Smith’s Falls, ON

Smith’s Falls name is not deceptive, although it is misleading. The town of fewer than 9,000 people was named after the grade difference in the Rideau River that water flows over. It’s not quite a waterfall but it is high enough to make a bit of a splash. Three sets Read more…

London, ON

Named after the capital of the United Kingdom, London in Ontario even lies on the River Thames but never became the capital of Canada. That honour went to York, Kingston, Montreal, then Ottawa. The village was founded in 1826 and the Middlesex Court House was build shortly after in 1830, Read more…

Guelph, ON

Located between Toronto and the Kitchener–Waterloo twin cities, Guelph is known for its handsome limestone architecture that neatly lines the downtown blocks leading up to the Basilica of Our Lady Immaculate. The basilica was built in 1883 and is one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival in Ontario with Read more…

Potsdam, Germany

About 40 kilometers southwest of Berlin, it is a tourist hot spot with its one dozen or so classical palaces turned into museums and galleries and its small town charm. Accessible by S-Bahn or Regio trains it’s only a short 30 minute ride away by transit. My tip? Bring a Read more…

Mont Tremblant, QC

I’ve been told that Mont Tremblant is an upscale ski resort – or the Whistler of the east. While the actual village of Mont Tremblant is on Lac Mercier, the tourist section is about two kilometres north on Lac Tremblant with easy access to the slopes on a system of Read more…

Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC

As with many French location names and several consecutive vowels that don’t make an impact on pronunciation, I had trouble spelling the name of this place. Google Maps would always point me to another place through the “did you mean” feature. The Quebec Museum of Archaeology boasts a respectable collection Read more…

Fort Langley, B.C.

Just a 40 minute drive from downtown Vancouver on the Trans-Canada Highway, Fort Langley is a historic site that has existed for over 150 years. This is not to be confused with the Township of Langley, which is very different. I went with Marcus, who reluctantly agreed to go with Read more…

Sarnia, ON

On the border with Michigan and just two hours away from Toronto and Detroit, Sarnia has all the right logistical conditions as a hub for oil and natural gas production. Large energy sector facilities from companies like Imperial Oil, Lafarge, and Suncor dominate the landscape of the south side of Read more…

Windsor, ON

Windsor in England is home to the Queen’s weekend and holiday residence – Windsor Castle. Windsor in Ontario is home to engine manufacturing plants of the Kings of the automotive industry – Ford, GM, and Chrysler. Both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific have rail yards in the city that help Read more…