Mission District of San Francisco: history/great food ... Deal of Day:

For years I’ve been getting nudges from the San Francisco tourism folks to check out the Mission district.

It had gone from something akin to derelict to a trendy, fun area and was well worth investigating, I was told. Even our former mayor, David Miller, mentioned it in passing one day when we chatted about his travels.

I finally got around it on a recent visit, and had a great time. Mind you, it was one of those postcard-perfect spring days in the city; about 18 or 19 Celsius with hardly a whisper of wind and the chill-inducing summer fog still (they hope) weeks or even months away.

After circling the area for 20 minutes to find a parking spot (hint to visitors; take one of the many public transit options, or even take a short cab ride from downtown; the parking scene is a nightmare), we finally pulled up in front of a small, storefront church called the Voice of Christ Full Gospel Church that had a white zone painted on the curb; meaning we could park as long as services weren’t going on. We took the chance and left the car on a nearby street, then walked back to Mission Dolores (formally Mission San Francisco de Asis, named after St. Francis of Assisi), the heart of old San Francisco.

The mission was founded June 29, 1776 (oddly, just five days prior to the birth of the United States) by Father Junipero Serra, the wandering priest who set up missions up and down the state and who is possibly the father of modern California and certainly of Spanish California. According to the website, it's the oldest intact building in the city of San Francisco and the only intact Mission Chapel in the chain of 21 established under Serra's direction.

It’s a basic, white adobe structure at the base but there are towering, glorious spires with ornate carvings and green-gold domes that look very much like a cathedral in the south of Spain.

For a couple bucks you can take a short tour of the grounds and the church, which is well worth the effort. The church has brilliantly coloured stained glass windows that feature missions up and down the state. You’ll see Santa Barbara with what looks like an angel or Santa Barbara herself floating above in a cloud and streams of golden light shining down on that city’s classic, hilltop mission; a highlight of any visit to Santa Barbara by the way.

Outside there’s a beautiful tile mural in a small, pretty courtyard that shows Spanish missionaries at work in what would become the Golden State. There’s a small exhibit of local native culture; displays of pyramid shaped homes built with leaves or strips of bark, arrowheads and other nods to the indigenous people the Spanish were trying to “save.”

Best for my money was the small cemetery on the south side of the building, where the first headstone I spotted was in memory of a certain Henry Valley of Lower Canada, who died in 1854. There are a ton of headstones for Irish immigrants, too, and it’s all set in a pretty, tree-covered yard with towering evergreens, impossibly pink-and-white roses and perky yellow daffodils, at least in mid-April.

As we walked down Dolores St. we passed Mission Dolores Park, which was filled with maybe 100 folks doing outdoor yoga in the sun and kids playing soccer and Frisbee and lovers resting on blankets below those famous pastel San Frandisco homes of sunny yellow and creamy Delft blue.

We were headed for lunch at a fabulous restaurant on Mission called Foreign Cinema that the tourism folks had recommended. We walked past colourful murals on the local community centre showing what looked like Adam and Eve (I think) on the shores of San Francisco Bay, as well as a block-long painting dedicated to the hometown baseball heroes; the San Francisco Giants. Below a likeness of 1960’s pitching star Juan Marichal (I saw him pitch a no-hitter at Candlestick Park when I was a kid) were the words “All of us are created equal, Some of us grow up to be Giants.”

Foreign Cinema sits on what still looks like a slightly dodgy but very much up-and-coming stretch of Mission St., with old theatres and tumble-down shops alongside trendy bars. They show old movies on a giant sheet in the evening in the covered courtyard, but during the day Foreign Cinema is a bright, cool spot with a sunny indoor seating area with light-wood and high, white ceilings and a beautiful wood floor. There’s an adjacent courtyard (where the movies are shown at night) that’s covered with opaque cloth that lets in plenty of California light. The outdoor seating area also is sprinkled with old, clunky metal speakers from a drive-in movie theatre; a fun touch.

There’s also a very cool art display space next door with plenty of great local art to gaze at.

The food, of course, is the main attraction. And it didn’t disappoint.

The cocktails are named after movies; a nice nod to the Foreign Cinema angle. There’s a Last Tango In Paris with Plymouth gin, Seville orange, St. Germain liqeur, lemon and egg white (no butter, sorry) and also one called the Motorcycle Diaries, featuring Diplomatico rum, pineapple, lime, Velvet Falernum and mint. There’s a good selection of beers, including locally produced Anchor Steam, and also lots of awesome wines, more French and Italian then California (again, in line with the foreign theme). I can attest to the taste of the St. Germain with sparkling wine, St. Germain liqeur and lemon and also the “A Very Long Engagement,” with sparkling wine, brandy, lemon and peychaud’s bitters (delicious).

Being brunch and all, we had to try the homemade pop tart; a large, flaky pastry dusted with sugar and filled with strawberry jam. Later we tired some outstanding halibut tartare tostadas: small corn tostadas stopped with fresh halibut and spiced with wasabi, radish, daikon and Serrano chilies. A definite kick but oh-so-tasty. I wasn’t overly fond of the fishy tasting brandade: whipped cod with potatoes, thai chilies and grilled bread. But the Robust Persian flat omelet was fabulous, featuring  garlic, onions, sliced avocado, angel hair potatoes and outstanding tomato jam.

Even better was the calamari, done Oaxacan (Mexico) style in a small bowl with tomato, chick peas, peppers and hot peppers, served with homemade tortilla chips. Yum.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal for a lovely looking Costa Rica rainforest resort for just $925, including $330 in taxes.

 

• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star Villas Sol Hotel, located in Liberia, Costa Rica
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• Accommodations in a Supersaver Studio, featuring 1 double bed (Max occupancy: 2 adults) or a Hotel Room featuring 1 King or 2 Double beds (Max occupancy: 3 adults or 2 adults + 2 children)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

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• Costa Rica's lush and vibrant landscape is teeming with exciting excursions like zip lining, horseback riding and hiking

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on May 20, 27 & June 03, 10, 17, 24, 2013        
• Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Supersaver Studio:
  Double: $595
  Single: $845
  Tax: $330
  
  Hotel Room:
  Double: $695
  Single: $1015
  Triple: $665
  Child: $385
  Tax: $330
  
  Other DATES and GATEWAYS available.
  Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
  
  
• To book Hotel Room option CLICK HERE
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until April 24 at 5PM EST. After that time, this offer is 100% non-refundable.

 

 

 

Men are more loyal travel partners ... A dog's Ireland adventure ... Deal of the day

Yes, we have our share of philanderers and strays and men with wandering eyes. Tiger Woods, for one.

But a new study by Toronto-based G Adventures seems to suggest men are loyal to their spouses than wives when it comes to travel. In advance of March 20 being International Happiness Day (who knew?) the company did an online survey of friends, family and partners and found that men suggested their ideal travel partner is their wife. Women? Ha. No loyalty at all. A majority of the women who responded said THEY would rather go on a trip with their friends.

As a man, I'm insulted. Yeah, I'm sure you ladies have a great time with your girlfriends. No demands (well, maybe or maybe not) for sex, for one. And presumably nobody waiting at the door of the shops at the outlet mall starting at their watch and tapping their foot as they pass the time. Still, it gives me some degree of pleasure to know that men prefer to take their wives on holidays than to go with their friends. Of course, we all know we'd be hopelessly lost without our wives, as we're often reminded (INSERT SMILING EMOTICON HERE).

Actually, I don't put much faith in these online polls but it's innocent fun, I guess. The group they were surveying were friends and family and G Adventures is a travel company, so it's no surprise to find that 83 per cent of folks said travel is very important to them. And no surprise to find that 61 per cent of folks said they'd rather get more time off to travel than get a raise or a nicer office.

The survey had some other interesting findings. Asked to name a perfect destination, 2 per cent of folks said they "find bliss in the snow." Eight per cent said they're nautical enthusiasts, and 46 per cent said they "need to keep on movin'" and would enjoy an active holiday. Forty three per cent said they "wanna take in some sun." And amen to that.

On the other hand, when asked to name their perfect destination, Australia and New Zealand came out on top, followed by Antarctica. Brrrr....

Following those three destinations came South America (a surprise, perhaps, but remember G Adventures isn't packaging European bus tours for seniors), then Europe, Asian, a tie between North America and Central America and then the Arctic. You'd like to see the Arctic, some of which is in Canada, do better than Antarctica. But I guess it's tough to beat penguins.

DOG TAKES A RIDE

Hendrix, a six-year-old Spaniel, was supposed to be flown from New Jersey the other day to Phoenix. But there was a mixup at the airport and the poor pooch was sent on a long ride to Shannon, Ireland. Which isn't terribly close.

The dog was put back on a flight to the U.S. after the error was discovered. He also was upgraded to Milk Bone class and got to watch The Incredible Journey in 3-D.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for Cancun, Mexico for $908, with a $550 U.S. resort credit.

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• Use your $550 credit at their full-service spa, various bars and other on-site perks

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on March 31, 2013
  Other DATES and GATEWAYS available. Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
  
• Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Toronto:
  Single: $1130
  Double: $599
  Triple: $599
  Child: $499
  Tax: $309
  
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

 

Milk bone class.

DEAL OF DAY

 

The perfect road trip?

Not a bad theme for a tourism campaign aimed at folks from eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S. In this case, it’s the new marketing scheme put in place to lure folks to the lovely shores of Nova Scotia; an “aggressive emarketing campaign to increase first-time visitors and boost overall tourism.”

“The province’s new tourism direction and marketing campaign will allow us to compete as a top travel destination,” said Economic and Rural Development and Tourism Minister Percy Paris.

The new campaign, “Take Yourself There,” portrays the province as a place where a "diverse, vibrant landscape and culture combines with friendly and engaging locals and accessible seacoast and communities to create the spirit of a perfect road trip."

I get the bit about the friendly locals. When I was in Halifax last year, on two occasions I was attempting to jaywalk and had drivers pull up and stop and wave me across the street. Try THAT on Yonge St. sometime.

Because first time visitors spend 42 per cent more and travel more extensively through the province, the campaign is aimed at bringing in more first-timers, said Patrick Sullivan, CEO of the Nova Scotia tourism Agency.

“If we get them here once, our research shows that they come back again and again.”

The new ads will run in Ontario and also, for the first time in three years, in Quebec in both French and English. They’re also going after the mid-Atlantic and New England states, as well as the UK and Germany.

Our family took a road trip through Halifax and Cape Breton and the south shore of Mahone Bay and Chester many years ago, where we toured the waterfront in the city, drove the jaw-dropping Cabot Trail, spotted a moose and played the wonderful Highlands Links Golf Course. I seem to remember our first lobster boil, too, up in Ingonish at a small cottage.

I hadn’t been back for a while until my daughter enrolled in grad school at Dalhousie University in Halifax a couple years ago. That allowed me to go and do a quick story or two on the city, which is a real treat and feels a bit like Vancouver to me with its seaside heritage and slower pace of life. There are awesome walks and boat tours and fabulous restaurants and breweries and nearby lakes; a great place to visit or to raise a family, I’d think.

I also found time on that trip to dash up to Cabot Links, the new golf course in Inverness on Cape Breton Island. It’s the only true links course in Canada, with views of the ocean from every hole and a handful of holes directly along the sea. It’s also a beauty and a huge asset to the community, complete now with accommodations and a fine restaurant and more.

Last year I was able to take a trip in May and explore a bit more of the province, taking in more time in lovely Lunenburg, as well as Annapolis Royal and Wolfville. Lunenburg was great; with some of the best food of my life at the Salt Shaker Deli (killer scallops with pancetta and an award-winning chowder) and Fleur de Sel (a fabulous, inventive menu in a beautiful old home with some wonderfully tasty drinks). There’s also, of course, the lovingly resotred Bluenose II and lots of maritime heritage. Be sure to drive out of town a bit to check out the fishing village of Blue Rocks.

From there I drove up past the lakes and ponds and hills of Kejimkujik National Park, passing small villages and cute roadside stops as I wound pass rivers I imagine are teeming with fish and hardly a soul to be found.

I had a day and a bit in Annapolis Royal, which has fun, colourful shops due to the many artists in the community. Good food, too, and a great inn called HIllsdale House with (when I was there) the most marvellous blackberry-lemon muffins you can imagine.

The town of Bear River is nearby and has some some nice galleries and pretty wineries. The Bay of Fundy is only a short drive from Annapolis Royal, and the shore road that goes along the bay is a beauty; very gentle with lovely sea views and small villages and rocky bays. Just as striking is the Annapolis Valley, with its rolling hills and orchards and the Annapolis River running through it all. It feels like a kinder, gentler era in these parts, and it's a real tonic for the soul.

Wolfville features the oh-so-pretty Acadia University and some fun shops on the main street. Tempest, a restaurant in town, was serving up an incredible chowder when I was there, with chunks of smoked haddock (a common ingredient in chowder in these parts), local chorizo sausage and smoky paprika oil. The Blomidon Inn is a fabulous B and B with good food and lovely rooms and grounds and a great porch that's an excellent place to read a book or sip a local beer, or a glass of wine from one of the many wineries in the area. My personal favourite winery was Luckett Vineyards (see photo at right) but there are more opening up all the time.

And don't forget to check out Grand Pre, with its nice museum explaining the history of the Acadians and their expulsion from this part of North America. A pretty chapel, too, with a large statue of Evangeline, heroine of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem.

There's a ton more in this most lovely province, and I hope to get back sometime soon. 

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for Panama's Pacific Coast.

 

Jaunt Highlights

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• Accommodations in a Deluxe Room, featuring 2 Queen beds. Maximum occupancy: 4 adults or 2 adults and 2 children
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

 

• Panama is an up-and-coming resort favourite
• Includes SMILE inclusions perfect for a family getaway
• Engage with resort activities like kayaking and mini-golf, or head off the resort to bustling Panama City or the historic Panama Canal

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on March 22, 29 & April 5, 2013
  Other DATES and GATEWAYS available. Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
  
• Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Toronto:
  Single: $815
  Double: $665
  Triple: $635
  Quad :$615
  Child (2-12): $295
  Tax  $310
  
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until March 20 at 5PM EST. After this time, this offer is 100% non-refundable

 

 

Myrtle Beach shows the love ... Lonely Planet top spots 2013 ... Deal of day

They certainly love Canadians down in Myrtle Beach.

The coastal South Carolina city is celebrating its 75th anniversary this month, and they'll be holding what's called "Can-Am Days" with discounts for Canucks from March 9 to 17. They made an appearance Friday at the Toronto Star Golf and Travel Show down at the convention centre and brought out some appetizers and a birthday/anniversary cake and, naturally, a little bubbly.

There have been a ton of renovations and upgrades at Myrtle Beach hotels, officials said, and the access is easier than ever. Porter began their flights from Toronto Island airport last month, and they also have vacation packages through their Porter Escapes company. WestJet will start run flights from May 2 to Oct. 24 (Thursday and Sunday), and they also have vacation packages with various properties so you can book activities, flights and hotels together and save.

In addition, Myrtle can be reached on direct flights from Niagara Falls, Plattsburgh N.Y. (useful for Montreal folks) and Detroit.

The area has 102 golf courses, most quite affordable and many of them stunners. I played one a couple years ago called Caledonia Golf and Fish Club that was absolutely outstanding; perhaps the prettiest non-oceanside course I've ever seen.

They also have great food and an endless beach and plenty of activities for kids and adults, both. They've created a website called visitmyrtlebeach.com/75secrets with 75 "secret" things to do in Myrtle Beach, ranging from Pirate adventures to dolphin-watching and visiting art museums and wine-tasting.

LONELY PLANET, ON THE OTHER HAND, DOESN'T LOVE US SO MUCH

Lonely Planet recently conducted an online poll/review, asking fans on Facebook, Twitter, Google-plus and Thorn Tree where they've travelled and what they liked most. Their top 20 destinations overall were as follows (in order): Bhutan (see photo below), Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, Iceland, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Argentina, U.S.A., Indonesia, Iran, Burma, Peru, Nepal, Colombia, Georgia, Italy and the Maldives.

Interesting. Note the lack of the U.K. and France on the list, which weighs fairly heavy with unusual spots such as Iran (did Ben Affleck get a vote?), Bhutan, Colombia and Burma (Myanmar).

The top 10 for food were Italy, Thailand, India, Japan, Argentina, Vietnam, France, Lebanon, Taiwan and Spain. Top value spots were Thailand, India, Bolivia, Cambodia, Ghana, Vietnam, Laos, Philippines, Indonesia and Bulgaria. Top rated for entertainment were the U.K., U.S.A, Argentina, Australia, Ireland, Thailand, Spain, Hong Kong, Brazil and Singapore.

There were a slew of other categories, including shopping, "meeting locals" and "cultural sights."

Canada, you ask? Well, not so hot. We came in fourth on the safety list (big whoop), behind Japan, Iceland and New Zealand. And we were ninth in the nature category. Which is nice but also pretty boring, when you get down to it. The top 10 in the nature category were Costa Rica, Iceland, New Zealand, Bhutan, Australia, Namibia, Ecuador, Brazil, Canada and Kenya.

Oh, well.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY: ST. MAARTEN

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for lovely St. Maarten in the Caribbean. The deal is for $1,095, including $230 in taxes.

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save up to $328 per couple compared to what's available in market!
• BONUS: Features lower taxes thanks to Sunwing's Tax Buster Promotion
• BONUS: Sunwing inclusions offer a spa discount, unlimited a la carte dining, $20 USD casino vouchers, discount on Hertz car rental and more!
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-star SMILE at Sonesta Maho Beach Resort and Casino, located in St. Maarten
• Includes return airfare from Toronto or Montreal to  St. Maarten and round-trip airport/hotel transfers at your destination
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• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

 

• Plenty of activities for kids will keep them in high spirits and you in relax mode
• A guest pass to the nearby Sonesta Great Bay Beach resort gives you access to double the exquisite amenities
• Maho village is known for both its charming boutiques and extravagant nightlife

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: April 11, 18, 21 & 28, 2013
  Montreal: April 11, 18, 21, 25 & 28, 2013
  
• Pricing (Rates are per person):
  
  Toronto:
  
  April 11, 18 & 21:
  Single: $1165 plus tax
  Double: $965 plus tax
  Triple: $930 plus tax
  Child (2-12): $295 plus tax
  Tax: $230
  
  April 28:
  Single: $1065 plus tax
  Double: $865 plus tax
  Triple: $830 plus tax
  Child (2-12): $295 plus tax
  Tax: $230
  
  Montreal:
  
  April 11, 18 & 25:
  Single: $1435 tax included
  Double: $1235 tax included
  Triple: $1200 tax included
  Child (2-12): $545 tax included
  
  April 21 & 28:
  Single: $1375 tax included
  Double: $1175 tax included
  Triple: $1140 tax included
  Child (2-12): $545 tax included
  
  

 

 

Canadians stuck in a rut for holiday spots? We dream of Oz but do the Caribbean

A very cool study was released today by the folks at Cheapflights.ca. The company surveyed more than 1,000 Canadians and found that more than 80 per cent of us are likely to return to the same place over and over again for a holiday. And eat the same dishes. At the same restaurants.

"We learned that, while travellers dream of trips to Australia, they find themselves in Florida, again and again," said Melisse Hinkle, site editor for Cheapflights.ca. "Another years means another trip to the same Disney Resort or the same beach condo."

Yeah, I bet the Florida tourism people hate that.

Forty four per cent of Canadians surveyed said they ate at the same restaurant on repeat visits, with 36 per cent visiting the same attractions. More than 32 per cent of us stay at the same hotel and almost 20 per cent eat the same meal over and over again.

I can see that being the case. There are a whack of restaurants on Main St. in Dunedin, Florida. But when I go I invariably end up on the patio at Sea Sea Rider's (see photo below) for a blackened fish sandwich at lunch. And I usually have dinner at Kelly's. They remind me of my days covering the Blue Jays in spring training and I like the ambience at both. And the food, of course.

The study found that, to no one's surprise, the Caribbean is our favourite spot for repeat visits, with 12.7 per cent of the vote. Next was Florida at 10.3 per cent, then Western Europe (7.3), Las Vegas/Southwest U.S. (6.9), Hawaii (6.7), the Maritimes (6.0), Mexico (5.9), the UK (5.5), Banff/Calgary/The Rockies (5.0), Toronto (4.5), California (4.4), Vancouver (3.8), Montreal/Quebec (3.1), New York (3.0) and Ottawa (1.9).

There was a bit of a difference between men and women on some of the destinations. The two sexes agreed mostly on the Caribbean and Florida. But men liked Western Europe more than women (8.3 per cent for men, 6.7 for women, which I find quite surprising). On the subject of Vegas/Southwest U.S., men named it their third favourite spot with a 9.2 per cent vote. Women had it number nine, with just 5.2 per cent support. Which probably isn't too surprising.

Men put a higher value on Hawaii (7.6 versus 6.0), while women liked the Maritimes more (7.1 versus 4.4 for men). Toronto? Women had us eighth at 5.4 per cent, while men put us in the 12th spot at 3.2 per cent. Montreal/Quebec I found strange. Men had the two cities ranked number nine at 4.4 per cent. Women had them down in 14th spot at just 2.3 per cent. Maybe men like the gentlemen's clubs in Montreal, who knows?

Asked where we'd go if we could travel to a new destination, the clear winner - by a country kilometer - was Australia and New Zealand. Those two countries garnered a whopping 31 per cent of the vote. Next was Eastern Europe, left in the dust at 7.0. Those two were followed by Costa Rica (6.7), the South Pacific (5.9), Alaska (5.4) and Belize (3.9). Then came, in order, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, China/Hong Kong, Thailand, India, Russia, Argentina and the Middle East.

Still, we seem to love going back to the same places an awful lot. Asked how likely they are to vacation at the same spot more than once, 20.8 per cent of us non-adventurous Canadians said it was "extremely likely." Another 32.7 per cent said it was very likely and 26.9 per cent said it was "moderately likely" and 11.5 said it was somewhat slightly likely. Meaning 80.4 per cent said it was slightly to extremely likely they'd go back. Only 8.2 per cent of us said it was not at all likely.

Asked why they would go or do go back to the same vacation spot, the top response was great weather, followed by value, "best holiday I've found," ease of access, peace of mind and safety.

Cheapflights.ca asked chartered psychologist Dr. Jane McCartney for some thoughts. The good doctor said the numbers can partly be explained because there's comfort in routine.

"Although it is widely accepted that a certain amount of structure and order is required for a healthy and productive life, having too much control can lead to boredom, tedium and being un-stimulated," she said.

WIKIMEDIA GOES TRAVEL

More on this tomorrow, but check out wikivoyage.org for the Wikimedia folks new foray into the travel biz. Interesting.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on for a WestJet/Royal Caribbean cruise package. The deal is priced at $1,214, plus $253 in taxes, for a total of $1,467.

My family and I did a Royal Caribbean cruise to the same spots a few years ago and loved it. It's a wonderful family holiday, with something for everyone, and we were able to get off the ship a few times and do tours of the various islands, including St. Maarten/St. Martin and St. Thomas, which is beautiful and is an island I featured recently in Star Travel after a visit in October.

Here are the deal details:

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: Includes $50 Onboard Credit per cabin
• 7-night Eastern Caribbean Cruise sailing on the RCI Allure of the Seas
• Includes return airfare on WestJet from Toronto or Montreal to Fort Lauderdale 
• Departs and returns to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Other Ports of Call include: Nassau, Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas & Philipsburg, St. Maarten
• Accommodations in an Inside Stateroom (March 3: Category N, March 17: Category Q)

Also included:

• The exciting DreamWorks Experience Character breakfast 
• Broadway calibre production of Chicago: The Musical
• Kids can't get enough of the Adventure Ocean Youth Program

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on the following departure dates:
  Toronto: March 3 & 17, 2013
  Montreal: March 17, 2013
• Pricing (Rates are per person based on double occupancy):
  Toronto
  March 3: $1214 + $253 tax
  March 17: $1364 + $253 tax
  
  Montreal
  March 17: $1658 tax included
• Airport/port transfers are NOT included
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

More options for Canadians heading south ... Watch your language at airport!

 

Word came today that the Harper government ie expanding Canadian airlines' options for Caribbean and Central America.

Details weren't immediately available as to frequency of flights, etc..., but Canada's Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities (what a mouthful) Denis Lebel today announced that Air Transat and WestJet have been designated for international service between Canada and several sunny destinations.

Lebel designated Air Transat for flights to Costa Rica (see photo), St. Maarten, Barbados, Antigua/Barbuda and Nicaragua, which has been getting more ink the last couple years. WestJet was designated to serve Costa Rica and Curacao.

“Our government is promoting the growth and competiveness of the Canadian air industry”, said Minister Lebel. “These designations will expand options for air travellers between Canada and these countries.”

 

Air carriers may apply to the Minister of Transport for designation to operate scheduled international air services, officials said, adding that designations announced today were made possible by the existing air transport agreements with these countries.

LANGUAGE COPS COMING TO AN AIRPORT NEAR YOU

Interesting item at thestar.com today, wherein Canada’s bilingualism watchdog "is going undercover" at eight major airports to see if travellers are served equally well in English and French

Official Languages Commissioner Graham Fraser says his office will conduct more than 1,500 anonymous observations this fall at airports in Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.

All airports that serve more than one million passengers a year must provide services in both English and French.

The commissioner will check if signs are in both official languages, if staff offer a bilingual greeting to travellers and if services are available in French in predominantly English-speaking parts of the country and in English in French-speaking parts.

Fraser’s office says the project will include observations of Air Canada’s services on the ground and in the air on flights designated as bilingual.

It will also look at the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority’s third-party services in security areas.

I've never noticed a lack of French signage at Pearson. But, then again, I don't really speak French and don't have much cause for paying a lot of attention.

I wonder if they have announcements in French that say, "Attention, you have landed at Pearson Airport in Toronto. If you are under the silly impression that your luggage is going to delivered to the baggage carousel within the next half hour you are horribly and sadly mistaken. HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

PORTER GETS AGGRESSIVE

Probably have more to say on this tomorrow. But this just came over the wires so thought I'd mention it Wednesday.

Porter Airlines sent out a press release today to say they're implementing its first interline partnership with Qatar Airways. The deal is effective immediately, providing expanded travel options for customers of both carriers.

“Establishing Porter’s first interline agreement is an important occasion for us and we couldn’t have chosen a better partner than Qatar Airways, one of the world’s elite airlines,” said Robert Deluce, president and CEO of Porter Airlines. “It’s the beginning of a plan to add multiple interline partners in 2012, introducing Porter to an entirely new set of passengers.”

Qatar’s Doha service to Montreal and Washington-Dulles are both available for Porter interline flights. Montreal connections are available three times weekly to Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Halifax. Washington service is available daily to Toronto City Airport.

Interline flights allow customers to purchase one ticket for a trip involving multiple airlines. At this time, all itineraries involving Qatar and Porter must be purchased from Qatar. Please inquire with Qatar or a travel agent for schedule and price information.

I don't think it's a huge deal on its own, as not that many of us fly to Doha. But it's yet another sign of Porter's aggressive stance as it takes on Air Canada and WestJet.

I expect a lot more of this is still to come....

Aussies slag a key city ... Book now to avoid holiday gouging ... India warnings

Folks everywhere love to bitch about their city's traffic or crime or what have you. But this one caught my eye the other day.

It seems a tourism official in Australia felt obliged to tell residents of a particular city to stop whining about the place and fall in love with it again. I can see this happening in, say, Darwin (not that I've been) or Canberra (ditto). But this salvo was aimed squarely at one of the world's favourite tourist destinations: Sydney.

Yes, the city of the Opera House and the gleaming harbour and stunning beaches and funky shops and great neighbourhoods is, apparently, some kind of hell-hole.

In her first comments since being appointed the first chief executive of Destination New South Wales (the state Sydney is part of), Sandra Chipchase said she wants to recruit state residents as "ambassadors" to help revitalise the tourism industry.

Geez, and we thought Toronto was something of a tough sell in this economic market.

Chipchase said she has had conversations with Sydneysiders in the past and that they'd "whinge" for 20 minutes. It's understandable, but she said such conversation can cause serious "brand damage."

Her words appear to be falling on deaf ears. Folks writing into the Sydney Morning Herald have criticized the city in no uncertain terms.

A fellow named Jay Hash told Chipchase to do her homework.

''What is there to fall in love with," he asked. "Unfriendly neighbours and people … crappy buses and trains … a road network that was designed during the time of the Romans … shops and restaurants closing early at night … hospitals with terrible staff … and only one airport.''

Of course, there are vast differences in living in a city and being a tourist in a city. I don't expect to take many buses in Sydney, and most of my time when I've been has spent walking. I don't remember stores or restaurants closing early at night. I found the airport to be just fine. I didn't go to the hospital so I can't comment on that. But I certainly don't see his point about unfriendly people. Aussies, by and large, are about as gregarious a race of people as exist on this planet of ours.

Destination New South Wales is aiming to double tourism spending in the state by 2020, which could be tough given the world economy. Apparently, like many folks, they're targetting China and India.

"We have so much to be positive about," Chipchase said.

That they do. I've been to Sydney twice, and I'd have to rank it right up there with the great cities of the world. A harbour boat ride from the main ferry terminal, which is wedged between the Opera House and the famous Harbour Bridge, out to Manly Beach or any of the other beaches (see photo taken near Bondi Beach) is about as wonderful a tourist experience as anyone can get. Toss in great hotels, terrific food and wine, great shopping and a fabulous climate, and, yeah, you might say there's a fair bit to be positive about.

HOLIDAY PRICES ON THE RISE?

Here's a scary thought. I spotted an item this week that said every day you wait to buy a ticket for air travel around Christmas will cost you $5 per day.

Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com told a Wisconsin radio station the other day that airlines are upping prices for holiday flights around American Thanksgiving in November (not so much of a concern for us) and at Christmas.

"They've cut back seats," he said of North American airlines. "Fuel prices are up. That means they're going to try to pass alogn those fuel prices and that means tough sledding for holiday travelers."

His advice? Book. Right. Now.

"If you're traveling for the holidays, I have sort of a rule-of-thumb right now: add $5 to your virtual airline ticket every day you wait."

Airline experts often say it's bad to buy too far in advance, but Christmas might be an exception. As folks get closer to the big holiday, that sense of panic and "I need to visit my family in Saskatchewan this year" could cost you big-time.

I booked a ticket for my daughter the other day to come home from Halifax at Christmas. I think it was about $575 on Air Canada. Not cheap, but I don't feel totally gouged, either.

There are a billion sites out there - travelalerts.ca, expedia.ca, kayak.com - so check them out religiously and sign up for air-fare alerts. Be flexible about when you fly, if possible, and look for mid-week flights as opposed to weekends.

I went onto Expedia and, just for fun, found a couple reasonable deals for anyone interested in celebrating New Year's in New York City. One option to consider for budget folks is the Comfort Inn on Staten Island, with rooms from $116 from Dec.30 to Jan. 2. It ain't Manhattan, but you can take the legendary Staten Island Ferry to town for a few bucks and enjoy a nice ride, weather permitting.

The Days Inn in surging Brooklyn was listed at $168, while the Holiday Inn Express New York Wall Street was averaging about $294. As readers of Star Travel would know from a recent story we did, the financial district of New York is an increasingly fun and diverse spot, with plenty of good restaurants and hotels and tons of things to do in an area with a little more peace and quiet than other parts of NYC, especially on weekends.

As for holiday destinations, it appears Canadians are relying on many tried-and-true destinations. Cuba,the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Mexico are big sellers, while folks with a bit more cash in their jeans appear headed to Barbados and St. Lucia.

I'm hearing a lot more these days about Central America, too. Costa Rica was the big spot for years, but more folks appear to be sprreading their wings and checking out places such as Nicaragua and Guatemala, which has a huge variety of cultures and landscapes if not the beaches of Costa Rica. Panama has been putting on a big push of late with a major international campaign, although I don't think much of the slogan "Where the World Meets" as it tells me squat about what I might see if I visit.

 

INDIA TOURISM WARNINGS  

Given the importance of tourism and travel, it's not surprising to see government folks in India blasting Canada and other countries for warning their citizens about potential attacks during the country's coming festive season.

Canada, the U.S., Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand - all key tourism markets for India - all have issued warnings ahead of the Indian holiday period, which runs from October til the end of January. Security has been increased in New Delhi (see photo at right) and several Indian cities amid media reports of increased risk from attacks, the CBC reported the other day.

India's tourism minister, Subodh Kant Sahay, is quoted as saying the alerts are "nothing but scaremongering."

"I have taken it up with the external affairs ministry and asked it to persuade these countries to withdraw the travel advisories immediately," he said.

Canada's alert says Canadians should be "particularly vigilant" on holidays and days of national significance, such as Diwali, "as militants have in the past used such occasions to mount attacks."

"I can assure them (would-be visitors) that India is still a very nice place and the weather is wonderful," Sahay said this week. "They should come."

 

 

 

 

Thinking before we travel ... typing at Starbucks ... gap adventures is no more

Interesting conference/presentations in Toronto Tuesday night on the future of tourism.

To celebrate World Tourism Day, the company formerly known as gap adventures, started by the highly engaging and entertaining Bruce Poon Tip (see photo), staged a mini-conference at the Elgin/Winter Garden Theatre on Yonge St.

It was partly serious and partly fun, which is as it should be with travel. I mean, travel is great. But it's not curing cancer. I always tell people to lighten up a bit when it comes to travel and to have fun writing their stories.

But I digress. The evening was pretty good; better than I expected. But not always on topic.

Erika Harms of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, which also sponsored the evening, talked about taking tours that are mindful of a community and also talked about how travel can change vanishing cultures to enduring cultures.

Travelling to Costa Rica might seem destructive to the environment, but she pointed out how tourism has provided money to set up large tracts of protected forest and has helped establish fisheries in the ocean.

"Tourism is the biggest employer of women in the world," she said.

Shannon Stowell, president of the Adventure Travel Trade Association, compared tourism to a fire.

"If you can keep it in the right place, it cooks your food and keeps you warm. If it gets out of the hearth, it can be destructive."

Stowell said some $200 billion is spent by tourists in emerging markets every year, and that one in 12 jobs on the planet is related to tourism.

Of course, speakers noted that the destinations we love the most are the ones that often fall into trouble. Poon Tip talked about how so many people have moved into cities near Machu Picchu to support travellers, many of them on trips he's helped organize.

To combat some of those problems, he's worked to set up weaving outposts along the Inca Trail so locals can sell textiles and preserve a way of life. They also have built facilities in Cuzco to help feed and shelter local youth, and they send doctors to Tibet each year to perform eye surgery on hundreds of Tibetans.

It's a tough balance, really. I mean, how many carbon offsets does one have to buy to make up for flying to Punta Cana for a family vacation? How many towels do you have to hang up in your hotel bathroom and not have laundered each day to make a difference to the environment? I never ask for hotels to be washed while I'm staying somewhere. But, hell, how much does that really help?

(I'm reminded, to digress again, of one of my favourite M*A*S*H TV episodes. Hawkeye and B.J. are faking a pilot's medical condition so he can't keep riding about Korea in his chopper and buying mementoes from kids who risk their lives in mine fields, or something to that effect. The pilot gives the doctors the evil eye and says, "I'm just one guy. You think you can change the world?" Hawkeye just smiles and says, "No, just our little corner of it." It's a cliche, sure, but those are words I try to live by.)

Some folks Tuesday night talked about the evils of enclosed or all-inclusive resorts, suggesting most of the money goes offshore. True, it's probably better to stay with locals.

Travel writer/blogger Gary Arndt, a superb speaker by the way, talked about how he landed in Saigon and ended up staying with a local family for $15 a night. That money stayed with the family, of course.

He also strayed off topic but entertained folks with talk about how meetings are the biggest wastes of time in history and how pretty soon everyone will be able to do their work while typing at Starbucks. He's got a point.

Ethical travel is important. I think most Canadians travel fairly well. I try to tip generously overseas. I try not to bargain folks down so I can buy a scarf for $5 instead of $6. The extra dollar means nothing to me but it might make a world of difference to someone in Jaipur.

I was on a CBC radio panel with Bruce Poon Tip and other travel experts a while back, and we were talking about culturally acceptable travel. Most of the panellists were pretty liberal and were talking about how we shouldn't go to China because of civil rights and shouldn't go to Myanmar and shouldn't go to God knows where else.

I had had enough at one point and started firing away, more to cause trouble and spark some conversation than anything else. I work hard. When I go on vacation, I don't want to have to worry about a government's politics. I mean, am I supposed to boycott Toronto restaurants because Rob Ford wants to close libraries?

Poon Tip made a similar point last night, saying he's in the business of selling travel all around the world.

"If I ran my business as an ethical tourism company, I'd be out of business tomorrow," he noted. "I couldn't go to China."

He also suggested Barbados might be off-limits because homosexuality is illegal in the country.

There are no easy answers. But it IS important to at least give a little thought before we travel. If we can make a choice between an eco-friendly resort and one that isn't, by all means we should take the low-impact resort.

If one resort employs locals and they've been there for 30 years and they give back to the community, such as the Ka'anapali Beach Resort on Maui, then we should give them some business.

It's not easy. And I'm not about to get on my high horse and tell folks what to do. But it's all food for thought on this incredibly shrinking planet.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about gap adventures. They've been battling The Gap in the U.S. for years, arguing that a Canadian gap adventures company isn't hurting the big clothing seller one iota. I'd have to agree, but the courts in the U.S. recently ruled against Poon Tip.

"I've had enough," he told supporters at the conference last night, revealing he's spent $5 million on legal fees and can't afford any more battles against the jeans and khaki goliath from San Francisco. From now on, the company will simply be known as g adventures, but they're keeping the distinctive g with the ampersand around it that has stood out for some time. Poon Tip earlier this year said they'd still be known as the Great Adventure People, so there's still a good link to the past there.

Not a bad solution, but too bad it had to come to this. Poon Tip took more than a few theatrical swipes at The Gap. At one point, he showed a slide with a cowering person or maybe an animal, I don't quite recall since I'm battling a bad head cold, standing up against the giant American beast. Off to one side were the words, "F--k You."

The crowd went wild. Good thing Bruce didn't see the label on the sports jacket I was wearing....

 

 

Sunwing launches hotel division .. Tories neglecting tourism? .. Smiling Albino

Sunwing Travel Group has announced creation of "Blue Diamond Resorts," a new, wholly-owned subsidiary that will manage and develop its own destination resorts.

The resorts will provide "unique and differentiated products specifically tailored to the needs of discerning North American vacationers."

The emphasis will be on quality, not quantity, officials said, and there will be several brands. The first will be "Royalton Luxury Resorts," a five-star brand aimed at sophisticated travellers and their families, with personalized service and "an unparalleled attention to detail."

(Always smart to go after the high-end stuff and families I had a coffee Thursday with Daniel Fraser from Smiling Albino, a tour company that does both walking tours in Southeast Asia cities such as Bangkok and Hanoi but also will put together week-long trips for high-rollers who want to take motorcycle tours through remote Khmer ruins in north Thailand and Cambodia. He says they get a lot of business from Toronto, much of it family business from folks with lots of money. So Sunwing is seemingly on the right track here.)

The first Sunwing property is the Royalton Panama Luxury Resort, a "South Beach-style" hotel in the Playa Blanca area on Panama's Pacific Coast. There are 230 Deluxe rooms, one, two and three-bedrom suites, each with free WiFi, 32-inch flatscreen TV's with premium channels, iPod docks, a fully stocked minibar and more.

The Royalton Panama Luxury Resort is now open for guests and Sunwing vacation packages are available.

FEDERAL TORIES BLASTED

Joyce Murray, the Liberal MP who acts as critic for Small Business and Tourism, says the federal government needs to use the fall session of Parliament to boost small business and the tourism industry.

Murray says a good start would be exhibiting a pavilion at the upcoming Expo 2012 in South Korea.

Murray says she met with business owners during the summer and they are "absolutely shocked" that there are no plans for a pavilion, especially given Korea's trading status.

I'm more worried about tourism in general, myself. It's a critical industry in this day and age, and I see very little evidence that ANY level of government takes it as seriously as it should.

TORONTO A HIT ON HOTELS.COM

The folks at hotels.com say Toronto was number four on the list of most visited destinations on their web site in the first half of 2011. The top three were London, Paris and Rome, officials said.

For international visitors as a whole, Vancouver was the Canadian city that website users looked at  most, followed by Toronto, Montreal, Niagara Falls and Victoria.

Canadians "clicked" on Toronto the most, followed by Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Niagara Falls.

Canadians looking outside our fair borders looked at hotles in New York the most, followed by Las Vegas, Orlando, Chicago and San Francisco. Then came Seattle, Los Angeles, London, Boston and Paris.

 

 

 

Keep me from blowin' away while I write about Trip Advisor's best beaches

There's a storm brewin' up in Toronto. A whopper. And I don't mean the federal election - bah da boom. As I finish these notes in my handy sunroom in north Toronto, the winds are howling like a wounded Canadiens fan. I'm actually afraid one of my maple trees might come crashing down, as they're both about a hundred years old and we've had lots of rain lately. This happened a couple years back. We had a big rain storm and then it cleared up and I went and sat outside in my back yard. I came in for a minute and, whomp, a branch as thick as a telephone pole can crashing down and split the chair I had been sitting in clean in half. It was about 40-feet long and reached all across my back yard, resting on the fence but causing no damage except the chair. Oh, and a Japanese maple that it also cleaved in half. Still. to this day, that little maple only grows on one side.

But enough of that. I wanted to mention a pretty decent Trip Advisor survey of top beaches in the world. I often find Trip Advisor pretty American-centric - filled with folks who are surprised not to find ice machines in their pension in Italy - but this is a pretty decent list. For world beaches, this is what the readers/users/raters came up with:

1. Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

2. Boracay, Philippines (see photo at left)

3. Palm/Eagle Beach, Aruba

4. Negril, Jamaica

5. Tulum, Mexico

6. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

7. Seven Mile Beach, Grand Cayman

8. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

9. Cape May, New Jersey

10. Santa Teresa, Costa Rica

For U.S. beaches, it was:

1. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

2. Cape May, New Jersey

3. Panama City Beach, Florida

4. Miami Beach, Florida

5. Sanibel Island, Florida

6. Clearwater, Florida

7. Honolulu, Hawaii

8. Captiva Island, Florida

9. Poipu, Hawaii

10. Siesta Key, Florida

I like the world list. I've heard great things about Boracay and it's hard to argue with Jamaica. Millions flock to Punta Cana every year and I've been to the beaches at nearby Cap Cana, so that makes sense.

I don't much care for the U.S. list. Honolulu? I guess they mean Waikiki, which is famous and pretty but it's not even close to being the best beach on Oahu, let alone anywhere in Hawaii. Poipu, number nine (see photo at right), deserves a good spot. But where's Kaanapali on Maui or, better yet, the best beach in the world for my money, Napili (also Maui?). Of course, you can make the point that most tourists only get to Honolulu/Waikiki, so it's hard to fault them for not knowing about Waimea or Sandy Beach or the other great ones on Oahu or the other islands.

And, hey, not to get too provincial about it, but a born-and-raised California dude is wondering how the west coast got shut out? Malibu's overrated but Santa Monica is great and Newport (better yet, next-door Corona del Mar) and Laguna beaches are some of the best you'll find anywhere.

There's nothing here from Europe, and you can't tell me that beaches such as those in Portugal and Spain, let alone the Greek islands, don't deserve some mention. The seacoast and beaches north of Barcelona are magic, especially spots such as Tossa del Mar. There's also the French Riviera, which has awesome (if rocky) beaches in places such as St. Jean Cap Ferrat.

I'll tell my kids to shield their eyes here lest they be embarrassed - again - by their father, but the best European beach I ever saw was on the island of Paros in Greece. It was about a half-hour walk from my small hotel on the waterfront in the main town, but it was in a gloriously quiet part of the island with hardly a soul. I was lying there in May, 1984 (I think) when two young and very beautiful women came by and laid out their towels. Great. Then they got up and stripped down to nothing. Gulp. Then they started rubbing suntan oil on each other. Yowsa.

You wouldn't think a memory like that would stick with a guy but somehow I can still recall some of the details...