Until I started working as an inspector, one place I never considered visiting was the remote and tiny city of Churchill, Manitoba.

But thousands of visitors flood the tiny town in October and November, for the sole reason of seeing polar bears (the town is known as the “Polar Bear Capital of the World”). ... Read More

After attending a wedding in the Niagara wine region of Ontario, Canada, (followed by a visit to the Henry of Pelham winery), my wife and I decided to bring our three boys to see Niagara Falls and take them on the Maid of the Mist boat tour (a AAA/CAA Great Experience for Members attraction).

We knew our older boys would love the experience—and they did.  My wife and I and our 2-year-old did not enjoy the experience as much.... Read More

A few weeks ago, we celebrated Thanksgiving here in Canada, and as many families do my family gathered in Windsor, Ontario, for the holiday weekend. Relatives traveled from all over southern Ontario to share a turkey meal together, and after a long day of eating and drinking, we thought it would be fun to do something a bit more energetic the next day – something that would help us feel less guilty over our calorie-rich indulgences.... Read More

In June I was fortunate to spend the evening with good friends at a large and impressive lobster bake. It was the culminating meal of the annual St. Andrews Seafood Festival held in my hometown of St. Andrews, New Brunswick. It offers more lobster (and wine) than even the most avid connoisseur could anticipate. While the uninitiated to the feast dallied in front of the myriad salads, rolls and chowders on offer, those of us who are the most mercenary of lobster consumers headed straight to the piece de resistance: unlimited steaming lobsters served on trays. ... Read More

Here are some of our recent questions on Canada - and the answers by our AAA experts.

We are traveling to Canada/Calgary - will our dollars be accepted or should we change to Canadian money? ... Read More

NEW ! Please see the I-29 Road Closure - Inspector Recommended Detours post for 3 suggested detours for I-29 between Omaha, NE and Kansas City, MO.

Flooding has had an effect on travel this spring and early summer through parts of the midwestern United States and Canada, and I have seen some of the results myself. In May, hotels in Winnipeg were jammed with evacuees from flooded areas and the word I heard was that they would be there into the summer. So, if you are heading that way, it would be a good idea to plan your hotel stays ahead of time. ... Read More

I awoke this morning in St. Andrews by the Sea, New Brunswick to a sound which has become quite familiar over the past few months and will likely remain for several more. I wish I could say it was the singing of birds or the sound of Bay of Fundy waves crashing in the distance (two sounds which I do often hear at my home).  Instead, it was the faint rumble of dynamite removing yet another vestige of the cliff face resisting the new divided Highway 1 as it pushes its way east and west across the province some five miles from my house.... Read More

Maybe it’s the lack of snow and ice-covered streets (finally) or maybe it’s just a trend towards old-fashioned fun, but whatever it is, I’ve been thinking ice cream.

As a AAA/CAA inspector working in Canada I evaluate hundreds of restaurants each year at all rating levels. Lately I have found myself looking at a lot of pictures of amazing-looking ice cream sundaes, milkshakes and soda floats. How can you resist the temptation to indulge when it is surrounding you everywhere? ... Read More

Perhaps of any city in the world, currently there are more construction cranes in Toronto that any other—and I have recently been to China and Central America. There is a boom going on in Canada’s business city, and money—a lot of it Asian—is being invested in condos and other real estate, even in formerly run-down, ignored districts such as Ossington and West Queen West, a mile and two miles, respectively, west of downtown. These areas also are known for being artistic hubs, too, and the question on everyone’s lips is how Art can sit pretty with Commerce.... Read More

Neighboring Canadian national parks Banff and Jasper in Alberta have no fewer than three aerial tramways that will carry you up mountainsides for spectacular views of the Canadian Rockies. Being from a flat state (highest point in Florida: 345 feet), I find mountain vistas irresistible, and so on a trip north of the border, I rode all three. Here are my observations.

Jasper Tramway 
Location: The Whistlers (or Whistlers Mountain, not to be confused with the famous ski destination and Olympic site near Vancouver, British Columbia) in Jasper National Park near the town of Jasper, Alberta... Read More