar U Ranch National Historic Site, south of Calgary, chronicles pioneer life from 1882 to 1950; this pristine setting in the shadow of the southern Rockies is featured on many postcards. Travellers with time on their hands head north to Wood Buffalo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site with 44,807 sq. km (17,300 sq. mi.) of protected wilderness where the endangered whooping crane and the world’s largest herd of free-roaming wood bison can be found.

WHAT’S NEW? The stunning Royal Alberta Museum reopened in Edmonton’s downtown Arts District after three years of renovation. The largest museum in Western Canada now includes double the display space, over 5,300 exhibits and an expansive gift shop with a major emphasis on Alberta artisans. Two massive bronze mammoth sculptures dominate its bright lobby, while a sizeable Bug Gallery features live invertebrates and the Children’s Gallery engages the youngest visitors in hands-on interactive activities. With numerous research activities, the new RAM is home to curatorial programs on topics such as military and political history, botany and mammalogy. It also supports a variety of international touring exhibits (www.royalalbertamuseum.ca). The architecturally striking new Calgary Central Library is a $245-million spectacle adjacent to the popular National Music Centre, east of downtown’s office towers. With its swooping front archway clad with red cedar wood (which also dominates the interior stairs and walkways), the 22,300 sq. m (240,000 sq. ft.) library’s many features include a public art exhibit, a performance hall, community meeting spaces, Indigenous Place Making and early learning centres. It has been called a “place for the people” because it welcomes everyone (www. calgarylibrary.ca/new-central-library). For the first time in more than a century, wild plains bison can be seen roaming in Banff National Park. Hailed as an historic and cultural conservation triumph, the

Special Events JANUARY • ICE MAGIC FESTIVAL, LAKE LOUISE JANUARY – FEBRUARY • ICE ON WHYTE ICE CARVING FESTIVAL, EDMONTON JUNE • SLED ISLAND MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL, CALGARY • WATERTON WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL JULY • CALGARY STAMPEDE • CANADIAN BADLANDS PASSION PLAY, DRUMHELLER • EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL STREET PERFORMERS FESTIVAL • K-DAYS, EDMONTON • VUL-CON, VULCAN AUGUST • BIG VALLEY JAMBOREE, CAMROSE • CANMORE FOLK MUSIC FESTIVAL • EDMONTON INTERNATIONAL FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL NOVEMBER • AGRI-TRADE EXPOSITION, RED DEER

www.travelalberta.com/ca/ things-to-do/events-festivals

herd of 31 bison was released last July from an enclosed pasture to travel freely through a 1,200 sq. km (463 sq. mi.) “reintroduction zone” along the remote eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Canada’s first national park. Parks Canada is monitoring the herd over the next several years to determine if it is feasible for the giant creatures to roam freely long-term.

CITY LIGHTS Alberta’s two major cities offer quite different insights into the province, though they share a love of green space, sprawling river pathways and tidy, bustling downtowns. The provincial capital of Edmonton is a government city with a grand legislature building, a thriving arts community and numerous galleries, craft stores and art shops. Most can be found along trendy Whyte Avenue or in the downtown arts district, the location of the modern Art Gallery of Alberta, the new Royal Alberta Museum, the Winspear Centre and the Citadel Theatre. The meandering North Saskatchewan River cuts a steep swath through the city north of downtown, and can be explored by canoe or raft (www. edmonton.ca). The “Festival City” boasts more than 60 events a year. Its long winters are cause for several events including the Ice on Whyte winter festival in January/February. Summer offerings include the Fringe Theatre Festival, the Folk Music Festival, K-Days and Heritage Festival. North America’s largest indoor shopping complex is like a self-contained mini-city. West Edmonton Mall spans the equivalent of 48 city blocks, has 800+ retail/food outlets and the year-round World Waterpark. Fort Edmonton Park along the North Saskatchewan River showcases the fur trade and Gold Rush eras. Calgary’s office towers, which contain the majority of Canada’s oil and gas company headquarters, were built to showcase the Rockies on the western horizon. An innercity energy hub called the Bow Tower is a modern architectural skyscraper that covers

BANFF NATIONAL PARK • TRAVEL AB/BANFF & LAKE LOUISE TOURISM/PAUL ZIZKA

two city blocks. Nearby Chinatown segues to the Bow River pathway and the ongoing redevelopment of the East Village has revitalized this historic section of east downtown. The city has preserved much of the sandstone buildings along Stephen Avenue Walk, where many great restaurants and shops are found, along with the Glenbow Museum, Olympic Plaza and the Calgary Tower. Numerous retail stores and eateries are also part of The CORE complex (www. visitcalgary.com). Residents are devout nature lovers, flocking to the city’s network of river pathways as well as the inner city Prince’s Island Park, Inglewood Bird Sanctuary, and Bowness Park and its pretty lagoon, where families can skate in winter and canoe and paddleboat in summer. Just west of City Hall, Olympic Plaza is a busy festival and performance venue that hosted the 1988 Winter Olympic ceremonies. The Calgary Zoo is renowned for its conservation initiatives while, south of the city, Spruce Meadows attracts equestrians to several international show-jumping competitions each summer.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Head for the hills from summer to fall for a guided multi-day backcountry pack trip on horseback. Sleep under the stars and listen to coyotes howl in a riverside tent camp in Dinosaur Provincial Park, home to some of the planet’s largest fossil beds and fantastic interpretive programs. Or scramble up the Via Ferrata (Italian for iron path), a rope and cable-assisted mountain journey at Mt. Norquay near Banff. Should winter be your season, abundant ice-climbing, skiing, fishing, snowshoeing and ATV journeys can be found across the province. Explore the snow-caked Spray Lakes valley on dogsled. Drive the winter ice road to Fort Chipewyan, Alberta’s oldest First Nations community north of Fort McMurray, or photograph wildflowers among the alpine lakes at Sunshine Village resort west of Banff or the Plain of Six Glaciers trail near Lake Louise.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE The province’s history is just over a century old, but the First Nations heritage dates to prehistoric times. Métis Crossing, northeast of Edmonton, offers a taste of the musical culture created by the melding of First Nations Peoples with European settlers in the 19th century. Fort Edmonton tells of the city’s Gold Rush era, when these same voyageurs paved the way for the fur trade.

65 Calgary’s Heritage Park Historical Village overlooks the calm waters of the Glenmore Reservoir—where dragon boat racing and other water sports are held. History is also chronicled at Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, one of five UNESCO sites in Alberta, or Blackfoot Crossing—a modern interpretive centre built into the Bow River bluffs east of Calgary. Explore transportation history at the Remington Carriage Museum at Cardston, or hop aboard an open-air biplane at Reynolds-Alberta Museum for a bird’s-eye view of the prairies around Camrose and Wetaskiwin. Paleontology enthusiasts will want to head north to the City of Wembley—24 km (15 mi.) west of Grande Prairie—to tour the Philip J. Currie Dinosaur Museum, which chronicles the work done to preserve the world’s largest hornbill dinosaur bonebed.

Quick Fact THE WILD ROSE BLOOMS ABUNDANTLY ACROSS ALBERTA; IT BECAME THE OFFICIAL FLOWER IN 1930.

MUST SEE, MUST DO Rogers Place is Edmonton’s shiny new conference centre and indoor sports & entertainment hub, but many visitors come here to see the colourful floor murals and other works of art by legendary First Nations artist Alex Janvier (www.rogersplace.com). Nestled into the lush coulees of the Rosebud River Valley, the abandoned railway town of Rosebud was overtaken by a group of faith-based artists three decades ago. They created a thriving professional theatre school and arts centre that offers high-calibre, family-friendly theatre and music. Many tourists stroll along the hamlet’s two streets, which are spattered with funky art shops and galleries (www. rosebudtheatre.com). Historic Fort Macleod, in southern Alberta, is the birthplace of the North-West Mounted Police—now the RCMP. The first musical ride in Canada was held in the town in 1876. Modelled after British Army cavalry drills, the musical ride is held four times daily in July and August (www.nwmpmuseum.com).

SCENIC DRIVES Icefields Parkway: Ranked one of the most scenic drives in Canada, Highway 93 from Jasper to Lake Louise is a 237-km (147-mi.)

CHURCHILL SQUARE, EDMONTON • TRAVEL AB/SABRINA HILL

stretch that zips past dozens of waterfalls, glaciers, emerald lakes and rocky gorges. A gateway to the Alaska Highway, the town of Jasper is a portal to nearby destinations such as Athabasca and Sunwapta falls, Miette Hot Springs and Maligne Lake (www.icefieldsparkway.com). Deh Cho Trail: The best of northern Alberta is found along this 758-km (471-mi.) journey northwest of Edmonton to High Level. It offers vast tracts of stunning wilderness with countless lakes and rivers; the boreal forests, parkland and wetlands are teeming with wildlife including rare birds. Explore old fur trade posts at historic sites such as Fort Vermilion, or cross Alberta’s longest vehicle suspension bridge over the Peace River at Dunvegan. Cowboy Trail: Western heritage takes the spotlight along this scenic Highway 22 drive through the foothills of the Rockies between Pincher Creek and Mayerthorpe. Highlights of the 700-km (435-mi.) route include Bar U Ranch National Historic Site and historic Cochrane RancheHouse (www. thecowboytrail.com).

FAMILY FUN Don’t miss the World Waterpark at West Edmonton Mall, the Calgary Zoo’s Penguin Plunge or The Brainasium outdoor centre/ slide at the TELUS Spark Centre. Kids enjoy the Tropical Pyramid at the Muttart Conservatory. The Great Canadian Barn Dance at Hillspring features campfires, music and food (www.gcbd.ca), while the Innisfail Discovery Wildlife Park is a 36 ha

(90 acre) zoo housing more than 40 species of orphaned animals including bears, wolves and lions (www.discoverywildlifepark.com). The Royal Tyrrell Museum offers a Jurassic joyride; also the chance to climb into the belly of the World’s Largest Dinosaur in Drumheller in the Canadian Badlands.

Park Pick

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOUSE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

Immerse yourself in nine authentic Indigenous cultures at this former fur-trading post along the confluence of the mighty North Saskatchewan and Clearwater rivers, where 200 years of fur trade heritage have been brought to life. Play traditional Blackfoot games or cook bannock (unleavened bread) using just a stick and an open campfire. Tap your toes in harmony with a local drummer or dancer, or learn to make a Native dream catcher. Bed down for the night in a teepee or Métis trapper’s tent under a canopy of stars. Step into the wide-bottomed York boats built to navigate the northern trading routes, or check out the authentic Red River carts that brought Métis settlers West across Saskatchewan and Manitoba (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ rockymountainhouse).

National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888

66 1,162,062 Regina www.tourismsaskatchewan.com Regina International Airport, 8 km (5 mi.) from downtown Skyxe, Saskatoon Airport, 6 km (4 mi.) from downtown

Saskatchewan SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER, SASKATOON • TOURISM SASKATOON

Cityscapes to Nature Escapes BY ROBIN AND ARLENE KARPAN

NATURE AT ITS FINEST Head south to ride the open range in some of the largest expanses of rare native grasslands left in North America, explore rugged badlands or venture north to choose among 100,000 lakes famous for fishing, and a boundless network of unspoiled wild rivers. Then there are unique land-

scapes such as the Cypress Hills with its enchanting mix of highlands, grasslands and forest (www.cypresshills.com), or the spire-like Sandcastles formation of Lake Diefenbaker. Saskatchewan is the sand dune capital of Canada, boasting both the largest and second largest dunes in the country, plus a

Saskatchewan’s appeal lies in its tremendous array of landscapes, culture, and travel discoveries. Experience the rural charm of Canada’s agricultural heartland. Indulge in the urban pleasures of its fast-growing cities. Or venture off the beaten track to explore breathtaking wilderness.

few others thrown in for variety. The vast, other-worldly Athabasca Sand Dunes are some of the largest active dunes this far north anywhere in the world. Situated along the south shore of Lake Athabasca in a pristine northern setting, these dunes support some 50 rare plants and offer the ultimate wilderness adventure.

DOWNWARD GOAT YOGA AT GROTTO GARDENS, MAPLE CREEK • TOURISM SK/CHRIS HENDRICKSON

Wilcox, just south of Regina. It houses the largest collection of 13th to 17th century books and manuscripts in Canada—everything from original treatises of philosophers and saints to handwritten decrees by popes and kings. To really go back in time, as much as 6,000 years, head to Wanuskewin Heritage Park in a scenic valley on Saskatoon’s northern outskirts (www. wanuskewin.com). It is considered among the best examples of pre-contact occupation sites on the North American Great Plains. Ancient archaeological finds including a bison kill site and medicine wheel meld with a vibrant present-day Indigenous culture. Wanuskewin Heritage Park has been named to Canada’s tentative list for UNESCO World Heritage sites.

ENJOYING THE BEST A RICH LEGACY With locations in Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, North Battleford and Yorkton, the Western Development Museum is the most prominent chronicler of Saskatchewan’s early years (www.wdm.ca). The Hepburn Museum of Wheat, a half-hour north of Saskatoon, makes it easy to experience that most iconic prairie symbol—the traditional wooden grain elevator. Two national historic sites, Fort Walsh and Fort Battleford, bring to life the early days of the North-West Mounted Police, and their role in establishing law and order in the West (www.parkscanada. gc.ca/fortwalsh; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ battleford). Visitors are always awe-struck by the remarkable rare book collection at the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame in

Given that Saskatchewan is a major food producer, it is not surprising that folks here like to eat well. With a cuisine reflecting local products and the province’s diverse ethnic makeup, there are more food-centred events than you can shake a skewer stick at. Try Mortlach’s Saskatoon Berry Festival (www.mortlach.ca) or Saskatoon’s Taste of Saskatchewan (www.tasteofsaskatchewan.ca). Calling Saskatchewan golf-crazy is an understatement; the number of courses per capita is among the highest in the country. Choose from hidden gems in small communities to famous award-winners such as Dakota Dunes Golf Links (www. dakotadunes.ca), named among the top public courses in Canada by SCOREGolf. For an extensive listing, see www.sask golfer.com.

WHAT’S NEW Celebrate Saskatchewan’s rich rural heritage aboard the Wheatland Express Excursion Train, running between the communities of Wakaw and Cudworth. Especially popular are the themed tours, some including dinners. Among this year's lineup are Train Heists, the Hillbilly Wedding and the Magical Christmas Express (www.wheatland express.ca). Saskatours is a venture offering chauffeured food and beverage tours around Saskatoon. The Eat Sask tour includes five stops at local restaurants, while the Drink Sask tour includes three stops to sample local beers and ciders (www.saskatours.com). Newly formed Porcupine Hills Provincial Park preserves scenic forested lakelands in eastern Saskatchewan known for great camping and fishing plus its rich Indigenous history. Particularly enticing are some small, intimate campgrounds next to picture-perfect lakes.

CITY LIGHTS Regina’s heart is Wascana Centre, one of the largest urban parks in North America and home to several key attractions including the Saskatchewan Legislative Building, lined by an impressive summer flower garden; the Saskatchewan Science Centre and Kramer IMAX Theatre; and the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, interpreting everything from the Age of Dinosaurs to Saskatchewan’s diverse landscapes and wildlife, and Indigenous Peoples link to the land (www.wascana.sk.ca). Government

Special Events FEBRUARY • CANADIAN CHALLENGE SLED DOG RACE, LA RONGE APRIL • FIRST NATIONS UNIVERSITY OF CANADA POWWOW, REGINA MAY • YORKTON FILM FESTIVAL—GOLDEN SHEAF AWARDS JUNE • NUTRIEN CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL OF SASKATCHEWAN, SASKATOON • SASKPOWER WINDSCAPE KITE FESTIVAL, SWIFT CURRENT • SASKTEL SASKATCHEWAN JAZZ FESTIVAL, SASKATOON JULY • BACK TO BATOCHE DAYS, BATOCHE • COUNTRY THUNDER MUSIC FESTIVAL, CRAVEN • NESS CREEK MUSIC FESTIVAL NEAR BIG RIVER • SASKATCHEWAN FESTIVAL OF WORDS, MOOSE JAW • WOOD MOUNTAIN SPORTS & STAMPEDE JULY – AUGUST • RCMP SUNSET RETREAT CEREMONIES, REGINA AUGUST • NUTRIEN FIREWORKS FESTIVAL, SASKATOON • REGINA FOLK FESTIVAL • SASKATCHEWAN PREMIER’S WALLEYE CUP FISHING TOURNAMENT, NIPAWIN OCTOBER • NHL HERITAGE CLASSIC, REGINA NOVEMBER • CANADIAN WESTERN AGRIBITION, REGINA

www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/ things-to-do/events

CROOKED LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK • TOURISM SK/GREG HUSZAR PHOTOGRAPHY

House, with its impressive Edwardian Garden, captures a bygone era when this was the residence of the Lieutenant Governor (www.governmenthousesk.ca). Regina is famous as home of the RCMP, where Mounties have trained since 1885. The RCMP Heritage Centre showcases the history of this world-renowned police force (www.rcmphc.com). Saskatoon’s most defining feature is its beautiful riverbank along the South Saskatchewan River—home to parks, walking trails, numerous festivals and the popular River Landing development in the south downtown (www.tourismsaskatoon. com). For a different perspective of the heart of Saskatoon, climb aboard the Prairie Lily riverboat for a one-hour river cruise, or opt for a Sunday brunch or dinner cruise (www.theprairielily.com).

FORT WALSH NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE • TOURISM SK/GREG HUSZAR PHOTOGRAPHY

Moose Jaw has capitalized on its Roaring Twenties’ past when it was a hotbed for Prohibition-era bootlegging and gangster activity. The Tunnels of Moose Jaw runs tours recreating this colourful time when Al Capone was rumoured to have been a regular visitor (www.tunnelsofmoosejaw.com).

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Saskatchewan is known as a stellar canoeing destination with everything from adrenaline-pumping whitewater to tranquility in stunning wilderness. Churchill River Canoe Outfitters is the go-to source for guided trips, equipment rentals and advice (www.churchillriver canoe.com). Get a taste for ranch life in Cypress Hills’ cowboy country where the Historic Reesor Ranch offers everything from trail rides to cattle drives (www. reesorranch.com). The fishing in Saskatchewan is legendary, where trophy-sized catches are practically taken for granted. For the ultimate experience, head to a remote fly-in lodge for a combination of exceptional fishing and resort-style pampering in pristine forested lakelands. The Saskatchewan Commission of Professional Outfitters lists sport fishing operators that meet high standards (www.scpo.ca). Situated on the Central North American Migratory Flyway, Saskatchewan is a birdwatcher’s dream. Among the easiest hot spots to visit is Chaplin Lake, right beside the Trans-Canada Highway. The lake is so significant that the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network named it a Site of Hemispheric Importance.

69 Each spring, a hundred thousand migrating shorebirds of some 30 species stop here to feed on their northward migration, including half the world’s sanderlings. Learn more from the exhibits at the Chaplin Nature Centre or take in a tour (www. chaplintourism.com).

HERITAGE AND CULTURE Follow driving tours through the Trails of 1885 to relive a challenging era in the development of the West, when disappearance of the buffalo and the increasing pace of settlement led to unrest by some Indigenous bands and the Métis under Louis Riel (www.trailsof1885.com). A great way to get in touch with Saskatchewan’s contemporary Indigenous culture is to attend a powwow. Powerful drumming, chanting singers and swirling dancers in brilliant outfits make for an unforgettable experience. Powwows carry on traditions, but also serve as social gatherings and dance competitions. Above all, they are a lot of fun. One of the biggest is the annual Spring Powwow at Regina’s First Nations University (www.fnuniv.ca/ powwow). Saskatchewan culture is defined by its rich mixture of ethnic backgrounds. Saskatoon’s Ukrainian Museum of Canada, for example, chronicles the contributions of this prominent segment of Saskatchewan’s makeup (www.umc.sk.ca). In northeast Saskatchewan, find out more about the Doukhobors at the National Doukhobor Heritage Village at Veregin.

Quick Fact LAST MOUNTAIN LAKE NATIONAL WILDLIFE AREA IS THE OLDEST BIRD SANCTUARY IN NORTH AMERICA.

DOWNTOWN REGINA • TOURISM SK/GREG HUSZAR PHOTOGRAPHY

(75-mi.) Boreal Trail across Meadow Lake Provincial Park’s picture-perfect forested lakelands. Dedicated backcountry campsites make for a true wilderness experience. The Great Sand Hills are Canada’s second largest sand dunes, eclipsed only by Saskatchewan’s remote Athabasca Sand Dunes. These, however, are easily accessible; simply drive right up to massive walls of sand beside the road, then go for a hike. Set the stage with a stop at the Great Sandhills Museum & Interpretive Centre in Sceptre, then follow the signs south to the magical landscape (www.greatsandhills museum.com).

SCENIC DRIVES With diverse landscapes and enough roads to circle the equator four times, Saskatchewan is tailor-made for hitting the open road.

MUST SEE, MUST DO

Drive a third of the way across Saskatchewan while never leaving the picturesque Qu’Appelle Valley.

Camp, rent a teepee, or stay in an oTENTik in Grasslands National Park to experience the wild prairie at its finest (www.park scanada.gc.ca/grasslands).

Wander Cactus Hills backroads through one of the world’s largest glacial push ridges, surprisingly close to Regina and Moose Jaw.

Witness one of Nature’s most awesome spectacles as hundreds of thousands of migrating geese, cranes and other waterfowl stage in late September and October. Hot spots include Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area and the Quill Lakes International Bird Area. Challenge yourself on Saskatchewan’s longest documented hike, the 120-km

Rather than the busy main highway between Saskatoon and Regina, take a route past the eastern edge of Lake Diefenbaker. Enjoy lakeshore and river valleys, spectacular sand dunes, and parks offering hiking, golfing, and fishing. Several routes are outlined in the guidebook, Saskatchewan’s Best Scenic Drives (www.parklandpublishing.com).

FAMILY FUN While youngsters may be impressed by dinosaur replicas, nothing compares to seeing the “real” thing moving and roaring. Named Megamunch by local school children, the half-sized robotic Tyrannosaurus rex is the most kid-friendly highlight of Regina’s Royal Saskatchewan Museum. Kids are even invited to friend Megamunch on Facebook —if they dare (www.royalsaskmuseum.ca).

Park Pick

PRINCE ALBERT NATONAL PARK

Grey Owl called it one of Canada’s greatest wilderness playgrounds. Saskatchewan’s largest protected area is almost smack in the centre of the province, preserving a transition zone from southern aspen parkland and fescue grasslands to northern boreal forest. Almost a third of the park is water, with huge lakes, small ponds, rivers and streams and wildlife-rich wetlands galore. Canoeing and other watersports are especially popular. Tiny Ajawaan Lake is where Canada’s famous conservationist, Grey Owl, lived, worked, wrote his bestselling books and was finally buried. The hike or canoe trip to his cabin is a pilgrimage to the home of a Canadian icon (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ princealbert).

National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888

Manitoba BELUGA WHALES, CHURCHILL • DESTINATION CANADA/LAZY BEAR EXPEDITIONS

Warm, Wet, Wild and Wonderful

Most of Manitoba is still pure, wild nature, ripe for adventure, punctuated by occasional reserves and mining towns. The bulk of the population lives on the flat Prairies, and most live in the cities of Brandon, Portage la Prairie and Winnipeg.

BY JUDY WAYTIUK Today, Indigenous, French, British and Scottish heritages blend with Vietnamese, Japanese, Ethiopian, Filipino and dozens more immigrants, creating a vibrant cultural mix. There is no better showcase to sample that mix than through Folklorama, the early August celebration of Manitoba’s people, where immigrants and their children create pavilions that showcase their food, history, and culture. Visit some four dozen countries all in the span of two solid weeks

(www.folklorama.ca). But visitors who don’t make it to Folklorama can drop into city neighbourhoods and traditional ethnic communities anytime; they all offer their own mini-cultural immersions: Corydon Avenue’s Little Italy; the city centre’s tiny, vibrant Chinatown; the Filipino stretch along Ellice Avenue; and a sprinkling of tiny, family-run Southeast Asian eateries, from Japanese to Vietnamese. Winnipeg is the province’s dominant city, sitting just west of the precise

longitudinal centre of Canada—30 km 19 mi.) east of the city, on the Trans-Canada Highway at 96 degrees, 38 minutes and 45 seconds west. But the entire province, smack in the middle of Canada, is a playground for more adventurous souls seeking the beauty and solitude of unspoiled nature. Rugged Precambrian Shield granite, lush with forests and thousands of lakes to the northeast, gives way to rolling hills and vast, rich, agricultural prairie to the southwest. Dead centre

WINNIPEG • SHUTTERSTOCK/SBSHOT87

1,352,154 Winnipeg www.travelmanitoba.com Winnipeg Richardson International Airport, 10 km (6 mi.) from downtown

are three massive lakes: Manitoba, Winnipegosis and Winnipeg (Canada’s 13th, 11th and 6th largest, respectively).

GOING, GOING, GONE WILD With all that wilderness, it’s no wonder many of the province’s more than ten million annual visitors are recreational hunters and fishermen headed for remote lodges and small towns tucked away in thick lake or riverside forests. As well, paddlers, hikers, photographers and wildlife viewers love these natural areas, and families can pitch tents or park campers in one of dozens of provincial parks, or settle into hotel rooms from two to five-star rated. In Riding Mountain National Park, campsites and hotels abound around crystal clear, icy cold Clear Lake and the historic townsite of Wasagaming (www. parkscanada.gc.ca/riding).

The three big lakes are fringed by summer-oriented towns and villages, and an October or November visit to far northern Churchill virtually guarantees sightings of increasingly-endangered polar bears in their natural setting (www.churchill wild.com; www.lazybearlodge.com; www. frontiersnorth.com), and probable displays of aurora borealis. Flooding washed out the rail line to Churchill two years ago, but repairs last fall has the trains running again. And there’s a whole lot more to be discovered in this varied province.

WHAT’S NEW? The Winnipeg Art Gallery hosts Vision Exchange: Perspectives from India to Canada. Assembled originally by the Art Gallery of Alberta and the National Gallery of Canada, it brings together the work of 20 contemporary artists from India along with artists of Indian heritage living in Canada, and is the largest exhibition of its kind to be presented in Manitoba. It’s on from May 11 to September 8 (www.wag.ca). At the Manitoba Museum, Body Worlds: Animal Inside Out takes visitors on an anatomical safari of more than 100 “plastinated” specimens, including giraffes, goats, octopi, a giant squid, and a reindeer. No animals were harmed for this exhibition. It runs from April 17 to September 2 (www.manitobamuseum.ca) Portage la Prairie’s Whoop and Hollar Folk Festival, the Rural Municipality of Portage la Prairie’s signature event of 2019, started six years ago as a backyard barbecue and

has taken off as a showcase of song and dance from the area’s historic Whoop and Holler district nearly a century ago (www. whoopandhollar.com).

CITY LIGHTS Foodies alert: Manitoba’s culinary scene is a rising gem, from haute to heavy-duty chowing down. The Culinary Adventure Company (www.culinaryadventureco.com) offers The Made in Canada Food Tour, the Savour the Forks Food Tour, and the Exchange District Food Tour. Manitoba’s famous fall supper circuit offers homecooked, hearty, community hall familystyle fare all autumn long, with listings at Travel Manitoba (www.travelmanitoba. com). Shoppers will be overjoyed with the Outlet Collection Winnipeg’s two dozen high-end brands, and special tourist deals (www.outletcollectionwinnipeg.com). Summer brings the Winnipeg Goldeyes AAA baseball to Shaw Park (www.goldeyes. com). Bell MTS Place, the winter home of NHL hockey’s Winnipeg Jets, mounts concerts and special events year-round (www.bellmts place.ca), while the city’s south end CFL Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ Investors Group Field tackles big blockbuster concerts (www.bluebombers.com/stadium). In July, the four-day Winnipeg Folk Festival at Birds Hill Provincial Park, north of the city, is family-friendly (www.winnipegfolkfestival. ca), as is the Royal Winnipeg Ballet’s “Ballet in the Park” at Assiniboine Park’s outdoor Lyric Theatre (www.rwb.org). Winnipeg warms up winter with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra (www.wso.ca), Manitoba Opera (www.mbopera.ca), the Royal

Special Events JANUARY • BIG FUN FESTIVAL, WINNIPEG • WINNIPEG SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA NEW MUSIC FESTIVAL FEBRUARY • FESTIVAL DU VOYAGEUR, WINNIPEG • NORTHERN MANITOBA TRAPPERS’ FESTIVAL, THE PAS MARCH • FESTIVAL OF FOOLS, WINNIPEG • HUDSON BAY QUEST, CHURCHILL MAY • INDIGENOUS MUSIC AWARDS, WINNIPEG • MANITO AHBEE FESTIVAL, WINNIPEG • WINNIPEG COMEDY FESTIVAL MAY – JUNE • PRIDE WINNIPEG FESTIVAL JUNE • DAUPHIN’S COUNTRYFEST • MANITOBA SUMMER FAIR, BRANDON • TD WINNIPEG INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL JULY • MANITOBA STAMPEDE & EXHIBITION, MORRIS • WINNIPEG FOLK FESTIVAL, BIRDS HILL PROVINCIAL PARK • WINNIPEG FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL • WINNIPEG SOCA REGGAE MUSIC FESTIVAL AUGUST • CANADA’S NATIONAL UKRAINIAN FESTIVAL, DAUPHIN • FOLKLORAMA, WINNIPEG • ICELANDIC FESTIVAL, GIMLI • MANITOBA ELECTRONIC MUSIC EXHIBITION, WINNIPEG SEPTEMBER • CULTURE DAYS, WINNIPEG • FEMFEST, WINNIPEG • MANYFEST, WINNIPEG • NUIT BLANCHE, WINNIPEG OCTOBER • CENTRAL CANADA COMIC CON, WINNIPEG

www.travelmanitoba.com/ things-to-do/art-arts/festivals-events Manitoba Theatre Centre, Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre (www.royalmtc.ca) and Prairie Theatre Exchange (www.pte.mb.ca). Year-round, Thermëa by Nordik Spa in the city’s south end (www.thermea.ca) and Ten Spa at the Hotel Fort Garry (www.tenspa.ca), provide sybaritic pleasures.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Provincial parks provide groomed hiking trails and offer summer campsite bookings by computer, and most are near small towns

SPIRIT PANEL AND THEMATIC WALL, INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES • CANADIAN MUSEUM FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

where local motels appeal to family-oriented explorers (www.gov.mb.ca/sd/parks/index. html). Whiteshell Provincial Park (www. whiteshell.mb.ca) is a handy hour’s drive east of Winnipeg and, further afield, wilderness wanderers can take to lakes and rivers in canoes, kayaks, or fishing boats. Cosy resort communities like Grand Beach, Gimli, Winnipeg Beach, Victoria Beach, Sandy Hook, Matlock, and many more lay claim to wide, sandy beaches. Gimli is a favourite weekend hangout with its charming marina and beach-town atmosphere (www.gimli.ca). In Spruce Woods Provincial Park, a day tripper’s hiking trail covers forests, hills, a genuine desert, and the eerie, deepwater blue Devil’s Punch Bowl (www.travelmanitoba.com/listings/ spruce-woods-provincial-park/6732).

HERITAGE AND CULTURE Winnipeg’s historic Exchange District is home to the Design Quarter, a casual grouping of eclectic, original design shops ranging from fashion to fine dining and fine art. The brochure for it can be found at the Winnipeg Art Gallery. Outside the city, historic gems include Brandon’s Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum and its stories of World War II air fighter training (www.airmuseum.ca); Thompson’s Heritage North Museum’s tales of the Indigenous Peoples of the area (www.heritagenorth museum.ca); and, in far western Manitoba, the Inglis Grain Elevators National Historic Site (www.ingliselevators.com) is the best remaining example of an “elevator row” in Canada. Winnipeg’s Manitoba Legislative Building, the Tyndall limestone-clad beaux arts classical seat of government, opened

on July 15, 1920, on the 50th anniversary of Manitoba’s entry into Confederation (www.gov.mb.ca/chc/hrb/prov/p040.html). Architectural historian, Dr. Frank Albo, leads small groups on “Hermetic Code” tours of the building (www.frankalbo.com/ tours). In May, the Manito Ahbee Festival in Winnipeg showcases Indigenous culture and spectacular powwow performances (www.manitoahbee.com). February’s French Festival du Voyageur, centred in St. Boniface, focuses on Franco-Manitoban history and culture (www.heho.ca/en).

Quick Fact THE ST. BONIFACE MUSEUM, ORIGINALLY BUILT AS A GREY NUNS’ CONVENT, IS WINNIPEG’S OLDEST BUILDING AND NORTH AMERICA’S LARGEST OAK LOG STRUCTURE.

MUST SEE, MUST DO Lower Fort Garry, the national historic site just south of the City of Selkirk, shelters an historic fur-trading fort. It is also the site where Treaty 1, the first treaty between colonial explorers and Indigenous Peoples, was signed, and where the North-West Mounted Police—the precursor to Canada’s Mounties—were first trained (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fortgarry). In summer, hardy adventurers can kayak with more than 57,000 white beluga whales that calve and raise their babies near the mouth of the Churchill River (www.everythingchurchill.com). The Canadian Museum for Human Rights, adjacent to The Forks National Historic Site

has a new temporary exhibit examining the impact of Canada’s Indian Act. Elijah Harper’s eagle feather, a wampum belt and a Cree artist’s cradleboard “float” above handwritten excerpts from the Act. Open until summer (www.humanrights.ca).

SCENIC DRIVES Bunk in at Riding Mountain National Park’s Wasagaming townsite, and take the next day to drive to the park for early morning wildlife spotting, a visit to the resident bison herd, selfie stops all around beautiful Clear Lake and ups and downs in the park’s unique topography. Return to Winnipeg via Highway 5 and McCreary and the self-proclaimed world lily capital of Neepawa, then take the scenic Highway 16 Yellowhead route through vast farmland (www.discoverclearlake.com). From north Winnipeg, drive River Road along the Red River to Selkirk and the Marine Museum of Manitoba (www. marinemuseum.ca), with Lower Fort Garry National Historic Site about two-thirds along the 60-km (37-mi.) route. Tiny Lockport, an historic catfishing spot (rent a boat and gear) and hot dog stand heaven, lies between the two. From Selkirk, return to Winnipeg via pretty Henderson Highway. For a longer day trip, take Highway 44 east from Lockport, through the Agassiz Provincial Forest and all the way to Seven Sisters Falls and the classic hydro station there, then onto Pinawa for a visit to Pinawa

ATIKAKI PROVINCIAL WILDERNESS PARK • DESTINATION CANADA

Dam Provincial Park and the picturesque town and lake. Stop to walk the suspension bridge and hiking trails.

FAMILY FUN Kids go wild at FortWhyte Alive, where bison roam on prairie grasses near a pioneer sod house, teepee encampment and prairie dog town (www.fortwhyte.org), and at Assiniboine Park’s Nature Playground and Polar Playground (www.assiniboine park.ca). Journey to Churchill is home to ten polar bears, including Nanuk and Siku, rescued from the Churchill area. For history and fun, families can ride the vintage steam train Prairie Dog Central Railway from north Winnipeg to the villages of Grosse Isle and Warren and back (www. pdcrailway.com).

Your life-changing adventure starts here! www. lazybearexpeditions.com

En route to Gimli, Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre welcomes thousands of migrating geese in the fall (www.oakhammock marsh.ca); and, at the Canadian Fossil Discovery Centre in Morden, see monster fossils from prehistoric Lake Agassiz and the new 15-m-long (50-ft.) life-sized replica of Bruce, the world’s biggest publicly displayed mosasaur (www.discoverfossils.com).

Park Pick

THE FORKS NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

The Forks National Historic Site ranks at the top of visitor to-do lists, thanks to its marketplaces, Sunday summer farmers’ market, Children’s Museum, Manitoba Theatre for Young People, traditional Indigenous Oodena Celebration Circle, Festival Park and Stage with free concerts, Riverwalk and summer boat rides along the Assiniboine. In winter, the river becomes a skating, skiing and snowball-throwing playground, with warming huts designed by an assortment of international architects. Around the borders of The Forks is the Beaux Arts 1911-vintage Union Station rail terminal, the postcontemporary Canadian Museum for Human Rights, and the elegant cable-stayed Provencher Bridge with the little restaurant, Mon Ami Louis, halfway across it (www.parkscanada. gc.ca/forks).

National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888

14,322,757 Toronto; National Capital: Ottawa www.ontariotravel.net Toronto Pearson International Airport, 27 km (16 mi.) from downtown Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport, 3 km (2 mi.) from downtown Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, 13 km (8 mi.) from downtown

Ontario TORONTO • SHUTTERSTOCK/PAPARAZZZA

So Many Choices, All in One Place BY LAURA BYRNE PAQUET

When you can’t decide whether you want big cities or small towns, beaches or boreal forests, or museums or motorsports, you don’t have to choose— you can enjoy all that (and much more) in Ontario, Canada’s second-largest province.

Three times the size of Germany and four times bigger than the United Kingdom, Ontario offers unlimited adventures. Enjoy the view from one of the world’s tallest towers or delve into the earth to learn the history of mining. Canoe across a deserted lake or party with crowds at a rock festival. From culinary festivals and wineries to whitewater rafting and moose, Ontario has it all. Ontario is home to Canada’s capital, Ottawa, where you can thrill to the Changing of the Guard ceremony on Parliament Hill (visit.parl.ca), see the magnificent Canada Goose Arctic Gallery at the Canadian Museum of Nature (www.nature.ca) and learn about Canada’s military history at the Canadian War Museum (www.warmuseum.ca). Leave lots of time to explore Toronto, the country’s largest metropolis (www.see torontonow.com). Book early to see world premieres—and, perhaps, a few Hollywood stars—at the Toronto International Film Festival (www.tiff.net). And don’t miss the Aga Khan Museum of Muslim culture (www. agakhanmuseum.org), the Ontario Science Centre (www.ontariosciencecentre.ca), the newly renovated CN Tower (www.cntower.ca) and animals such as penguins and cheetahs at the Toronto Zoo (www.torontozoo.com). CityPASS offers a savings pass on admissions to five of Toronto’s top attractions, including many of those mentioned above. Once activated, it is valid for nine consecutive days (www.citypass.com). Ottawa and Toronto are just the beginning of what Ontario has to offer. You can also tour wineries along Lake Erie, in Prince Edward County or on the Niagara Peninsula (www.winecountryontario.ca). If outdoor adventure is more your style, camp in breathtaking Killarney (www.ontario parks.com/park/killarney), Sleeping Giant (www.ontarioparks.com/park/sleeping giant) or Algonquin (www.algonquinpark. on.ca) provincial parks, or canoe along the Grand River (www.theheartofontario.com).

TAKE A SMALL-TOWN BREAK Amble along lanes lined with locally owned shops. Linger over dinner at a table overlooking a waterfall, lake or canal, then unwind in a quaint B&B. Ontario’s many small towns and cities are havens of relaxation. Take in a play or build a sandcastle on the beach in Grand Bend (www.grandbend. com). Explore charming shops in Niagaraon-the-Lake (www.niagaraonthelake.com), enjoy a spa day in Grafton (www.steannes. com) or unwind at one of Almonte’s many

festivals (www.lanarkcountytourism.com). And delve into Ontario’s intriguing history at sites like the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum in Carp (www.diefen bunker.ca), the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope (www.warplane.com) and the Canadian Transportation Museum and Heritage Village in Kingsville (www.ctmhv.com).

ENJOY WATERFRONT VIEWS When Ontarians say “cottage country,” they generally mean any of a number of rural regions dotted with clear lakes perfect for canoeing, kayaking, swimming, waterskiing . . . or just admiring from the shore while ensconced in a comfortable hammock. Bring your camera and binoculars, as you may well spot deer, loons or coyotes. Popular cottage areas include Muskoka (www.discovermuskoka.ca), the Kawarthas (www.thekawarthas.ca), Ontario’s Highlands (www.comewander.ca) and the Rideau Valley (www.rideauheritageroute.ca). Pamper yourself with a restful weekend at one of Ontario’s summer resorts (www. resortsofontario.com).

WHAT’S NEW? Pimachiowin Aki—a 29,040 sq. km (11,212 sq. mi.) stretch of boreal forest on the Ontario-Manitoba border that is sacred to the Anishinaabe people—became a UNESCO World Heritage site last July (www.pimaki.ca). Whispering Springs Wilderness Retreat, 90 minutes east of Toronto, offers luxury

camping (“glamping”) in safari tents with ensuite washrooms and king-sized beds (www.whisperingsprings.ca). New floor-to-ceiling Window Walls atop Toronto’s CN Tower make it easier for guests with mobility challenges to enjoy the view (www.cntower.ca). Nordik Spa-Nature is scheduled to open its third location—a 3.6 ha (8.9 acre) Nordicstyle spa—in the Toronto suburb of Whitby in the fall (www.lenordik.com/en/). Yukon Striker, billed as the world's fastest, longest and tallest dive roller coaster, is set to open at Canada's Wonderland amusement park in Vaughan this summer (www.canadas wonderland.com/play/rides/yukon-striker).

CITY LIGHTS Toronto is a magnet for cosmopolitan travellers. Browse for merchandise in flagship international stores along Bloor Street and luxurious shops in Yorkville (www.bloor-yorkville.com), or unique boutiques and galleries in the restored Victorian-era buildings of the Distillery District (www.thedistillerydistrict.com). Teeter 116 storeys above the city on the CN Tower’s EdgeWalk (www.edgewalkcntower. ca). Relax on the shores of Lake Ontario at Harbourfront Centre (www.harbourfront centre.com), or on the green parkland of the islands across the city harbour (www. torontoisland.com). Luxurious hotels, noted restaurants, and professional baseball, hockey, basketball, football and

ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK • ONTARIO PARKS

Special Events JANUARY • TWENTY VALLEY WINTER WINEFEST, JORDAN FEBRUARY • VOYAGEUR WINTER CARNIVAL, THUNDER BAY • WINTERLUDE, OTTAWA MAY • CANADIAN TULIP FESTIVAL, OTTAWA • FESTIVAL OF BIRDS, POINT PELEE NATIONAL PARK JUNE • LUMINATO, TORONTO JUNE – JULY • TD OTTAWA JAZZ FESTIVAL JULY • HONDA INDY, TORONTO • RBC ROYAL BANK BLUESFEST, OTTAWA

ONTARIO SCIENCE CENTRE, ELECTRICITY SHOW • VANDER GRAPH

JULY – AUGUST • TORONTO CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL AUGUST • FERGUS SCOTTISH FESTIVAL AND HIGHLAND GAMES • SIEGE AT FORT ERIE SEPTEMBER • CINÉFEST SUDBURY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL • TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL • WESTERN FAIR, LONDON OCTOBER • ALGOMA FALL FESTIVAL, SAULT STE. MARIE • KITCHENER-WATERLOO OKTOBERFEST • NUIT BLANCHE, TORONTO • PUMPKINFERNO, MORRISBURG AND SUDBURY OCTOBER – NOVEMBER • INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF AUTHORS, TORONTO NOVEMBER • ROYAL AGRICULTURAL WINTER FAIR, TORONTO NOVEMBER – DECEMBER • FIRST LIGHT AT SAINTE-MARIE AMONG THE HURONS, MIDLAND NOVEMBER – JANUARY • RIVER LIGHTS WINTER FESTIVAL, AMHERSTBURG • WINTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS, NIAGARA FALLS

www.festivalsandeventsontario.ca soccer—Toronto has it all. In Ottawa, the first stop for many is Parliament Hill. The Centre Block is closed for extensive renovations, but tours of the temporary homes of the House of Commons and the Senate—in the West

Block and the Government Conference Centre, respectively—are available (visit. parl.ca). The Hill overlooks the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site that draws cyclists, boaters and skaters (www. parkscanada.gc.ca/rideau). Nearby, farmers’ stalls, independent boutiques and popular nightclubs keep the ByWard Market humming from morning to night (www. byward-market.com). TD Place at Lansdowne Park is home to the city’s Canadian Football League franchise, the Ottawa REDBLACKS (www.ottawaredblacks.com), as well as the Ottawa 67’s of the Ontario Hockey League (www.ottawa67s.com). The excellent attractions in the province’s smaller cities range from the Art Gallery of Hamilton (www.artgalleryof hamilton.com), the Canadian Canoe Museum in Peterborough (www.canoemuseum.ca) and the Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie (www.bushplane. com) to public markets such as the Kingston Public Market (www.kingstonpublicmarket. ca), the Covent Garden Market in London (www.coventmarket.com) and the St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market in the heart of Mennonite country (www.stjacobsmarket.com).

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Whether you’re a nature novice or a seasoned outdoor adventurer, Ontario has wilderness space for you—and many ways to help you enjoy it. Unspoiled landscapes vary from the remote lakes and rivers of fly-in fishing camps (www.visitsunsetcountry.com) to the quaint cottage country of Thousand Islands

National Park (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ thousandislands). The Ontario Parks’ Learn to Camp program offers hands-on practice in pitching a tent and cooking outdoors at seven of Ontario’s provincial parks (www.ontario parks.com/learntocamp). Wherever you go, you can choose from an incredible range of adventures. Train your binoculars on migrating birds at the Pelee Island Bird Observatory (pibo.ca/en). Walk high above the forest floor in the Ganaraska Forest (www.treetoptrekking. com/parks/ganaraska). Hunt for rare stones in Bancroft (www.hastingscounty.com/visit/ rockhounding) or hike an outstanding long-distance trail (www.ontariotrails.on. ca). The Canadian Canoe Route (owl-mkc. ca/mkc/info/thecdncanoeroute) starts in Toronto and finishes in Ottawa. Go crosscountry or downhill skiing near Collingwood, on the scenic shores of Georgian Bay (www. visitsouthgeorgianbay.ca). Dive among shipwrecks at Fathom Five National Marine Park near Tobermory (www.parkscanada.gc. ca/fathomfive) or in the St. Lawrence River (www.1000islands.com/sunken-treasuresthe-wrecks-of-the-1000-islands). Zip through the trees at Skywood Eco Adventure near Brockville (www.skywoodzip.com) or Long Point Eco-Adventures in St. Williams (www. lpfun.ca), or fly 67 m (220 ft.) above the Niagara Gorge on WildPlay’s MistRider Zipline to the Falls (www.niagarafalls.wild play.com/mistrider-zipline). Try cycling, sailing, kayaking, rock climbing, spelunking, snowmobiling, dogsledding, ice fishing, snowshoeing or snowboarding!

Your Ticket to

Toronto’s Top Attractions Skip Most Ticket Lines ENJOY FOR 9 DAYS

SAVE 34% OR MORE AT TOP ATTRACTIONS

INCLUDES 5 ATTRACTIONS:

citypass.com

CN Tower, Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, Casa Loma, Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Zoo OR Ontario Science Centre Pricing and programs subject to change; visit citypass.com for details.

garden, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington (www.rbg.ca). Have a drink at the 2016 Canadian Moonshine Distillery of the Year: Murphy’s Law in Elmira (www.murphyslawmoonshine.com). Thrill to the thunder of North America’s most powerful cataract, Niagara Falls, where nearby attractions range from great shopping and family fun to glittering casinos (www.niagarafallstourism.com). Revel in Ontario’s glorious fall colours aboard the Agawa Canyon Tour Train, which departs from Sault Ste. Marie (www. agawatrain.com). Further north, board the seasonal Polar Bear Express, a train that takes you from Cochrane to Moosonee on the shores of James Bay (www.ontario northland.ca/en/home). BLUE MOUNTAIN RESORT • ON TOURISM

historic sites and living HERITAGE AND CULTURE lously preserved Theatre lovers are spoiled for choice in Ontario. Toronto alone offers blockbuster performances by Mirvish Productions (www.mirvish.com) and a wide range of plays presented by other theatre companies; check What’s On TOnight for tickets (www.whatsontonight.ca). In Ottawa, the National Arts Centre offers dance, music by the National Arts Centre Orchestra and others, and English and French theatre (www.nac-cna.ca/en). Elsewhere, noteworthy theatre festivals include the Stratford Festival (www.stratfordfestival.ca) and the Shaw Festival (www.shawfest.com). Classical music fans can revel in performances by the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (www.tso.ca) and the Canadian Opera Company (www.coc.ca), while dance aficionados enjoy the National Ballet of Canada (national.ballet.ca). Fine art has many homes across the province, including the Art Gallery of Ontario (www.ago.ca), the McMichael Canadian Art Collection (www.mcmichael. com) and the National Gallery of Canada (www.gallery.ca). Learn about Indigenous Peoples of Ontario at Petroglyphs Provincial Park near Peterborough (www.ontarioparks. com/park/petroglyphs) and the Museum of Ontario Archaeology in London (www. archaeologymuseum.ca). Indigenous history is also one of many topics covered by the world-renowned Royal Ontario Museum (www.rom.on.ca/en). History buffs can choose from meticu-

history museums, including Fort Henry (www.forthenry.com) and Upper Canada Village (www.uppercanadavillage.com) in Eastern Ontario; Fort George (www.parks canada.gc.ca/fortgeorge) and Old Fort Erie (www.niagaraparks.com/visit/heritage/ old-fort-erie) near Niagara Falls; Fort York (www.fortyork.ca) and Black Creek Pioneer Village (www.blackcreek.ca) in Toronto; Doon Heritage Village (www.waterloo regionmuseum.ca/en/index.aspx) in Kitchener; and the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum in North Buxton, near Chatham (www.buxtonmuseum.com).

Quick Fact THE LAST ICE AGE CARVED SOME 250,000 LAKES INTO THE ROCKY CANADIAN SHIELD ACROSS ONTARIO.

MUST SEE, MUST DO Discover an underwater wonderland of some 16,000 creatures at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in downtown Toronto (www. ripleyaquariums.com/canada).

Howl with wolves at the Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre, home to one of the world’s largest wolf enclosures of its kind (www. haliburtonforest.com/things-to-do/ wolf-centre).

Cutting across Southern Ontario from Windsor to the Québec border and stretching over 3,000 km (1,864 mi.), the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail—open for cycling, hiking and other types of non-motorized transport—links 140 communities and hundreds of parks and natural areas (www.waterfronttrail.org). Learn about everything from the earth’s crust to the far reaches of the galaxy at Science North in Sudbury, which features a planetarium, a butterfly gallery and a wetlands lab, as well as Dynamic Earth— recently expanded to include an outdoor science park and playground, complete with mining equipment (www.science north.ca). Delve into Canada’s fur-trading history at Fort William Historical Park, a living history site in Thunder Bay (www.fwhp.ca).

SCENIC DRIVES The 1000 Islands Parkway winds along the St. Lawrence River, where you can kayak, canoe, scuba dive or take a boat tour (www.

Make maple syrup at one of the only places in the world where you can do so from spring through fall: The Deakins Bed & Breakfast in Killaloe (www.deakinbandb.com).

visit1000islands.com/communities/1000islands-parkway-on).

See one of the world’s most diverse lilac collections at Canada’s largest botanic

Driving routes through the Ottawa Valley illuminate everything from logging history

Ex s

to ghost towns (www.ottawavalley.travel/ Valley_Explore/Drive/Driving_Tour_Guide. html).

The Apple Pie Trail winds through scenic landscapes in the Blue Mountains region (www.applepietrail.com). The Loyalist Parkway between Trenton and Kingston traces Ontario’s late 18th century history (www.pec.on.ca/lpa). There are scenic routes in Southwestern Ontario for a range of interests, from birding to beaches (www.ontariossouth west.com). The area around Stratford is home to culinary trails devoted to chocolate and to bacon and ale (www.visitstratford.ca/ culinary-adventures). Enjoy rugged, dramatic vistas and superb camping along Lake Superior’s north shore (www.superiorcountry.ca).

FAMILY FUN Amusements abound at Wild Waterworks (www.wild-waterworks.com), Playdium (www. playdium.com) and Canada’s Wonderland (www.canadaswonderland.com). Santa’s Village appeals to both toddlers and teens (www.santasvillage.ca). Little ones might also enjoy Storybook Gardens (www.story book.london.ca). Plane buffs should see the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (www. ingeniumcanada.org/aviation/index.php). Gamers flock to The Rec Room, a large arcade and entertainment complex near Toronto’s Rogers Centre (www.therecroom.com) and to Ctrl V, a virtual-reality arcade chain with multiple locations in Southern Ontario, including a flagship arcade in Waterloo (www. ctrlv.ca). Budding mechanics can tour a Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada plant in Cambridge (www.tmmc.ca/en/plants/ plant-tours). Finally, sites for animal lovers include the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory (www.cambridgebutterfly.com) and African Lion Safari (www.lionsafari.com). For more inspiration: www.ontariotravel.net.

Park Pick

PUKASKWA NATIONAL PARK

Explore 1,878 sq. km (725 sq. mi.) of northern forests and rugged Canadian Shield landscapes on the shores of Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area. The province’s only wilderness national park, Pukaskwa offers visitors superb outdoor experiences and opportunities to connect with the rich history of local Indigenous Peoples through cultural programs. On summer nights, sunsets bathe driftwooddotted beaches and towering cliffs in shades of crimson and gold. Set up your tent in a campground or truly escape the world at a backcountry campsite (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ pukaskwa).

National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888

Where Meets Luxury Luxury WhereTradition Tradition Meets

Experience iconic architecture and atour ourtwo twofull fullservice service restaurants, nestled on the Experience iconic architecture andquintessential quintessentialculinary culinary expertise expertise at restaurants, nestled on the shores of beautiful Lake Rosseau theheart heartof ofMuskoka’s Muskoka’s cottage in in one of aofkind weddings, shores of beautiful Lake Rosseau ininthe cottagecountry. country.Specializing Specializing one a kind weddings, conferences private events,enjoy enjoyluxury luxuryamenities amenities in our guest accommodations. conferences andand private events, our beautifully beautifullyappointed appointed guest accommodations. Complete your experience with a round of golf on the manicured grounds of Windermere Golf & Country Club. Complete your experience with a round of golf on the manicured grounds of Windermere Golf & Country Club.

windermerehouse.com | 705.769.3611 | info@windermerehouse.com | 2508 Windermere Road, Windermere, ON.

It is a two-for-one experience! Not only can visitors travel through pristine farmland and enjoy the bounty, but all ages will also savour the sophistication of a “top-tech” urban hub.

ST. JACOBS TO MARKET TO MARKET Arrive early at the renowned St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market & Flea Market (www.stjacobsmarket.com). Canada’s largest indoor/outdoor farmers’ market attracts thousands each week. Look for apple fritters, handmade pretzels, authentic tamales, jerk chicken and other Waterloo County treats. Take a horse-drawn trolley ride or hop onto an historic steam locomotive to see the countryside (www.stjacobshorsedrawn tours.com; www.waterloocentralrailway.com).

A STEP BACK IN TIME

ST. JACOBS FARMERS’ MARKET

Waterloo Region: Where Pastoral Pleasures Match Urban Delights BY KATE POCOCK

If you’re yearning for a peaceful country atmosphere interspersed with city sophistication, look no further than rural St. Jacobs and adjacent Kitchener-Waterloo.

Take a stroll down memory lane at Market Road Antiques, located in the Market District with aisles of vendors selling thousands of treasures. Don’t miss the nearby historic Village of St. Jacobs where unique shops sell pottery, handmade brooms, ladies fashions, gifts and décor (www.stjacobs.com). To learn about the first Mennonite settlers, visit The Mennonite Story (www.mennonitestory.com). Wander through the Village and nearby Market District. There are many places to enjoy a bite to eat or stop for a meal.

EXPLORE THE MARKET DISTRICT St. Jacobs Farmers’ Market Canada’s largest year-round market! Open Thursdays and Saturdays all year plus Tuesdays in the summer. Market Road Antiques A treasure house with 100+ dealers in 20,000 square feet of space. Open daily.

stjacobsmarket.com 878 Weber St. N., Waterloo

@STJACOBSMARKET @MARKETROADANTIQUES

Thirsty folk will enjoy a brew at the Block Three Brewing Company (www. blockthreebrewing.com). Or, book a unique “Coffee Tasting” session at EcoCafe (www. ecocafestjacobs.com).

ACTIVE EXPLORATIONS Perhaps travel this picturesque region on a guided two-day Mennonite bike and paddle adventure. Start your “Path Less Travelled” excursion with a behind-the-scenes tour of the St. Jacobs Market. Then hop on a modern touring bike to cycle along picturesque back roads and pastoral byways. On day two, paddle by canoe or kayak along the famous Grand River. Highlights might include a visit to an Old Order Mennonite farm or a sampling of the region’s renowned craft beer. Enjoy a final picnic by the West Montrose Covered Bridge. It is Canada’s oldest intact covered bridge (www.grand-experiences.com).

KITCHENER-WATERLOO DINING DELIGHTS FOR ALL APPETITES At Marbles Restaurant, chefs serve locally sourced ingredients in an historic livery

WEST MONTROSE COVERED BRIDGE • EXPLORE WATERLOO REGION

stable. Savour soups, vegan delights or Thursday seafood nights. Top it off with Bourbon Pecan Pie (www.marblesuptown. com). For cheerful family feasts, Taco Farm delivers Mexican-inspired cuisine. Their tasty tacos enlivened the kids’ edition of TV’s You Gotta Eat Here (www.tacofarm.ca). At Red House bistro, Chef Dan McCowan creates award-winning cuisine—such as lamb spaghetti (www.redhouseuptown.ca).

ART AND SOUL At the unique Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery (www.theclayandglass.ca), delight in artistic ceramics and stained glass. Examine a series of dioramas that tell the story of glass. Be sure to visit the gallery’s

Experience Authentic Authentic Home Home to to Ontario Ontario Signature Signature Experience Experience--The ThePath PathLess LessTravelled. Travelled.

Visit Visit EXPLOREWATERLOOREGION.COM EXPLOREWATERLOOREGION.COM

superb gift shop. Over 100 Canadian artists have contributed ceramics, stained glass and jewellery for sale.

FESTIVAL FARE In early April, join crowds in nearby Elmira to celebrate the maple syrup festival (www. elmiramaplesyrup.com). In mid-August the TD Kitchener Blues Festival presents rollicking rhythm and blues on multiple stages (www.kitchenerbluesfest.com). The most popular celebration of all, however, is the Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest extravaganza in mid-October. It is the world’s secondlargest Oktoberfest celebration after Germany. As they say, Willkommen. Or even better, Prosit! (www.oktoberfest.ca).

WESTWIND INN

Ontario’s Resorts: You work hard. Play harder. BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS

For families it can be an old fashioned, cottage-style vacation, while couples may search for the romance of a quiet walk or a crackling fireplace. No two resorts are the same—and every single one is worth a visit. Experiences are waiting, so go play!

FAMILIES ARE AT THE HEART OF IT ALL YOU ARE ... in search of a single destination to satisfy a range of multi-generational needs, from toddlers to grandparents. BECAUSE ... busy families need a break— to spend a relaxing vacation together, building memories.

It’s easy to understand why the resorts of Ontario are magnets for those seeking an experience-driven getaway, no matter the season. Nature is often a central theme— Ontario is blessed with lakes, forests and wildlife—but there’s no limit to the ways a visitor can weave their own experience into the gorgeous surroundings.

DO IT TOGETHER ... Bayview Wildwood Resort, 90 minutes north of Toronto in Muskoka, checks all the boxes—cottages with enough space for a multi-generational getaway, all-inclusive or flexible selfcatering plans, supervised Kids Camps and activities such as fishing, paddleboarding and magic shows that parents and kids can enjoy together (www.bayviewwildwood.com). At Fern Resort, the focus is on helping families to reconnect and have fun. The year-round, all-inclusive resort boasts full programs of kid’s activities and a dedicated Children’s Playvillage. Older kids can tackle the rock climbing wall, bounce on the bungee

trampoline, sharpen their archery skills or do a little wakeboarding (www.fernresort.com). In summertime, Port Cunnington Lodge & Resort pulls out all the stops for a traditional Muskoka family vacation. Cottage stays can come with meal plans or be self-catering. The focus is on parents and their offspring spending time together through shared activities like canoeing and kayaking, beach fun, games and puzzles, swimming and evening campfires (www.portcunnington.com). Severn Lodge offers award-winning supervised activities for children, for instance, crafts, water sports, competitions and beach bonfires throughout the summer season

(www.severnlodge.com). The private cottages at Blue Water Acres Resort mean everyone has just enough space; but the activities at the resort’s playground and beach, or at nearby Algonquin Park, guarantee shared reminiscences (www.bwacres.com).

CLOSE BY, BUT A WORLD AWAY YOU LOVE ... the purity of Ontario’s wilderness—from the craggy granite Canadian Shield to shimmering lakes and streams—it creates the perfect backdrop for new memories. BECAUSE ... spending time in Ontario’s backcountry is a way to connect with a past that is timeless and uncomplicated. It’s a way to unwind and recharge, away from the chaos of daily life. TIME TO TRY ... Westwind Inn, in the Kawartha Lakes district, is a stone’s throw from the breathtaking nature of Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park, where thousands of acres spell peace and quiet in an unhurried, natural manner. Located on Lower Buckhorn Lake, the vacation resort/country inn makes a perfect home base for paddling, bird watching, stargazing or photography, with complimentary equipment like canoes,

SNOWSHOEING, BAYVIEW WILDWOOD RESORT

kayaks, row boats, pedal boats, hydro bikes and windsurfers (www.westwindinn.net). Algonquin Park Cottage Eco Adventure offers customized, guided tours that can include canoe outings, wildlife watching, hiking and picnics (www.voyageurquest.com). Killarney Lodge is a quiet refuge of private, lakeside log cabins (each with its own

canoe) surrounded by dramatic Canadian Shield landscape (www.killarneylodge.com).

GET ACTIVE AND FIND A CHALLENGE YOU ... like the thrill of trying a new sport or activity. BECAUSE ... it forces you to be present in

PCLT

BANANA BOAT, FERN RESORT

the moment and to focus on the surroundings. GIVE THIS A TRY ... There’s no shortage of choices at Deerhurst Resort near Huntsville, with a busy, year-round menu of activities such as golfing, boating, Treetop Trekking, horseback riding, skiing, snowmobiling, skating and sleigh rides (www.deerhurst resort.com). If winter doesn’t slow you down, Bayview Wildwood Resort may have what you need. In the snowy season, there is ice skating, tobogganing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing on groomed trails. Come warm weather, there is canoeing and kayaking on Sparrow Lake or exploring the trails through the Canadian Shield. Horseshoe Resort has the latest and greatest in snowmaking technology, creating a snow tubing hill and skiing and snowboarding runs like no other (www.horseshoeresort.com). In winter, snow lovers can explore 251 acres DINING ROOM, THE WARING HOUSE

of ski terrain at Blue Mountain Resort. The resort is nirvana for active travellers— including Mountaintop Segway Tours, a rock climbing wall, technical mountain bike trails, rope courses and a wintertime terrain park for freestyle skiers (www. bluemountain.ca). Energetic families will find their groove at Fern Resort with activities such as broomball, hockey and dog sledding in winter to paintball and hiking and biking trails in summer.

EFFORTLESSLY ROMANTIC YOU ARE ... in search of some quality “us time,” without unnecessary distractions or demands. BECAUSE ... taking time for the little things and paying attention to the small details are fantastic ways to maintain a spark in a relationship.

GETAWAY TO ... Amid the beauty of Algonquin Park, the boutique, five-star Couples Resort is adults-only, with romantic candlelit dinners, in-room fireplaces and extra-large Jacuzzis (www.couplesresort.ca). The family-operated Westwind Inn is the ultimate, year-round adult hideaway—for couples, singles or seniors—with hammocks for two, in-room fireplaces, evening bonfires and outdoor whirlpool. The inn, built of western red cedar, has been recently renovated and is suited for those looking for a quiet, romantic retreat in a wilderness setting of towering pines to the call of the loon. The Briars Resort on Lake Simcoe offers a Mid-week Romance Escape package with luxury accommodation, gourmet meals and a couple’s aromatherapy massage (www.briars.ca). The wedding coordinators at The Waring House custom design every detail, from themes and menus, to indoor and outdoor settings. The country inn is close to the wineries and craft breweries of Prince Edward County, artisan shops in Bloomfield and Picton, farm stands groaning with fresh produce and the beaches at Sandbanks Provincial Park (www.waring house.com). In the peace of a cottage country setting, Port Cunnington Lodge & Resort makes for a perfect wedding or romantic getaway venue—especially popular outside of the summer months when the resort is busy with family travel. Open seasonally only—from May to October—most of the resort’s well-appointed cottages come with fireplaces and a million dollar view over Lake of Bays. The focus is on a low-key, relaxed experience with no TVs or distractions; just time and space to reconnect and rekindle the romantic flame. Footprints Resort near Bancroft is a lakeside, romantic boutique property for adults only with a full range of accommodation choices, from rooms, villas and cabins to deluxe camping sites (www.footprintsresort.com). “Country inn chic” describes the heritage, four-diamond setting of the Millcroft Inn & Spa. The inn’s R&R Rekindle the Romance twonight package includes accommodation, a romantic dinner and couples massage (www.vintage-hotels.com).

MORE INFORMATION Resorts of Ontario members include more than 100 resort hotels, resort lodges, cottage resorts and intimate country inns. Check the Resorts of Ontario website for information and an on-line reservations service (www.resortsofontario.com).

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Our historic resort has been welcoming guests for over 125 years. At Port Cunnington Lodge & Resort we make it easy to relax and unwind with our commitment to old-fashioned warm hospitality. Escape it all with a romantic getaway for two, a cottage country family vacation or a retreat with colleagues to refocus and energize — there are so many reasons to choose Port Cunnington Lodge & Resort. Visit our website for complete details on planning your best vacation ever. We look forward to seeing you this summer! CUSTOM CHALETS • TRADITIONAL COTTAGES • MULTIPLEXES • WEDDINGS & BANQUETS

portcunnington.com • 1-800-894-1105 • 705-635-2505 1679 PORT CUNNINGTON ROAD LAKE OF BAYS, R.R. #1 • DWIGHT, ON P0A 1H0

Cosy Lakefront Country Inn in Scenic Kawartha Lakes

WESTWIND INN ON THE LAKE

Romantic 35 room cedar lodge nestled amongst towering pines on pink granite rock at the water’s edge in a truly spectacular natural wilderness setting. Primarily for adults, mostly couples, singles love it here also. Lovely rooms. Delicious meals. Casual dining & dress. Peaceful relaxation. Quiet, Serene. 1/4 mile of private lakeshore on 65 acres. Nature trails, beach, boats, bikes, pool, hot tub. 2 hours drive east of Toronto, 3.5 hours to Ottawa.

TEL: 705.657.8095 TOLL-FREE: 1.800.387.8100 info@westwindinn.net westwindinn.net

A Hidden Gem in the Heart of the Kawartha Lakes

BEACHWOOD RESORT

Tucked away on the edge of Lower Buckhorn Lake, Beachwood’s gentle sloping shoreline and 330 acres of trails and wildlife offer a “Kawartha Cottage Getaway” with the amenities of home. Lakeside lodgings, ﬂexible meal plans and resort activities are perfect for intimate getaway family holidays, multi generational retreats, weddings & meetings. 2 hrs from Toronto Int’l Airport, 30 min. from Peterborough Airport.

TEL: 705.657.3481 TOLL-FREE: 1.888.313.1118 info@beachwoodresort.com beachwoodresort.com

A Boutique Four Season Destination Nestled in the picturesque hills of Hockley Valley, just 45 minutes north of Toronto, Hockley Valley Resort boasts scenic landscapes and beautiful backdrops and modern, upscale guest rooms. An 18-hole golf course, 16 ski and snowboard runs, 2 terrain parks during the winter season and a luxurious 8,000 square foot spa are just a few of the amenities we offer. And don’t forget about our food! Our farm-to-table dining experience is sure to impress with many of the ingredients harvested right from our own farm. Be sure to visit Adamo Estate Winery during your visit, we are Canada’s only four season resort with its own full scale winery!

HOCKLEY VALLEY RESORT

TEL: 519.942.0754 TOLL-FREE: 1.866.HOCKLEY (462.5539) info@hockley.com hockley.com

All-inclusive family fun for all generations Nestled in the historic resort village of Port Stanton, this four-season resort has welcomed visitors for over 119 years. Resort guests are offered Canadian Shield forests on one side and Sparrow Lake and the Trent-Severn Waterway on the other. Accommodation ranges from resort rooms to 5-bedroom houses; all with decks/ balconies overlooking Sparrow Lake. Families love the all-inclusive meals, Kids Camps, teen activities, entertainment, seminars, inclusive programs, water sports and extensive array of indoor and outdoor recreation facilities. There is always something to do for every member of your family; including relaxing in a Muskoka Chair on the shoreline. For generations, parents have had time to relax and rejuvenate while giving their children an Ontario resort/cottage experience in a safe and fun environment.

TEL: 705.689.2338 TOLL-FREE: 1. 800.461.0243 resv@bayviewwildwood.com bayviewwildwood.com

BAYVIEW WILDWOOD

Restaurant, Conference Centre & Cookery School Located at the heart of the beautiful Prince Edward County, The Waring House sets the standard for country hospitality. The inn offers unique rooms, furnished and decorated to reﬂect the period when the property was ﬁrst built – the 19th century. For those who enjoy a more modern aesthetic, our premium rooms and suites, found in the Quaker and Heritage Lodges, are a luxurious blend of modern comfort and classic charm. Dine in our picturesque Amelia’s Garden Restaurant or enjoy great food and live entertainment in our more casual Barley Room Pub. Our beautiful gardens and large banquet hall make us a sought after destination for meetings, weddings and special events, while our hands-on cookery school classes offer you a chance to hone your culinary skills.

TEL: 613.476.7492 TOLL-FREE: 1.800.621.4956 reception@waringhouse.com waringhouse.com

THE WARING HOUSE INN

ASK FOR YOUR FREE RESORT GUIDE AT resortsofontario.com

1000 ISLANDS • GEORGE FISCHER PHOTOGRAPHY

The Good Life: Stay & Play in South Eastern Ontario

Year-round adventures in the heart of South Eastern Ontario are easy to find. South Eastern Ontario, stretching from Cornwall to Kingston to Belleville, offers a plethora of ways to visit, stay and play. Ask yourself what sort of memory you want to create . . . and in this part of the province it likely begins with ribbons of water; from the mighty St. Lawrence River through Lake Ontario to the Bay of Quinte, north along the pretty Rideau Canal and into the scenic Frontenac County/Lennox and Addington.

BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS There are beaches and dunes, watercraft adventures—from a decked-out houseboat to a quintessentially Canadian canoe— thousands of small islands and some of the world’s best freshwater sailing and scuba diving. History has also blessed the region, especially along Ontario’s Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage site. The offerings of a pristine out-doors plus culture, gastronomy, theatre and festivals create the perfect backdrop for making memories (www.thegreatwaterway.com).

BAY OF QUINTE The Bay of Quinte has a reputation as a first-class fishing destination, especially for its “walleye hot spots.” Area guides and outfitters offer chartered fishing tours or advice about the places to cast a line. The region is home to Canada’s largest rural craft brewery scene and cider production. Outfits like Wild Card Brewing Company in Trenton produce small batch

brews with a focus on outstanding taste. In winter, the Batawa Ski Hill offers skiing, snowshoeing and snowboarding; in summer young paleontologists can take part in a dig to discover a massive replica Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton. The National Air Force Museum of Canada honours the country’s military aviation and its evolution into today’s modern air force. It boasts a world-class collection of more than 35 aircraft, including North America’s only WWII Halifax bomber, the Handley Page Halifax (www.bayofquinte.ca/tourism ).

PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY Agricultural roots run deep in The County, an area nicknamed “the Gastronomic Capital of Ontario,” that is renowned for its artisanal cheesemakers, cideries, breweries, distillery and market stands. Visit modern galleries, rustic barn studios and workshops that are the creative homes of photographers, painters, glass-blowers, potters and ceramic artists.

Prince Edward County is celebrated as a top Ontario wine destination, home to more than 45 wineries. Chefs incorporate these local wines and farm-fresh produce into their seasonally-changing menus. Work off the spoils by hiking across the county on the Millennium Trail. Or step back in time by visiting one of five local museums, focusing on Loyalist history, maritime lore and Edwardian agriculture. Step off the beaten path to explore more than 800 km (500 mi.) of shoreline, with Lake Ontario and the Bay of Quinte offering everything from ice fishing to stand-up paddleboarding (www.visitpec.ca).

FRONTENAC COUNTY/ LENNOX AND ADDINGTON A short drive from Kingston is cottage country and a paddling and hiking paradise with nearly 600-km (372-mi.) of trails and some 5,000 lakes and rivers. The semi-wilderness of Frontenac Provincial Park is a patchwork of Canadian

Shield granite outcrops, vast wetlands and deep lakes. Frontenac County/Lennox and Addington is a fisherman’s dream come true and the park’s OFAH TackleShare program provides free rod and tackle loaners to new and young anglers. Far from the city lights, the Lennox & Addington County Dark Sky Viewing Area is renowned for a night sky that provides stargazers clear views of planets, constellations and the Milky Way. Planning your stay is easy—this outdoor playground is well serviced by marinas, lodges, cottage resorts, B&Bs and campgrounds (www.frontenaccounty.ca; www.lennoxaddington.on.ca).

RIDEAU CANAL WORLD HERITAGE SITE

The Rideau Canal is the watery link connecting small villages between the City of Kingston and the nation’s capital, Ottawa. Towns along the Rideau are popular stops for cottagers and day trippers searching for unique products, attentive service and an intimate atmosphere. Westport offers the perfect lakefront setting; small streets sprinkled with unique shops, antique haunts, bakeries, restaurants and tea rooms. Picturesque Merrickville has been named Jewel of the Rideau with a downtown of boutiques, studios and galleries housed in many heritage Victorian-era properties. The historic 202-km (126-mi.) waterway draws the boating crowd, from canoes to luxury houseboats. In all, there are 47 locks, most still operating with the original hand cranks used to open and close lock gates and raise and lower water levels in the lock chambers (www.rideauheritageroute.ca ).

KINGSTON 1000 ISLANDS At the gateway of the Thousand Islands and the UNESCO-designated Rideau Canal, Kingston is a city rich in history and culture. It is a city built on a grand heritage and defined by the ability to blend the beauty of yesterday with the passion and sophistication of today. Peruse art shops and alleyways such as Antique Alley for collectables, and Martello Alley, an artist collective of original and printed works. Visit the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, a research-intensive art museum, illuminating the great artistic traditions of the past and innovations of the present. Eight galleries house more than 17,000 works, with a large permanent collection of historical and contemporary Canadian pieces, Inuit and Indigenous art as well as

more than 200 paintings from the Dutch Golden Age, including three by Rembrandt. Along Lake Ontario, tour the recently closed Kingston Penitentiary and hear the sombre history of Canada’s most notorious pre-Confederation era lock-up. Atop Fort Henry National Historic Site, views of the harbour, teeming with boats, are panoramic. Explore 19th century military life in this living history museum and enjoy the worldfamous Sunset Ceremony re-enactment. Native sons and daughters from Sir John A. Macdonald to The Tragically Hip have forged Kingston’s cultural landscape from Canada’s first capital to its burgeoning music, arts and food scene (www.visitkingston.ca ).

GANANOQUE 1000 ISLANDS The soul of Gananoque is a main street lined with historical and cultural sites, in addition to a popular waterfront gateway to the scenic Thousand Islands. It is possible to arrive by boat to take in a play or concert at the internationallyacclaimed Thousand Islands Playhouse, one of the region’s most active theatres, consistently named one of the top summer theatre festivals in the province. Along the waterfront, just steps from downtown, there are kayaking expeditions, fishing holes, houseboat rentals or the popular Gananoque Boat Line cruises. Not far from Gananoque, along the scenic Thousand Islands Parkway, is the quaint village of Rockport, the boarding spot for Rockport Cruises. The Palaces & Palisades Cruise is a Destination Canada and Ontario Signature Experience. Celebrating its 65th anniversary, the cruise line has dinner cruises and trips into the heart of the Islands, some with stops at Boldt and Singer castles, architectural marvels marking the region’s Golden Age of Castles (www.1000islands tourism.com ).

BROCKVILLE 1000 ISLANDS The centuries-old town of Brockville is a popular departure point for traditional and high-speed cruises of the Thousand Islands, including stops at both Singer and Boldt castles, dining cruises and special event cruises. It’s also home to the new Big River Festival, celebrating everything to do with the St. Lawrence River. The festival events include river jousting, fishing contests, tall ships and the crowning of the canine titleholder at the Canadian Dock Jumping Championships. Close to the downtown waterfront is the Aquatarium, a discovery centre with

interactive adventures and experiences telling the story of the seafaring history, culture and ecosystems of the Thousand Islands. There are shipwreck remains, touch tanks, rope courses recreating a ship’s rigging, hands-on robotics and an underwater observation bubble. Steps away is Canada’s First Railway Tunnel—a major engineering accomplishment, completed 21 years before construction on the Canadian Pacific Railway even broke ground. The 0.5-km (0.3-mi.) railway tunnel is Canada’s oldest; visitors can explore and take in the million-dollar sound and light show. Scuba divers can experience world-class freshwater diving, thanks to excellent water clarity and an abundance of shipwrecks. Local dive operators provide a full menu of training, support services and equipment rentals (www.brockvilletourism.com ).

CORNWALL AND SDG COUNTIES Enjoying the outdoors is easy along the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, a paved cycle/ recreational path stretching the entire length of SDG (Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry counties) and the City of Cornwall. Cyclists, runners and walkers can find water bottle refill stations, park benches, nature trails and picnic areas. In addition, there is almost 1000 km (621 mi.) of country road cycling. The shipwrecks and clear waters offshore have earned SDG Counties the scuba nickname of “diving in the Canadian Caribbean.” In Cornwall, there’s a downtown core filled with boutique shops and unique eateries. Festivalgoers mark their calendars for events like the annual Cornwall Ribfest and the Glengarry Highland Games in nearby Maxville—one of the world’s largest Highland Games. The vein of history runs deep here. It’s the birthplace of the McIntosh—Canada’s national apple—celebrated at many autumn county fairs. The saved and restored heritage buildings at the Lost Villages Museum tell the story of small communities which existed along the river, prior to inundation, as part of the St. Lawrence Seaway construction in the late 1950s. At historic Upper Canada Village, interpreters in traditional period costume create a living history of the 1860s, where visitors can step into a working bakery, sawmill, blacksmith, schoolhouse and small cheese factory (www.cornwall tourism.com; www.whereontariobegan.ca ). South Eastern Ontario is a relaxed place to visit and stay, tap into experiences and build some priceless memories.

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South Eastern Ontario thegreatwaterway.com

Signature

Photo courtesy Glyn Davies.

Experiences in Brockville

Photo courtesy George Fischer.

1. BROCKVILLE RAILWAY TUNNEL

3. BROCKVILLE ARTS CENTRE

Walk Canada’s First Rail Tunnel and experience the fantastic half kilometer sound and light show. brockvillerailwaytunnel.com

This world class heritage theatre showcases the best live entertainment all year round! brockvilleartscentre.com

2. AQUATARIUM

4. 1000 ISLANDS & SEAWAY CRUISES

Imaginative exhibits and live animals combined with innovative interactive technologies serve to entertain children and adults alike. Sensory friendly. aquatarium.ca Meet

AQUATARIUM’s amazing adult River Otters: Brock, Oliver and Ivy.

Take a river cruise to see the castles, mansions and lighthouses that abound in the 1000 Islands. 1000islandscruises.com

5. BROCKVILLE TALL SHIPS® FESTIVAL Ahoy! Tall Ships like Canada’s iconic Bluenose II, will transform Brockville’s waterfront. August 30 to September 1, 2019. tallshipsbrockville.com

South Eastern Ontario thegreatwaterway.com

1-888-251-7676 brockvilletourism.com

HORSESHOE FALLS • HORNBLOWER NIAGARA CRUISES

Niagara Rising

Niagara has long been a jewel of Canadian tourism, but the area has never taken its fame for granted. This year sees continuation of the growth in attractions as well as sophistication and beautification of this already awesome region.

BY BARBARA RAMSAY ORR

If you’ve been to Niagara, it is time for another look. And if you’ve never visited, there hasn’t been a better time to come. Cruise high above the iconic Falls in a helicopter, dine by the spray, sip wine in Canada’s famous wine country, or watch the sun set over one of the world’s wonders. From the wild waters of the Falls to the rolling beauty of wine country, the Niagara Region has never been more ready for its close up!

AWESOME FROM EVERY ANGLE For visual impact, nothing beats the Falls, no matter how you view them. A Hornblower catamaran cruise will take you right up to the base of Horseshoe Falls (www.niagaracruises.com). For a different view, and to really understand the immensity of the Falls, hover above the spray in one of Niagara Helicopters’ flights, getting a bird’s-eye look at the area. Their fleet of whirlybirds provides

the added comfort of air conditioning, lower noise levels and unrivalled safety (www. niagarahelicopters.com). Want a more sybaritic way to enjoy the Falls? Dine with a first-class view at the newly renovated Table Rock House Restaurant where you can enjoy fine local cuisine and wine while watching the flow. Wake up and see the morning mist over the Falls from your bedroom window in one of the hotels that offers spectacular overviews. Or see the rush of the rapids with a visit to the White Water Walk or on a journey across the Niagara Gorge on the Whirlpool Aero Car (www.niagaraparks.com). To see the Niagara River down low, take a jet boat ride with Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours (www. whirlpooljet.com). For something totally out of the ordinary, book a roundtrip flight experience with FlyGTA Airlines from Billy Bishop Airport, in Toronto, to the Niagara District Airport, and then enjoy a day of wineries and vineyards and wine tastings (www.flygta.com).

FIREWORKS AND ILLUMINATIONS HIGHLIGHT THE FALLS Niagara has long been famous for the artful lighting of the night Falls, but now it is even more spectacular, with energy-efficient LED lighting technology. In addition to the nightly illuminations, there is the brilliance of fireworks over the Falls. Niagara Parks continues to host Canada’s longest running fireworks series in Queen Victoria Park, from May to September. Try a forty-minute Hornblower Fireworks Cruise, with a glass of wine and an appetizer in hand, to really celebrate the spectacle of water and light.

CONNECTING WITH THE ENERGY OF NIAGARA It is good for the body and mind to slow down, contemplate and connect with your surroundings, and Niagara encourages visitors to do just that. One popular activity

is Namaste Niagara, a yoga series organized by Niagara Parks and held on select Sundays during the summer. There are two options to choose from: private access to Journey Behind the Falls, a 45-minute yoga workshop right at the brink of the Falls and brunch at Queenston Heights Restaurant or a guided meditation walk at White Water Walk along the Niagara River and breakfast at the Whirlpool Restaurant (www.niagaraparks. com/events/event/namaste-niagara).

WANDER THROUGH WINE COUNTRY It isn’t surprising that the culinary scene and the wineries of Niagara now rival the Falls in popularity. Year-round, visitors can tour, taste and feast at the many easily accessed wineries. In winter, visitors can “chill” at the Icewine Festival. You haven’t really experienced a “Nuit Blanche” until you have dined in the icy (but heated!) white tents set up on the streets of Niagara-onthe-Lake on a chilly winter evening (www. niagarawinefestival.com). Be one of the first to try this year’s wines at the Niagara New Vintage Festival, and indulge your love of fine white wines at the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration, or i4C, in July (www.coolchardonnay.org). Companies like Crush on Niagara Wine Tours offer visits to the vineyards (www. crushtours.com). Zoom Leisure Bikes organizes cycling tours (www.zoomleisure. com). Another attractive option is the Niagara Helicopters wine tour where you can fly over the Falls and then take in the vineyards by air, landing at a local winery for a tour and tasting or a gourmet meal (www.niagarahelicopters.com).

bubbly that will blow your socks off and serves fresh and tasty lunches on the verandah (www.westcottvineyards.com).

CANADA’S SPIRIT BLOOMS IN NIAGARA History abounds in Niagara, and it is no surprise that the area is busy with special events and celebrations to showcase Canada’s early history. Fort George National Historic Site is an accurately restored fort where costumed interpreters re-enact history (www.parks

canada.gc.ca/fortgeorge). The Fort celebrates the complicated and inspiring history of the area. Take the 2.5 km (1.6 mi.) “Beyond The Gates” stroll through 250 years of rousing Canadian history, or relax in one of the Red Chairs on the grounds or watch historic recreations, musket demonstrations and cannon firings. Niagara Parks is building a public art initiative, beginning with an art installation by Gordon Reeve called “Niagara Strait” in the Botanical Gardens. The Butterfly Conservatory celebrates

T I A W A S E I R O MEM S R I N E V U O S X PLACE AU

WINES TO SIP AND SAVOUR It’s easy to do your own individual tasting tour as most wineries are well-signed and an excellent self-touring map allows you to choose between large establishments and smaller ones that are aggressively pushing the boundaries of winemaking (www.wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com/ cta/greatest-winery-tour). Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery is a small boutique operation, with the tasting room in the family dining room. Owner and vintner, Sue-Ann is an international award-winning vintner who makes excellent reds and whites under the Fancy Farm Girl label (www.sue-annstaff.com). Westcott Vineyards is another family-run winery in a relocated 200-year-old Mennonite barn. The winery makes a

1-888-773-8888 parkscanada.gc.ca/fortgeorge parcscanada.gc.ca/fortgeorge

facebook.com/FortGeorgeNHS facebook.com/LHNFortGeorge

NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE • SHUTTERSTOCK/ELIJAH LOVKOFF

Ontario’s native species, as well as being home to over 2000 butterflies from all around the world. Not to be missed are the 25,000 tulips planted by Niagara Parks within Queen Victoria Park that explode with colour in the spring.

THRILLS BY THE BRINK Adrenaline junkies will rejoice at WildPlay’s MistRider Zipline to the Falls which whistles you along the edge of the Falls for a breathstopping ride. Experience the Falls in a NIAGARA SKYWHEEL • TOURISM PARTNERSHIP OF NIAGARA

whole new way: hanging from a 67-m-high (220-ft.) vantage point on one of four parallel zip-lines at speeds over 70 km/h (40 mph), along the edge of the Niagara River gorge and down to the Falls observation area. In addition, WildPlay’s Whirlpool Adventure Course presents the thrill of suspended obstacles and zip-lines above the Niagara Gorge. It also includes climbing, jumping and swinging aerial games—a different way to explore the Niagara River— with options for both adventurous adults and kids aged 5 to 12 (www.wildplay.com). Barrel along the Niagara Speedway, a multi-storey raised spiral go-cart track that is guaranteed to be a thrill ride. It was the first of its kind in Canada and one of the largest in North America (www.cliftonhill. com/attractions/niagara-speedway).

NIAGARA GOES GOURMET Niagara is synonymous with good food, so it is logical that some of Canada’s celebrity chefs have moved to Niagara and are producing superb locally-sourced food. All of the Niagara Parks’ restaurants are now Feast On certified, a criteria-based program that recognizes businesses that use products sourced as locally as possible, celebrates local producers, and commits to showcasing Ontario’s unique taste of place. Expect fresh and interesting local dishes at all their dining places, like Queenston Heights Restaurant, or Legends on the Niagara where you can enjoy a locally sourced meal in the clubhouse and also get in a few rounds of golf on its renowned courses. Niagara Parks will be hosting Pop-Up dinners at iconic locations throughout the season, a chance

to meet local chefs, taste the terroir and enjoy an evening by the Falls. There are excellent affordable dining options in the area. The Backhouse, a Niagara-on-the-Lake restaurant devoted to cool climate sustainable cuisine, offers an intimate dining experience with a seat at the chef’s bar where you can sit by the fire and watch the cooks in action (www.back house.xyz). Many wineries have developed excellent in-house restaurants serving locally-inspired food. The 13th Street Winery is a family-run winery with a tasting bar and wine boutique, a sculpture garden, original Canadian art on the walls, and culinary art (think butter tarts) in the on-site bakery (www.13thstreetwinery. com). They have also launched a B&B style cottage on the property for those who want a quiet base for exploring wine country. Creekside Estate Vineyards, which is producing some great Riesling and a delicious unfussy bubbly, is serving all things smoked—ribs, pulled pork, salmon—on the wooden verandah overlooking the vineyard (www. creeksidewine.com). The Restaurant at Pearl Morissette was recently named the best new restaurant in Canada by Air Canada’s enRoute magazine (www.pearlmorissette.com).

DRAMA ON THE LAKE Niagara-on-the-Lake is well-known for the Shaw Festival, and this season is featuring a production of the hit musical Brigadoon, in addition to other classics like Cyrano de Bergerac and The Glass Menagerie (www. shawfest.com). But this historic town also offers good shopping and carefully restored inns and manor house hotels, such as the elegant neo-Georgian Queen’s Landing (www. vintage-hotels.com) or the intimate Harbour House Hotel (www.niagarasfinest.com/ harbour). The Prince of Wales Hotel is a Victorian-style hotel located close to the Shaw Festival theatres and shopping area. The town is also well-supplied with bed and breakfast establishments, like the Historic Davy House Bed & Breakfast Inn (www.davyhouse.com).

NIAGARA BECKONS Niagara has upped the excitement factor, adding breathtaking adventures, refined culinary experiences and outstanding cultural riches—and then there are the Falls themselves! They never get old. Plan to spend some serious time here to fully connect to the energy of this exceptional place, and to experience all that the region has to offer (www.visitniagaracanada.com; www.niagarafallstourism.com).

A view to thrill

Niagara Helicopters Flightseeing Tours

Niagara Helicopters 3731 Victoria Avenue Niagara Falls, ON

905 357 5672 niagarahelicopters.com

NIAGARA PARKS

Niagara Parks: Enlightened Stewardship of the Falls Area BY BARBARA RAMSAY ORR

Established in 1885, Niagara Parks was created to control the parklands and buildings along the length of the Niagara River. Today, Niagara Parks maintains over 1325 ha (3,274 acres) of parkland from Fort Erie in the south to Niagara-onthe-Lake in the north.

New this year is a total renovation of its flagship restaurant, formerly Elements, which is being redesigned and relaunched as the Table Rock House Restaurant. Focusing on locally sourced ingredients, the dining room will celebrate the flavours of Niagara, as well as reach back to connect with local history. The original Table Rock House Restaurant opened in 1926 and, while the building is the same and the turrets are still there, the dĂŠcor, menu and ambiance will be entirely new.Â The Falls side dining space will be accessible to a diverse audience of visitors, with a bistro-style bar to be added in phase two of the renovation. The new director of cultural stewardship oversees the live music program. Working with the renowned Polaris Music Prize, the goal of the program is to help foster new talent, and showcase the diversity of Canadian music. The popular Pop-up Dinner Series also carries on, with well-known Niagara Parks chefs preparing memorable menus in iconic locations along the Niagara Parkway. Over 130 years on, Niagara Parks continues to foster the best of Niagara.

VOYAGEUR WILDERNESS PROGRAM LTD., QUETICO PROVINCIAL PARK • TOURISM THUNDER BAY

The wilderness of Northern Ontario is close at hand. A short drive north of Toronto is a diverse landscape of sparkling lakes and rivers, vast forests and rugged Canadian Shield. It is the pristine scenery and abundance of outdoor activities that attract many people to Northern Ontario.

Northern Ontario: The Spirit of Adventure BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS But it is also where you’ll find people who are unhurried and unassuming, friendly and welcoming. Urban gateways such as Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay, North Bay and Sudbury make perfect access points to all the area has to offer. The towns and cities present fantastic amenities, museums, unique shopping, festivals and happening food scenes. It’s the best of both worlds. You’ll hear it from outfitters, guides and people on the street: all four seasons, these recreational experiences lure visitors to explore an unspoiled playground. There are paths to hike, streams to fish, trails for snowmobiling in winter and lakes for boating in summer. At night, the sky is peppered with brightly shining stars, an astronomer’s dream (www.northernontario.travel).

GETTING TO NORTHERN ONTARIO •

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Sault Ste. Marie is a convenient gateway for visitors travelling by car, RV and by boat from the U.S. The MS Chi-Cheemaun ferry provides a relaxing water crossing of Georgian Bay from Tobermory/Bruce Peninsula to Manitoulin Island.

Fort William Historical Park, a living history museum with dozens of historically accurate buildings, recreates the days of the Canadian fur trade.

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The rocky ridge and sheer granite cliffs of Sleeping Giant Provincial Park give the Thunder Bay area landmark its name. The park is a favourite with canoeists, anglers, hikers and swimmers.

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Paddle some of Ontario’s best routes along waterways like the Abitibi River, French River and the open waters of Lake Superior.

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Take the winding and scenic RV-friendly routes with dozens of provincial parks and private campgrounds. Go Tour Ontario provides an interactive planning tool with information on 7 to 21 day tours (www.gotourontario.ca).

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Explore the intense splash of foliage colour in September and October—timing varies so check the Ontario Fall Colour Report for peak viewing (www.ontariotravel.net).

MUST SEE ATTRACTIONS •

IT’S A GREAT BIG AREA Northern Ontario begins along the upper shores of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, including Manitoulin Island, and stretches in its northern reaches to the borders of Québec and Manitoba. It is less than a three-hour drive north of Toronto and, as you travel north, the more developed cottage country gives way to lush stretches of boreal forest and the craggy Canadian Shield.

Air connections are through Toronto in the south and Winnipeg in the west. Both major air hubs connect daily to the gateway City of Thunder Bay on the northern edge of Lake Superior.

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The Agawa Canyon Tour Train departs from Sault Ste. Marie for daylong wilderness tours.

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The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre in Sault Ste. Marie is dedicated to the history of float planes, water bombers and aerial firefighters.

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Science North and Dynamic Earth—both in Sudbury—tell about the geology, mining history, waterways, forests and wildlife of the north.

KILLARNEY PROVINCIAL PARK • DESTINATION ONTARIO

Northeastern Ontario BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS

This part of the province is an expansive “bay-to-bay” region, covering the land from James Bay down to Georgian Bay. The far northern reaches are the Arctic-like Hudson Bay lowlands, while the southern part is Georgian Bay cottage country where people from the big city spend holidays cruising, sailing and relaxing at vacation getaways. The region’s breathtaking scenery was so alluring that the famed Group of Seven artists were moved to paint many of their iconic landscapes (www.northernontario. travel/northeastern-ontario).

GREATER SUDBURY Eons ago, a huge comet likely crashed into this part of Ontario, creating the rich mining opportunities of the Sudbury Basin. More recently, Sudbury has seen a regreening of the area, with the planting of trees and the development of recreational areas like Ramsey Lake, a popular spot for boating,

Northeastern Ontario has a long and rich history as a transportation hub. When Canada was growing as a country the fur trade routes were used by explorers who moved north and west into the untouched wilderness. The richness of Canada owes much to this exploration.

fishing, swimming and ice skating. The geological and mining history is on display through two outstanding, interactive science centres: Science North and Dynamic Earth. Science North houses a state of the art IMAX theatre, digital planetarium, enclosed butterfly gallery and interpretive displays on the landscape, flora and fauna of the north. Dynamic Earth is home to the Big Nickel—a Sudbury landmark—and exhibits on the region’s geology, fossils and mining history, including a guided tour of their demonstration mine seven storeys below the surface (www.sciencenorth.com).

NORTH BAY Discovering the quaint downtown of North Bay can mean finding one treasure at a time. The city core is being revitalized with funky shops and eateries. The downtown sits on the shore of Lake Nipissing and the waterfront Government Dock is home to the

Heritage Carousel, a large municipal marina and Chief Commanda II cruises (www.tourism northbay.com; www.georgianbaycruise.com). A late summer visit to North Bay would not be complete without stopping by the Farm Fresh Festival, a showcase of delicious tastes and local flavours. Held at a local farm property, the vendors, restaurants, breweries and craft distilleries show why locally sourced and farm-to-table experiences have become au courant. In the nearby Hornell Heights neighbourhood, the Canadian Forces Museum of Aerospace Defence is filled with artefacts and displays on the history of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Twenty minutes south of North Bay, in the community of Powassan, one of Ontario’s premier rodeo events fills the local fairgrounds for the Smoke ’N’ Spurs Festival, featuring live music, trick riding, truck and tractor pulls and ATV mud bogs.

MATTAWA VOYAGEUR COUNTRY Voyageurs once travelled through the junction of the Mattawa and Ottawa rivers as they paddled from Montréal to the Great Lakes. These watery trails were a big part of opening Canada to the west. The wilderness along these routes still draws paddlers from afar—they come for the friendly bilingual community, the excellent canoeing and kayaking, the landscape of windswept pines and the granite outcrops of the Canadian Shield. At the height of summer, the annual four-day Mattawa Voyageur Days includes canoe races, live music and fishing competitions (www.voyageurdays.com). NATURE’S HARMONY ECOLODGE, MATTAWA • DESTINATION ONTARIO

TEMISKAMING SHORES The town of Temiskaming Shores, and its surrounding area, is an outdoor adventurer’s dream. Long before the ice age, this area was mountainous, but the movement of enormous sheets of ice wore them down, leaving what is still Ontario’s highest point—Ishpatina Ridge in Lady EvelynSmoothwater Provincial Park. The town sits on a long shoreline and is surrounded by farming communities, a cheese factory, beautiful beaches and has almost unlimited boating in summer and snowmobiling, tubing and snowshoeing in winter. The Clay Belt tract of fertile soil seems to hold the heat in the summer months, creating a pleasant mini-climate that extends the season for warm weather activities. Fishing is excellent. Anglers cast their lines for trout, walleye and bass. The sport is year-round. When Lake Temiskaming freezes, hundreds of fishing huts appear on the lake (www.temiskamingshores.ca).

TIMMINS

With gold in the ground and gold in their hearts, the people of Timmins have a history of welcoming visitors to explore and experience the region’s history, its many free festivals, concerts and paddling events. Paddlers from across North America come to The Great Canadian Kayak Challenge & Festival, a late summer festival that attracts thousands of visitors for kayak and canoe races, seminars and workshops (www.thegreatcanadiankayak challenge.com). The Hollinger Golf Club is Northern Ontario’s only 18-hole championship, full bent grass golf course. Created in 1922, the historic, professionally designed course was carved out of the boreal forest (www.hollingergolf.com).

COCHRANE The Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat is the only enclosed facility in the world dedicated solely to polar bears. Cochrane is also the departure station for the popular Polar Bear Express passenger train to the remote James Bay communities of Moosonee and Moose Factory (www.cochraneontario.com).

DRIVING TO EXPLORE Doing a loop driving tour may be one of the best ways to experience this part of Northern Ontario. Even surrounded by wilderness, there is a system of well-paved roads and small communities with all the services a road-tripper would need. RVers and campers will find sites at Lady EvelynSmoothwater, Killarney and French River provincial parks, as well as at numerous

private campgrounds. Manitoulin Island is also a part of Northeastern Ontario and has many summertime powwows and festivals. Manitoulin is home to six Anishinaabe First Nations communities and is a stop along the Georgian Bay Coastal Route, a popular road trip for RVers, drivers and motorcyclists that circles Georgian Bay, connecting the area’s Manitoulin Island, Sudbury and French River. Manitoulin— which claims to be the world’s largest freshwater island—boasts fantastic beaches, fishing opportunities and a wealth of cultural events and art galleries.

CEDAR MEADOWS RESORT & SPA, TIMMINS • DESTINATION ONTARIO

See and learn about an iconic arctic species at the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat.

Come and discover true calm on the shores of beautiful Lake Temiskaming.

North Bay, Ontario; four season access to unspoiled nature, where there is something new every season.

tourismnorthbay.com polarbearhabitat.ca

temiskamingshores.ca

Journeys as Great as the Destination northeasternontario.com

For centuries, this is where explorers set off on their travels and rested when they returned. Just far enough for you to start your own adventure.

Science North is Northern Ontarioâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most popular tourist attraction operating the second- and eighthlargest science centres in Canada and is home to the iconic Big Nickel.

mattawavoyageurcountry.ca

sciencenorth.ca

With world-renowned attractions, urban comforts and fourseason outdoor adventures. Greater Sudbury continues to surprise and impress

Fine resorts, endless outdoor recreation, interesting tourist attractions, peace, tranquility and legendary northern hospitality guaranteed!

tourismtimmins.com discoversudbury.ca

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LAKE SUPERIOR PROVINCIAL PARK • DESTINATION ONTARIO

Sault Ste. MarieAlgoma BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS The city, known for its International Bridge border crossing and the recreational locks connecting Lake Huron to Lake Superior, offers many boating opportunities. It is a convenient gateway for visitors arriving by air, roadway and boat from the U.S. Downtown is located directly on the riverbanks, with a waterfront boardwalk that is popular with walkers and anglers who can cast their line a stone’s throw from the main street shops. Northern Ontario’s third largest city also specializes in urban outdoor spaces, including a wintertime skating trail and the mostly-paved 22.5-km (14-mi.) John Rowswell Hub Trail that skirts the St. Marys River shoreline and is a popular workout route for cycling, rollerblading and walking. Not far from the city, the rural beauty of Algoma Country serves up some of Ontario’s best hiking, paddling, fat biking and wildlife watching. At Searchmont Resort, the diverse terrain, long runs and impressive 213-m (700-ft.) vertical drop make it a playground for alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling (www.northernontario. travel/algoma-country).

DRIVING ROUTES Sault Ste. Marie is a popular starting point for the scenic drive north along the breathtaking shoreline of Lake Superior, North

Sault Ste. Marie is a small city but a wonderful urban find at the heart of the Great Lakes. It is a perfect starting point for outdoor adventures in next-door Algoma Country, which stretches through the central-north part of Ontario.

America’s largest freshwater lake. In the city, travellers can refuel and stock up on supplies for the road trip. Some driving routes are marked by interpretive panels tracing the footsteps of the Group of Seven, Canada’s famed 20th century landscape painters.

FESTIVAL FUN The people in Sault Ste. Marie know how to celebrate and they open their doors to visitors. The multi-day WTF Festival in June changes its focus and theme each year. In 2019, WTF stands for “With the Family,” with a lineup of family-friendly entertainment and activities (www.wtffestival.ca). The annual ROTARYFEST, in July, blends carnival rides, music and a popular ribfest (www.rotaryfest.com). A cold weather feast of outdoor activities, Bon Soo includes live music, snow sculptures, disc golf, a polar bear swim and bum slides in the popular Winter Playground (www.bonsoo.on.ca).

MUST-SEE ADVENTURES AND ATTRACTIONS Sault Ste. Marie, fondly called the “Soo,” is a bustling place, with something happening in every season. The scenic Agawa Canyon Tour Train is an interactive Canadian Signature Experience, operating late June through early October. The historic rail cars glide

alongside sparkling lakes, unspoiled forests and the rocky granite of the Canadian Shield. Autumn is one of the best times to visit, when the woodlands are ablaze with colour (www.agawatrain.com). The dazzling beauty of Agawa Canyon Park inspired the Group of Seven artists to paint their vibrant landscapes; a number of sketches are on display at the Art Gallery of Algoma (www.artgalleryofalgoma.com). The interactive Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre fills a large airplane hangar with dozens of bushplanes, water bombers, a 3D film and flight simulator (www. bushplane.com). The Ermatinger-Clergue National Historic Site consists of two of the oldest stone buildings northwest of Toronto. Year-round, costumed interpreters show visitors the culture and norms of domestic 19th century life in the region. The property’s rooms and gardens are restored and maintained in period style (www.ecnhs.com). Algoma’s natural wonders offer countless opportunities for fly-in fishing, hunting, wildlife watching and nature opportunities, in warm months as well as colder ones.

A DEPARTURE FROM

THE ORDINARY. Start your Sault Ste. Marie journey aboard the fabled Agawa Canyon Tour Train. Then experience all the best the region has to offer by choosing from an amazing variety of packages including the Canadian Heritage Bushplane Centre, the Ermatingerâ&#x20AC;¢Clergue National Historic Site, the Art Gallery of Algoma and the Sault Ste. Marie Canal National Historic Site.

2 AND 3 NIGHT ACCOMMODATION PACKAGES AVAILABLE Book online at www.agawatrain.com or call 1-800-461-6020

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WOODLAND CARIBOU PROVINCIAL PARK • TOURISM THUNDER BAY

Northwest Ontario BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS

About 300-km (186-mi.) north of Thunder Bay the highways end, but there are still another 1,000 km (621 mi.) of Ontario stretching to Hudson Bay, with hundreds of remote lakes and dozens of small communities to explore (www.northernontario.travel/northwestontario).

Northwest Ontario is big. Within 500,000 sq. km (193,050 sq. mi.) of rugged wilderness, there are vast forests of pine and spruce and some 150,000 lakes, rivers and streams. The City of Thunder Bay is the urban hub—connected by daily flights to Toronto and Winnipeg—and a gateway to the spectacular wilderness.

of Lake of the Woods—with over 14,000 islands to explore—is a boater’s paradise. Fishing for salmon, walleye, trout and pike has always loomed large in this region. With so many waterways, it’s a hot spot for anglers, especially fly-in and fly fishing expeditions.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

URBAN ADVENTURES

Picture the stereotypical Canadian experience of rocky outcrops, swaths of forest, sparkling waterways and wildlife such as moose and bears. Northwest communities are starting points for every type of outdoor adventure, from rock and ice climbing to paddling, hiking and fishing. The original fur trade routes criss-crossed this part of the province. These “500-year-old highways” are still accessible to paddlers and are popular with canoeists, kayakers and stand-up paddleboarders. Many northern lodges provide the iconic Canadian paddling experience, with guided ecotourism and wildlife observation packages. The lakes of the region are irresistible. Getting out on the big water of Lake Superior is an adventure of its own—by sailboat, Zodiac or sailing on a sunset wine and cheese cruise. The vast waters

Thunder Bay has an intimate connection to the surrounding wilderness. The city offers all the urban amenities—food, art and culture —but is a short drive away from pristine landscapes (www.visitthunderbay.com). The city is home to the only major art gallery, symphony orchestra and professional theatre company between Toronto and Winnipeg. And a happening food scene highlights culinary dishes from around the globe as well as unique fusion styles blending classic northern flavours like blueberries and fish. History comes alive at Fort William Historical Park, a Canadian Signature Experience. The Park interprets the history of the Canadian fur trade and expansion to the west. Dozens of historically accurate buildings—including a farm, blacksmith and canoe shed—transport visitors back

200 years in time (www.fwhp.ca/). Summer is festival time, especially at Thunder Bay’s transformed waterfront performance space. The Thunder Bay Blues Festival brings major acts to town (www. tbayblues.ca). BrewHa! features the best of craft breweries (www.brewhafestival.com). The free Live on the Waterfront concert series showcases local and national musicians.

SCENIC DRIVES Northwest Ontario offers several of Ontario’s bucket list road trips, including part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour. This iconic, signposted route skirts along the shores of the world’s largest freshwater lake. The stretch between Thunder Bay and Sault Ste. Marie is especially popular with RVers and motorcyclists. The best views are found by travelling from west to east, with the lake on the passenger side. Along the way are private campgrounds and some of the province’s storied provincial parks: Quetico, Sleeping Giant, Neys and Kakabeka Falls.

T B AY ON

WHERE LIVING IN THE MOMENT LASTS A LIFETIME

HERE IS WHERE I FOUND MYSELF VISITTHUNDERBAY.COM

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8,390,499 Québec City www.quebecoriginal.com/en Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, 20 km (13 mi.) from downtown Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport, 16 km (10 mi.) from downtown

Québec

QUÉBEC CITY • SHUTTERSTOCK/LOPOLO

Retreat. Recharge. Reflect.

Québec provides the ingredients so visitors can pick and choose, mix and match, to create the perfect experience that is a unique meld of culture, historic sites, shopping, nature, city lights and wilderness retreats. It is nirvana for sports aficionados and outdoors enthusiasts, a haven for both history buffs and foodies. With roots that date way back, there is so much to choose from to craft a perfect stay.

BY JOSEPHINE MATYAS Canada’s largest province, la belle province is known for its rich heritage rooted in centuries of French history and culture. The heart-warming traditions of the people and communities are found in their warm smiles and pride of place and history.

That famous Québec passion is in the air. Visitors find themselves immersed in an irresistible tableau of experiences, sights and emotions that spark the beginning of a love affair with the province. Visit, share and open yourself to becoming wrapped in the heart of it all.

FOUR SEASON ADVENTURES Québec is a landscape of superlatives easily explored throughout the entire year. There’s warmth, plus an energy and glow that blanket the province. Québecers love to celebrate by filling their months with special events and festivals. It’s their way to

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PERCÉ ROCK • LE QUÉBEC MARITIME/MATHIEU DUPUIS

mark dignity and joy in their vibrant heritage and, happily, doors are wide open to visitors. Everywhere, Québec’s National Holiday is celebrated on June 24th with shows, parades, bonfires and fireworks. When the sun shines and the air is warm, there are music festivals—Montréal International Jazz Festival (Festival International de Jazz de Montréal), Québec City Summer Festival (Festival d’été de Québec) and many others—as well as cultural festivals, including the Just for Laughs Festival (Juste pour rire). Summertime is glorious in both the cities and the countryside. It is the perfect time to visit pick-your-own farms, follow the province’s food trails, or become one

with the unspoiled wilderness by hiking, climbing and paddling. There is something for everyone who is drawn to the outdoors. As the seasons peak, autumn brings a dramatic splash of colour to the hardwood forests, and springtime follows with the sweetness of maple syrup. A large percent of the world’s maple syrup is produced in Québec, making its many sugar shacks a popular springtime destination for samples of just-boiled syrup and treats like traditional maple syrup taffy. When snowflakes fall, the people of Québec embrace the natural wonder of wintertime. Snowmobiling, cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating and dogsledding are just the tip of the iceberg. Québecers celebrate hockey like no other spot on earth—the Montréal Canadiens are the oldest hockey team in the world that has played without interruption. The Québec Winter Carnival—the world’s largest—anchors the winter with its snow slides, ice sculptures and canoe race on the frozen St. Lawrence River. Across the province, they pay homage to the cooler seasons—from the family-friendly Fête des Neiges in Montréal to the fall Oktobierfest in Sainte-Adèle, and all points between.

HISTORY IS A PART OF THE CULTURAL FABRIC History is not forgotten in Québec. Rather than being relics that are swept aside, history and heritage are embraced. Locals and visitors dress up in period costume at the New France Festival (Les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France) in Québec City, a place

that knows how to show off its roots. Canada’s most “European” city, Québec City, is known for heritage buildings that harken back to the days of New France, narrow cobblestone streets and excellent cuisine. The Old Port of Montréal stretches for two km (1.24 mi.) along the St. Lawrence River. An historic clock tower marks the entrance to the port, a pedestrian-friendly area of boutiques, bistros, small markets and street entertainment. In Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, the Site of New France (Site de la Nouvelle-France) recreates the daily life of the colony of Québec in the 17th century. Nearby, the historical village of Val-Jalbert is a way to experience company town life in the 1920s, complete with 40 or so original period buildings.

FOLLOW YOUR TASTEBUDS There’s a deep connection between land and people—from the soil that produces a breadbasket of crops and the dedicated farmers who create this culinary magic. Québec’s gastronomic trails link the harvest of the countryside with the markets of the cities. The trails are known for artisanal cheese producers, small production vintners, local growers and specialty producers. Exploring the trails is a way to meet the people who create the province’s signature products, from foie gras to springtime maple syrup. The Farmlands Route (Chemin du Terroir) loops through the Laurentians countryside, with stops at producers of

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Special Events JANUARY – FEBRUARY • IGLOOFEST, MONTRÉAL • MONTRÉAL SNOW FESTIVAL FEBRUARY – MARCH • MONTRÉAL EN LUMIÈRE • QUÉBEC WINTER CARNIVAL, QUÉBEC CITY APRIL • SAGUENAY JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL MAY – JUNE • GO BIKE MONTRÉAL FESTIVAL JUNE • CANADIAN FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX, MONTRÉAL • LES FRANCOFOLIES DE MONTRÉAL JUNE – JULY • MONTRÉAL INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL JULY • JUST FOR LAUGHS FESTIVAL, MONTRÉAL • MONTRÉAL CIRQUE FESTIVAL • QUÉBEC CITY SUMMER FESTIVAL • TREMBLANT INTERNATIONAL BLUES FESTIVAL JULY – AUGUST • LE FESTIVAL DE LANAUDIÈRE AUGUST • MONTRÉAL FIRST PEOPLES FESTIVAL • MONTRÉAL PRIDE • NEW FRANCE FESTIVAL, QUÉBEC CITY • POUTINE FESTIVAL, DRUMMONDVILLE • ROGERS CUP, MONTRÉAL AUGUST – SEPTEMBER • GATINEAU HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER • ST-TITE WESTERN FESTIVAL

www.quebecoriginal.com/en-ca/events MONT-TREMBLANT

wines and ciders, maple goods, freshpicked apples and Québec’s famous fromageries. The Gourmet Route (Le Parcours gourmand) links restaurants and craft producers in the greater Québec City area, including those on historic Île d’Orléans, famous for pick-your-own berries in the height of summer. Charlevoix’s Flavour Trail (La Route des Saveurs) links about 50 local growers, producers and restaurateurs who create and serve regional products such as ciders, artisanal beers, pâtés, cheeses, spices and fine chocolates. Grape growers and vintners—and many bistros and restaurants—are a part of Québec’s Wine Route (La Route des vins). The winemakers in five distinct regions have created an on-line tool to help visitors design customized routes (www.vinsdu quebec.com/en/route-des-vins). On Îles de la Madeleine, the Food Trail and the Tour of Typical Dishes explore local food producers, growers and artisans, and samplings of authentic Island dishes served in local restaurants (www.tourisme ilesdelamadeleine.com).

cabins. In the Québec Maritime region, the lighthouse at Brandy Pot is run as an inn that retains its historical charm. In Charlevoix, Maison du Bootlegger is a colourful house with hidden doors and secret passages that date back to the era of Prohibition. Of course, there are the resorts and historic properties that the province is famous for: the much-loved Le Château Frontenac perched on a bluff in Québec City; the boutique Auberge Saint-Antoine; and, in Montréal, the luxurious Hôtel Le St-James; The Queen Elizabeth transformed from top-to-bottom in 2017; and Le Saint-Sulpice. Want to stay in a shelter resembling giant bird nesting boxes? The unusual camping experience is found at Parc Nature de Pointe-aux-Outardes on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. Tucked into an old-growth pine forest, a “nest” stay includes sleeping bags, stove, cooler, dishes and utensils (www.quebecmaritime.ca/ entreprise/parc-nature-de-pointe-auxoutardes/hebergement).

THERE’S ALWAYS ROOM

Overnight stays at the inn at the Atikamekw community of Manawan provide an immersion experience of an Amerindian reserve with activities such as snowmobiling, canoeing, traditional music and craft workshops (www.voyageamerindiens.com).

Whether in the big city or the small villages, the people in Québec know how to open their doors and make visitors feel welcome. It could be quirky and fun, like Zoobox, an innovative solar-wind-powered loft where everything is flexible—even beds and the bathtub can be moved outside! Or try Parc Aventures Cap Jaseux’s tree houses, dome, suspended spheres and rustic log

Readers who are fans of mystery author Louise Penny can now follow the Three Pines Tour near the writer's home in Québec's Eastern Townships. The full-day guided tour includes sites that were the inspiration behind Penny's novels (www. threepinestours.com).

WHAT’S NEW?

The Montréal Cirque Festival celebrates its 10th year (www.montrealcompletement cirque.com). The redesign and renovation of the new Alexandra Pier cruise terminal in Montréal will be on display in May, when it opens to new cruise ships and visitors. An exhibit, also opening in May, at Pointe-à-Callière in Montréal—the only major archaeology museum in all of Canada—Dinner is Served! The Story of French Cuisine covers the captivating history of French gastronomy (www. pacmusee.qc.ca/en). And, as of mid-May, dogs will be allowed in certain campground areas in all Québec national parks, except in the Anticosti and

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DOWNTOWN MONTRÉAL • SHUTTERSTOCK/YRIAS

Île-Bonaventure-et-du-Rocher-Percé national parks (www.sepaq.com/animaux/ index.dot?language_id=1). In the heart of Old Québec, the new Strøm Nordic Spa uses hot and cold water thermal therapy to contribute to overall good health and well-being. Strøm was founded on the simple idea of combining Nordic spa and urbanity, for a rejuvenating relaxing experience (www.stromspa.com).

CITY LIGHTS The province’s unique European sensibility flavours the intersection of art, culture and history. This is a big part of the city centres— Montréal and Québec City—with their wealth of museums, galleries and special exhibits. In Québec City, small music clubs, funky bars, boîtes à chansons (intimate venues for the province’s singer/songwriters) and music festivals like the Québec City Summer Festival (Festival d’été de Québec), one of Canada’s biggest music festivals, contribute to a vibrant arts scene (www.feq.ca/en ). Cosmopolitan Montréal sits at a cultural crossroads, rooted in both Anglo and francophone heritage. The city has put together itineraries to inspire visitors, from nightlife to shopping to annual festivals (www.mtl.org/en). Montréal abounds with theatre and dance, music and circus arts, and museums and art galleries showcasing everything from cutting-edge works to timeless classics. An underground system of pedestrian passageways, RÉSO, connects Métro stations and corridors filled with boutiques and small shops.

Montréal is renowned for its lively summer gatherings—from jamming sessions to dance fests. In cool contrast, take in a concert at Old Montréal’s Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Gothic masterpiece with marvellous acoustics (www.basiliquenotredame.ca/en). Or visit the quays of the Old Port on foot, by Segway or hoverboard, where performances range from reggae to harbour symphonies created with ships’ horns. Year-round, chic prevails in Old Montréal’s clubs, trendy bistros and the free-spirited Latin Quarter’s cocktail bars. The city teems with bars, discos, microbreweries, cigar lounges, cafés and outdoor terraces.

Quick Fact LE MASSIF DE CHARLEVOIX SKI HILL HAS THE HIGHEST VERTICAL DROP EAST OF THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Outdoor enthusiasts can soak up Québec’s untamed wilderness by visiting the province’s numerous parks. With thousands of crystal-clear lakes and an impressive range of wildlife, they are idyllic for camping, canoeing, fishing, cycling, mountain biking and hiking. In winter, the guarantee of snow creates a paradise for downhill and cross-country skiing, dogsledding and snowshoeing (www.sepaq.com). Every August the sky becomes a canvas for the shooting stars of the Perseid meteor showers and the Velan astronomy pavilion at Domaine Saint-Bernard offers regular stargazing sessions (www.tremblant.ca). Two-wheelers take to “la Route verte,” a

5,300-km (3,293-mi.) web of cycling and multi-use paths that criss-cross the province, creating the largest cycling network in the Americas. Spectacular sightlines are the norm at about 300 Québec public golf courses. One of the most challenging is Le Géant at Mont-Tremblant, a master’s 18-hole championship course carved out of the Laurentian landscape. Chemins d’Eau is a tourist route dedicated to the Ottawa River (the province’s longest river), retracing the steps of the First Nations, explorers and wood barons (www.tourismeoutaouais.com). In the Laurentian Mountains, north of Montréal, Le P’tit Train du Nord Linear Park is a former railroad track converted into a 232-km (144-mi.) level biking trail—and a cross-country ski trail in winter—between Saint-Jérôme and Mont-Laurier (www. laurentides.com/en ). Or ride a panoramic gondola to the summit of Mont-Tremblant. Whale watching from Tadoussac, Baie-Sainte-Catherine and Rivière-duLoup, gets visitors close to nature with sightings of minke, humpback and even the rare blue whale, as do boat cruises from the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula to the seabird sanctuary at Bonaventure Island (www. quebecmaritime.ca). Nova Lumina is a 1.5-km (0.9-mi.) multimedia nighttime seaside walk under the starry skies at Chandler in the Gaspésie, where the land meets the sky (www. bourgdepabos.com/en/nova-lumina). Try a nomadic wintertime experience at Tursujuq National Park, located near the shores of Hudson Bay. Nine-day excursions to explore the Inuit way of life include

110 or stop for tea at Le Château Frontenac, the world’s most photographed hotel (www. quebecregion.com). One of Canada’s premier community festivals happens in the Old World ambience of Québec City. The summertime New France Festival (Les Fêtes de la NouvelleFrance) is a showcase of the roots of francophone culture. Costumed revellers celebrate all that makes Québec unique, from music and history to food and literature (www.nouvellefrance.qc.ca/en). Québec Aboriginal Tourism is home to the Pow-Wow Trail, a one-stop list of First Nations special events including music, dance, handicrafts and food (www.quebec aboriginal.com).

MUST SEE, MUST DO The region of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is well-known for its premier biking routes, including the Véloroute des Bleuets (Blueberry Route) encircling a scenic lake (www.veloroutedesbleuets.com/en). CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY, GATINEAU • DESTINATION CANADA/CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY

snowmobiling, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, guided excursions and camping (www.nunavikparks.ca/en/parks/tursujuq). Ulittaniujalik National Park is a newer park in Nunavik, Québec’s far north region. As Québec’s second largest park, it provides a sanctuary for caribou calving grounds on the expansive George River Plateau (www. nunavikparks.ca/en/parks/ulittaniujalik ).

HERITAGE AND CULTURE Montréal has designed a unique way for anyone with a good helping of curiosity and an interest in heritage to learn about the city. “Montréal en Histoires” is an interactive way to play with history and test knowledge using a free mobile app that guides users through some 60 points of interest. The project includes daytime and nighttime scenarios, including short movies projected on buildings, streets and trees through Old Montréal (www.montreal enhistoires.com). Québec City is the only walled city north of Mexico, a UNESCO World Heritage site and a textbook of 17th and 18th century architecture. Begin with a visit to Battlefields Park, also known as the Plains of Abraham, the site of pivotal clashes between French and English forces (www.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca). Catch the view from the Dufferin Terrace overlooking the St. Lawrence River,

In the Gaspésie region, Plongée Forillon and Auberge Griffon Aventure provide unforgettable experiences swimming with harbour seals, starfish and lobster (www. plongeeforillon.com; www.aubergegaspe. com/en). The Banyä Sauna at Nordik Spa-Nature in Outaouais is inspired by a thousand-yearold Russian version of the traditional sauna (chelsea.lenordik.com/en). Foresta Lumina in the Eastern Township’s Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook is an interactive multimedia trail that wanders along a night-illuminated pathway for a magical experience (www.forestalumina. com/en). Visitors to Huttopia Canada’s getaways in Sutton experience a serene outdoors stay in chalets and high-end eco-tents tucked into forest settings with a river nearby for swimming (canada-usa.huttopia.com/en). Try biking above the treetops at Au Diable Vert’s VéloVolant in the Eastern Townships— a pedal-powered canopy tour on a bike hooked to a cable, following a one-km (0.6 mi.) circuit (www.audiablevert.com/ en/vélovolant---canopy-cycle.htm).

SCENIC DRIVES

Dominated by the highest mountain peaks of southern Québec, the Eastern

Townships’ 193-km (120-mi.) Summit Drive reveals one gorgeous panorama after another. Forged by glaciers, the picturesque Fjord Route follows the winding Saguenay Fjord —one of the longest in the world (235-km/ 146-mi.)—with a never-ending show of imposing rock faces and majestic capes. Route du Richelieu’s historic 265-km (165-mi.) transportation road traces both sides of the lovely Richelieu River, encompassing historic villages, archaeological digs, museums, heritage churches and bucolic landscapes. The 280-km (174-mi.) King’s Road (Chemin du Roy) is Canada’s oldest roadway, linking Québec City to Montréal along the St. Lawrence River’s spectacular north shore.

FAMILY FUN Montréal’s Barbie Expo is the largest permanent exhibit of Barbie dolls in the world. More than a thousand one-of-a-kind Barbies are dressed in the haute couture of world-renowned designers including Christian Dior and Diane Von Furstenberg. There are celebrity Barbies—Cher, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Taylor—and moviethemed Barbies like The Wizard of Oz and Cleopatra. Admission is free.

Park Pick

LA MAURICIE NATIONAL PARK

The landscape of La Mauricie National Park north of Shawinigan is a quilt of forests, rock and lakes typical of the rugged Canadian Shield. It is an outdoor lover’s dream: wilderness lakes and streams for kayaking and canoe camping; trails for hiking and mountain biking in summer and snowshoeing in winter; and natural pools for a quick dip to cool off. The Parks Canada familyfriendly oTENTiks (canvas roof and walls on a wooden frame and floor) sleep six and are equipped with solar lights, barbecue, firepit, lantern and wood stove. Some are open year round (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/ mauricie).

National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888

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TORNGAT MOUNTAINS IN KUURURJUAQ NATIONAL PARK • PATRICK GRAILLON

Nunavik: Québec’s Far North

Stretching north of Québec’s 55th parallel and covering almost a third of the province’s area is the vast and wild Arctic region of Nunavik, a majestic landscape of tundra, jagged peaks, broad glacial valleys and spectacular lakes and coastlines.

BY MARGO PFEIFF Nunavik’s main town of Kuujjuaq—population 2,700—is easy to reach on a 2-hour flight north from Montréal. The region’s total population of close to 14,000 is 90 percent Inuit, warmly welcoming visitors for an authentic experience among their ancient and vibrant traditions. The 13 other remote communities, accessible only by small plane, boat, snowmobile or dogsled, are cultural outposts for exploring the wilderness and wildlife in the company of knowledgeable local guides (www.nunavik-tourism.com).

CULTURE AND TRADITIONS The Inuit are proud of their heritage and eager to share their legends, stories and unique traditions such as throat singing, drum dancing and Indigenous sports and games. Meet locals and try char, a delicious Arctic salmon. Go berry picking with ladies and kids in summer. Learn a few Inuktitut words. Create indelible memories watching

a beluga whale emerge from a block of soapstone in a carver’s hands. Dogsled over frozen ocean. Sample raw caribou meat. Sleep in an igloo you’ve helped build (www.inuitadventures.com).

ARCTIC LANDSCAPES Nunavik’s diverse topography is a magnet for outdoor enthusiasts from beginners to experts. Trek, stroll or climb; whitewater raft, backcountry ski or snowshoe. Paddle down a river in a canoe or on an inland sea by kayak —an Inuit invention. There are three spectacular national parks to discover including Pingualuit, where a perfectly round crater from an ancient meteor strike is filled with pristine water. Kuururjuaq National Park boasts North America’s highest peaks east of the Rockies amid the rugged spires of the Torngat Mountains, and in Tursujuq National Park there are inland seas and dramatic cuesta ridges to explore (www.nunavikparks.ca).

ARCTIC WILDLIFE Be sure to pack binoculars and a camera to track and capture Nunavik’s Arctic wildlife. Board a freighter canoe to watch for seals and whales, including pods of white belugas. Spot icebergs drifting offshore. Search for polar bears prowling their coastal habitat. Trek the tundra to go meet a herd of muskox straight out of the ice age, or the elusive tundra wolves, Arctic foxes and hares. Witness the summer migration of one of the biggest caribou herds in the world. Then end the day with an endless sunset, followed by a technicolour show of northern lights shimmying across the night sky (www.inuitadventures.com). A fascinating Northern gem with a wealth of natural and cultural offerings, Nunavik is easy-access Arctic, a gateway to a hospitable, exotic and largely undiscovered corner of Canada.

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770,633 Fredericton www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca Greater Moncton Roméo LeBlanc International Airport, 8 km (5 mi.) from downtown Fredericton International Airport, 14 km (9 mi.) from downtown Saint John Airport, 10 km (6 mi.) from downtown

New Brunswick HOPEWELL ROCKS, BAY OF FUNDY • TOURISM NB

Go with the Flow BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

New Brunswick has many attractions that, like the river, reward those who take a leisurely approach; hence, today’s travellers shouldn’t emulate Champlain by buzzing through en route to bordering Provinces.

WONDERFUL WATERWAYS The St. John River is only one of the waterways which merits closer inspection.

Samuel de Champlain was an intrepid explorer who earned his place in Canadian history, yet the famed Frenchman missed the mark in one regard. In 1604, he sailed into the mouth of the St. John River, claimed it, named it, and promptly sailed away. In doing so, he gave short shrift to a beautiful body of water that threads through thick forests and sylvan valleys, tumbling over grand falls as it heads toward its grand finale—the Reversing Rapids.

The wilder, salmon-rich Miramichi River, for example, is a world-class destination for anglers; and don’t forget all that H2O lapping the province’s 2,250-km (1,400-mi.) coastline. Chaleur Bay, to the north, is fringed with vintage fishing villages; Northumberland Strait, to the east, is bordered by warm, sandy beaches; and the Bay of Fundy, to the south, famously

generates the highest tides on the planet— walls of water that rise and fall as much as 14.6 m (48 ft.) twice daily. Understandably, the last of these is New Brunswick’s big-ticket attraction, and top stops like the Hopewell Rocks, the Fundy Trail and Fundy National Park all showcase its power, providing ample opportunities for outdoor adventure.

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CULTURAL CONTRASTS The cultural landscape is equally diverse— and equally worth exploring—because Canada’s only officially bilingual province has a split personality, linguistically speaking. The English and French populations put a unique spin on everything from architecture to cuisine. As a result, British-influenced Loyalist locales such as Saint John (Canada’s oldest incorporated city) are visibly different from their Acadian cousins: communities where francophone residents proudly fly their own tricolour flag and have an abiding passion for a potato dish called poutine râpée. When a deeper understanding is desired, New Brunswick Tourism has you covered. Since many of its activities include a cultural component, its Experience Collection helps travellers navigate the nuances.

SEASONAL SENSATIONS The seasons, too, deserve to be savoured, as each is distinct. Summer, when the weather is warmest and the festival calendar is fullest, is prime time for tourists. Nevertheless, Mother Nature has her own timetable. In early spring, sap runs in the maples and syrup producers open their sugar camps to visitors, whereas autumn promises brilliant fall foliage and delectable harvest feasts. Happily, a rapidly-growing number of restaurants spotlight fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Come winter, frozen ponds and lakes provide an ideal setting for cutting figure eights or playing pick-up hockey. Snow also falls—as much as 400 cm (157 in.) annually in northern New Brunswick—covering ski hills and more than 8,000 km (4,971 mi.) of groomed snowmobile trails. In a place that has this much to offer, there’s no need to rush. So take your cue from the mighty St. John River and simply go with the flow.

WHAT’S NEW The capital gained a hotel when the Hilton Garden Inn Fredericton opened next door to the Convention Centre last summer (hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com). In September, the ribbon was cut on Moncton’s new $113-million sports and entertainment complex—the Avenir Centre (www.avenircentre.com). The venerable Algonquin Golf Course was officially unveiled after a major two-year

renovation designed by Rod Whitman (www.algonquinresort.com/golf). Southeastern New Brunswick and P.E.I. co-host the World Acadian Congress (Congrès Mondial Acadien) August 10-24 (www.cma2019.ca). Saint John’s contemporary art scene heats up with the opening of the Jones Gallery’s new, vastly-expanded Uptown location (www.jonesgallery.ca). Cielo Glamping Maritime, located on the Acadian Peninsula, now lets guests bed down year-round in chic geodesic domes (www.glampingcielo.com). Over the Cove Zip-line in French Fort Cove Nature Park is the City of Miramichi’s newest outdoor attraction and the longest zip-line in the Atlantic provinces.

CITY LIGHTS Fredericton is rightly called “Atlantic Canada’s Riverfront Capital.” The British made it the seat of government over 230 years ago due to the easy access the St. John River provided, and most civic sites still line its banks. Chief among them are the two-block Garrison District, where redcoated troops were once quartered; the copper-domed Legislature; the neo-Gothic Christ Church Cathedral; and the top-notch

Beaverbrook Art Gallery. Overlooking them all is the University of New Brunswick’s historic hilltop campus (www.tourism fredericton.ca). Saint John, a vibrant commercial and cruise port, has been defined by its harbour since the Loyalists sailed in. Evidence is found in its 18th century waterside sites and the grand edifices erected by later seafarers during the “Golden Age of Sail.” The harbour’s significance is further apparent in Market Square, a museum and entertainment complex fashioned from waterfront warehouses, and the City Market which was built by shipwrights. Even the Harbour Passage Trail and Harbour Station arena are named in its honour (www.discoversaintjohn.com). Straddling the muddy Petitcodiac River, Greater Moncton has surpassed Saint John to become the province’s most populous urban centre. Originally nicknamed the “Hub City” by virtue of its central location, it now doubles as a hub of tourist activity because Greater Moncton is home to attractions like the Magic Mountain Water Park, Casino New Brunswick and Magnetic Hill which, in addition to the eponymous hill, boasts a popular zoo, winery and amphitheatre (www.moncton.ca).

THE GREAT OUTDOORS New Brunswick is blessed with superlative natural attractions: the world’s highest tides, some of the oldest mountains and 540 KITCHEN & BAR, FREDERICTON • TOURISM NB

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Special Events JANUARY – FEBRUARY • FROSTIVAL, FREDERICTON MARCH • SUGAR BUSH, KINGS LANDING, PRINCE WILLIAM JUNE • ST. MARY’S (SITANSISK) FIRST NATION POWWOW, FREDERICTON JUNE – JULY • CAMPBELLTON SALMON FESTIVAL JULY • CANADA’S IRISH FESTIVAL, MIRAMICHI • LAMÈQUE INTERNATIONAL BAROQUE MUSIC FESTIVAL • NEW BRUNSWICK HIGHLAND GAMES FESTIVAL, FREDERICTON • SHEDIAC LOBSTER FESTIVAL AUGUST • AREA 506 FESTIVAL, SAINT JOHN • CHOCOLATE FEST, ST. STEPHEN • FESTIVAL ACADIEN DE CARAQUET • MIRAMICHI FOLKSONG FESTIVAL SEPTEMBER • ATLANTIC INTERNATIONAL BALLOON FIESTA, SUSSEX • HARVEST JAZZ & BLUES FESTIVAL, FREDERICTON

www.tourismnewbrunswick.ca/Do/ FestivalsAndEvents.aspx

second biggest whirlpool. These sites are, quite literally, phenomenal. Yet what makes the outdoors truly “great” is that it has something for everyone. The Fundy Trail—known for its precipitous cliffs, aromatic evergreens and sublime views—

is a case in point (www.fundytrailparkway. com). Über-fit hikers can spend days traversing this part of The Great Trail. But, thanks to an adjacent parkway, key portions are accessible to children and the physically challenged, too. Equally important is the fact that nature in New Brunswick is always close at hand, even in urban areas. Visitors to Saint John can splash out in Rockwood Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the country, or go wild by the seaside in the Irving Nature Park without leaving the city limits. Fresh air aficionados in Fredericton, similarly, can stroll, bike and rollerblade on a riverfront path dubbed “The Green” or get out on the water by boat. Moncton, meanwhile, puts sand connoisseurs in reach of both the delicate Bouctouche dunes and bustling Parlee Beach.

HERITAGE AND CULTURE Occupied by Indigenous Peoples for more than 3,000 years, New Brunswick inherited two other cultures from its early French and English settlers. Indoor/outdoor venues such as Metepenagiag Heritage Park, Village Historique Acadien and Kings Landing Historical Settlement— celebrating Mi’kmaq, Acadians and Loyalists respectively—help establish the historical context, as does the engaging New Brunswick Museum in Saint John. Local culture here, however, is a living entity that survives outside museum-like settings. Eclectic artisans, many of them concentrated around Fredericton, put a contemporary spin on age-old crafts. Poets and playwrights uphold a rich literary tradition, performing

BEAVERBROOK ART GALLERY, FREDERICTON • DESTINATION CANADA

in coffee houses and theatres. Musicians thrive as well, which explains why, along with almost every imaginable form of modern music, you can hear hypnotic First Nations drumbeats, British folk songs and Cajun-style fiddles in pubs and at concerts or festivals province-wide.

Quick Fact BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THE FAMOUS “FLOWERPOT” ROCKS AT HOPEWELL CAPE WERE GIVEN THEIR NICKNAME BY ROBERT RIPLEY.

MUST SEE, MUST DO Hopewell Cape’s tree-tufted islands always look lovely, but their full beauty is only revealed when the tide ebbs, transforming them into megaliths looming above the bare ocean floor (www.thehopewellrocks.ca). For flower fans, Kingsbrae Garden is reason enough to visit prim, trim St. Andrews bythe-Sea. Created from several old estates, the 11-ha (27-acre) property has over 20 themed zones (www.kingsbraegarden.com). Kouchibouguac National Park has an array of ecosystems and recreational options. You can swim, bike, boat, fish, or explore lagoons and dunes on a guided walk (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/kouchibouguac). At Fredericton’s Beaverbrook Art Gallery, A-listers like Gainsborough, Dali and Reynolds share wall space with Canada’s own Group of Seven. Programs for art lovers are available (www.beaverbrook artgallery.org). The Saint John City Market is overflowing with incredible edibles. Opened in 1876, the block-long building was constructed by shipbuilders, so its ceiling resembles an inverted hull (www.sjcitymarket.ca). Kings Landing Historical Settlement, a recreated Loyalist village, features 70-plus restored structures, among them antiquefilled homes, working farms and pictureperfect churches (www.kingslanding. nb.ca).

SCENIC DRIVES Saint John to Fredericton: Follow Route 102, criss-crossing the St. John River on small open-deck cable ferries with stops for photo ops on the pastoral Kingston Peninsula and in the pretty village of Gagetown.

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Park Pick

FORT BEAUSÉJOUR–FORT CUMBERLAND NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

ST. MARTINS COVERED BRIDGE • TOURISM NB/DENNIS MINTY

Miramichi to Bathurst: Route 11 delivers a quintessentially Acadian seascape of fishing wharves, lighthouses and colourful communities. Brake for an enjoyable history lesson at Village Historique Acadien, where fiddlers and other faux townsfolk enliven the scene with their joie de vivre. Grand Falls to Plaster Rock: Route 108 features rolling hills, rugged Tobique River terrain and a suitably grand waterfall where you can take a pontoon boat tour,

go zip-lining or try deepelling (face-first rappelling).

FAMILY FUN Pay homage to the homard (lobster) in Shediac. After clambering over the world’s largest lobster—a 55,000-kg (55-tonne) whopper, albeit made from metal—kids can learn how to catch, and then eat the “king of crustaceans” on an entertaining and educational Lobster Tales Cruise (www.shediacbay cruises.ca).

Linking New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Isthmus of Chignecto is tranquil today; the remains of Fort Beauséjour, however, prove this wasn’t always the case. Erected by the French in 1751 and captured by the British, who renamed it Fort Cumberland in 1755, the star-shaped fort played a pivotal role in the battle for colonial control. In summer, you can view exhibits at the visitor centre, then take a self-guided tour aided by the Explora app, the Xplorer booklet or interpretative signage. Kids, in particular, will enjoy the cannons and casements, though they may be content to don period-style guard costumes and just patrol the grounds (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/beausejour).

National Parks and Historic Sites: www.parkscanada.gc.ca 1-888-773-8888

LIGHTHOUSE ON THE GREEN • TOURISM NB

116 959,942 Halifax www.novascotia.com Halifax Stanfield International Airport, 35 km (22 mi.) from downtown

Nova Scotia CAPE BRETON ISLAND • NS TOURISM/SCOTT MUNN

Where Mother Nature Meets Father Time BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

A SEA-BOUND COAST The scenery alone can make you want to linger indefinitely. After all, Nova Scotia is essentially surrounded by water, and every stretch of its 7,600-km (4,722-mi.) coastline promises adventure opportunities as well as oh-so-fresh seafood. Yet each also has its own distinctive character. The Minas Basin, for one, is a magnet for

Tenuously connected to New Brunswick by a slim sliver of land, then tethered by ferries to P.E.I. and Newfoundland, Nova Scotia acts as Atlantic Canada’s anchor. Yet this small but mighty spot—the most populous and prosperous of the four sister provinces—offers travellers within the region far more than a convenient location. Its sensational sights are must-sees in their own right.

migrating shorebirds, hundreds of thousands of which descend each summer to dine on its mud flats before flying to South America. Nearby, the constant beating of the Bay of Fundy tides uncovers 300-millionyear-old fossils in Joggins’ UNESCOdesignated cliffs. The South Shore, conversely, is dotted with centuries-old towns and sheltered coves once frequented

by privateers; the Eastern Shore boasts pounding surf; and between them is Halifax, home to one of the world’s largest natural harbours. Northumberland Strait, meanwhile, is notable for warm, sandy strands, whereas much of Cape Breton is marked by loch-like inlets and rocky highlands that drop dramatically to the sea. Inland, the geography is equally varied, which is why

117 A-type vacationers can explore the orderly vineyards of the agricultural heartland and the wondrous wilds of the Southwest Nova Biosphere Reserve within a single day.

A STORIED PAST Like its scenery, Nova Scotia’s man-made attractions cover a broad range, from museums to amusement parks, art galleries to golf courses. Historic ones, however, are especially plentiful here because the region once played a crucial role in the imperial plans of both British and French forces. The star-shaped Halifax Citadel, for example, is a literal highlight of any trip to the capital city, and the meticulously recreated Fortress of Louisbourg lures history lovers north to Cape Breton (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/halifaxcitadel; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/louisbourg). The Annapolis Valley, which contains some of the continent’s oldest European settlements, has even more in store. Witness Port-Royal, founded by the French in 1605, three years before they established their base at Québec City (www.parkscanada.gc. ca/portroyal); Fort Anne, a.k.a. “the most attacked site in Canadian history,” originally erected in 1629 as an Anglo counterbalance (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fortanne); and gorgeous Grand-Pré, where politicallyneutral Acadians were forced into exile for refusing to pledge their allegiance to the British crown in 1755 (www.parkscanada. gc.ca/grandpre).

THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS Since Mother Nature and Father Time happily coexist here, there are many places where you can get a fresh perspective on the past while inhaling fresh air. The Fundy Geological Museum, for instance, has a tour that combines a Zodiac boat trip with an actual dinosaur dig (fundygeological. novascotia.ca). And perhaps that’s Nova Scotia’s biggest asset: it offers the best of both worlds.

WHAT’S NEW? Courtesy of virtual reality, you can now race an experimental hydrofoil at the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site (www. parkscanada.gc.ca/alexandergrahambell). White Point Beach Resort’s tasty new package invites guests to go out on a lobster boat at the crack of dawn, work on deck, then feast on the catch (www.whitepoint. com).

TOWN CLOCK ON CITADEL HILL, HALIFAX • DISCOVER HALIFAX

The Halifax Citadel debuts a multimedia exhibit chronicling the building of the fort and an immersive one focusing on WWII. Canadian Hockey League fans will be in heaven May 16th to 26th when Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre hosts the 101st Memorial Cup championship (www.chlmemorial cup.ca). Late this year, the unveiling of the massive, mixed-use Queen’s Marque development will add even more life to the vibrant Halifax Waterfront (www. queensmarque.com). Camping gets kicked up a notch thanks to private-island glamping offered by Pleasant Paddling and Cape LaHave Adventures (www.pleasantpaddling.com; www. capelahaveadventures.ca). Billed as Canada's first art maze, BernArt— a labyrinthine outdoor gallery outside Lunenburg—lets visitors wander among fun, fantastical creations (www.be-amazed. bernart.ca).

CITY LIGHTS If you need an urban fix, Halifax—last year ranked as a “Destination on the Rise” by TripAdvisor—is the place to go. Although this is Atlantic Canada’s largest, most cosmopolitan city, its tourist centre is conveniently compact, and most major attractions—the Halifax Citadel, the Historic Properties, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic and the Canadian Museum

of Immigration at Pier 21 among them— are all within blocks of its huge natural harbour. Tempting shopping, dining, and nightlife options are close at hand as well. After strolling around the bustling waterfront boardwalk, you can take a leisurely harbour cruise or follow the locals’ lead and hop a commuter ferry for a quick crossharbour trip (www.discoverhalifaxns.com). Sydney, technically part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, is Nova Scotia’s only other urban centre. Located on the Island’s east coast, it has its own waterfront boardwalk and a smattering of heritage buildings. Moreover, it makes a handy base for exploring attractions in nearby Glace Bay, including the Marconi National Historic Site, which is dedicated to the Italian radio pioneer who established a transatlantic messaging station there in 1902, and the Cape Breton Miners’ Museum where you can don a hard hat and descend into a coal mine. The Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site is 45 minutes away by car (www.cbrm.ns.ca).

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Nova Scotia has been dubbed “Canada’s Ocean Playground,” and since you’re never more than 67 km (42 mi.) from a coast, enjoying on-the-water activities is easy. Boating is a top draw, which is no surprise considering options include sailing on Bras d’Or Lake, and paddling in Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site—retracing routes Native Mi’kmaq used for thousands of years. Scuba diving and deepsea fishing are also popular; ditto for

118

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surfing, a fun if somewhat frigid alternative on the Eastern Shore. Looking for something truly unique? Experience the rush of rafting on the Shubenacadie River, where a tidal bore whips up big waves. Landlubbers, of course, needn’t feel left out. Choices for bikers and hikers abound. The former love to pedal on the 119-km (74-mi.) Rum Runners Trail connecting Halifax and Lunenburg; while Cape Breton Highlands National Park, which alone has 26 trails, is an ideal place for the latter to lace-up their boots. If golf is your game, world-class courses span the province. Standouts range from traditional favourites like Highlands Links and Fox Harb’r Golf Resort, to new stars like Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs, acclaimed sister courses.

FISHERIES MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC, LUNENBURG • SHUTTERSTOCK/GVICTORIA

HERITAGE AND CULTURE Nova Scotia is Latin for “New Scotland” and descendants of its Scottish settlers make much of that connection—particularly on Cape Breton Island, where you can take a class or buy a kilt at North America’s only Gaelic college (www.gaeliccollege.edu), raise a glass at the continent’s first single malt whisky distillery (www.glenora distillery.com), tour the Celtic Music Interpretive Centre (www.celticmusic centre.com), then dance your feet off at one of the summer ceilidhs (traditional Gaelic-inflected parties) held Island-wide. The province, however, isn’t entirely draped in tartan. After all, events like Festival acadien de Clare (www.festivalacadiendeclare.ca/en)

119 and the Musique de la Baie concert series (www.yarmouthandacadianshores.com/en/ things-to-do/view/musique-de-la-baie) are tuneful testaments to the strength of francophone culture here. Mi’kmaq communities carry on the legacy of this land’s original residents through powwows and other special programs (www.nova scotia.com/explore/culture/mikmaq-culture), while contributions made by new arrivals are celebrated at the moving Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (www. pier21.ca).

MUST SEE, MUST DO Feast on fresh seafood. Lobster . . . scallops . . . salmon: from waterfront shacks and roadside fast food restaurants to fine dining rooms, you’ll find seafood topping menus everywhere (www.tasteofnovascotia.com). Ogle Lunenburg’s Old Town. Hundreds of heritage buildings have earned this port community’s downtown core recognition from UNESCO (www.explorelunenburg.ca).

Quick Fact

places, rises and falls like a roller coaster as it follows the Atlantic coast. Hugging the South Shore for 339 km (211 mi.), the Lighthouse Route boasts over 20 postcard-perfect beacons, including those at Peggy’s Cove and Cape Forchu. Charming towns like Mahone Bay and Lunenburg make ideal stopovers. The 291-km (181-mi.) Evangeline Trail connects Yarmouth and Mount Uniacke. Named for Longfellow’s tragic narrative, Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie, it showcases the scenery that inspired his setting.

FAMILY FUN Animated by buskers, glass-blowers and tour-boat operators, Halifax’s working waterfront has proven kid appeal. Along it lies the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic (maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca), the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21 (www.pier21.ca), plus the hands-on Discovery Centre (www.thediscovery centre.ca). When hunger hits, refuel at the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market (www.halifaxfarmersmarket.com).

THE PROVINCE’S WINE INDUSTRY HAS A LONG HISTORY; CHAMPLAIN PLANTED THE FIRST GRAPEVINES HERE IN 1611. Explore the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site. Turn back time to the mid-18th century at North America’s largest historical reconstruction. Snap a picture at Peggy’s Cove. It’s almost obligatory to visit this seaside hamlet where one of the world’s most iconic lighthouses sits atop a slab of wave-blasted rock (www.peggyscoveregion.com). Follow the Good Cheer Trail. On the first winery, cidery, craft brewery and distillery trail of its kind in Canada, you can sip beverages from 70-plus local producers (www.goodcheertrail.com). Tap your toes to old tunes. Be entertained the traditional way at a Cape Breton ceilidh or opt for the francophone alternative, a rousing Acadian soirée (www.novascotia. com/explore/culture).

SCENIC DRIVES The Cabot Trail delivers one of the most dramatic drives anywhere. The 300-km (186-mi.) road runs straight through Cape Breton Highlands National Park and, in

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Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site—more commonly called “Keji”—has the greatest diversity of reptiles and amphibians in Atlantic Canada; however, wildlife watching isn’t the only engaging option here. Mi'kmaq culture dates back centuries within the 403-sq.-km (156-sq.-mi.) site, and visitors can learn about it through a variety of interpretative programs. You can choose from an impressive menu of other activities too, ranging from placid astronomy-oriented outings in its Dark Sky Preserve and “Perfect Picnics” at its 22-sq.-km (8-sq.-mi.) seaside adjunct to intense annual events like the Tour de Keji Omnium bike race, on May 25 and 26, or the Keji Multisport Festival, held September 6 to 8 (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/keji).

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120

DURTY NELLY’S • DISCOVER HALIFAX/SCOTT MUNN

Halifax: Where Old and New Intersect BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

A BLAST FROM THE PAST Halifax’s greatest asset and signature site—the huge natural harbour—reminds visitors that the air here is tinged with salt and touched by history. After all, it was this body of water that originally drew British

Nova Scotia’s 270-year-old capital somehow feels like both a vintage port town and a vibrant 21st century urban centre. Being by far the largest city in Atlantic Canada, Halifax boasts the region’s densest concentration of up-to-date architecture, attractions and entertainment options, yet remains understandably proud of its illustrious roots. The end result is a compelling mix of trendy and traditional that appeals equally to vacationers and the 426,000-odd folks who call this place home (www.discoverhalifaxns.com).

settlers in 1749. The defining role it has played over the centuries remains obvious all along the scenic waterfront boardwalk, where stops include the Historic Properties, a cluster of 18th and 19th century warehouses now filled with shops and eateries

(www.historicproperties.ca), and the Instagramable Cable Wharf, which is still typically topped by the masts of tall ships. If you want to dive into the harbour’s history, the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic sits on the boardwalk, too

121 (maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca). Partly housed in a ship chandlery, the oldest and largest facility of its kind in Canada showcases our seafaring legacy and contains particularly poignant exhibits relating to the Titanic disaster—recovery operations were based here when the “unsinkable” sunk in 1912—and the horrific Halifax Explosion, which claimed nearly 2,000 lives in 1917. The museum also has a gallery highlighting national naval history, which is fitting considering Halifax has long been home port for the Royal Canadian Navy’s Atlantic Fleet. Strategically overlooking the harbour, the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site is another place where the past is palpable (www.parkscanada.gc.ca/halifaxcitadel). On Citadel Hill, you can literally see the passage of time courtesy of the Old Town Clock, which has ticked away in its octagonal tower for more than 200 years. You can hear it in the firing of the Noon Gun, a daily ritual since 1857; and you can feel it inside the formidable fort, where films, exhibits and costumed interpreters bring history to life. For the full effect, watch kilted re-enactors practice drills on the parade ground, then return at night for a ghost walk through dungeons and dim passageways.

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR As you would expect in a bustling urban setting, there are more recent landmarks that underscore this city’s cool contemporary side. In fact, it has been on an architectural roll ever since the visually distinctive Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market debuted on the waterfront almost a decade ago (www.halifax farmersmarket.com). The Discovery Centre’s larger, relocated facility sits only a stone’s throw away (www.thediscoverycentre.ca). Featuring five galleries devoted to such topics as health and flight, plus a state-ofthe-art Innovation Lab and immersive Dome Theatre, it opened in 2017 and immediately became a favourite venue for curious kids. Pointed toward the water like a ship’s prow, the striking new Halifax Convention Centre welcomed its first attendees last year (www.halifaxconventioncentre.com); and during the coming year another design-savvy project—Queen’s Marque, a $200-million mixed-use development downtown—is slated for completion (www.queensmarque. com). But even the buzz surrounding these can’t dampen the enthusiasm engendered by the eye-popping Halifax Central Library, which was shortlisted for the 2015 “World Building of the Year Award” and won the Governor General’s Architecture Medal in

2016 (www.halifaxcentrallibrary.ca). Cantilevered glass boxes, a camera-ready interior and stellar views combine to make this building a must-see. Of course, it is not just modern architecture that helps keep “Hali” on its 21st century toes. Home to seven universities, the city has a disproportionately large number of students who lend it an undeniable exuberance: almost 26,000 are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs at Dalhousie and Saint Mary’s alone (www.dal.ca; www.smu.ca). Collectively, they energize the arts scene and ensure restaurant culture here is always evolving. Their youthful taste also manifests itself in music, which explains why night owls are as likely to hear techno dance tunes as old sea shanties. Moreover, they set the standard for in vogue watering holes— among them The Watch That Ends the Night, named Canada’s Best New Bar for 2018 by EnRoute magazine.

AND A BLENDING OF THE TWO . . . Happily, many attractions manage to create an au courant character while simultaneously taking pride in their pedigree. The stellar Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, which occupies an erstwhile immigration shed where around a million newcomers were processed between 1928 and 1971, is a case in point (www.pier21.ca). Known as Canada’s answer to Ellis Island, it morphed into a museum in 1999 and doubled its display space in 2015. Now the reimagined facility uses cutting-edge digital

technology, multimedia tools, oral histories and hands-on activities to illustrate 400 years of Canadian immigration, from first contact to present day. A few blocks uphill, yet another converted building—an 1868 Italianate beauty housing the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia—yields similar surprises (www. artgalleryofnovascotia.ca). Its collection of more than 17,000 works contains paintings by such revered Canadian artists as Alex Colville and Mary Pratt, along with a strong assortment of Maritime folk pieces, most notably the wee, whimsical, paint-slathered home of Maud Lewis, which was reassembled on the premises. However, curators also keep things current by mounting dynamic shows spotlighting up-and-comers and hosting innovative events that aim for cool rather than quaint. Even the venerable Alexander Keith’s Brewery, a local institution opened in 1820 by the eponymous former mayor, puts an updated spin on its “sociable” scene. Following a recent makeover that allows for small-batch brewing, it launched a new tour experience and introduced a series of specialty beers—including the awardwinning Lunenburg Coffee & Cacao Stout and locally-inspired seasonal releases— that honour the brand’s long legacy while catering to today’s more adventurous tastes. In doing so, it could be said to distill the true essence of Halifax, for this too is a place that combines the hip and historic in perfect proportion (www.alexanderkeiths brewery.com). HALIFAX TRANSIT FERRY • DISCOVER HALIFAX

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124

PEGGY’S COVE LIGHTHOUSE • NS TOURISM

Experiencing the South Shore BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

SEE THE LIGHT There’s no shortage of lighthouses in Nova Scotia: in fact, the province has more than 160, and none stands taller—figuratively speaking, at least—than the 15.25-m (50-ft.) one at Peggy’s Cove (www.peggyscove region.com). Erected in 1915, the Peggy’s Point Lighthouse is understandably a favourite among shutterbugs. Rising alone above a water-worn granite shelf with waves lashing in the background, it creates a rugged, camera-ready vignette that is at

Stretching along the Atlantic from Peggy’s Cove to Barrington, the South Shore is a place of sheltered harbours, surging surf and vintage communities with charm to spare; a place where every turn in the road—and every changing season—reveals something new. Here are some experiences you can savour en route (www.novascotia.com/southshore).

once poignant and picturesque. The hard-working hamlet this icon towers over is equally photogenic. Bobbing fishing boats, colourful buoys, salt-bleached jetties, weathered shanties—all provide ample photo ops. Further down the South Shore’s Lighthouse Route, 12 other beacons are ready for their close-up as well—including the Fort Point Lighthouse in Liverpool and Seal Island Lighthouse in Barrington, both of which you can climb for panoramic shots.

SET SAIL The Municipality of Chester, covering some three dozen communities, offers much in touristic terms (www.tourismchester.ca). In the eponymous anchor town, for example, options range from watching professional productions at the Chester Playhouse to teeing off at the Chester Golf Club, an 18-hole, par 70 course notable for tight fairways and fabulous ocean views. Yet it would be a shame to leave without feeling the salt spray in your face because the

125 surrounding waters promise some of the Eastern Seaboard’s top sailing opportunities. Each summer, the town proudly hosts Canada’s largest fixed keel regatta, which is widely regarded to be one of the continent’s greatest sailing events. In 2019, it kicks off at the venerable Chester Yacht Club on August 14 (www.chesterraceweek.com). If you’d rather relax on the water than race over it, the area has seasonal charter and tour-boat operators, too.

GO FOR THE GOLD Blessed with a string of stunning 19th century churches, the wee town of Mahone Bay is a tranquil locale (www.mahonebay. com). Of course, that wasn’t always the case. The body of water for which it is named was long popular with pirates and privateers; and the word “Mahone” actually comes from the type of low-lying ship they preferred. Treasure seekers can still explore camouflaged coves or paddle around the bay’s 350-plus islands—the best known being Oak Island, reputedly a favourite hiding spot for the infamous Captain Kidd and now the subject of The History Channel’s hit reality program, The Curse of Oak Island (www.oakislandtours.ca). You’ll have more luck, though, unearthing precious items in the studios and galleries onshore. Considering Mahone Bay only has about 1,000 residents, it boasts a disproportionately large number of craftspeople whose wares are highly coveted.

FIND OUT ABOUT FISH Founded in 1753, Lunenburg was once a world-class fishing and shipbuilding centre, and reminders of its past are everywhere apparent (www.explore lunenburg.ca). Lampposts in the UNESCOdesignated Old Town are decorated with marine life and working wharves continue to hum with activity. Fittingly, the Fisheries Museum of the Atlantic is the signature attraction here (fisheries museum.novascotia.ca). Formerly a fish processing plant, the brilliant red building houses aquariums devoted to native species and engaging themed exhibits. Dockside, you can tour a saltbank schooner and steel-hulled trawler, then talk to “old salts” who are often on hand to demonstrate traditional skills and tell a few fish tales. The museum is also home to Bluenose II, a replica of the legendary locally-built schooner which was the North Atlantic fleet’s fastest vessel in the 1920s and 30s (bluenose.novascotia.ca).

FRESH FROM THE SEA LOBSTER FROM THE LOBSTER CAPITAL OF CANADA • WHITE POINT BEACH RESORT

GET BACK TO NATURE Over 13,770 sq. km (5,316 sq. mi.) of this province’s pristine terrain has been earmarked as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (www.swnovabiosphere.ca) and, for travellers, its focal point is Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site (www.parks canada.gc.ca/keji). Encompassing a sprawling tract of interior woodland and a sandy seaside adjunct located 90 minutes away, “Keji”—as it’s affectionately known by Nova Scotians and tongue-tied tourists—is ideal for hikers, bikers, canoeists, campers, birdwatchers, stargazers and, in winter, snowshoers and cross-country skiers. You can explore its wild side independently or on guided treks. More interested in human nature? In summer, you can help build a traditional birchbark canoe, see a Mi’kmaq encampment or take a tour to spy some of the park’s 500-odd ancient petroglyphs. Carved in stone, the last of these bear witness to Keji’s original inhabitants.

SET THE SCENE Film buffs visiting Shelburne can be forgiven for thinking the place looks vaguely familiar (www.town.shelburne. ns.ca). You see, it has served as a location for movies and miniseries like Roland Joffé’s The Scarlet Letter and a Moby Dick remake starring William Hurt and Ethan Hawke. In both cases, the historic harbour town doubled as New England, but more recently it featured prominently in a truly Canadian saga: The Book of Negroes. Based on Lawrence Hill’s novel—published in the U.S as Someone Knows My Name—the

Roots-like TV adaptation details the period following the American Revolution when Loyalists poured in and neighbouring Birchtown blossomed into North America’s largest free black settlement. Brush up on the backstory at the Shelburne Museum Complex and the compelling Black Loyalist Heritage Centre (www.shelburnemuseums. com; www.blackloyalist.com).

CATCH A WAVE... OR A LOBSTER Established as a lodge for outdoorsmen in 1928, the beloved White Point Beach Resort near Liverpool feels like a self-contained community in its own right (www.white point.com). Now combining contemporary accommodations with a classic cottagecolony vibe, it has legions of Haligonian fans—some drawn by the beach, others by the ubiquitous bunnies. Folks from away, conversely, relish the breadth of locallyinspired activities available, from sandcastlebuilding to sea-centric spa sessions. Active types can even try “hanging ten” at year-round surfing classes. Those interested in edibles, meanwhile, can learn about lobstering during the November-to-May fishing period by lending a hand aboard a lobster boat and later dining on the day’s catch. Another option is to simply devour the king of crustaceans at events hosted by the resort each February during the regional Lobster Crawl (www.lobstercrawl.ca). Such a rich range of experiences makes the South Shore hard to resist for many reasons in all seasons.

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Based on 2 people in a one bedroom White Point Cottage. Breakfast daily. Kids under 5 eat free. Plus tax.

Yes, tucking into your first lobster roll is a beach milestone! White Point has witnessed many a first since 1928. Picture a mom, catching her first wave. The first lobster fishing themed family reunion. Countless hole-in-ones. And the moment a child realizes that mussels are more delicious than slimy. Generations have chosen our beach as a backdrop for weddings, Christmas, summer vacations, conferences, and letting sparks fly on a Wednesday in November. Come experience your first Stellar Beach Feast, surf lesson, or sip of local Tidal Bay wine. Choose an oceanfront cottage, vacation home, or room with a view. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be the first to return to the beach... year after marvelous year.

90 minutes from Halifax, Yarmouth or Digby, Nova Scotia!

1.800.565.5068 whitepoint.com

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Prince Edward Island

SPINNAKERS' LANDING, SUMMERSIDE • TOURISM PEI/STEPHEN DESROCHES

As You Like It BY SUSAN MACCALLUM-WHITCOMB

A FOOD LOVER’S PARADISE Without a doubt, Prince Edward Island has become an international culinary destination. All of September is devoted to a “Fall Flavours” festival, and hardly a month goes by without new restaurants, food tours and culinary experiences sprouting on the scene. There are also places to learn how to cook like a pro, such as The Table Culinary Studio in New London with popular hands-on cooking classes. Culinary Boot

Canada’s smallest province is certainly a colourful place. Ringed by clear blue water, P.E.I. includes emerald-green fields, iconic red cliffs and beaches blessed with white or pink sand. Like the palette, the vacation possibilities here are varied and, as a result, the Island attracts people with many different interests.

Camps—including one for kids—are a big hit at Holland College, regarded by many as Canada’s premier culinary institute. Need something to wash down all that fab food? The province’s craft breweries, wineries and distilleries have you covered (www. tourismpei.com/culinary-pei).

NIRVANA FOR ANNE FANS

Anne of Green Gables author Lucy Maud Montgomery, who was born and buried in

P.E.I., introduced her title character in 1908; in print ever since, her beloved book has sold more than 50 million copies. But it is not only readers who adore the feisty red-haired heroine. Playgoers have given Anne of Green Gables—The Musical, now in its 55th season, a record-breaking run at the Charlottetown Festival. Fans also flock to the Cavendish area to visit themed attractions such as Montgomery’s Cavendish home, the recreated Avonlea Village and,

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153,244 Charlottetown www.tourismpei.com Charlottetown Airport, 8 km (5 mi.) from downtown

DOUCET HOUSE, RUSTICO • TOURISM PEI/JOHN SYLVESTER

hands-on programs that combine entertainment and education (www.tourism pei.com/pei-family-fun).