[trip style = urban + active & adventure + sun + luxury]
I just got home from Dubai via Seattle last night and my mind is bursting with cityscapes, landscapes and wordscapes.
I'll start my full-throttle dive into Dubai Friday, but until then check out Trip Styler's Instagram for a quick photo tour.
[Photos by @tripstyler taken in Dubai as a guest of Emirates Airlines]
[trip style = urban + active & adventure]
I've always heard Montreal is a party. Two weeks ago, this was confirmed over an alfresco feast of festivals and fireworks.
Dinner really heats up around 9pm. The cobblestone streets are well-heeled into the wee hours of the morn. Entire districts are converted to pedestrian walkways/outdoor fêtes---complete with thousands of pink party bobbles strung between buildings. Fireworks erupt.
Fuelled by an international brew Canadian joie de vivre and French passion, Montreal is always running on a full tank. Nothing is done half-way. For example, there aren't just few good restaurants. Beyond maple syrop-themed eateries, take your pick of 5600+, from haute Portuguese to Parisienne bistros to brunch with a DJ on the side {literally, a DJ spins tunes for brunch at L'avenue---after a Saturday night on the town, maybe that's what required to wake-up?}. Or, consider the surfing revolution; no ocean, no problem. A massive river with strong currents and consistently cresting waves will do. And while I'm on the topic, no beach, no problem. In front of yachts and sail boats moored in a quiet section Saint Lawrence river below Old Montreal, there's a newly constructed urban beach.
And the festivals, well, they make the city festive whether it's a blizzady 30 below zero or a blistering 30 above zero. In fact, there's an entire plaza in the centre ville devoted to hosting some of the 106 goings-on year-round. When I was there, the top 10 finalists of the French Canadian version of American Idol, aka Star Académie, were performing for a crowd of 120,000 multi-generational screaming fans. Mark my words, the next Celine Dion was in that group.
There isn't just one kind of party in Montreal. At any time, there are many happening on the street corner, on the beach, on the river and on a rooftop terrace, and guess what, you're invited.
Stay
Le Petit Hotel - Past clippity-clopping horse-drawn carriages along a Montreal's oldest street, the 24-room Le Petit Hotel is true to its name---a small slice of French Canadian paradise. Housed in a Parisienne facade, stone walls support the modern environs defined by local furniture, bakery-fresh croissants and staff who check you in, make you a latte and offer dinner suggestions. PS - ladies, they have salon hair dryers in each room.
Eat
Le LocaL - Amid Old Montreal's industrial district, an ivy-covered structure softens the landscape. It's an up-cycled, warehouse-chic hot-spot, off the beaten path. Sitting on a bench propped with gold and grey striped pillows, I sip a gin cocktail with ginger, cucumber and grapefruit, and savor the albacore tuna pissaladiere. The icing on the cake isn't icing at all, but rather a small pot of creme-iest caramel I've ever dipped a spoon into.
We also love: the haute Portuguese fare at F Bar, the outdoor terrace at Boris Bistro, the artisan baking and neighborhood digs at Sweet Lee's.
Do
Bike - There's over 600kms of bike lanes throughout the city. Use them like the locals do via the BIXI public bike share system, or take a guided bike tour to get your city bearings.
We also love: Stand-up paddleboarding down the Saint Lawrence river with PP, a surfer and former Cirque Du Soleil roller-skating performer.
Spa
Bota Bota - Anchored in Old Montreal's harbor, Bota Bota floats in a quite alcove, massaging clients with the lulling water beneath and strong hands of therapists above. Formerly a ferry, this bathing beauty has been transformed into a chic, unisex, nautical retreat. PS- try the water circuit and lay in the sun on the forward and aft decks as if it's your own yacht.
We also love: Scandinave Les Bains Nordic Day Spa {steps from Le Petit Hotel}
[photos by @tripstyler, taken while a guest of Tourism Montreal]
[trip style = active + adventure]
Today is a holiday across Canada. It's really the holiday of all summer holidays because the weather is almost always hot and days are long: summer at its best, you might say.
In celebration of the last month of melting ice cream and s'mores roasting over the campfire, I present to you an article I recently wrote for Fodor's: Five Summer Adventures on Canada's West Coast, involving: - kayaking in Vancouver - whale watching in Victoria - surfing in Tofino - mountain biking in Whistler - river rafting in the Fraser Canyon
Here's a little taste of the intro: "Steeped in nature's grandest delights–majestic mountains, vast rainforests and raging rivers—Canada's West Coast is the ultimate summer playground. With a cool breeze off the Pacific Ocean, temperatures hover in the mid-70s, making British Columbia's part-wild, part-cosmopolitan seaside locale easy to explore for both soft- and hard-core adventurers. And it's not just tourists who whale watch and mountain bike; locals make the most of the latitude and longitude that allows for morning hikes and afternoon dips in the ocean! Here are five of the Canadian West Coast's wildest adventures."
In case you're interested, a list of all my Fodor's articles.
[photo: ryan b robinson - Downtime Photo]
[trip style = urban + adventure + weekend getaway]
Right now I'm in Francais Canada, Montreal exactement, trying a melange of trip styles: urban AND active + adventure---a doozy for packing. And here's the kicker: I've just stayed in three different hotels over three consecutive nights {...an assignment for Jetsetter.com}. Double packing doozy!!
Always striving to encourage all trip stylers of the world to pack 'more' in 'less' space, I timed myself packing the day before I left. It took me an hour to select my clothes and fold them into my carry-on along with doodads {hats, camera, chargers, etc...} from my travel bin and always-packed travel toiletries {note to self: hire an Olympic coach to improve my packing time}. Knowing I'd be unpacking and re-packing a total of eight times, I tried to keep it chic and simple---after all, Montrealers are serious about le style!
{Trip Styler Tip: ALWAYS pack with your trip's itinerary in mind. Write out a day-by-day plan of what you're doing and where you're going as a means of building your list.}
My itinerary consisted of three dinners out avec fireworks and festivals apres, biking throughout the city's sights and stand-up paddleboarding {as well as a few meetings}. Packing accordingly, here's what I wore from day one to day four:
{Forgive the poor quality of this photo--and the bike picture in general!!!}
Le Packing List {this is A LOT, I could've brought less} - two dresses - two skirts - 3 tank tops - blazer - 1 pashmina - 2 workout shorts - 2 workout tops - 1 light sweatshirt - runners/sox - wooden mid-rise heels - flip flops - t-strap sandals - booties - slippers - bathing suit {actually I forgot it, so I went SUP'ing in work-out spandex...classy}
{Trip Styler Tip: I know this sounds crazy, but other than adding a few more tops, this four-day packing list is MORE than enough for a week, or two, or three. Case in point, I brought the same size carry-on to Montreal for the weekend as I did to Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire for two weeks! For longer trips, pack for four days and just repeat/mix/match clothes.}
Related Fashionable Flashpacking Fitting 50 Garments Into A Carry-On Q&A With “How To Pack Like a Rock Star” Author Packing 103 // Packing 102 // Packing 101 Size Matters Travel Essentials for Any Trip Style High Rolling :: To Roll or Lay Flat? A Summer Weekend Packing List The Art of Carry-On Travel Going Away? Packing and To Do List
[photos by @tripstyler]
[trip style = active & adventure + budget conscious + staycation]
Lori is an uber-accomplished travel writer. She comes by it naturally. Fascinated by travel at an early age, when she was seven years old she told her parents she'd live in a hotel, now she does---part time. A modern-day renaissance woman with a kind soul, Lori is good at everything she sets her mind to: Polynesian, tap, jazz, ballet and modern dance {I wouldn't be surprised if I saw her on So You Think You Can Dance Canada}, and acting to name a few other disciplines she's successfully conquered. Most recently, Lori's added published author to her resume. When she's not writing about indigenous culture, outdoor adventures, sustainable travel and dance in New Zealand, Japan or far-flung parts of Canada, find her biking around Vancouver. Follow Lori's life of adventure on Twitter @LoriHenry and via her website {updated regularly}.
1/ Pick your top three trip styles.
[trip style = active & adventure] Often the best way to see a place is by getting outdoors and into spaces that aren’t part of people’s regular paths. That usually means hiking, cycling, jumping, wading or being airborne to get there. Ideally, self-propelled.
[trip style = budget conscious] Travel shouldn’t only be for those who have lots of money. I would rather travel more with less money, than travel less with more money.
[trip style = staycation] Travelling can be pretty damaging to the environment, so staying close to home is increasingly more appealing to me. It helps that I live in British Columbia, one of the most stunning places in the world.
2/ Overpacker or underpacker?
Underpacker. I hate being weighed down, so I would rather have less than more. I do lots of hand washing in sinks and bathtubs!
3/ The destination that stole your heart?
Cape Breton in the summer! Nova Scotia in general is one of my favourite places to travel to, but Cape Breton actually stole my heart. There is a warm current that runs through the island that is woven together through step dancing feet, linked hands in an Allemande Left, and fiddle tunes that have seeped into my soul.
4/ How often do you travel?
Up until last year, I was travelling once or twice a month. It was insane. Now I am better at balancing shorter trips with longer trips, and getting more than one story each time. Travelling is exhausting!
Last Trip: Kyoto, Japan. This is the oldest city I have ever been to {it was the capital city of Japan in 794} and it was fascinating. I don’t tend to get much culture shock anymore, but I was wide-eyed here in my first jaunt to the country. Everything was a contradiction, yin and yang, old and new, and everything had a cute factor of 10.
Next Trip: It looks like I’ll be heading to the desert this month, for a wellness trip to Phoenix and Mesa, Arizona. There will be massages, kayaking and hot desert air.
On Your Radar: Polynesia {where I am focusing my next books} and Southeast Asia, where I haven’t done much travelling to at all.
5/ You recently wrote a book: Dancing Through History: In Search of the Stories that Define Canada. Tell us about it!
Dancing Through History is a travel/culture/dance book about Canada. I spent four years travelling around the country, on and off, to find cultures that had kept up their traditional dances. The book explores how people and societies use dance as a way to tell their history, family stories, reveal their beliefs and practice their customs, all the while having a good time!
The chapters cover Inuit drum dancing in Nunavut, touch on folk dancing in Newfoundland, and step dancing and square dancing in Cape Breton, what it’s like to dance in the Cirque du Soleil, pow wow and hoop dancing, Métis jigging in Saskatchewan, Ukrainian dancing in the prairies, and First Nations dancing in Vancouver and Haida Gwaii. It’s all about dance, yet goes far beyond dance itself. You can read more here.
More Savvy Travelers
Marc, Extraordinary Adventurer
Marissa, 30 By 30
Jason, Living To Travel
{If you know anyone who should be featured in our once-monthly The Savvy Traveler series, drop us a line!}
[photo c/o lori]
