Several of our staff members enjoy this less-well known park just north of Calgary.

The best thing about Big Hill Springs Provincial Park is the proximity to Calgary. (See the map and directions on their webpage.) The park is small and there are only a couple of picnic tables, so take a blanket and a cold lunch. The waterfalls all run down into a series of creeks and bridges at the entrance to the park. It's great for toddlers because the creeks are shallow and slow moving. The kids can play for hours. For older kids and adults, the walking trail is quite steep in places but is only about 2km and takes you through a variety vegetation zones.

Its a great place to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Marg

I found a wonderful clipping about Big Hill Springs in our files. Dating from 1934, the article starts as follows: "Memories of Highland glens, of the coombes of Devon or the Derbyshire dales, are apt to rise in the minds of many former residents of the Old Land who follow the winding road that leads from Cochrane to Big Hill Springs. Even without the fairy-like glade that surrounds the springs, with its miniature waterfalls and crystal pools, as the objective, the journey through the wide valley is well worth the visit." The article ends with a letter to the editor from Mrs. C.D. Casey who enjoyed the springs as much then as we do now. "Big Hill Springs...is a veritable little paradise tucked away in a secluded valley."

Candace

If you are looking for fun Calgary Staycations, check out this book, Day Trips From Calgary (2006), by Bill Corbett. This book has a nice section on Big Hill Springs Park as well as other great places to visit. Mr. Corbett says in the 2002 edition, "I wrote this book to entice Calgary residents and visitors to consider all directions of the compass when embarking on a day trip from the city. Those who do so will be wonderfully surprised.

London is the focus of the world's attention this month! We have a number of great guidebooks that will enhance a visit to this historic city. The following are some of the newest.

Time Out 1000 Things To Do In London for Under £10

1,000 inspirational ideas of what to do in London, all costing less than £10 and a great number of them absolutely free. This is a guide for Londoners as well as tourists; a delightful armchair read as well as an indispensable handbook. Includes well-known Londoners' top ten inexpensive things to do, cheap nights out, budget shopping and dining, quirky walks, low-cost cultural experiences and tickets for free. From once-in-a-lifetime experiences to everyday pleasures. Packed with photos and specially commissioned illustrations, 1000 Things... offers new ways to navigate the city. Fall for London all over again, without breaking the bank!

Walking London [2012]: The best of the city

See the best of London with this streamlined, itinerary-driven guide, created in a handy, take-along format. Part of a brand-new series from National Geographic that showcases the world's great cities, Walking London is divided into the following sections. The Whirlwind Tours section shows you how to see the entire city in a day or a weekend; what sights will interest kids most; plus, a hedonist's tour that's pure pleasure from dawn to midnight and beyond. The Neighborhoods section of the book presents the city broken down into 15-odd itineraries that lead you on a step-by-step tour to the best sights in each of the city's greatest neighborhoods--from The City and Westminster to Kensington and Knightbridge. Travel Essentials provides information on how to get to the city and how to get around, as well as hand-picked hotels and restaurants. Each itinerary includes the following features: Distinctly London: Explore the city through 2-page features that showcase the quintessential aspects of the city, such as Royal London, Shakespeare London, and London Pubs: Here you'll get intriguing background information to help you understand why this city is one of the world's greatest. Best of: Specific thematic groupings of sights are described, such as ancient markets, posh shopping, and London clubs. In-depth: These spreads take a deep dive into a major museum or other sight--Westminster Abbey, St. Paul's, the National Gallery--providing step-by-step guidance on what to see and how to plan your visit. Sidebars throughout give you the lowdown on shopping, eating, and going out on the town, offering insider tips and interesting asides.

Royal London [2012]: a guide to the Capital's historic and iconic royal sites

In anticipation of Queen Elizabeth's 2012 diamond jubilee, celebrate the enduring influence of the British monarchy on the cultural, social, and architectural landscape of London. Sumptuously illustrated with specially commissioned photographs, and containing new features on William and Kate's wedding, this fully updated edition of Royal London reveals the fascinating history behind over 130 buildings, parks, gardens, statues, and other London attractions--and even includes a locator map so you can plot your own regal walking tour.

As the long weekend approaches, we will look at some of the fantastic daytrips you can take from Calgary! We are blessed with everything from mountains to foothills to badlands, all within a few hours travel.

Going south, one of my personal favorites is the Cowboy Trail. After you have meandered along the trail admiring the foothills and the mountains, you can turn west to visit the Crowsnest Pass or go east to visit historic Fort Macleod and Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump.

Going east, you can go Walking with the Dinosaurs at the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller.

Looking for some family canoeing or a quiet hike? One of our staff members had a great day at Forget-Me-Not Pond.

Check out some of the great books Calgary Public Library has on daytripping from Calgary, such as Southern Alberta for City Folks.

The possibilities are endless - more to come next week.

Check out some of these great books if you are a wine-lover planning a vacation in California!

A Traveller's Wine Guide to California by Robert Holmes

Award-winning photographer and author Holmes was named Travel Photographer of the Year by the Society of American Travel Writers in 1990, 1992, and 2010. He offers wine tourists a handy guide to California's well-known and lesser-known wine-producing regions. The text opens with an introduction to the winery experience, the American wine classification system, traveling and lodging in California, and general tips on what to drink, followed by sections covering the wine-producing regions--Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Mendocino County, San Francisco, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County, Southern California, Central Valley, Sierra Foothills and a sampling of listings for brandy, sake, and artisan foods. Illustrated with maps and full-color photographs, the guide also contains a list of California/wine industry websites, wine events, grape varieties, and further reading suggestions.

California Wine Country by Philip Goldsmith

Locals and wine lovers Philip Goldsmith and Michael Cervin have the inside scoop on how to best experience California's Wine Country, from swirling and sniffing lessons at Yountville's Goosecross Cellars to glider rides over scenic Santa Ynez Valley. Goldsmith and Cervin offer great trip ideas, including Weekend Wine Warriors, Understanding California through Wine, and Highway Hugging. Whether you're planning on doing some serious wine-tasting or simply taking a leisurely trip through some of California's most beautiful areas, Moon California Wine Country gives you the tools you need to create a more personal and memorable experience.

The Wine Seeker's Guide to Livermore Valley by Thomas C. Wilmer

The Wine Seekers' Guide to the Livermore Valley is the first exclusive guide to this little-known wine region, introducing adventurous wine lovers to more than forty wineries, the owners and winemakers, and their superb wines. The guide provides directions, operating hours, and contact information for each winery, a map of the region, recommendations for where to stay, and a detailed restaurant guide. The Wine Seekers' guides lead readers to delight-filled locales where exceptional but perhaps unheralded wines are produced with old-world quality by families eager to share not only their award-winning products but also their harmonious lifestyle and welcoming communities with visitors.

During a recent visit to my sister in Toronto, we spent a couple of days exploring the Niagara Region. The only thing we really planned was overnight at the Prince of Wales Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake, which was offering a great deal for an upgraded room and dinner for two.

Although the drive is on the 403 freeway, it’s quite an interesting drive, at least once you’re past Burlington, with Lake Ontario on your left. Once you’re within the Niagara Regional Municipality you’ll see all sorts of signs for wineries and it’s best to leave the highway for the backroads.

Before we went we saw self-drive wine tasting tours offered online (e.g., $20 to taste at 3 wineries). Not wanting to commit, and having viewed wineries before, we decided to just see where we ended up. Turns out that there are loads of wineries, some are affiliated (e.g., in the same valley) and offer maps and free tastings, and even if they charge it’s free if you buy a bottle or two. The most they seemed to charge is $2 a taste. Tasting the wines was fun and made a change from the Okanagan wines we’re more used to in Calgary. Many of the wineries offer other goodies, including local cheese.

Once you’ve tasted your fill, there are other delights: we hit pay-dirt in the small town of Jordan, with a lovely casual café as well as a fancier restaurant, an antique store with great prices (even including Ontario HST!) and an art gallery co-owned by a friend of a friend. Walking around Niagara-on-the-Lake (and trying to avoid the crowds) is also fun with lots of nice, browseable shops.

I have to admit that late May in southern Ontario is quite lovely: warm weather without humidity; they don’t even understand the concept of late snow falls, let alone Monsoon June!

Gerry

Check out some of these great titles for touring the Niagara region!