Getting On Board With Fall Travel

If you're an avid reader of Trip Styler, you know that our editorial team is ga ga for fall travel. The crowds leave, sales start and you get to escape the wind and rain---though right now that's a far-flung thought on the West Coast since our summer started in August.

Staying true to form, this fall I'm headed to LA, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, Palm Springs, NYC and Dallas and can barely wait to hop on a boat or plane to each destination. Eyeing all the fall travel sales right now, here are some ideas to spark your vacation planning:

Trip Style = Weekend Typically, when we think of fall weekend getaways within 2 hours of the city, crisp air and cozying up in a cabin or hotel comes to mind. Yet the current and projected weather is more akin to outdoor fire pit with a glass of wine than indoor fireplace with a hot toddy, so it's like summer just got a hall pass and labour day isn't going to happen until Oct. 15th. Until then, wear your whites! {Trip Styler Tip :: A triple-threat---luxury, wine and weekend getaway---hotel that comes to mind is the Willows Lodge in Woodinville, WA. Just 20 mins from Bellevue, this luxury wine country inn is also home to the Victorian-style Herbfarm Restaurant, recipient of AAA's 5 Diamond Award and National Geographic's #1 Destination Restaurant in the World---think French Laundry, but closer to Vancouver.}

Trip Style = Cruising Last summer I wrote about the joys of Repositioning Cruises, aka when a cruise ship repositions from one port to another. Usually a change in season is the BEST time to investigate this trip style as major cruise lines shift their routes, and take guests along with them for a one-way journey at discounted rates. Sometimes there are stops along the way, sometimes it's direct, but one thing's for sure, the price is almost always a steal. {Trip Styler Tip :: Check RepositioningCruise.com for a ton of major route changes from Vancouver to San Diego and LA, Denmark and Italy to Florida or Honolulu to Sydney, plus a buffet of other options. A 3-night itinerary from Vancouver to LA can be booked for $99+.}

Trip Style = Urban Early to mid-fall is one of my favorite times to see Europe. The sun is {usually} still out, the leaves are falling and there's a fall fashion buzz in the air! Plus, Europeans take their big summer breaks in August, so crowds are less intensive. Cities like Paris, London, Barcelona and Copenhagen are easy to get to and fro and each offers their own unique flair. {Trip Styler Tip :: Both WestJet and Air Canada are having significant fall sales right now {until Sept 13th + 15th} for most destinations worldwide. In the US, major airlines are also jockeying for the lowest price on domestic and international routes.}

Trip Style = Beach Until November 15, most resorts in the Caribbean are in the hurricane season's most volatile period, so why not try other sunny hotspots like California, Mexico {Pacific side}, Costa Rica, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, or as far away as South East Asia. {Trip Styler Tip :: Getting there, same as above.}

Trip Style = Staycation + Spa If you can't get away for a weekend, do something ultra relaxing and escapist for one day. Take yourself out of your regular environment and head to the spa. Whether it's a complete package or a single treatment, book it so you can float into the evening in a relaxed state---either for a hot date or perfectly simple night in.

Related Low Season Pep Talk

[photo credit: willow's lodge, destination360, the guardian, asia1asia]

Roam+Board :: Glen Oaks Big Sur

[trip style = active & adventure + weekend getaway]

{Editor's Note: Last week we introduced Trip Styler's new look and told you about a new feature we'd be starting this Friday called Roam+Board! R+B will publish almost every Friday, as Fashion Friday continues to hit the runway once a month. Showcasing hotels, resorts, vacations rentals and glamping in oft and less visited destinations, with cool features and a focus on design, R+B will cycle through a variety of trip styles from the approachable to the aspirational. Enjoy.}

What Picture Glen Oaks Big Sur as your woodsy weekend hideaway or road trip retreat. This series of forest cabins with green sensibilities and thoughtful design, warms guests with fireplaces, Pendleton Woolen Mills blankets and feather duvets.

Where 150 miles from San Francisco and 300 miles from LA off Hwy 1 {Note: no ocean views}.

When Because the outdoorsy cabins are set in a redwood forest, retreating to Glen Oaks any time of year is a cozy escape. Spring and summer will be warmer.

Who/Why For those who want to read a book by the fire, enjoy the quietness of the forest and do a little hiking on the side.

Cost The smallest cabins start around $200/night {Includes wifi, but no TV, so leave the remote control - and Fido - at home}.

[images via Glen Oaks Big Sur]

Weekending in Victoria

[trip style = urban + weekend getaway]

There's a certain je ne sais quoi in the air at the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Some might call it the chilled-out island lifestyle, others might call it romance or passion-filled living. This could be why Amazon.ca crowned Victoria as Canada's most romantic city, due to the copious amounts of romance novels, sex and relationship books, romantic-comedy DVDs and Michael Bublé CDs purchased by residents on a per capita basis. All I know is the moment I got off the hour-and-a-half ferry ride from Vancouver, my mind, body and soul had somehow decided to take it down a notch and relax. Weekending at its best!

British Columbia's capital reminds me of a polished and highly educated business woman by week and cabin gal by weekend, who appreciates a good romcom in her free time. The city centre is manicured, historic, easily walkable and hip, whereas the outlying areas are beachy, casual and beg to be biked, ran and kiteboarded. People don't race, ride and board Victoria's seaside and country roads because they have to; it's because they want to. This passion-filled living is evidenced by the most Canadian national athletes per capita of any city in Canada. Even the Harbour Ferries take an activity-oriented break from their usual commute to perform a weekend water ballet {more on this below}.

As much as Victoria is fit, it's also chilled-out. Whether re-caffeinating at a coffee shop or refueling at a pub, there's always a hint of patchouli in the air. This scent, usually found in the presence of hippies, serves as a fragrant reminder of the slower-paced island lifestyle that balances the task-oriented, government-filled buildings throughout the capital region.

Victoria's je ne sais quoi can also be attributed to its location. This relatively small, walkable city is surrounded by ocean, farms and wineries, and locals have come to know today's catch, artisan cheeses and fresh produce as the rule, not the exception. I've never had just-caught halibut, just-made Havarti or just-picked haricot beans I didn't like in Victoria. The bar is high, making this weekend destination the perfect escape for romantics, exercise fanatics, foodies and everyone in between.

Trip Styler Tip: Take advantage of spring's blossoms and fall's colors and visit in early May or late September. Fewer crowds, warm weather and lower rates await visitors just outside the summer peak season.

Do

• Watch - Harbour Ferry Ballet - Intended to show the agility of the little pickle-shaped ferries, captains convene and dance in perfect formation. This unconventional ballet is in its 20th year! Every Sunday at 10:45am from May to September.
• Sip - Afternoon Tea - Taking tea and crumpets to a whole new level, The Fairmont Empress' Afternoon Tea is a celebrated tradition that started when the hotel first welcomed guests in 1908. The refined ritual offers seatings from 12 - 4:45pm daily.
• Walk - Beacon Hill Park - Stroll Beacon Hill Park's gently rolling hills and bridged streams. Don't miss a morning or evening walk along Victoria's multi-kilometre waterfront.
• Browse - Chinatown - Covering only two city blocks, Victoria's Chinatown--the second oldest in North America--is packed with tradition, art, live-work spaces and alleyways, the most famous of which is Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in Canada.
• Shop - Still Life - With a ladies boutique on one side of Johnson Street and a men's boutique on the other, try on the curated and casual clothes in a teepee dressing room. Sorry men, you'll have to settle for a traditional changing room.
• Pick up - Rogers' Chocolates - You can't visit Victoria without being lured into Rogers' Chocolates for at least one coveted treat. It's no wonder the chocolate is so good - they've been working at it since 1885.

Eat

• Coffee - Habit Coffee and Culture - The coffee is smooth, the decor minimalist and the staff cool.
• Baking - Willie's Bakery & Cafe - Founded in 1887, this historic eatery offers generously portioned baking and hearty take-away and eat-in plates with a casual inside and secluded sunny patio.
• Breakfast & Brunch - Lady Marmalade - With foods like aged white cheddar and spinach waffles churning out of the kitchen, one meal at this moderately-priced, central and funky bistro will make you want to come back for more.
• Lunch - Red Fish Blue Fish - Set in a converted storage container, there's something to the Ocean Wise fish and chips served on the boardwalk hugging Victoria's waterfront. With line-ups often 50+ people long, it's become both an institution and a spectacle, featured on the Food Network's Eat Street.
• Dinner - Brasserie L’Ecole - With a new menu daily focusing on wholesome food with French flare, this restaurant welcomes guests in an old Chinatown schoolhouse.
• Drinks - Bengal Lounge - Drink cocktails and eat curry on tufted leather chairs under the glare of a Indian tiger, cooled by the breeze of vintage brass and tasseled fans, while listening to the sounds of a jazz trio.

Stay

Downtown Victoria has an abundance of hotels to choose from, but the city's ivy-covered landmark property is The Fairmont Empress. Staying at the Empress makes you feel like you're participating in Victoria's bustling past and present all at the same time.

Related
30 Hours in Victoria

Fashion Friday :: Shoulder Season

[trip style = sun + urban + weekend getaway + sightseeing + wine tasting]

{Editor's Note: Enter to win one of FIVE DuWop Flight Sticks. With light, hydrating coverage, these mini skin-enhancers are packed with antioxidants and a touch of caffeine to spruce up tired skin. Up, up and away!}

What do brunch and Brangelina have in common? They're not just fun to say, they're two awesome things paired together. Which is kind of like the season we're in now, where summer meets fall. But what should we call it? Sall? Fummer? Sautumn? As we head into back-to-school time---or as I like to say, perfect European travel time---it can be hard to choose what to wear for the hot, humid days and cool, breezy nights. Especially when you're travelling and you can only bring a few key items.

A shirt dress is the perfect garment for sautumn. Warm day? Roll up the sleeves and pair it with heeled wooden sandals. Cool day? Roll down the sleeves and add a pair of colourful knee-high socks with the same pair of wooden sandals, plus a scarf or boyfriend cardy. You could also stash booties and a pair of leggings or Kate Middleton-chic sheer nylons in your bag for the evening chill. Need a little more coverage? Go for a midi-length shirt dress.

{Trip Styler Tip: Most shirt dresses come with their own belts, but play around with your own belt collection to change up the look. Perfect for going away when you want to get more mileage out of the pieces in your duffle.}

Guys, stay summery by wearing less rigid denim in a lighter wash; save the dark raw Japanese denim for the cooler months. Choose a button-up shirt in a length that's meant to be left untucked {read: no long tails} for a little summer styling, and top with a lightweight sweater that will breathe but keep you warm.

Don't you just love fummertime?

Now what to wear? Women (from top left) Tucker shirtdress, Forever 21 midi shirt dress, J.Crew trouser slouch socks, ASOS slinky over the knee socks, Rachel Comey interlaken clog, J.Crew eden cardigan, Thierry Lasry celebratory shades, Rag & Bone tomkin scarf, Cheap Monday militaria dress, LP Collection sliced skinny leather belt, ASOS floral maxi Men (clockwise from top centre) The Hill-side organic cotton scarf, Marc by Marc Jacobs danny dot shirt, Gap new deep v-neck, All Saints span open cardigan, All Saints crawford low top sneaker, Marc by Marc Jacobs tyler uniform fit denim

More Fashion Friday Cabin Fever Buoy Oh Buoy Festival Style Tribal Inspiration

{Fashion Friday posts are published on the last Friday of every month and written by fashion blogger Heather.}

Old School Summer Vacations

[trip style = beach + budget conscious + weekend getaway] {Editor's Note: Last week we interviewed Dr. Murad, aka the father of internal skin care! He's given us a 4-piece Radiant Renewal Kit to give away! Enter here. Contest closes tomorrow, Aug. 16, at noon.}

A few weeks ago I was out for dinner with friends, and we got to talking about some of the less-than-fancy hotels or vacation rentals we summered at when we were little. Think old motels, lake-front cottages and nylon tents. The detail to which each friend could describe the places they stayed---down to the texture of the carpet---was incredible. At first we joked that many of our July and August accommodations weren't necessarily the types of establishments we'd instinctively book today, but then we wondered, why not?

Moral of the story: all our happy summer memories weren't created at five-star properties with pool boys and daily housekeeping, but came as a result of a great group of people, sometimes-silly traditions and a setting that allowed maximum outdoor time---only retreating indoors to change and sleep! 

Buffie Summered in: Osoyoos, BC [trip style = beach] I remember heading up to Osoyoos year after year with the fam. With about five other families, we all stayed at The Falcon or the Spanish Fiesta which sat side by side on the lakefront. Both were totally old and tacky, but hey, it was right on the beach and what more do you need than a bed, a pull-out couch, a mini kitchen and a bathroom! I remember it had orange-ish curtains and brown carpet. My sister and I would share the pull-out bed and we always wished our parents would just sleep in past 7am for once. This was back in the day when sleeping till noon was perfectly normal. The days consisted of going boating, tubing, sitting on the beach, swimming and just hanging out! At night, all five families would meet back at the beach and we would do a potluck/BBQ dinner. After dinner the teens would walk to the Dairy Queen just up the road for a dilly bar or a blizzard, and finish the night off with a mandatory hang-out on the beach. Once or twice a year all of us kids would have a sleepover on the beach under the stars, only to wake-up at about 5am thinking it was a dumb idea! It was cheap, hot and tons of fun.

Nicole Summered in: Shuswap Lake, BC [trip style = beach] Each summer my family would head to Blind Bay, BC, a small community on the southern shore of Shuswap Lake. Along with my Aunt, Uncle, and two cousins we would rent two cottages. Dinners would be a BBQ all together on a picnic bench between cabins. There was a big grass lawn separating the cabins from the lake where we could play horseshoes, jump on the trampoline and gather together at night around a fire, roasting marshmallows and making s'mores. Days would be spent on the lake. It was here where we learned to water ski, drive the boat and tube. We were outside all day and for most of the evening. Day trips would be to the cliffs where we would go cliff jumping or to the small stable where we would ride ponies! The resort caretakers were Fred and Ev, an elderly couple who all the kids adored! Ev rode an adult tricycle bike we all loved. We would pick a soda from the giant fridge in the head office, and if we were really lucky, we would get giant freezies. *Note, the resort no longer exists, but there are a variety of summer vacation options at Shuswap Lake! For example, Scotch Creek Cottages catches the essence of Nicole's summer days at the lake.

Trish {Editor-In-Chief} Summered in: Whistler [trip style = camping] One summer tradition that started when I was five and continued into my late teens was hiking in Whistler or Manning Park, BC and Banff, AB. Each year the dads in our group of family friends would wrangle the kids and we'd venture up a mountain, preferably to glaciar-fed Garibaldi Lake, sporting giant orange packs with pots and pans clanging against each other with every step we took up the switch-back trail on a two-night, three-day hiking adventure. No moms allowed. The ladies willingly retreated to a hotel or condo in Whistler where they would go for long walks, read, shop and eat out sans kids. Good deal. In the original incarnation of the hiking trip, we just drove home after the multi-kilometer hike. Then everyone got smarter and decided soaking in a hot tub within 20-mins of our final descent would be a much better way to end the trek. So for the next 15 years, five families would stay at The Tantalus Lodge, a two-minute walk from Whistler Village. All the kids cared about was the pool and hot tub, and car racing video game machines in the lobby, whereas the parents appreciated the in-suite kitchens and private bedrooms---oh, and its proximity to the Polo Ralph Lauren Store {and its epic summer sales} that used to be at the base of Whistler!

[photos: spanish fiesta, cottages in canada, me_mel]