NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, "CITY OF LEGENDS"

BY CLAY LARROY

After working and studying hard all year long families across the United States will be taking long awaited vacations. Family vacations and travel can be the most rewarding experience. Families that take vacations together build memories that will last a lifetime. Family vacations are so important, as it gives us a way to connect with each other in a stress free relaxed environment. When you need to plan a trip contact me!

See & Do

See

·        Visit Gander and its International Airport, once the re-fueling stop for nearly all international flights from Europe to North America

·        Historic Signal Hill fort and walking trail (watch the sun come up over the ocean) in St. John's

·        Whale-watching boat tours

·        Iceberg boat tours at Twillingate, northwest of Gander. Much better viewing than from Avalon Peninsula

·        The Battery - the oldest part of St. John's

·        Cape Spear (the most easterly point of North America and very windy too!)

·        The East Coast Trail (stunningly beautiful rugged hiking trail - hike and camp for days along cliffs and through forests)

·        Bell Island

·        The downtown row houses and natural harbor of St. John's

·        Puffins, whales, caribou, moose, eagles, otter, and other wildlife all over the province

·        The many small communities along the Labrador coast

·        Fishing stages, wharves, and the remnants of the province's long history of fishing

·        Visit St. Lawrence and see the site of the shipwrecked USS Truxtun and USS Pollux

·        Go 'Around the Bay', a term Newfoundlanders use to talk about travelling around the numerous out port communities. Often this is limited to those on the Avalon Peninsula in the area between Conception Bay and St. John’s. Points of interest, historical and aesthetic, along the way: Bay Bulls, Roaches Line, Brigus, Cupids, Bay Roberts, Harbour Grace (the original capitol of the island), Carbonear, Victoria - Note: the new highway now runs around the townships, making access to Bay Roberts and even as far as Carbonear faster and easier, but you will miss out on some interesting scenery and historical places by taking the highway.

·        After you go 'Around the Bay', and end up in Carbonear or Victoria, spend the night at a local inn. Get up the next day go "Around the Belt", a term Newfoundlanders use to describe travelling down the shore, up north around the tip of the peninsula, down the other side, and across the Heart's Content Barrens. Points of interest along the way: Spout Cove, Bradley's Cove, Western Bay, Northern Bay, Flambro Head, Lower Island Cove, Caplin Cove, Bay de Verde, Grate's Cove, Daniel's Cove, Winterton, Heart's Content

·        Visit L'anse aux Meadows[21] National Historic Site of Canada on the tip of the Great Northern Peninsula on the island, site of the only confirmed Viking settlement in North America and believed to be the landfall site of Leif Eriksson as related in the Vinland sagas. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

·        Visit the Basque Whaling Site [22] in Red Bay, Labrador.

·        Visit Battle Harbor [23] National Historic Site, Labrador, the historical hub of the Labrador salt fish industry.

Do

·        Hike the East Coast Trail. [24] Lots of opportunity for day hikes and backpacking.

·        Hike in Gros Morne National Park

·        Enjoy Terra Nova National Park

·        Visit Western Brook Pond, a land locked fjord

·        Hike the TransCanada Trail [25] in Newfoundland & Labrador, following the old CN Rail line through the province

·        Downhill ski at Marble Mountain [26]

·        Crosscountry ski at Blow-Me-Down

·        Visit Cape Spear, the most easterly point in North America. [27]

·        Get a photo underneath the sign marking entry to the out port town of Dildo.

·        Take a driving tour of the other colorfully named out ports like Joe Batt's Arm, Leading Tickles, Little Burnt Bay, and others.

·        Take a ferry to visit the Southern Communities of the province not accessible by road

·        Snowmobile in Stephenville, Newfoundland's main hub for this activity

·        Eat a meal of Fish n' Chips at any Ches's location in the greater St. John's area.

·        Have dinner at the Irving Station diner at Clarenville. It's actually some of the best family dining in the province and the view of the ocean from the windows in the dining area is spectacular.

·        Go to Sunday brunch at the Battery Hotel in St. John's, then walk off the calories with a walking hike around the Signal Hill trail, a rugged, terraced path that leads through the old Battery village and around Signal Hill, up to Cabot tower and back to the Battery Hotel, giving a panoramic view of both the Atlantic Ocean, St. John's harbor, and the city itself.

·        If visiting in August, go to the Royal St. John's Regatta at Quidi Vidi Lake in the city, the oldest sporting event in North America (160 years and counting). It is traditionally held on the first Wednesday in August or the first good weather day after. On this day, most of St. John's shuts down, and an average crowd of 50,000 people go to see the races and partake of the many concession stands.

·        If visiting in mid-July, don't forget to party in Grand Falls - Windsor at the Exploits Valley Salmon Festival, an annual festival including a salmon dinner, a Newfie Night dance, and the Splash Concert.

·        Bike the Viking Trail: [28] A place of austere, unspoiled beauty in the far east of the western world.

·        Travel Newfoundland and tour with Cape Race Cultural Adventures, Newfoundland & Labrador, ☎ +1 709-531-6660, [1]. A boutique tour operator specializing in experiential travel offering an outdoorsy soft adventure meaningful travel packages that bring Newfoundland’s rich history, performing arts and the pristine wilderness together to create an "Eco-Culture Experience"  

·        Take part in the Elliston Food Hike - a 5km annual walk where top Canadian chefs cook for you at various intervals [29]

·        Wooden Boat Museum of Newfoundland and Labrador, Winterton, ☎ 709-583-2044/2070, [2]. 10AM-5PM. Archives, conserves, and exhibits local wooden boat history and its contribution to the province's economy and way of life. $7.  

REFERENCE SITES:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Newfoundland_and_Labrador

The opportunity to go up to Canada and play was just a blessing for me and my family. 

Darren Flutie 

Experience life travel with those you love!

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, "CITY OF LEGENDS"

BY CLAY LARROY

The preparation for a vacation is almost as exhilarating as the vacation itself. I love printing out the tickets and confirmations while thinking about how much fun I will have on vacation. I think that some of the best destinations in the world are located in the Canada. So I am continuing my tour across Canada. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Things to see and do in Newfoundland And Labrador

Coastal landscapes

The scenic rugged coastline of Terra Nova National Park adjoins Bonavista Bay. The Burin Peninsula has beautiful coastal villages. Icebergs float off Cape Freels, and a coastal road runs along the Long Range Mountains affording good fjord, mountain and beach views.

Fishing

Salmon fishing is good in the Exploits and Gander rivers and you can see a salmon ladder at the Rocky River Falls. The season usually runs from June to September. A qualified, licensed guide is often required by law; check in advance.

Folk music

The sweet, plaintive tones of Newfoundland's famous folk music are the province's unofficial soundtrack; you can hear local bands in one of the many bars in St John's. The annual Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival takes place in Bannerman Park during the first full weekend in August.

Great Northern Peninsula

The wild, scenic Great Northern Peninsula is renowned for Gros Morne National Park, a blend of rugged mountains, deep fjords and bays. At the peninsula's northernmost tip, UNESCO World Heritage Site L'Anse aux Meadows is the New World's earliest European settlement and features restored Viking sod houses.

Hiking trails

You can go hiking, trekking and climbing on over 100km (65 miles) of hiking trails at Gros Morne National Park. The T'Railway Park also comprises almost 900km (565 miles) of hiking trails between Port aux Basques and St John's.

Historic sites

There are historic settlements aplenty on the Avalon Peninsula. Trinity records European explorers' first encounter with the ancient Beothuk people. Placentia was Newfoundland's French capital in the 17th and 18th centuries. On the west coast of Newfoundland, explore native archaeological history at Port au Choix National Historic Site.

Lighthouse life

The Point Amour lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse in Atlantic Canada. Built from 1854 to 1857, it is still a working lighthouse, although now automated. The living quarters house exhibits portraying the maritime history of the Labrador Straits.

Marine life

Newfoundland is rich in marine life and seabird colonies, attracting millions of puffins, gannets, kittiwakes, murres and petrels. Go seabird and whale watching (for humpback, fin and minke whales) by boat or kayak in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve.

Native communities

Boyd's Cove on the Kittiwake Coast recounts the history of the mysterious Beothuk people. Labrador has two main Innu communities, at Sheshatshiu and Natuashish. The Métis Aboriginal community in Labrador lives mainly around Lake Melville.

REFERENCE SITE:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com

“Canada is the place where maple syrup is its own food group.”
― Jenny McWha

Live life and travel often, the more you travel, the more memories you create!

<a href="http://feedshark.brainbliss.com">Feed Shark</a>

NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR, "CITY OF LEGENDS"

BY CLAY LARROY

I think that some of the best destinations in the world are still very near to the United States. So I am posting about Canada a paradise for unique vacations. Close to the United States and there are so many options available for families, weddings, couple retreats, guys or girlfriend getaways, reunions, honeymoons and just plain old vacations. When you need to plan a vacation contact me!

Newfoundland and Labrador is almost three times the size of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island combined, and is bordered by 29,000km (18,125 miles) of craggy coastline. The province is filled with historic towns and landmarks documenting its beginnings as Canadian land, and its much-lauded maritime connections.

It is a province that signals the beginning of the 'New World' and its links to European settlers. Water Street on St John's claims to be the oldest street in North America. And it is strange to think that you are actually closer here to Ireland's Cape Clear than to Ontario's Thunder Bay.

In addition, many of its indigenous people (the First Nations, Métis and Innu) still reside here, often in isolated communities. They are more than willing to provide an insight into how their own history has shaped the province's present.

Nature throws up its own surprises in Newfoundland and Labrador. From grazing moose and caribou to amazing whale sightings, and from scores of soaring seabirds to glimpses of black bears, this province is bursting with wildlife. It is also a place of ancient landscapes, such as the unique and beautiful geological features of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Gros Morne National Park, or the colossal mountain ranges of the Torngat, Kaumajet and Kiglapait and their primeval exposed rock.

Where to stay in Newfoundland And Labrador

Hotels

There are around 550 establishments in the province with a total of about 7,300 rooms. Many towns offer hotel or bed & breakfast accommodation, although this is often seasonal (late May through mid September). Most of the settlements in the province are on the coast rather than the wild interior (where some cabins and lodges are, however, available). As St John's is now an 'oil boom town', accommodation there can be hard to come by, and advance reservations are recommended. For information on hotels and bed & breakfast accommodation, contact the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation (see Important Addresses).

Grading: The national Canada Select program operates in Newfoundland and Labrador Island, rating accommodation from 1 to 5 stars on a voluntary basis.

Camping Caravanning

The wildness of the province offers superb camping facilities, both for motorhomes (called recreational vehicles, or RVs, in Canada) and tents. All three national parks (Gros Morne in western Newfoundland, Terra Nova in eastern Newfoundland and Torngat Mountains in Labrador), as well as 14 provincial parks and dozens of private campgrounds, provide camping sites. Facilities on campsites are basic rather than luxurious, the emphasis being on seclusion and privacy.

REFERENCE SITE:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com

“It would seem I wouldn’t have written anything if I weren’t influenced by Canada’s history, its weather, the landscape, and its stories.”
― Anne McDonald

Enjoy life and travel often, the more you travel, the more memories you create!

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, "THE GARDEN OF GULF"

CHARLOTTETOWN, "BIRTHPLACE OF CONFEDERATION”

BY CLAY LARROY

A vacation can soothe the soul and leave you renewed, refreshed, and invigorated. Whether you are just now starting to plan your next vacation, or are merely looking for travel ideas and suggestions, read all the articles about Canada. So take away some of the stress of making travel plans, and get started thinking about the fun and relaxing times you will soon be having on your next trip! When you are ready to plan an exciting vacation contact me! The article below offers a captivating perception on Charlottetown.

Prince Edward Island’s Green Gables

By Sherri Telenko
bogus5@travelhoppers.com

The minute I step onto the red soil of Prince Edward Island, I relax. I can't help it - the environment demands it. It must be the sea water. No matter where you are on the island, the ebb and flow of tide creates a meditative Zen-like atmosphere that slows your mind, body and soul.

I'm here with several other literature lovers, including one from Japan interested in a certain red-headed heroine. We are here to explore PEI's most celebrated export: L.M. Montgomery's writing.

The year 2008 marked the 100th anniversary of the publishing of Montgomery's landmark first novel, Anne of Green Gables. The novel is about a freckled orphan who put PEI on the world map. The island loves its Anne, and PEI is already polishing Anne artifacts for the celebratory year. This is where our tour begins.

We wake up at the Hillhurst Inn in Charlotte, the province's capital. Sure, the Delta Prince Edward Hotel is the biggest in the city, but on an island dotted with Captain's Homes, historic properties like this one are the way to go. The Hillhurst Inn was built by a wealthy shipbuilder and merchant in 1897. Fortunately, this building stayed a private residence for decades, eventually becoming the home of the university president. The lavishly oak-trimmed property serves as a relaxing hub for our daily adventures.

First stop is Cavendish. This is the area locals refer to as touristy, and it just happens to be a mecca for Anne of Green Gables fans. There's no shortage of Montgomery-related museums and sites, from her birthplace to her grave. The Anne of Green Gable's author was born in PEI in 1874 and raised in Cavendish by her maternal grandparents after her mother's death, 21 months after her birth. She moved to Ontario after marrying at the age of 36 but was returned when she died in 1942. She's buried in a simple grave in her home town. We stop briefly to pay our respects before moving onto the Disney of Cavendish.

The Avonlea Village is a white-washed interactive experience that attempts to take us back to 1908 through song and set. It's all a little contrived, though families seem to love to spend the afternoon among costumed characters and replica trains. However, literary purists (like our group), prefer to wander through the trails and hills of the Prince Edward Island Green Gables National Park nearby.

We are only a handful of the thousands of people who will flood through the gates of this provincial park each summer. Some are here to enjoy the surrounding nature, but most are here to see the original Green Gables farm house, once owned by Montgomery's relatives and apparently the inspiration for the novel. The site was acquired by Parks Canada in 1937, so it's well-preserved and stocked with knowledgeable historic interpreters, one from my Alma Mata, Guelph University. She studied literature at U of G, and that's not surprising considering the English department's Professor Mary Rubio is the country's authority on L.M.'s extensive personal journal collection. An added bonus of the day: rather than don an Anne costume and take photos (which you can do at different places on the island) we opt to stroll through the "haunted forest" near Green Gables that inspired Anne's imaginative nature.

The day ends at the Anne of Green Gables Museum at Park Corner. This farm has Montgomery credibility - the house is owned and lived in by George Campbell and his sister who are great-grandchildren of Lucy Maude. They opened this site, where Montgomery was married by the Lake of the Shining Waters, as a museum in 1972. An added bonus is the horse-drawn carriage rides around the lake. George, also known as Mathew Cuthbert, spins a few tales about near-miss marriage proposals that occurred while jostling visitors around the property.

Of course, not everyone loves L.M. Montgomery's books and that certainly doesn't mean Prince Edward Island is off limits. Just the opposite - it is possible to inhale the salt air and get sand between your toes without ever having to sing for ice cream.

This island is a haven for outdoorsy types. For instance, thanks to the Confederation Trail, people can now bike from one end of the island to another (or run or walk, if you have that kind of stamina). When the PEI railway was abandoned in 1989, the island jumped on an opportunity to turn the rails into trails. The tip to tip route totals 170 miles, so you'll have to fuel up. Writers, however, spend most of their time sitting, so my group sticks to the fueling part.

Collectively we decide: if you only visit PEI once, don't miss a traditional church basement lobster supper. Some restaurants do imitations, but it's better to go authentic and head to Saint Ann's Church on Route 224 on any day but Sunday. For a set price, we get mussels, chowder, lobster, potato salad, homemade pie, ice cream and tea - with a side of locale color and congeniality. This meal beats city cuisine any day.

The grand finale of our visit harkens back to how it began: a meditative walk along the shores of Greenwich Park beach (off Route 313), one of the most peaceful places on the planet. To get the beach, though, we must walk along a floating boardwalk that meanders through the sensitive wetlands. Frogs jump as we step past; red-winged black birds quietly protect nesting sites. Centuries of wind currents have swept the sand grains into meringue-like peaks, and the gulf of the St. Lawrence is a shell's throw away. At this moment I realize how liberating the maritime landscape must have been for an imaginative turn-of-the-century storyteller who lived with a vision of a misfit orphan girl.

REFERENCE SITES:

http://www.travelresearchonline.com/

“Real Canada is where people wear sweaters for survival, not style.”
― Mark Leiren-Young

Travel  have fun and create wonderful memories for your family!

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND, "THE GARDEN OF GULF"

CHARLOTTETOWN, "BIRTHPLACE OF CONFEDERATION”

BY CLAY LARROY

Traveling can be an important part of your life, whether for business or for pleasure. Take time each day to alleviate stress while traveling or vacationing and you will thank yourself for it when you get back home. With all the chaos, jet-lag, partying and other excitement of travel comes a whole lot of stress on your mind and body. By the time most vacations are over, another one is needed to recover so taking a few minutes each day to rejuvenate will make it easier for you to resume your normal life when it's all over. When you want to plan a vacation contact me!

Charlottetown is an excellent example of a vibrant seaside capital city. It has historic charm, pride of place and many festive celebrations.

Very proud of their city’s past, residents take pride in their manicured lawns, well-kept flower beds, tree lined streets and the tastefully painted historic homes. To many, Charlottetown provides links to the past and carries on the tradition of hospitality and the sense of belonging that indeed the entire province of Prince Edward Island is noted for.

Charlottetown is not just about the past – festivals, celebrations and special events take place continuously. The Confederation Center of The Arts is home to the award winning Anne of Green Gables – The Musical. On July 1st, in honor of Canada’s birthday, Charlottetown celebrates with one of the biggest fireworks displays east of Ottawa. Each fall, shellfish is highlighted at the PEI International Shellfish Festival, a celebration of the Islands Malpeque oysters, Atlantic lobster and Island Blue mussels. Great maritime music, oyster shucking competitions, seafood chowder championships and culinary demonstrations are just a few of the festival highlights.

Charlottetown is home to a network of walking trails and waterside boardwalks, craft and specialty shops, restaurants that feature Island seafood and agricultural products, highly rated golf courses and carriage rides that will take you through the side streets of historic Charlottetown.

 REFERENCE SITES:

http:// www.tourismpei.com/

                             

    “I am, to my core, Canadian, so, by osmosis, everything I write reflects that upbringing.”

― Elinor Florence

Live life and travel often, the more you travel, the more memories you create!