vacation deals near me

After spending two days at sea, docking in our final port was a welcome change. Not only was it nice to get back on solid ground, but I think that possibly the best was saved for last. We were in Victoria, British Columbia, which may possibly be one of the most beautiful cities I've ever been to. The two days spent at sea had been cloud-laden, windy, and cool. But the weather apparently did not follow us into Canada, because Victoria was warm when my family stepped out onto the pier, and eventually became wonderfully sunny, too. This surprised us, until we learned that Victoria has one of the best climates in Canada; I had no idea. Palm trees actually grow there – yes, palm trees. In Canada. Who knew? After disembarking, we made our way to a tour bus, on which a friendly Victorian (is that what you call them?) gave us a guided 2-hour tour of British Columbia's capital. Driving through the streets and neighborhoods of Victoria, we saw some of those Canadian palm trees, and al...

Visiting the PNE has always been one of my favourite summertime Vancouver traditions. To me, absurd carnival food and Superdogs are always a winning recipe for an awesome day. This year, the PNE has upped the stakes by bringing in Game of Thrones: The Exhibition as one of the Fair’s main attractions. Now, I am going to make the very safe assumption that all of you have heard about Game of Thrones, the hit HBO show that tortures us with its unpredictable twists and turns. As a huge fan of the show, I’ve been dreaming about visiting the exhibit ever since it was announced several months ago. When I finally got the chance, I definitely was not disappointed. In case you missed it, here’s a recap (full of photos) of the exhibition.

Today we’re continuing on our journey across North America with the Exploring My Hometown guest post series. Please welcome Becky from Trekking with Becky as she takes us on a little tour of Kapuskasing, Ontario. I’ve been reading Becky’s blog for a while now, and am always so inspired by her journeys around the world. No matter how far you travel, though – it’s lovely to come back home! Exploring Kapuskasing, Ontario -by Becky Osawa When I tell people that I’m originally from a small town in northern Ontario, Canada, I usually get asked if I’m from Barrie, which is a little north of Toronto. When I say that I’m from northern Ontario, I really mean NORTH…if you drive pretty much non-stop north of Toronto for about 9 hours, you’ll reach my small hometown, Kapuskasing (Kah-pus-kay-sing) in Canada. Kapuskasing, Canada It’s RARE to even come across Torontonians who have heard of Kapuskasing since it’s s...

Preparing to Rappel Down a Waterfall Quebec, Canada Canyoning is an adventure sport that involves maneuvering through river canyons, sometimes while rappelling down powerful waterfalls. Also known as Canyoneering in the United States, the activity has taken off in recent years. While visiting Quebec City I decided to take a side-trip to the mountain town of Beaupré to get outside for a bit and give it a try. Arriving at Mont-Sainte-Anne, I soon met my canyon guides Eric & Val from Canyoning Quebec. They began fitting me with an absolutely ridiculous looking wetsuit, climbing harness, and helmet. :D This gear was needed though, because we’d be lowering ourselves over a set of cold & steep waterfalls called the Jean-Larose Chutes. Slippery Rock Walls Rappelling Down Waterfalls Hiking a short trail to get to the river, we made our way over to the site of the first 40 foot drop. Val gave us a primer on rappelling, including how to tie in and lower ourselves down...