About.com Canada Travel

Whistler is Open for Business

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:06:24 +0000

Having recently returned from Whistler, I can tell you not only is Whistler open for business, right now is one of the best times to visit this premier ski resort. Why now? In the lead up to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Whistler is all polished up in preparation for its February guests; it's like arriving early to a party and getting the first crack at the best hors d'�uvres and cocktails. Book a stay and ski package now and enjoy skiing Whistler Mountain, venue of the alpine events of the Vancouver Games. Ski and stay packages are cheap (starting from about $100 CDN per person per day in November, December and January) and the snow is falling in record amounts.

Related reading:

Vancouver Olympics 2010 - Skiing
Whistler Visitors Guide
Getting from Vancouver to Whistler

^{Photo of Whistler Mountain on November 19, 2009, courtesy Steve Rogers via Flickr}

Whistler is Open for Business originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 10:06:24.

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Getting around the Olympic Games

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:35:16 +0000

It's not the sexiest aspect of the Olympics. It won't bring a tear to your eye like the underdog getting Gold, but it will move you. Transportation at the Olympic Games is something you'll want to learn about if you're going to be in Vancouver or Whistler during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Games. The two best bits of advice: plan ahead and don't rely on your car to get around. With no parking at any of the Olympic venues and restrictions on vehicles going to Whistler, public transportation is the way to go.

Related reading:

Transportation During the Vancouver Olympics
How To Get From Vancouver to Whistler
Getting to and from the Vancouver International Airport

Getting around the Olympic Games originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Monday, November 16th, 2009 at 20:35:16.

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Hotels on 2009 Toronto Santa Claus Parade Route

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:43:37 +0000

This Sunday, about half a million people will hit the streets of Toronto to see the Santa Claus Parade, one of the overall largest parades in the world. Few hotels actually offer rooms from which guests can easily view the parade; however, many hotels have special rates this weekend with late check-out times available.

Related reading:

Hotels along or Convenient to the Santa Claus Parade Route
Metropolitan Hotel at CAD$105 per night with free parking
2009 Toronto Santa Claus Parade Visitors Guide
Pictures of the Toronto Santa Claus Parade

Hotels on 2009 Toronto Santa Claus Parade Route originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 14:43:37.

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How To Get from Vancouver to Whistler

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:33:13 +0000

The gorgeous resort town of Whistler in British Columbia is about a two-and-a-half hour drive away from Vancouver. What's the best way to get back and forth between these two destinations, especially with loads of ski gear? After talking to bus drivers, taxi drivers, tourism professionals and skiers, I've summarized the best ways to get from Vancouver to Whistler.

Related reading:

Canada's Best Scenic Drives
Best Ski Resorts in Canada

^{Photograph: Chris Cheadle / Getty Images}

How To Get from Vancouver to Whistler originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 at 19:33:13.

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Best Spas in Canada

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:54:21 +0000

Many of the best spas in Canada take advantage of the country's vast natural resources. Aqua-Mer Thalassoth�rapie in Quebec, for example, pumps in sea water from the Chaleurs Bay to use in restorative treatments. Le Scandinave spas in Collingwood and Mont-Tremblant offer Nordic-style water therapy in picturesque Canadian settings.

Related reading:

Canada's Best Spas
Ste Anne's Spa
Spa Etiquette - Stripping & Tipping

Best Spas in Canada originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Thursday, November 5th, 2009 at 10:54:21.

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100-Day Countdown to Vancouver 2010 Olympics

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:49:47 +0000

Today, November 4, 2009, marks the 100-day countdown till the Vancouver 2010 Olympics.

In Whistler where many of the alpine and nordic events are taking place and in the Host City Vancouver, pre-Olympic buzz is tangible. Monday, snow fell on Blackcomb and Whistler mountains, getting people excited for the resort's November 26th opening. Whistler is offering great deals before the games start, including a stay and ski special starting at CAD$88. In addition, did you know that during the Olympics, the ski hills in Whistler are 90% open for business and accommodation is still available for this time.

Related reading:

Whistler Travel Guide
Vancouver Travel Guide
Vancouver 2010 Official Site

100-Day Countdown to Vancouver 2010 Olympics originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Monday, November 2nd, 2009 at 13:49:47.

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Who Needs a Visa to Visit Canada?

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 20:54:29 +0000

Lots of people need it........many people don't. I'm talking about a visa to visit Canada. Applying for a Canada visa is not a huge deal, that is, unless you've forgotten to do it. Be advised you can't get a visa once you've arrived in Canada.

Find out who needs a visa and how to get it done.

Related reading:

Visa for Canada
Do U.S. Citizens Need a Passport?
Passport Equivalents

Who Needs a Visa to Visit Canada? originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 20:54:29.

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Canada's Top 10 Cities

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:48:53 +0000

Some of the cities are obvious, others less known. Here is a list of the cities in Canada that are most visited by people other than Canadians. The list is courtesy Statistics Canada, International Travel Survey, 2007.

The city pictured above is number one.

More Canada Top 10s:

Ten Classic Canada Vacations
Top 10 Reasons to Visit Canada
Top 10 Canada Attractions & Destinations

Canada's Top 10 Cities originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 at 09:48:53.

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Canada's Best Scenic Drives

Sat, 24 Oct 2009 09:33:19 +0000

Canada, with its vast natural environment, has a huge number of scenic drives. Some are a little off the beaten path (the Viking Trail in Newfoundland) and others are near big Canadian cites, like the Sea to Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler.

Make the drive part of the vacation fun. See Canada's Best Scenic Drives

^{Photograph of the Sea to Sky Highway by Chris Cheadle / Getty Images}

Canada's Best Scenic Drives originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 09:33:19.

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Haunted Houses and other Halloween Festivities around the World

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 21:28:08 +0000

Although Halloween has its roots in Ireland and Scotland, today Halloween is celebrated around the world. These celebrations have the shared theme of ghosts, graveyards, goblins, etc, but some of the frightful festivities are not exactly traditional. For example, did you know a very adult Halloween party takes place on the main train line in Tokyo? See more ways to observe Halloween worldwide.

Related reading:

Halloween around the World
Ghost & Graveyard Walks in Canada

Haunted Houses and other Halloween Festivities around the World originally appeared on About.com Canada Travel on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 at 21:28:08.

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