Best Beginner Area – Fernie Alpine Resort, Fernie, British Columbia
While this one of a kind resort offers some of the best snow in North America while still maintaining mild weather and breathtaking natural beauty. They have a wide variety of trails and amenities available to skiers of any skill, but their claim to fame is the largest beginner’s area around. So limber up, dress in layers, and outrun your worries on the slopes.

Best in the East – Mont-Tremblant, Quebec
This legendary resort was actually the first to open in Canada. Located just an hour out of Montreal, the scenic village-like resort offers a wide variety of services and activities for their guests. They are also ranked among the best for the service and food they provide. Check out more at Tremblant.ca.

Best Season – Banff/Lake Louise, Alberta
While most ski resorts in Canada are located in either Quebec or British Columbia, this sprawling resort is a popular destination due to its scenic trails and it’s extra long season. Skiers can hit the slopes in one of three areas from mid-November clear through until late May. The trails are spread out over 30 miles, but one pass will get you full access as well as free transportation between parks.

Best Snow Machines – Mt. St. Louis Moonstone, Coldwater, Ontario
This centrally located resort has the most advanced snow making system in the whole country. They use the snow to give some of the best lesson too. Beginner skiers, snowboarders, and snowbladers can learn the sport with daily lessons or even eight week programs. Find out more at MountStLouis.com.

Best in the West – Whistler Blackcomb, British Columbia
This resort is really the best in North America. Hundreds of ski enthusiasts from around the world make Whistler their destination of choice every year, and for good reason. They boast the most skiable terrain, the most accessible back country and the highest vertical disks. This resort also offers train and bike tours, shopping and hiking and world class food and drinks. With so much variety both in and out of the snow, its easy for guests of any age to find something to do.

Every resort is different. Every mountain is different. With time and experience, you can learn which places have what you like, or you can just keep trying to ski them all until you find the best. Don’t let winter get you down. Get out and have some fun!

Photo credits: fernie alpine resort by a tea be no e/flickr; 2010-04-10 12-34-30_0091 by Warren Long/flickr; village base by 416style/flickr; whistler lift view 2 by Tim in Sydney/flickr

Amy Peterson, an avid traveler, also contributes content to WhistlerHotels.org, a site with area descriptions and extensive accommodations listings for Whistler hotels BC.

Here then, are the top five parks to visit should you ever plan to take Toronto holidays…

High Park

Spanning more than 160 acres, the municipal High Park is the largest of Toronto’s parks and is a perfect stop for anyone looking to indulge in recreational activities whilst on holiday. Some of the activities that one can undertake in the hilly and picturesque surroundings of this well-equipped park include tennis, baseball, soccer, swimming and ice skating.

Those who prefer the visual delights of gorgeous foliage from their parks will not be disappointed either, for the species of plants and trees in the park is vast, a third of the park is home to rare oak savannah ecology and several areas contain attractive landscaped gardens. The park is particularly attractive during late spring when cherry blossoms cling to and then fall from the park’s trees.

High Park also contains the huge Grenadier Pond (a much-loved spot for fishing aficionados), several waterfalls, an adventure playground for children and High Park Zoo, which is home to deer, llamas, cattle, peacocks and more.

HTO Park

Established in 2007, the six-acre HTO Park – one of Toronto’s four urban beaches – is a popular spot for sunbathers during the summer. The focal point of the park is a long sand pit designed to resemble a white, tropical beach. The park was opened with the intention of changing the relationship between Toronto’s residents (and visitors) and its waterfront which has been neglected over the years with attention instead focused elsewhere in the city.

The metal, yellow sun umbrellas which are dotted across the park (which also comprises a popular golf course) were inspired by the Georges Seurat painting ‘A Sunday afternoon on the island of La Grande Jatte’. Despite the fact that HTO Park is manmade, it is a pleasant environment in which to spend an afternoon. Those hoping to dip their feet in the “sea” of this beach should however be warned that this – like swimming – is not permitted, for the waterfront is actually a busy harbour which sees much ship traffic each day.

The Toronto

Islands

Located just offshore from the centre of Toronto, the Toronto Islands are a series of small Canadian islands and a popular area for recreational activities. The islands are easily reached via a quick ferry ride and once there you can choose to ride down the islands many bike trails (the islands are of flat terrain and also make up the largest car free zone in North America), play the 18 hole Frisbee golf course, take advantage of the boat hire options on offer, grab a bite to eat, pet the donkeys and geese at Far Enough Farm or visit the Centerville children’s amusement park. And that’s on Centre Island alone!

Halan’s Point Beach (another of the Toronto Islands) comprises an officially recognised nudist area which is worth checking out if you are a naturist or after some easy thrills.

The islands also provide a fantastic view of downtown Toronto; most impressive after the sun sets.

Toronto Music Garden

Designed by American orchestral composer Yo-Yo Ma to be a landscape representation of Bach’s Suite No.1 in G Major for unaccompanied cello, the Toronto Music Garden is located in the Harbourfront Centre and was created to celebrate the “spirit of music, dance and artistic delight.” Each of the gardens six sections has been designed to resemble a part of Bach’s classic, for example Courante contains a spiralling garden and wind-fuelled maypole to reflect the music’s penultimate crescendo.

Guided tours and personal audio tours are available for the Music Garden which regularly holds open air classical performances during the summer months. Even when no performances are scheduled, the park is a fantastic place to relax and unwind, as well as explore for many plants and trees lie within.

This concept garden is just perfect for nature and music lovers alike!

Trinity Belwoods Park

Located on the west side of downtown Toronto, Trinity Belwoods Park is another great park to visit for those with a penchant for activity for it contains a fitness centre, volleyball and tennis courts, two indoor swimming pools, a running track and even more sporting facilities to boot!

This park is a popular haunt for dog walkers and the park’s ravine borders an area that is colloquially known as the “Dog Bowl” since this is the designated area for letting canines off of their leashes. It is probably safe to assume that Trinity Belwoods’ white squirrel population escapes to the tops of the trees when spotting these four-legged free roamers!

This park is a great place to visit during the fall, since its trees range greatly in age and species and this sees leaves of many different hues litter the grounds during this season. If you are seeking some peace and quiet during the summer months, you should explore the park away from the recreational areas since they become quite populous.

The author of this guest post – Mark Holborn – has visited the country of Canada on more than a few occasions and has two Alaska cruises booked for 2012.

Backpack travellers have plenty of accommodation to choose from. They can opt for back country campsites or campsites in Parks Canada. Back country back sites rarely get filled up, there are plenty of spaces to camp there even during the hiking season. But, if you plan to stay at one of the more popular camp sites like those near the town of Banff during the peak season then one must reserve a site in advance with Parks Canada. Seasonal camp passes are also available which allows one to use any of the camp sites in Mountain Park for the season. There are plenty of lodges as well for those who want to modern comforts.

The Canadian Rockies can be divided into two parts, the Alberta half and the British Columbian part. The Rockies contain many national parks as well as other smaller provincial parks. The two most popular National Parks are located in the Alberta region of the Rockies, the Banff National Park which includes Lake Louise and Banff and the Jasper National Park which as the name suggests includes the town of Jasper.

The Banff National Park was Canada’s first National Park and one of the largest National Parks in the world. Besides the small towns and the highway, the rest of the park retains its natural wilderness and its most impressive feature is the mountains of the region. Besides stunning scenery, one can also spot wildlife in the region. The Jasper National Park is the biggest National Park in Canada and it is recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. There are a number of trails available for hiking; there are trails for day hiking as well as for overnight trips.

The British Columbian region includes the Yoho National Park as well as the Kootenay National Park. There are a lot of attractions in the Yoho National park like the water carved bridge over Kicking Horse River as well as the second highest waterfalls in Canada, the Takakkaw Falls as well as the glacier fed Emerald Lake.Compared to the Alberta region, the British Columbian region is more mountainous and has fewer forests. The Glacier National Park in the British Columbian region is a major attraction, mostly owing to the famous Rogers Pass.

British Columbia – an Island Escape

The Gulf Islands off the coast of Vancouver boast a climate similar to that of the Mediterranean, and a matchless beauty. The Gulf Islands National Park protects the area’s ecosystem and endangered species. The park areas on some islands can be accessed by ferries, and others by private boat. For a true Canadian adventure, kayak out to one of the quieter islands for a sunset paddle and an overnight stay.

Alberta – A Winter Wonderland

The Athabasca Glacier, part of the Columbia Icefield, is located in the Canadian Rockies. A scenic drive along the Icefields Parkway brings you to the glacier, where you can walk to the edge of the ice while still standing on the grass. Snow coaches can take you onto the glacier to witness the extensive mass of ice. Winter visitors to Alberta can take advantage of the weather to go ice fishing. In the area around Lesser Slave Lake, you can rent a cabin complete with wood stove, portable toilet facility, and, of course, a fishing hole.

Ontario – Rails, Trails and Ales

An Ontario-based outdoor company has put together a package that offers cyclists the opportunity to tour backcountry trails. The weeklong trip involves taking a train to the Highland Brew Co. for a taste of the all-natural micro brewed Highland beer. The cyclists then ride to a solar-powered natural resort and stay in a 100-year-old log cabin. There they can take advantage of the mountain biking trails or paddling opportunities surrounding the lodge. They are treated to organic and locally based meals and a unique beer selection every day.

Quebec – Treetop Trekking

If you prefer taking the high road, try exploring the tree canopy in the Arbraska parks. The zip lines, ladders, and platforms that wind through the forest make for an exciting adventure. A guide takes you through this course, where you will climb and swing through the natural setting. A special nighttime tour allows visitors to fly through the forest under the stars. Only an hour from Montreal allows you to spend the day in the wilderness and a night out in the city.

Manitoba – Wildlife and Ancient Civilization

In Wapusk National Park on the Hudson Bay, visitors can take a helicopter or tundra buggy to catch sight of grizzlies or polar bears. History buffs may prefer touring the ghost towns of Manitoba—abandoned areas where businesses once thrived. Those searching for evidence of civilization will also enjoy seeing the pictographs painted on the rock cliffs that line many of Manitoba’s waterways. Painted over 1,000 years ago, traces of these red ochre paintings still remain.

Saskatchewan – Holiday on Horseback

Live the cowboy lifestyle on the prairies of Saskatchewan. River Valley Ranch is a working ranch where you can learn how to gallop and lasso. Ride through fields of wheat and small towns. Spend time with the friendly locals and join other travelers around an evening campfire under the stars. Connect with the people and the land in this spectacular place.

Even if you’re more interested in a laid-back vacation than a rugged trek through the wilderness, you can find what you’re looking for in Canada. Teach the kids about nature or build your relationship with your loved one while exploring the peaks and valleys, tundras and prairies of this beautiful country.

Jessica Alvarez is an insurance consultant and a resident of London, Ontario. She also contributes content for Kanetix, a full-service insurance company; including home, business, vehicle, travel and health (including visitors to Canada). Visit their car insurance comparison site, including car insurance Ontario quotes.

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BedandBreakfast.com has used the relationships it has built with strategic marketing partners, travel industry leaders and thousands of innkeepers to position the website as the primary online guidebook. Aspiring innkeepers can browse the bed and breakfasts listed for sale in the Inns for Sale section here. Inn-goers, on the other hand, can post reviews on their favorite B&Bs on the website message boards. The BedandBreakfast.com Blog describes bed and breakfasts and inns personally recommended by Sandy Soule and her editorial team. The company is a frequently participates at Internet travel tradeshows and is often featured at local, regional and national inn-keeping conferences. You can now enjoy their deepest online reservation discount that offers 20% concession when you make an online reservation for a weekday getaway of any length on BedandBreakfast.com.

Avail your BedandBreakfast gift cards at The French Quarters. Located in Manhattan, New York, steps from Times Square on New York’s famed Restaurant Row; the French Quarters Guest Apartments welcomes you to the world of quiet elegance. The beautiful guest apartments in The French Quarters bring a taste of the Big Easy to the Big Apple. Only a few steps away from the excitement and energy of Broadway, they offer an array of options for dining and entertainment. It offers a unique experience of the independence of apartment living together with the services of a luxury hotel. The accommodations here are newly designed with custom furnishings, kitchenette, private bath and complementary internet access with free local and toll free calls.

• Make an online reservation that includes a weeknight (Mon. – Thurs.) of any length via BedandBreakfast.com.
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WE HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE THAT YOU COULD BETTER NOT DO BUSINESS WITH BELOW GIVEN COMPANY. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY COMPANY ADDING ITS ARTICLE TO OUR WEBSITE. ALWAYS DO CHECK WITH WHICH COMPANY YOU HOLIDAY! WE ALWAYS TRY TO SCREEN EACH COMPANY BEFORE WE ADD ANY POSTING.

DO NOT CONTACT THEM EVER AGAIN, THESE PEOPLE ARE RIPOFFS !!! http://www.motorhomereservation.com

by The German American Connection – CULTOURINARIA

We offer two wonderful escorted 10-day tours for small exclusive groups to Berlin and East Germany at Advent – Travel to the roots of German Christmas traditions and modern crafts & art!

Tour 1: November 27 – December 06, 2009

Tour 2: December 11 – December 20, 2009

Discover the magic spirit of the Advent time, explore traditional and modern German handcraft & art and listen to the magnificent sounds of church music, choirs and organs. It’s the perfect destination to explore German history, culture, classical music and arts – not to forget about all the fantastic shopping opportunities! The tours take you to Germany’s inspiring capital Berlin, to the charmeful Royal Prussian city Potsdam, to artistic glass and porcelain manufacturers in the rural Thuringian Forest, to fine woodcraft manufacturers in the Saxon Ore Mountain region Erzgebirge, to Saxony’s splendor in Dresden, to the centre of young art and design Leipzig and to Thuringia’s medieval capital Erfurt.  The Advent season in late November and December is also the perfect time to savor local culinary delights at family-run restaurants. We always travel in small groups of 18 guests maximum in order to provide a flexible individual travel experience. Groups are escorted 24/7 by an English speaking guide.

Tour Program: Berlin – Potsdam – Leipzig – Castle Moritzburg – Dresden – Ore Mountains – Toymaker village Seiffen – Annaberg Buchholz – Erfurt – Thuringian Forest – Glassmaker village Lauscha – Berlin.

Itinerary, registration form and terms & conditions are available online at
http://www.tgac-us.com/
http://www.cultourinaria.com

Please contact us for further information and details. We would love to welcome you on one of our tours.

Dr. Pepper VIP NCAA Football Travel Experience

cMarket/BiddingForGood Travel is offering a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to go on an all-expense paid trip to one of three Dr Pepper Championship Games on Dec 5, 2009, with proceeds benefiting the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  Travel would be on Friday, Dec 4^th and Sunday, Dec 6^th. This is an all-inclusive package for your choice of one of the following games:

ACC Dr Pepper Championship Game – Tampa, FL,

DP BIG 12 Championship Game – Arlington, TX

SEC Championship Game -Atlanta, GA

The experience includes round trip airfare and transportation for two, deluxe hotel accommodations for two nights, Dr. Pepper exclusive welcome reception, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, exclusive pre-game party, two tickets to selected championship game, transportation to all planned events and a welcome gift. Service fees and taxes are also included! Bidding starts September 1 and ends on Sept 15^th. Opening bid is $1500. To view this travel experience, please click here or visit biddingforgood.com to view other travel experiences.

Mottolines is one of the Official Worldwide Airport Transfer Company and was established in 2005 with our Head quarters in the UK, specializing in pre-booked pick-ups from all major airports, seaports, coach and rail stations worldwide. We have, over the years, grown to be among the market leaders in moving people and parcels in and around several countries; operating around-the-clock – every day of the year. Please contact us on +44 208 866 5555 or visit http://www.mottolinesworldwide.com.

Please see our contact details below:
Tel: +44 208 866 5555
Email: info@mottolinesworldwide.com
Website: http://www.mottolinesworldwide.com

By lowering the cost of their volunteer programs by 25%, Voluntraveler hopes to attract more travelers to the remote north coast of Peru to assist with community programs.

In order to encourage more volunteer travel to Máncora in northern Peru, Voluntraveler is lowering their volunteer program fees by 25%. Voluntraveler recruits and manages volunteers for Para el Mundo (PaM) a small grassroots NGO based in Máncora that provides medical, education, and community programs that would otherwise not exist in the small coastal fishing town. The programs allow international volunteers with various abilities and skills to live with and work alongside local experts and professionals, contributing not only their time, but valuable funding through the volunteer fees.

While Peru is the most popular destination in the world for international volunteering, most of the work is concentrated around the capital city of Lima, and Cusco, the city considered the gateway to the Inca Trail and Machu Picchu. Most public services, government funding and global attention is centred on Lima and Cusco in order to cater to tourists and sustain the country’s tourism industry. This leaves outlying areas and towns like Máncora lacking basic infrastructure and essential services.

Máncora has recently gained attention as a world-class surfing destination and is experiencing a boom in tourism, but the local community has benefited little from the influx of tourists and tourism dollars. Para el Mundo offers volunteers an opportunity to make meaningful contributions to the exploited and impoverished community living in the shadow of new hotels and foreign wealth. Voluntraveler’s goal is to draw the attention of potential volunteers away from the lure of Lima and Cusco, and emphasize the need for volunteers in Mancora and their contribution to PaMs programs. Voluntraveler distinguishes itself by not offering “volunteer vacations” or catering to “voluntourists” but instead integrates volunteer travelers via PaM into the community to participate in sustainable programs managed by local experts and professionals and encouraging stays of more than 3 weeks.

With fees far lower than those charged by the larger volunteer vacation companies and providing greater local support, Voluntraveler hopes to draw more interest in Máncora from the growing number of international travelers seeking meaningful volunteer opportunities abroad or planning a trip to Peru.

For more information on Voluntraveler, Para el Mundo, or life in Máncora please contact Jason Kucherawy or visit www.voluntraveler.com.

About Voluntraveler:

Voluntraveler is a social enterprise that supports charities and non-profit organizations abroad with volunteer placement and funding. The primary charity Voluntraveler supports is Para el Mundo (PaM), located in Máncora on the north coast of Peru. The volunteer programs are all-inclusive destination packages and our “voluntravelers” work closely with local partner charities and NGOs (like PaM) and are managed by local experts and professionals.

A new tour guide cooperative called Tour Guys has emerged in Toronto and Vancouver, and are offering free walking tours as an inexpensive way for visitors and locals to discover the cities.

Free walking tours are popular in many European cities, and many seasonal tour guides that lead them make a decent amount of money based solely on the tips they receive. Canadian cities did not have such tours until now, with the creation of Tour Guys, a tour guide cooperative founded by Jason Kucherawy and Steve Woodall. Jason and Steve conceived of the idea as a way to do walking tours of their respective cities (Toronto and Vancouver) as a break from their regular jobs as travel consultants. With more than 20 years of combined tour guiding experience in cities across Canada and the USA, and knowing how successful the European free tour model has been, they decided to try it for themselves.

Tour Guys is a cooperative in the sense that is comprised of independent tour guides (Like Jason and Steve) who offer their own tour (for a per person cost of $10-$30) and contribute some of their tour earnings to the cooperative in order to pay for marketing and promotion of all tours. Beginning this past May with just the free tours to generate buzz and a reputation as Tour Guys, Jason and Steve are opening up the cooperative to other guides in Toronto and Vancouver who wish to contribute their own custom tour to the mix and pay their share of the marketing costs to Jason and Steve. Guides will be accepted into the cooperative if they are fun and dynamic. Tour Guys tours are aimed squarely at the Gen X and Gen Y demographic, with an emphasis on what’s cool, strange, or intriguing about the cities. Tours are selected based on quality, marketability, and fun factor. A “Toronto Ghost Tour” is the first of such tours to be added.

“Many people ask if there is a catch, or if our free tours are sponsored somehow”, says Jason Kucherawy, “I think they have a hard time believing that we are really doing this just for tips. When I tell them we also want to be famous, they understand. We’re not just running walking tours, we’re building a brand and the start of a following through social media like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.” Tour Guys has recently posed a challenge to people to send them questions about Toronto and Vancouver that they will answer with a YouTube video. “The crazier the better. We’re looking for questions that will give us an opportunity to answer in a way that’s fun and would make a good one minute YouTube video”, says Kucherawy, “Tour Guys is about performing and making friends around the world. I think the new media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube will help us grow and sustain a fan base.”

About Tour Guys:

Started by Jason Kucherawy and Steve Woodall, two friends who met while working in the Toronto student and educational travel industry, Tour Guys is a cooperative of independent tour guides that contribute part of their earnings to the group to pay for marketing and advertising all of their tours. Using new online media, they aim to become well-known to travelers to Canada.

For more information:

28 Ross St, Toronto

ON M5T 1Z9,

http://www.tourguys.ca

(647) 230-7891