As New Year's Day fast approaches I usually take this time to not only establish goals for the coming year, but also to plan out my vacations and travel resolutions. Every year I have grand designs on traveling to places I've always wanted to go to or making a certain amount of road trips before the year ends - and without fail, every year, I fall short of my goals!
Well, this year I have made it a mission to not only keep my tradition of making travel resolutions but also outline some strategies to help me (and you) keep those resolutions.
Before I sit down to make my bold travel predictions for 2013 I thought it would be a good idea to see how I did a year ago with prognostications for the year that has just passed! Here was my blog from last year for your reference.
My first prediction was that gas prices were going to decline by 5% in Canada. According to gasbuddy.com on December 19th, 2011 the average price in Canada was the equivalent of $4.43 USD/gallon and exactly one year later the price has dropped to $4.36 USD/gallon. A decrease of a mere 1.5%, so I can't to credit for nailing that one, in fact for most of the year the price was above $4.43 and it only recently dipped below. So far batting 0 for 1. It's okay I made four more.
What's not to love about this time of the year? Whether you're celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas or other special holiday, it's all about being with your family and friends and traditions.
We all have ancestors that arrived from other countries or maybe we're the first generation to celebrate the holidays here, either way, traditional holiday foods have come with us. In my family, we adhere very closely to traditions. If I try to move the Christmas tree even one foot to where it always goes, there's an outcry because that's "not where we ALWAYS put it." The same goes for the foods we bake, cook and serve at our gatherings and at the dinner table. I'll start with what my family's traditions and work my way around the country.
Holiday vacations almost always include going to a sunny, southern locale, like Florida, but what if you don't want to leave the snow behind? If a Winter Wonderland is your picturesque holiday, there are plenty of cities in the Northland that are more than willing to take visitors and show you real holiday cheer. Here are three destinations that will give you reason to wear something cozy, while feeling that refreshing, cool air:
As 2013 approaches, it's time for me to peer into my trusty crystal ball and attempt to decipher what's in store for business travelers in the coming year. Here's what I'm seeing:
As demand for travel in the US increases, so will prices. But not by much--there is still enough economic uncertainty out there to keep inflation in check. So when all is said and done, I think we'll likely be spending about 5% more on travel in 2013 than we did this year.
A lot of car guys trace their fascination with automobiles back to their Hot Wheels or Matchbox car collection from childhood. They learned to appreciate automotive design, and even to recognize different kinds of cars and trucks, from playing with the little die cast models.
I suspect every traveler has a favorite chunk of roadway, either a paved highway, a secluded two-lane back road, or a dirt path that leads to memories of bygone times. Mine is the Pacific Coast Highway.
My wife Lyn and I have traversed this coastline adventure several times, and on each encounter we have opened new doorways and discovered pleasant little side junkets. But there is always this one constant - we have some favorites that require mandatory visits on every trip.
As the labour dispute rages on between the NHL and their players, Canadian hockey fans finally can look forward to some great hockey on TV with the start of the IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) World Junior Hockey Championships. The tournament starts every year on Boxing Day and has been become a tradition for many hockey fans over the holiday season. This year it is taking place in Ufa, Russia. The tournament gathers the best under twenty year olds from the top ten hockey countries around the world. Under normal circumstances many players who would be eligible to play would be busy playing in the NHL, but with the lockout the tournament will truly attract the best of the best. Players like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov, both Edmonton Oilers will be on the ice.
A brand new-from-the-ground-up Best Western high-rise hotel in New York City? You bet! The new BEST WESTERN PREMIER Herald Square Hotel is slated to open later this winter, and on my last trip to NYC, I took a quick hardhat tour.
Click on the video above for a slideshow of this exciting new property!
The weather is turning cold, and the holiday season is upon us. Don't let cold weather stop your favorite motorcyclist from riding! Give the gifts that keep them riding.
Hot Tops:Harley-Davidson's Dual Source Heated Jacket Liner can be added to any jacket. It's designed to be worn over a base layer, like long underwear or compression gear, and under a regular riding jacket. The liner can be powered by the bike's 12-volt electrical system, or by an optional 12-volt lithium rechargeable battery. List Price $260.00 - $270.00
Last Friday in the Greater Toronto Area was one of those dreaded days that every big city commuter faces at least once a year. Seemingly out of nowhere, the city was hit with a snowstorm. It arrived without warning at about 2:30PM and in many ways was truly the perfect storm to cause one of the worst commutes out of Toronto of all time.
The first ingredient in the perfect storm was the fact it was the first snowfall. That insured that snow removal and salting trucks were not ready for action. Cars losing control became the bigger problem than the actual amount of snow or weather that arrived.
Tis the season to be jolly but it's also the busiest time of the year to travel. In fact this year maybe particularly busy for Canadians simply because of when Christmas falls this year, it's on a Tuesday. What that means for a great number of people is that they end work on Friday, Dec 21st and can essentially only burn two (maybe three depending on your employer) vacation days and stay off until Wednesday, January 2nd. For the "vacation maximers" this is pure bliss, a full eleven days for the price of two.
One of the great pleasures of motorcycle travel is discovering great places to eat. How many rides begin with the idea of meeting up with friends for a meal?
When I'm on the road, all of the rules get left behind, in exchange for one new rule: No chain restaurants.
Last Sunday, we packed up the car and headed into Toronto for the 109th annual Toronto Santa Claus parade. We have celebrated some big events this year including the centennial celebrations of the Calgary Stampede, and the Grey Cup (which is taking place this Sunday) and now the country's largest Santa Claus parade. In fact, it is one of the biggest productions in North America and the oldest annual parade in the world. I am told people tune in to watch on TV from all around the world but especially people from Russia, Norway and Ireland!
'Tis the season to be jolly about most things, but picking out the right present for a senior traveler can frequently result in uncertainty ("What if they don't like it?") and even trauma ("What if they ask for the sales ticket so they can take it back?") There are no sure cures for either, but careful investigation beforehand (Read that: Ask 'em outright what they'd like) can avoid embarrassing situations.
And so, if anyone asks what I'd like wrapped and lying under the tree, here are some suggestions:
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Do you have a travel tradition around the wintertime season? Do you always stay close to home during the holidays, or do you hit the road? Whether you travel near or far, we want to hear about your wintertime adventures! Tell us about your favorite wintertime travel destination and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win a $250 Best Western Travel Card!
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We know it is a big world out there with lots of places to see and experience.
Best Western's You Must Be Trippin' travel blog offers travel tips, ideas and
feature destinations to make your next trip a success. We are also interested
in where you've been tirppin' and invite you to share your travel ideas, tips
and destinations with us. For your next trip, stay at Best Western, Stay with
people who care.SM
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As New Year's Day fast approaches I usually take this time to not only establish goals for the coming year, but also to plan out my vacations and travel resolutions. Every year I have grand designs on traveling to places I've always wanted to go to or making a certain amount of road trips before the year ends - and without fail, every year, I fall short of my goals! 
We know it is a big world out there with lots of places to see and experience.
Best Western's You Must Be Trippin' travel blog offers travel tips, ideas and
feature destinations to make your next trip a success. We are also interested
in where you've been tirppin' and invite you to share your travel ideas, tips
and destinations with us. For your next trip, stay at Best Western, Stay with
people who care.SM
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