Vacations Blog

This is in Edmonton, Canada? It sure is! Uptake’s Jenny Bengen made a short visit to the city and stayed at a hotel inside the mall – one of two.  Jenny tells us all about the mall – its HUGE. It has just about everything you could want to do if you’re traveling with a family.  Under one roof the boys and frolic in the water park while the rest of family shops, dines or rests. Sounds like a winning combination for this winter if you live anywhere near Edmonton.

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Victoria Ferry Coming into Port

The first thing of note about Victoria, British Columbia is that when making plans to travel there it’s likely that you’ll be traveling there by a ferry or cruise. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital of British Columbia. The beautiful metropolis is a tourist hotspot in British Columbia, offering a rich history, beautiful architecture, much greenspace and a wide-variety of attractions. Although you can fly into the Vancouver International Airport and take a bus or car into Victoria, traveling by ferry is the primary mode of transportation to and from Victoria. Located just above Washington state, it’s a great day trip for travelers staying in the Seattle area.

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Starting January 1, 2010 you can give some magic to someone in need and get some magic in return.  Disney Magic, no less.

The Disney Theme Parks are starting a great new campaign, one that rewards community service with free admission to a Disney Park. Read More »

I absolutely love Nova Scotia – Halifax is one of the prettiest coastal towns I’ve ever seen, and a destination that I have in mind for next summer (which I will be sure to tell you guys all about). Getting there takes a little bit of effort, though, if you’re coming from the United States. Well, it probably takes a bit of effort to get there no matter WHERE you start from. But the journey is half the adventure, right?

If traveling by car, you have to take a rather circuitous route. The most direct way to get there from, say, Boston, MA, is an eleven hour drive that takes you along I-95 to the border of Canada where it meets Houlton, ME (it’s a little over nine hours if you start from Portland, ME). From there one follows Rt. 2 to Rt. 102, and from there Rt. 118 into Halifax.

Route from Boston, MA, to Halifax, Nova Scotia

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I happen to be a huge fan of Canada. HUGE. I have never had a Canadian experience that was less than completely positive. I love Canada so much that next summer I’m planning on hitting at least one of several points along the northern border of the U.S. that are great jumping-off points to get to Canada by car.

#1 Canadian Jumping Off Point – Boston, MA. Boston is one of my favorite places, and it’s right handy to Montreal (5 hours 20 minutes) and Quebec City (6 hours 30 minutes). My vision of a really great vacation is to start in Boston, stay a couple of nights and hit some of the sights (like Beacon Hill, or the Freedom Trail, or nearby Cape Cod), then drive up to Montreal for a couple of days, making sure to see the Pôle des Rapides. From Montreal the drive to Quebec City is two hours and 45 minutes, where I would recommend staying at the Hôtel Manoir de l’Esplanade and checking out the various boat tours along the St. Lawrence River.

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The City of Montreal is the second largest in Canada.

During these tough economic times for many families it’s just not financially feasible to take a vacation across the pond in France. But luckily there is a way to experience the essence of Paris right here in North America. Often overlooked by Americans as a vacation destination, the city of Montréal is an excellent place for a family vacation.

Crowds of Canadians celebrate Canada Day in Vieux-Montreal.

While winters can be downright frigid in the Québec province, summer days and nights can be exquisite. And the beginning of July is the perfect time to visit and take advantage of great sights and sounds. For example, last year we visited the city during the first week of July with the purpose of attending The Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, but we also enjoyed the city-wide festivities celebrating Canada Day and Quebec Day, all in one week. These made for an exciting, fun-filled adventure.

Montréal, originally called Ville-Marie, is Canada’s second largest city and is truly cosmopolitan. Its mix of centuries old architecture in Vieux-Montréal (Old Montréal) in contrast with the modern landscape of Centre-Ville (downtown) and Parc Olympique, offer an unforgettable experience.

The Basilica Notre Dame in Montreal.

Some of the great “must-see” attractions in Montréal include the truly grand Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal, located adjacent to the Place D’Armes, a square located in Vieux-Montréal that is the second oldest public site in Montréal. A fan of Gothic Revival architecture, I found the basilica to be one of the most magnificent structures I’ve come across while traveling through North America. The colors that illuminate the interior can be summed up as “breathtaking.”

The illuminated interior of the Basilica Notre Dame is breathtaking.

Surrounding the basilica are the narrow streets of Vieux-Montréal. There you’ll find art galleries, shops, and one-of-a-kind cafes, many of which feature outdoor seating during the warm summer months. You can take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the streets to see all of the historic sites.

The epicenter of Vieux-Montréal is Place Jacques-Cartier, which fronts the Vieux-Port (Old Port) and is surrounded by such sites as the Montréal City Hall, Bonsecours Market, as well as preserved colonial mansions such as the Château Ramezay and the Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site of Canada. Across from the historic structures that line the port is the ultra-modern Centre des Sciences de Montréal.

Cafes front the Vieux-Port

It was at Place Jacques-Cartier where we encountered the Canada Day and Quebec Day celebrations, which included live music, food, fireworks and much, much more.

The Parc Maisoneuve is located just northeast of Centre-Ville and Vieux-Montréal and is home to the Jardin Botanique de Montréal, Montréal Insectarium, Biodôme de Montréal and Stade Olympique, which together make for a great day trip. The 185-acre botanical garden is great for a scenic stroll. The Japanese and Chinese gardens in particular and worth visiting. The insectarium offers a wide variety of creepy, crawly creatures that both children and bug enthusiasts are sure to enjoy. The biodome was one of the best we’ve ever visited. It contained four different climatic regions and was filled with a variety of live animals, from penguins to fish to birds. The only problem we faced there was the large crowds of summer camp groups.

The bontanic gardens' Chinese Garden is lush and green.

Another great park to visit is the Mont Royal, located north of Centre-Ville and offering Spectacular views. The nighttime panorama is especially worth experiencing to see the lights of the city.

If you plan your trip for summer, you absolutely can’t pass on the world-famous Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. This year the festival celebrates its 30th year and is sure to wow visitors. Taking place from June 30 to July 12, the festival offers free and ticket-entry performances by artists from all over the world at locations through the city. However, the main festival area is located at the Place des Arts. More than two million people experience the festival each year, attracted to its electric atmosphere and diversity of shows. Children can enjoy the festival too, with areas set up just for kids. It’s a can’t miss.

Crowds gather at the Montreal Jazz Festival

Now, where to stay? Hotels throughout the city range from low-budget to luxury. During our vist last year we stayed at the Marriott Residence Inn on Rue Peel in Centre-Ville. It was affordable and conveniently located near the Peel Metro Station. Montréal’s Metro System is top-notch and has stations located at or near all of the top tourist attractions, so I definitely recommend choosing a hotel near a station.

As you can see there is much to see and do in Montréal. Actually, there’s more than I can ever write about in one post. I encourage you to plan your summer family vacation to Montréal and make your own great discoveries. You won’t regret it.

The Montreal Metro is a clean, safe and cost-effective way to get around.

And, finally, don’t be scared by the French language. Most people we encountered in Montréal also spoke English, although all of the signs were in French. However, it’s amazing how quick and easy you pick up common phrases. The only challenge was the fact that the Metro announcements we’re only in French and could be hard to hear and understand. Just remember to pay close attention or you may miss your stop.

All photos by Jason Roth.

Sally, Conrad and Cat (Photo Universal Studios/Dreamworks)

Like Sally and “Conroy”, I find myself perched at the living room window moping and watching the inclement weather outside.  But instead of rain, it’s snow and there’s no Cat coming to my rescue.  No, my salvo is a furry rodent named Phil.  Punxsutawney Phil.

This coming Monday is Groundhog Day.  And the only hope I have of lasting another winter in America’s Bitter and Cold-Blooded Heartland lies in hands of what would ordinarily be considered a menace to the farming community.  A freaking Groundhog!  Yep!  You got it.  My will, my resolve to last, is at the mercy of that hairy little critter and whether or not he sees his shadow come February 2.

No shadow and winter can end as it should–soon.  But if that little fur faced demon happens to catch a glimpse of anything long and dark then I’m gonna be needing to fill a prescription.  I’m not so sure I can handle an extra six weeks of Arctic Bliss unaided.

Phil

For over 100 years, the little community in Punxsutawney, just northeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has held special observances on Groundhog Day in a little area known as Gobbler’s Knob.  Though popular in it’s own right, the town and it’s celebrations were made even more so by the movie “Ground Hog Day” starring Bill Murray.  For the life of me, I can’t imagine getting up at 3:00 in the morning to stand in sub zero temperatures for four and a half long hours waiting for a prognosticating rodent to give me a shred of hope that winter will soon be over.  I don’t care how good the hot chocolate is.

Phil’s not the only groundhog in this gig, either. He’s just the most famous.  Here’s a few other groundhogs that you may or may not be aware of.  Of course, if you ask me they all look the same.

• Jimmy the Groundhog of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin , USA
  

  Jimmy

• Wiarton Willie found in Wiarton, Ontario, Canada
  

  Willie

• Staten Island Chuck found in New York City, New York, USA
  

  Chuck

• General Beauregard Lee, PhD found in Atlanta, Georgia, USA
  

  General Lee

• Dunkirk Dave in Dunkirk, New York, USA
  

  Dave

• Malverne Mel and Malverne Melissa found in Malverne, New York, USA
  
  

  Mel

• Brandon Bob of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
  

  Bob

• Balzac Billy of Balzac, Alberta, Canada
  

  Billy

• Shubenacadie Sam of Shubencadie, Nova Scotia, Canada
  

  Sam

• Gary the Groundhog of Kleinburg, Ontario, Canada
  

  Gary

• Spanish Joe of Spanish Ontario, Canada
  

  Joe

• Sir Walter Wally of Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
  

  Sir Walter

• Pardon Me Pete of Tampa, Florida, USA
  

  Pete

• Octoraro Orphie of Quarryville, Pennsylvania, USA
  

  Orphie

• Holtsville Hal of Holtsville, New York, USA
  

  Hal

• Buckeye Chuck of Marion, Ohio, USA
  

  Chuck

List courtesy of Wikipedia, links by UpTake

I feel certain that the festivities involving each of these fine groundhogs is nothing short of splendid and each town is a treat to visit even without a groundhog day.  Take, Punxsutawney, for instance.  There is  groundhog festival every year around July 4th.

Summer!  Now that’s more likely to be a time you’ll find me visiting.

But right now, it’s winter.  It’s cold.  And I don’t care if you throw in a traditional spam burger with the hot chocolate, nothing is going to drag me out to watch someone wake up a hibernating groundhog predict the weather.  Just tell me what he said.  I’ll make a note of it and then file it with all of my other 63% accurate weather reports.

Black Frank's bronze statue in Nanaimo Harbor, Canada

In the previous post on Nanaimo, I mentioned that I had seriously considered moving to Nanaimo. From that viewpoint, and if you don’t feel like enriching the cafe owners, then you need to find some things to keep you busy.

The Go Nanaimo Blog has created just such a guide, with 7 delightful and detailed self-guided tours, all inside a 50 km radius of the City. The tours are ostensibly meant for residents as a staycation guide, and include two walking tours within Nanaimo and five driving and bicycling tours to nearby mid-island destinations.

First, there’s the Waterfront walking tour. A healthy stroll along Nanaimo’s waterfront walkway with excellent views of Newcastle and Protection islands will take you past a lot of the city’s heritage including Maffeo-Sutton Park, the 123 year old Coast Bastion Inn and the bronze statue of former Mayor Frank Ney. Apparently Black Frank was the kind of stand-up pirate who wouldn’t have thought twice about selling his own grandma to real estate developers if it was worth an extra dime in his pocket.

The Downtown walking tour has the goods on all the visit-worthy attractions including the Vancouver Island Conference Center which houses Nanaimo Museum, a neo-gothic Church, and then there’s also the Old City Quarter with late 19th and early 20th century wooden buildings, and there’s also listings of the trendy cafes and boutiques along the way.

Gabriola Island

Moving further afield, we have the North Nanaimo driving/bicycling tour – a 37 km circular path starting and ending at the Departure Bay Ferry terminal, with lots of parks and other attractions in between.

The 64 km South Nanaimo driving tour takes you past Cedar, Yellow Point and Cassidy, with plenty of oppurtunies for hiking, flightseeing and bungy jumping.

The last three tours would more likely qualify as day trips. There’s a 79 km driving tour to Ladysmith, Chemainus and Thetis Island. Next is the spectacular and scenic 49 km Gabriola Island tour.

In fact, there’s different variations for tours of Gabriola Island, so you won’t be short of options any time soon. And lastly, there’s the 111 km Oceanside Route driving tour, which looks to me to be the most beautiful of them all.

Photos by Kam’s World and pentaboxes via flickr.