The Vacation Guy Blogs

Move over, Paris. There's a new 'City of Light' and it's the second-largest French-speaking city in the world. Festivals, style, cuisine, nightlife and cosmopolitan French Canadian lifestyle. The first time you visit Montreal, it goes to the top of your repeat visit travel list. And now Montreal is even more exciting when the sun goes down. BestTrip's Lynn Elmhirst and Designer/Lifestylist Ulya Jensen spent a...

If your family has a teen who spends time immersed in electronic games, take heart! We've discovered the perfect summer holiday everyone in your family will enjoy.There's a vibrant summer destination that not only delivers an unforgettable skyline and cityscape, shopping, culture and food scene ranging from gourmet street food to Michelin-starred cuisine… and one of the world's most exciting...

The Juno Beach Centre is Canada's WW2 DDay Landing Beach war memorial and museum, right on the site where Canadians joined British, American, French and Allied Forces on a fateful day in 1944 that was the beginning of the end of the War.Veterans, their families, anyone interested in history, or the sacrifices of ordinary young men on an extraordinary moment...

It's been featured in no less than two James Bond movies. Not to mention To Catch a Thief, the Alfred Hitchcock thriller starring Grace Kelly. Filmed on location in glitzy Monaco, it's where she met a prince and then became Princess Grace.Monaco – and Monte Carlo – have established and maintained an allure as one of the world's most glamorous destinations....

It's one of the top destinations in Europe, let alone the Mediterranean. Barcelona tops everyone's travel bucket list, and for excellent reasons.It has a collection of some of the world's most unique and distinctive Modernist architecture - hint: by the same local designer whose masterpiece church is still under construction 130 years after it was begun. One of Europe's most...

In the times of COVID, even Her Majesty needs a side-gig. Why not in the tasty world of spirits?In a Royal first, official Buckingham Palace gin has gone on sale to the public – and the first batch sold out online in only 8 hours!The premium, small-batch, London dry is an initiative of the Royal Collection Trust. It is infused with citrus...

You'll come home with a million sun-drenched memories of a holiday in Hawaii. Here are 10 mementos you can take with you.ANYTHING PINEAPPLEThey may be the most common symbol of Hawaii, and you'll find pineapples, pineapple products, and pineapple motifs everywhere. Pineapples are actually native to South America, and their Hawaiian name 'halakahiki' means 'foreign fruit'. They arrived in Hawaii...

 Whether you love Old Havana colonial style, rhythms and cocktails, Mid-Century modern tropical, Rat Pack vibes, or contemporary luxury urban resort on a world's top beach... Puerto Rico's El San Juan Hotel fits the bill. Following a post-hurricane, $65-million reno, this grande dame of Puerto Rico society and must-visit destination for visitors to Puerto Rico's capital is back - in...

Amsterdam. Venice. Barcelona. Just to name a few. These are spectacular, vibrant, magical cities… reeling under the weight of tourists.I’m very fortunate to have visited a number of cities that are now on the list of overtouristed destinations. They are magnificent and life changing. But sadly, each subsequent visit, I see the very qualities travelers go there to seek eroded a little...

St. Patrick and the Emerald Isle. Dramatic coastline. Historic towns and cobblestone streets. Pubs and parties. Folklore and green pastures… and castles. Hundreds of castles and manor houses dot the Irish countryside. They not only evoke Ireland's storied past. Many allow you to live out your inner fantasy world of warrior kings and legendary princesses during overnight stays. Look for a tour of...