As the legend Bob Marley sings… “One good thing about music …when it hits you, you feel no pain”. Kingston, Jamaica is a melting pot of music and history and positive vibrations! With so many legends and genres of music born out of Kingston, Jamaica from rock steady, reggae and ska to dance hall…. let’s just say a music lovers vacation here is by far the coolest music history class you will ever take. The safest and easiest way to navigate the epic music scene in Kingston is to hire a driver. I highly recommend JUTA Tours so that you can plan your own agenda and hit up all the sights and sounds at your own irie pace. Take a guided bus tour like the ‘Making of The Music Tour’ or map out your own musical adventure. Since you are heading to the birthplace of reggae, remember that Jamaica is a place for those music lovers with an open mind and an open heart. Interestingly, flocks of Japanese and Europeans... ...
Blog Archives
Finding stillness glamping at Wya Point Resort
Life can feel like a treadmill. The daily grind of everyday living in the big city can take a toll on our spirits, especially near the tail end of winter. Take the time to check out of the work-life hustle and to check inward. Make a date with yourself to leap off the treadmill, to regroup and recharge. Camping is the ideal way to push the reset button, although the unpredictable west coast weather is not for everyone, not even the most adventuresome. Eco resorts like Wya Point in Ucluelet on Vancouver Island offer a dazzling alternative. It’s called glamping, AKA glamorous camping. A soul-filled getaway to Wya Point Resort on the edge of the Pacific Rim is both character building and raw. We made the trip in a new 2016 Platinum Ford Explorer, the ultimate storm trooper and perfect west coast road companion. Storm watching on the west coast of Vancouver Island and glamping in a yurt requires a fair amount of gear and the Explorer is roomy enough... ...
Top 10 reasons to head north to the Yukon
Some say the Yukon is Canada’s wildest frontier and some Canada’s golden nugget. Call it what you may but call it Canada’s biggest and best outdoor winter adventure playground. Only a short, direct flight from Vancouver, Kelowna, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa or Yellowknife, Whitehorse is where you’ll want to hang your toque at the end of a winter day living large in the great outdoors. Here’s our top 10 reasons to put the Yukon on your winter travel bucket list. 1. A plethora of unique outdoor adventures With so many new and different experiences to be had, cabin fever AKA winter boredom does not exist in the Yukon. From snowshoeing to dog mushing, hiking, skiing and ice fishing, pick your pleasure and prepare to take on Canada’s wildest frontier. 2. Canada’s biggest playground Did you know that the Yukon represents 4.8% of Canada’s total land area and has a population of only 38,000 people while California, with the same land mass has 39 million people? It is said that the Yukon... ...
Banff: A Trip for all Adventure Seekers
Come explore Banff, Canada’s first National Park for yourself. You have to see it to believe it. A vacation on the mountain is not exclusive to skiers and snowboarders as one might assume. Come for a little R&R or an adventure or both. A quick flight to Calgary and a 1 ½ hour drive and I was in paradise. My other option was a 9 hour drive from Vancouver but I was anxious to get there. Downtown Banff is condensed into one Main Street with a few streets branching off from it. With hotels at one end, shops and restaurants at the other and jaw-dropping views in every direction, I was mesmerized from the get-go. My stay at The Fox was like having my own chalet. There is even a hot tub in the center of the hotel that resembles a natural grotto and is open to the sky. What better way to wrap up a busy day of snowshoeing Sunshine Meadows or ice walking Johnston Canyon than soaking in... ...
See you at the ROAM Winter Expo!
Need some winter inspiration? Join us at the ROAM Winter Expo! Stephanie Florian will be hosting the Adventure Travel Stage at the new ROAM Winter Expo October 17 & 18 Vancouver Convention Centre The first of its kind in Vancouver, ROAM will bring together exhibitors from premiere tourist destinations, experiential tour companies, snow sport outfitters, health and fitness experts and more under “The Sails” at the world class Vancouver Convention Centre to help inspire you to enjoy winter activities and adventures. ROAM will feature three unique marketplaces: Winter Adventure, Travel, Fitness and Lifestyle. By combining these three elements, ROAM will bring a unique experience to anyone looking for enlivening ways to spend the low sun months. Shop the trends in winter gear, explore exciting travel destinations and connect with industry professionals to help beat the winter blues. Don’t miss the Oktoberfest Craft Tent featuring the best local craft beers, free fitness classes on the show floor with yoga sessions from a lululemon ambassador, and the Burton Riglet Kids Zone to ensure the whole... ...
Family Adventure: A night in the wild at the GV Zoo
Calling all wildlife fans looking for a family adventure! Join us at the Greater Vancouver Zoo, just a forty-minute drive to Aldergrove. Arriving at the gates just shy of closing, the anticipation and excitement builds. Smack in the middle of the zoo is a large park-like setting next to a pond complete with gazebos, fire pits and even port-o-lets. Nothing compares to the thrill of pitching a tent under the stars kitty-corner to a Siberian Tiger, a couple of playful baboons and a stealth jaguar. Just knowing the lions, tigers and bears are in close proximity ups the adventure ante plenty. After setting up camp, getting settled and meeting our camping neighbors we head off on a private exploration. Zoo grounds cover a large area so you will get your fill of fresh air, nature and exercise. Note to parents: DO bring bikes or scooters for the kids if possible. The trails are paved. Although you can rent a quad cycle onsite, children old enough to pedal or push themselves... ...
A Vernon Family Adventure
Nothing trumps a classic family road trip. Join us as we embark on a family adventure to Vernon, British Columbia. Meet my family, Presley (4), Cash (8) and Rod (my biggest boy and loving husband). Sample the Vernon vibe and discover what makes this lakeside gem of a town the perfect family destination. Families driving from the greater Vancouver area should plan a pit stop in Merritt. While you’re there snap a photo with your favourite country crooner on the Walk of Stars. With over 100 lakes within a one hour drive, expect to be wowed by the Vernon scenery. This is adventure country for kids of all ages (Moms and Dads too) and exploring the area by car is is the best way to do it. Sleeping anywhere other than home is always exciting for kids. The newly renovated Sandman Inn and Suites in Vernon has everything you need plus an indoor pool. An equipped kitchenette (and Safeway across the street) makes prepping snacks and meals easy. There’s even a... ...
Finding Sasquatch in Harrison Hot Springs
Adios Vancouver! We load up our weekend adventure ride, a 2015 Deep Impact Blue Metallic Ford Escape with all the necessary Sasquatch searching video and camera equipment, outdoor attire and of course… dancing shoes. The perfect afternoon for a leisurely drive East towards Hope, we head towards Harrison Hot Springs, deep into the District of Kent. Rolling down the moon roof, cranking up the SyriusXM radio, it’s adios Vancouver and hello big, hairy Sasquatch mission. Ford road trip The old roads, the mountains and scenery, this is the ultimate escape to nature. We gradually make our way through Agassiz towards the town of Harrison Hot Springs and become mesmerized by the multitude of large Sasquatch sculptures and signage guarding the gates of this adventure land. It becomes very obvious we have officially entered into Sasquatch country. As I’m studying facts, I learn that the name originated from the Stas’ailes First Nations community and that the community believes this spiritual ‘hairy man’ to be able to vanish into the spirit... ...
Adventure Tales: Kayaking Alcatraz
By Mike Florian The tide took us out closer than I expected beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. The rest of the boats stayed on a true course for Alcatraz, aiming to take it counter-clockwise. Our Seda Tango was a good, safe boat, relatively fast, albeit beamy. The double and single surf skis were long gone when the tide rips caught us again and brought us in, back on course towards the island. Ron and I stroked hard. At the sound of the starter’s horn we hugged the Sausalito shore and never let up. That morning the tide was our friend as we neared Alcatraz ahead of all traditional kayaks. I sat in the bow seat. The westerly wind began as a breeze, strong enough for the odd white cap to show its beard. We neared the prison island. My head was down and I was in rhythm. Ron steered the boat towards the island’s western shore. We were a hundred feet away when he yelled, “Look up”. I did and... ...
Panorama Mountain Resort – The Happiest Place in BC!
Pristine and secluded, Panorama Mountain Resort is BC’s best kept secret. Nestled between three giants, the Bugaboos, Purcells and Rockies along the ‘Powder Highway’, upon arrival it feels as if you have been dropped into Never Never Land. The unique appeal of Panorama is infinite. Some say it’s the people, some the 360 degree panoramic views. For others it’s the fresh, untouched powder runs. Comparable to the vibe of a European resort, the staff at Panorama are all smiles. More than a few admit, they will never leave. Those who have gone searching for a better wonderland found no such place and returned. The beauty of Panorama is that not many people know about it …yet! To outdoor enthusiasts, this means no line-ups, no crowds and no cruddy conditions. There simply are not enough people in town to track out the best runs or trails. Well worth the road trip from Vancouver, plan for an eight hour travel day North East towards Invermere, BC. 805 kms or 500 miles through Golden until you arrive... ...