We explore southeastern New Brunswick, Canada, discovering things to do, see, and eat to make your visit memorable.
"canada"
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Niagara Falls is a favourite with newlyweds but there’s much more to see on the other side of the sheets. See what’s new in Niagara Falls, Canada.
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10 Best Things to Do: The Quebec Maritimes of Eastern Canada
Author Lori Sweet and Sylvio RoyAuthor Lori Sweet and Sylvio RoyEach city/town in the Quebec Maritimes of Eastern Canada has a unique culture, cuisine, and scenery. Come along on this road trip along the St Lawrence.
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A Travel Guide to Gananoque and the Thousand Islands Ontario, Canada
Author Mary ChongAuthor Mary ChongThe Thousand Islands and the city of Gananoque Ontario is rich in history, culture and charm. Read our travel guide and discover things to do in the area.
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Getting Crafty: Exploring the Craft Beer Scene in Western Canada
Author Michael SoncinaAuthor Michael SoncinaWe get crafty and examine the microbrew/craft beer scene in Canada with a focus on Jasper Alberta, Vancouver British Columbia, and Winnipeg Manitoba.
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Despite the rain, wind, and fog, there were still plenty of picture-perfect moments on the east coast of Canada and New England that prove how gorgeous nature is!
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Located in Western Canada, and holding over 1,000 animals of 200 different species, you can certainly have an awesome time while learning lots of cool facts about the wildlife of our planet.
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Close your eyes. Picture the most amazing aquarium that you can imagine. Elegant and exquisite fish of every shape, size, and colour, great white sharks swimming by, and perhaps even a giant sea turtle gracefully gliding through the water as you snap photos of it through the glass. Now imagine where this aquarium is located: Vancouver, Nassau, California, Australia, South Africa; surely all of these places may come to mind, but Toronto certainly does not top that list. When Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada announced its opening in September 2013, I could not be more excited. Toronto isn’t known as that kind of city – to boast about an aquarium or even a waterfront. But you’ve seen the photos. You’ve heard about it in the news. Toronto’s new aquarium has gotten quite the attention, and for good reason. The last time I was excited about new fish coming to town was the opening of the ROM’s small saltwater tank holding about 30 small fish and a large coral habitat…or the opening of a snazzy new all-you-can-eat Japanese restaurant, but I digress. In all, my visit to Ripley’s Aquarium in February was absolutely breathtaking and truly lived up to the excitement that led to its opening. Approaching the building at the base of the CN Tower, the aquarium emerges from the ground like a shard opening up the depths below. Now, what’s amazing and special about this aquarium is that the entire place seems like one huge tank filled with all the fish and creatures that you can think of that live in the ocean. I mean, the first thing you see walking in is the surface of the water, of a tank containing sharks, stingray, a turtle, octopus, and what appears to be hundreds of other fish. With an abundance of thick glass creating the illusion of this giant interconnected fish tank, pathways inside lead you in a single direction as you’re brought deeper into the space, allowing you to view the tanks (or tank?) from literally every angle and every height. Here are some of the incredible spots in the aquarium that give you the most unique perspectives of the fish, truly highlighting their grace and gentle nature. There’s not too much to say, and I’ll let the photos do the talking… A school of fish welcomes you as you enter the first gallery space of the aquarium. The ‘Dangerous Lagoon’ brings you deep underwater as fish, turtles, and stingrays swoop above and around you, with the “sun” shining above to demonstrate the incredible counter-shading colours that most fish use to camouflage from their prey (white on the bottom to blend with the white light from below; dark on top to match the ocean depths from above). The crawl-through tunnel puts you in the fish’s place, as you get a unique and intimate perspective of the aquarium while you can see other visitors peering through the glass on the opposite side of the tank. The stingray tank is wall-to-wall glass, with coral and great whites swimming in the background and rays showing off their undersides for all to see. Near the end of the aquarium, you’re brought back into the entrance atrium, where there are many kid-friendly areas to explore! One of the popular spots is the central touch-tank, where you can make a few horseshoe crab friends on your visit! Don’t worry – they won’t bite! In the kids’ zone, be wary of your head (and camera!) as you duck into some tight spaces that bring you up close and personal with some puffer fish and the gang from Finding Nemo! This is a perfect opportunity to catch some excellent close-ups. One spot, designed to look like a submarine, brings you back into the Dangerous Lagoon for an alternate view! Could not leave out the infamous jellyfish area, with fluorescent lights and mirrors; it’s a picture-perfect moment. The sheer number and grace of the jellyfish in this tank highlight the quiet beauty of these animals. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada 288 Bremner Boulevard, Toronto, ON Open 9am-9pm (most days), 365 days a year Ticket Prices: Adult (14+): $29.98 Youth (6-13): $19.98 Child (3-5): $9.98 Senior(65+): $19.98 Travel assistance was provided by Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada. All opinions are entirely our own. Have you seen Toronto’s newest Aquarium – what did you think? What’s the most amazing aquarium that you’ve been to around the world? Looking for more adventures? – EdgeWalk Toronto: Start At The Top, Work Your Way Down – Segway of Ontario – Touring Toronto Distillery District in Style – An Autumn Afternoon Treetop Trekking in Brampton Ontario – Experience Canada: Calgary Zoo, a must see with the whole family!
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I have driven on the 401 both east and west – many, many times and saw the sign for The Big Apple — yet kept driving. After a trip to the Thousand Islands, we decided we would finally stop in and check it out. Driving into The Big Apple and seeing farm animals, including rabbits, sheep, and llamas…then, walking up to the front door, listening to the tunes of one of my favourite country singers, Brian White, playing in the background, this country girl knew it was worth the wait. Inside the Big Apple, they have an old-fashioned bakery where you can see them baking the bakery wears of the day. The wall includes an actual count of how many pies, etc they have baked. When we arrived (on a long weekend), there were more people, including bus tours, than we expected, but despite the crowds, I was surprised to see that The Big Apple not only has a quaint restaurant, and bakery—but a country store. They have several freshly baked options on their menu including pizza, Big Apple Specialties including apple fries sprinkled with cinnamon and French toast made with apple bread (my mouth is drooling as I type this)… We opted to buy some apple cider, some tarts, and a two-person pie. The price for everything seemed a bit steep, but the taste was truly amazing. Attractions and Animal Land The Big Apple also includes an area where you can play games with your family including bocce ball, shuffleboard, and ping-pong. They also have an Animal Land, where you can hand feed chicken, rabbits, sheep, donkeys, among other animals. One of the landmarks, big attractions of this stop—and what you can see while driving by on the 401– is the…as its name implies…The Big Apple. The Big Apple has a modest educational exhibit that includes posters and model farms that depict what happens in the region. Continuing on, the apple also has a winding staircase that visitors can climb for a view of the entire property. If you’re driving near exit 497 on the 401, I recommend that you stop in and enjoy some home-town pie and walk the grounds. Location Located just two minutes off highway 401 at exit #497 in Colborne, Ontario. You never know what tourist attraction you might find out in the country…know of any other unusual landmarks or structures in your area? Feel free to share below! Travelling near by? Read: – Welcome to the Limestone City of Kingston, Ontario – A Bird’s Eye View from the 1000 Islands Skydeck Tower
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I recently took a trip to Ottawa, Canada’s capital city and just a train ride from where I am in Toronto. If you’ve ever travelled anywhere with me, you’ll know that I like to plan everything around my must-see architectural sites. As the capital, you might assume that some of the most well-known buildings that define Canadian architecture exist in Ottawa. In fact, many of the biggest critics in the country (as well as any Canadian in general) consider Ottawa as anything but spectacular, and reminiscent of any random small city. Here are some of the lesser-known architectural landmarks I believe need a little more attention. 1. Ottawa Train Station (1966), John B. Parkin & Associates If you’re coming in from Toronto or Montreal by train, this is where you will stop in Downtown Ottawa. Located on the east side of the Rideau Canal, this particular train station is often considered one of the best Centennial architecture projects in the country. Built in 1966 as the country approached Montreal’s Expo 67 (as well as Canada’s 100th anniversary), and architecturally represents a new and changing style in modernism at the time. John B. Parkin – the architect who designed the station – wanted the building to be typical of the International Style but mixed in a few late modernist features like the grand spiral ramp. Make sure you grab a photo of the ramp against the heavy roof truss backdrop before you leave! 2. Canadian Museum of Nature (1912, Renovated 2010), David Ewart From the station, grab a cab or take the public transit to the Museum of Nature at Elgin and McLeod. To be quite honest, I didn’t know this place had existed before I came to Ottawa but am extremely happy that I came for a visit (Thursday evenings are free!) as this recently renovated building is quite spectacular! The original building built in 1912, in the Beaux-Arts style, and the new addition features a glass lantern atop the entryway. The whale represents the museum’s focus on nature, greets you as you approach the entry! The new atrium has a feature staircase that brings you up close and personal with the old tracery of the no-longer-stained-glass window, which is quite unique! 3. Chateau Laurier (1912), Bradford Gilbert, Ross and Macfarlane If you’re up for some walking or biking, head east to the Rideau Canal trail northbound. You’ll pass by some other famous buildings (National Arts Centre, Ottawa Convention Centre, etc.) but take a stop at the hotel right on the canal. This huge building is Chateau Laurier – named after the Prime Minister at the time, Wilfred Laurier. Fun fact about this building – it was designed and built during a period where Canada was trying to establish its architectural identity following Confederation in 1867 and did so with train stations and hotels along the newly constructed Canadian Pacific Railway. Many architects decided to “steal” the French-styled chateaus (copper peaked roofs, spires, etc.) and this image became synonymous with ‘Canadian Architecture’ at the time. If you come across any old stamps from this period, you will likely find an image of these buildings against the Canadian landscape. When Chateau Laurier was built, the architect died on the RMS Titanic as he was returning to Ottawa for the building’s official opening. 4. National Gallery of Canada (1988), Moshe Safdie Adjacent to Chateau Laurier is the National Gallery of Canada – another great Ottawa building. This is a big museum, but everyone seems to forget about it when talking about architecture. Designed by Moshe Safdie (he’s most famous for Habitat 67 in Montreal, as well as the Marina Bay Sands Resort in Singapore) during the Post-Modernist period, the building is sited directly across from Parliament Hill and formally reflects the massing of the main Parliament Building in a modernist way (the only example of Post-Modern Vernacular Contextualism in Ottawa). Don’t forget to snap a photo of the giant spider sculpture (titled Maman, by artist Louise Bourgeois) by the main entrance – 1 of 8 in the world! 5. Canadian War Museum (2005), Moriyama & Teshima Architects If you continue along the bike path on the Ottawa River (past the base of the Rideau Canal and behind the Parliament Buildings), you’ll eventually come to a rest stop at the Canadian War Museum. This museum was my favourite (as an architecture-lover and museum-nerd) because the building suited the content ever so perfectly. Moriyama & Teshima Architects (based in Toronto) designed the building to resemble an underground military bunker and is covered by a full green roof with excellent views to the Parliament Buildings and downtown. If you look carefully, the windows are also planned to read a message in Morse code, so snap a pic of that so you can try to decipher it when you get back to internet access (funny enough, the text has bad grammar haha)! My favourite part of the museum was the last gallery space with ALL of the tanks and military trucks, as well as the specially designed Regeneration Hall by Raymond Moriyama himself. So there you have it: my picks for architectural highlights in Ottawa. While this is just a sampling, there are many other buildings worth visiting in the downtown area. As the capital city, there may not be many spectacular, outlandish buildings, but the history embedded in the urban fabric surely is fascinating. If you ever head to Ottawa, take a day, and go for a nice stroll through downtown to check out these buildings, and everything in between! Know of any other buildings I should have mentioned? Or cities that any architecture-nerd should visit and talk about? I’d love to hear about them! For related articles, check out: Welcome to the Limestone City of Kingston, Ontario A Travel Guide to Gananoque and the Thousand Islands Ontario, Canada 1000 Islands Kayaking in Thousand Islands, Ontario: Paddling back through history