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Travel

Gord Mackintosh photos What a find — a beach kiosk in a Canadian provincial park that serves alcohol.

Fun-filled, far-out Falcon Lake

Gord Mackintosh 6 minute read Yesterday at 2:00 AM CDT

Hotels might loan bicycles, umbrellas, even fishing gear — but never fish. However, this is mirthful Manitoba and The Hotel at Falcon Lake appoints willing young guests as “fish-sitters.”

The front desk loans fishbowls of betta fish that require daily pinches of flaky food.

I asked staff, “Do fish ever return dead?”

The reply: “One died, but at the front desk. We held a service out front for Bubbles.”

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Life & Style

Barrels of wine are shown in the cellar at Southbrook Organic Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn

Ontario’s wine industry adjusts as smoke discourages tourists

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Preview

Ontario’s wine industry adjusts as smoke discourages tourists

Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press 4 minute read Friday, Jul. 17, 2026

Some wineries and wine tourism companies in southern Ontario are making adjustments to their operations for visitors concerned about the lingering wildfire smoke in the air.

Even as the smoke dissipates, Rich Mell, co-owner of Grape Escape Wine Tours in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., says he spent most of his Thursday taking calls from tourists asking to cancel upcoming bookings or looking at other options going into the weekend, especially for bike wine tours.

"This one kind of snuck up on me, I must admit," Mell said of the wildfire smoke.

He said he is offering alternatives, such as e-bikes and vehicle tours, and is being more flexible with tour lengths and his rescheduling policy.

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Friday, Jul. 17, 2026

Life & Style

A small fireworks display is seen past the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill on Canada Day in Ottawa on Monday, July 1, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

Ottawa city councillors fuming as unannounced fireworks show follows Canada Day storm

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Ottawa city councillors fuming as unannounced fireworks show follows Canada Day storm

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Monday, Jul. 13, 2026

OTTAWA - The City of Ottawa's emergency manager apologized Monday after an unannounced late-night fireworks show rocked parts of the city last week.

Federal and municipal agencies say they are now trying to sort out who allowed the blasts to take place during a quiet period mandated by a city bylaw.

The surprise pyrotechnic display took place after 11 p.m. on July 9 as music fans were starting to file out of the popular Bluesfest concert festival site just west of downtown.

At least two city councillors have demanded answers after they received dozens of complaints from residents who said they felt unsafe or whose pets were in a frenzy.

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Monday, Jul. 13, 2026

Life & Style

A Canada Border Services officer hands passports back to a visitor entering Canada from Vermont at the Highway 55 Port of Entry in Stanstead, Que., on Thursday, March 13, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Canadian travel to U.S. ticks up in June, but remains far below pre-Trump levels

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Canadian travel to U.S. ticks up in June, but remains far below pre-Trump levels

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Monday, Jul. 13, 2026

Statistics Canada says residents travelled more to the U.S. last month, but visitor numbers remained far below 2024 levels.

Preliminary figures show Canadians' tally of return trips from the United States rose 3.2 per cent to 1.7 million in June from a year earlier, the third consecutive month of year-over-year increases.

The agency says the rise was driven by a 5.2 per cent boost in the number of car visits, while return trips by plane fell 3.8 per cent.

However, the uptick in year-over-year travel still marked a nearly 29 per cent drop from June of 2024, with both car and air travel far below levels from two years before.

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Monday, Jul. 13, 2026

Life & Style

An Air Canada plane sits at Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ethan Cairns

Air Canada scales back U.S. flights again amid high fuel costs and weak demand

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Air Canada scales back U.S. flights again amid high fuel costs and weak demand

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 2 minute read Monday, Jul. 6, 2026

MONTREAL - Air Canada is once again scaling back flights to the U.S. amid high jet fuel costs and lower demand for trips south of the border.

Schedule changes by the country's largest carrier show it is halting or delaying eight transborder routes starting this fall.

Three routes from Toronto and Montreal to cities in America's Midwest will be cancelled for the second winter in a row, while three seasonal routes from Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City to Florida will start in December rather than October.

Two previously suspended routes from Montreal and Toronto to New York City's JFK airport also will not be returning this winter.

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Monday, Jul. 6, 2026

Travel

A former Scottish fishing boat built in 1949, the Bonnie Lass is now a Mediterranean tour and charter vessel.

Making magic in Mallorca

Steve MacNaull 4 minute read Preview

Making magic in Mallorca

Steve MacNaull 4 minute read Saturday, Jul. 4, 2026

From the top deck, I grab the swing rope, push off and accelerate in an elegant upward arc over the cerulean-blue Mediterranean Sea.

At the peak of the pendulum, I’m silhouetted in the sunset’s glow for a split second before letting go and splashing into the water

It’s a rinse-and-repeat type of exhilaration.

My wife Kerry and I, our friends Steve and Beryl, the couple from Liverpool and the couple from New Hampshire all take turns on the swing rope, laughing and trash talking everyone’s form.

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Saturday, Jul. 4, 2026

Life & Style

MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Garrett Fache paddles a rapid on the lower Bird River on Tuesday, June 16, 2026. For photo page. Free Press 2026

The Bird River offers prime kayaking conditions in late spring

Photography by Mikaela MacKenzie 2 minute read Preview

The Bird River offers prime kayaking conditions in late spring

Photography by Mikaela MacKenzie 2 minute read Wednesday, Jul. 8, 2026

A two-hour drive northeast of Winnipeg, the lower Bird River is a popular draw for whitewater enthusiasts.

The water moves fast and the hazards — rapids, rocks and technical drops — are challenging.

This is not a beginner-friendly run. Paddlers need to keep their wits about them as they roll through Class 1 to 4 rapids.

The Bird River, flowing through the traditional territory of the Sagkeeng First Nation, stretches from the Ontario border, through Nopiming Provincial Park, before reaching the Winnipeg River, east of Lac du Bonnet.

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Wednesday, Jul. 8, 2026

Life & Style

An Air Canada plane takes off from Montreal's Trudeau airport on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

Jet fuel prices drop, but airlines stick to high fares as summer travel holds strong

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Jet fuel prices drop, but airlines stick to high fares as summer travel holds strong

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

MONTREAL - Canadians continue to hop on board airplanes this summer even as ticket prices remain well above where they were last year — despite a recent drop in fuel costs.

As of late June, domestic economy airfares remained 11 per cent higher than a year earlier, while international fares were roughly comparable year-over-year, according to travel search platform Kayak.

Nonetheless, major North American airlines have said demand going into the peak travel season was proving resilient in spite of greater global conflict and Canadians’ shunning of the U.S.

"We’ve been in the green for the better part of the last two months. Despite multiple increases in fares, we have not seen demand (fall)," Mark Galardo, Air Canada’s chief commercial officer, told analysts on April 30 in reference to summer flights.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Life & Style

One of DFB's historic steam trains travels from Realp to Oberwald during a stop at the Furka station, Switzerland, Friday, June 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Niccolo Lupone)

This pass high in the Swiss Alps is home to a James Bond car chase scene and a vintage steam railway

Niccolò Lupone, The Associated Press 3 minute read Preview

This pass high in the Swiss Alps is home to a James Bond car chase scene and a vintage steam railway

Niccolò Lupone, The Associated Press 3 minute read Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

REALP, Switzerland (AP) — Train enthusiasts will celebrate the 100th anniversary of a historic Swiss railway this weekend as vintage steam locomotives ferry tourists through the stunning Alpine scenery as part of the celebration.

The Furka Pass, at an altitude of 2,431 meters (7,976 feet), is among Switzerland's highest Alpine passes and famous for its hairpin curves featured in the 1964 James Bond “Goldfinger” movie. But long before 007 actor Sean Connery filmed a harrowing car chase scene there, a steam train first traversed the steep and winding route in a continuous journey on July 3, 1926, kicking off a vital rail link between the regions of Uri and Valais in central Switzerland for decades.

In the early 1980s, a tunnel at the base of the Alps diverted rail traffic and prompted the closure of the historic mountain route until volunteers stepped in. Hundreds of them, nicknamed the railway's “pioneers,” have spent hours to restore, maintain and operate the historic tracks and trains so they run the same as a century ago.

The first section of the line reopened as a heritage railway in 1992, and the 18-kilometer (11-mile) track was ready for travel in 2010. The steam trains now operate exclusively as a tourist attraction in the summers between the stations of Realp and Oberwald, where visitors can hop aboard vintage carriages and marvel at the scenery of rivers, Alpine meadows and lush green pastures where patches of snow still linger.

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Friday, Jul. 3, 2026

Life & Style

FILE- In this Jan. 18, 2017, file photo, photographers take photos of a tourist couple's wedding at the famous Kuta beach during sunset in Bali, Indonesia. (AP Photo/Firdia Lisnawati, File)

Invited to a destination wedding? How to budget so your trip doesn’t break the bank

Kumutha Ramanathan, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Invited to a destination wedding? How to budget so your trip doesn’t break the bank

Kumutha Ramanathan, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

As destination weddings rise in popularity, guests face a financial dilemma: how to celebrate loved ones without derailing their own financial futures.

When the wedding invitation arrives with a picture of a tropical beach or a European castle, it carries an unspoken price tag that can often reach $3,000 or more. For many, especially younger adults who might be juggling multiple invitations in a single year, the question isn't just whether they want to attend, it's whether they can afford to.

"A lot of guests underestimate the full cost beyond the room rate," says Leila Lavaee, founder of Travel Design by Leila. "Flights, transfers, meals, baggage fees, seat selection, and currency conversion can add up fast."

Traditionally, the expectation has been that guests cover their own travel and accommodations, while couples pay for wedding-related events.

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Monday, Jun. 29, 2026

Life & Style

A Canada fan sits alone in a section of the stands during second half group B World Cup soccer action, in Toronto, Friday, June 12, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sammy Kogan

Hotel occupancy down in Toronto during first weeks of World Cup

Kathryn Mannie, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Hotel occupancy down in Toronto during first weeks of World Cup

Kathryn Mannie, The Canadian Press 3 minute read Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

TORONTO - An organization representing Toronto hotels says demand for accommodations in the city is down as more rooms stood empty during the first two weeks of the World Cup than in the same time last year.

Sara Anghel, president of the Greater Toronto Hotel Association, says she’s optimistic the international soccer tournament will be a boon to the city’s hotel industry in the years to come, but with the World Cup underway, hotels haven’t been seeing immediate benefits. 

Anghel says 82 per cent of hotel rooms were occupied in the second week of June — when Toronto hosted Canada’s first match of the tournament — down from 83 per cent in the same period last year. 

There was a much more significant decline in the third week of June, when Anghel says the hotel occupancy rate dropped to 72 per cent, compared with 86 per cent last year. 

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Friday, Jun. 26, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

A Skijor skier is airborne as the packed crowd cheers at the SnowDays Skijoring event in Banff, Alta., Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dayne Patterson

Skijor no more: Banff says so long to skijoring events as popularity strains townsite

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Preview

Skijor no more: Banff says so long to skijoring events as popularity strains townsite

The Canadian Press 3 minute read Thursday, Jun. 25, 2026

BANFF - Skijor is no more in the Rocky Mountain resort of Banff.

The Alberta town has cancelled the popular snow sport from its winter festival, after the community was overwhelmed in January with trash, crowds and rowdy revellers.

"It's been such a one-of-a-kind experience on Banff Avenue, so I certainly can understand that this could be disappointing news to folks," Mayor Corrie DiManno said Thursday.

Skijoring, pronounced skee-JORR-ing, is a unique winter sport where skiers are pulled behind galloping horses and can perform tricks, including soaring off snow-packed ramps.

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Thursday, Jun. 25, 2026

Environment

A Savanna elephant is photographed in Kruger National Park, South Africa, in this March 4, 2020 file photo. (AP Photo/Jerome Delay, File)

Grieving friend says Canadian shot dead in South Africa wasn’t asking guide about gun

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Preview

Grieving friend says Canadian shot dead in South Africa wasn’t asking guide about gun

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press 5 minute read Friday, Jun. 19, 2026

OTTAWA - A Canadian man killed Wednesday in an apparent accident at a wildlife park in South Africa was not the one who asked a hunting guide about his gun, his close friend tells The Canadian Press.

"I'm so devastated. I lost my good friend," said Kelvin Choi.

Choi said the version of events provided by local authorities does not reflect what happened at Kruger National Park because his 69-year-old friend was not the one asking the guide about the gun.

Choi said his longtime travel companion was shot accidentally while walking to the washroom by a gun that is used to kill elephants and rhinos.

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Friday, Jun. 19, 2026

Life & Style

Michael McNaught, President and CEO of RVezy Ottawa, is seen with his RV in Ottawa, on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

How to rent an RV and plan your cross-country road trip — or your staycation

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Preview

How to rent an RV and plan your cross-country road trip — or your staycation

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press 6 minute read Thursday, Jun. 18, 2026

Michael McNaught still recalls the rust-coloured shoreline of Prince Edward Island unfurling before him on his first recreational vehicle trip more than three decades ago. But connecting with fellow travellers and family along the way left an even bigger impression.

“My grandpa had a CB radio in the truck, so I got to talk to all the truckers along the drive,” said McNaught, recalling his tour of the Maritimes as a child in the early 1990s.

Since then, the Ottawa resident has managed to spread those sorts of experiences to hundreds of thousands of others through his 10-year-old startup, RVezy.

Often described as an Airbnb for RVs, the company connects recreational vehicle owners with renters via its online platform.

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Thursday, Jun. 18, 2026

CFL

Saskatchewan Roughriders' Melique Straker (28) celebrates his team defeating the Montreal Alouettes to become the champions of the 112th CFL Grey Cup, in Winnipeg on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Assessment shows ’25 Grey Cup generated over $93 million in economic activity

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Preview

Assessment shows ’25 Grey Cup generated over $93 million in economic activity

The Canadian Press 2 minute read Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026

TORONTO - The 2025 Grey Cup generated over $93 million in economic activity across Canada, according to an independent assessment conducted by Sport Tourism Canada.

A week of festivities was held in Winnipeg from Nov. 10-16. It was capped by the Saskatchewan Roughriders defeating the Montreal Alouettes 25-17 in the Grey Cup game at Princess Auto Stadium.

According to the assessment, nearly 49,000 people took part in Grey Cup Festival events, generating a total attendance of over 345,000 across venues, parties, and celebrations.

Ninety-five per cent of the 28,000 out-of-town visitors who made the trip stayed overnight, with an average stay of 4.2 nights.

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Wednesday, Jun. 17, 2026

Arts & Entertainment

This picture made available Tuesday, June 16, 2026 shows a view of the renovated and refurbished Botticelli rooms, with Renaissance master Sandro Botticelli's paintings:

Uffizi Gallery unveils new arrangement for Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ and ‘Primavera’

The Associated Press 2 minute read Preview

Uffizi Gallery unveils new arrangement for Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ and ‘Primavera’

The Associated Press 2 minute read Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2026

MILAN (AP) — Sandro Botticelli’s masterpieces “The Birth of Venus” and “Primavera” have been repositioned at the famed Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the latest effort to reshape how visitors experience two of the Italian Renaissance’s most celebrated masterpieces.

Starting Tuesday, visitors to Italy’s most popular museum will be able to view “The Birth of Venus” in one room and then turn around to see “Primavera” in an adjoining space on the opposite wall.

The update by Uffizi director Simone Verde, who took over in January 2024, marks a new phase in the ongoing renovation of the museum.

The Botticelli rooms “seek to present visitors with the Uffizi of the future, while keeping its feet firmly on the ground and its roots deeply planted in the history of this extraordinary museum,” Verde said.

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Tuesday, Jun. 16, 2026

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