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!

Celebrate Canada Day 2012 in Calgary, with tons of family friendly activities!

At Heritage Park, the first 2012 guests before 10:30 a.m. will be treated to Heritage Park’s famous hot pancake breakfast.

Fort Calgary offers children’s activities including pony rides and petting zoo, a spectacular car show, featuring 100 classic and antique cars, and a full day of entertainment featuring the Blue Mondays House Band and plenty of special guests at the NMC stage. If you arrive early enough, you can catch a free pancake breakfast, starting at 9:00 a.m.

Click on the following link to see more events that are taking place at a variety of locations across Calgary: http://www.calgarycanadaday.ca/

In Canmore, you can enjoy the Rotary Pancake Breakfast (who doesn’t love free pancakes!!!) at Centennial Park from 8:00–11:00 a.m., which will be followed by a Canada Day parade, marching band, fireworks and more: http://www.canmorealberta.com/canadaday/

Don’t forget that the entry into Banff National Park is free on July 1st, so you can visit the town of Banff, and celebrate Canada Day with great entertainments and performances till 11:00 p.m.!

http://www.banff.ca/activities-events/festivals-special-events/canada-day

We have a fascination with those who face the challenges of the north. Here are three books about such men, the first chronicling the story of Richard Proenneke in Alaska, an inspiration for naturalists. The second takes on the controversial flight of Richard Byrd to the North Pole. The third is the story of S.A. Andree who attempted to fly to the North Pole in 1897 in a hot air balloon.

One Man's Wilderness: an Alaskan Odyssey by Richard Proenneke

"This book made a big splash when it debuted in 1973. Keith based the text on the journals and photography of Richard Proenneke, who, after racking up years of 50-hour work weeks, did what many of us only fantasize about: he chucked it all and went to live in the woods. Now in his 80s, Proenneke still abides in the log cabin he built with his own hands and has become an icon for naturalists. Though few will follow Proenneke's lead, his story can be quite inspiring." (Library Journal)

Show Me a Hero: the Sin of Richard Byrd Jnr by Jeremy Scott

"Richard Byrd wanted to be the first man to fly to the North Pole. By telling one momentous lie he become an all-American hero, received the highest distinction his President could bestow, and secured a lifetime of celebrity. The cost to others of that race proved fatal, the price Byrd paid himself was no less than his own soul. This is the story of Richard Byrd, who claimed to have won the race to the Pole in 1926, and the consequences of the lie he told."

(Amazon)

The Ice Balloon: S.A. Andree and the Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration by Alec Wlkinson

"Wilkinson recounts the thrilling story of the visionary Swedish explorer S.A. Andree, who in 1897, at the height of the heroic age of Arctic endeavor, attempted to discover the North Pole by flying over it in a hydrogen balloon." (Syndetics)

I (heart) Montreal!

I’ve just returned from an extra-long weekend in Montreal. What a fabulous city! It’s cosmopolitan, diverse, and incredibly easy to navigate. Whether or not you speak French, check out what Montreal has to offer. If you love food and wine, history, fashion, art, or all of the above, you’ll find that Montreal is a gem! Here are some of my travel tips for those visiting this charming world city:

Eat on St. Laurent

Lunch at Aux Vivres. This vegan restaurant is sure to please veggies and carnivores alike! In terms of both ambiance and menu, it’s very much like Calgary’s The Coup. Aux Vivres serves great teas and smoothies, and lots of fabulous entrees and desserts, too.

Casa Napoli for dinner. The food is amazing, the service is attentive and professional (think crumb scrapers!) and if you go two nights in a row, they just might treat you to a free dessert - true story! Try the spaghetti with pesto; you won’t be sorry! Portions are generous and a few nights a week, there’ll be a singer accompanied by a guitarist. Great atmosphere!

Take a Tour

Bus tours offer excellent value for your dollar. Get oriented with a half day tour, and you’ll have a better appreciation for the different areas you’ll explore in more depth, later on. A typical three hour tour will take you to Old Montreal, Mount Royal, Notre Dame Basilica, the Olympic Stadium and lots more. Guides are friendly and experienced – mine was born and raised in Montreal and had a true passion for his city.

Make Friends

I found that people in Montreal were eager to chat. I bought a piece of art from a gallery where the artist and I struck up a conversation. She tried on my glasses, we exchanged e-mails, and we had our photo taken together. We were old friends in an instant! At the House of Jazz, I had a visit with the saxophonist, who shared all sorts of opinions about Libya, Obama, travel, and more. All that, because I summoned enough nerve to tell him I loved the show. Montreal is a city of friendly, quirky and liberal folks. So, get out there and meet the locals!

Montreal is bursting with things to do, see, eat and enjoy. Plan a walking tour or an excursion to Quebec City, by checking out some of our resources. We’ve got maps, guidebooks, phrasebooks and dictionaries, and more. Borrow a DVD and get better acquainted before you even arrive. Or, discover Montreal through famous authors like Mordecai Richler and Leonard Cohen. It’s all here at your local library!

Katherine

Thinking of travelling around Canada this summer? We have just received some books that will help you make the most of your trip.

To find other great guidebooks to Canadian destinations, just enter the destination and guidebook in the Search Box on our homepage.

Other great new travel books are: