Vagabond Lodge at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, BC

For a completely rustic and idyllic vacation, BC’s Vagabond Lodge not only has spectacular scenery, hiking trails, and heli-skiing, it also comes without the modern disturbances of televisions or phones in their rooms. Why be glued to the television when patrons can watch flames flicker in the stone fireplace, go on a wild white water rafting adventure on the Kicking Horse River or gaze at the majestic Rocky Mountains? This hotel, about eight hours from Vancouver, helps families reconnect with each other in an otherwise always-connected-by-technology world.

St. Eugene Mission Resort and Casino in Cranbrook, BC

Situated between the Purcell and Rocky Mountains in Cranbrook, British Columbia about 10 hours from Vancouver, the St. Eugene Golf Resort & Casino stands on what once was the St. Eugene Mission. Today, St. Eugene Mission Resort offers an amazing golf course complete with spectacular views of the St. Mary River and the Rocky Mountains, incomparable mouth-watering dining experiences, and, for those who are feeling lucky, the Casino of the Rockies, the only casino in the Kootenay Rockies.

Emerald Lake Lodge in Field, BC

Emerald Lake Lodge is an escape to the wilderness located in Yoho National Park just west of Lake Louise, five hours from Edmonton. This peaceful and secluded mountain getaway is truly nestled in the heart of Mother Nature – with breath-taking views and exciting activities like hiking, rock climbing, white water rafting, canoeing and fishing. And to further complete the rustic feel, the lodge offers a calming diversion from the hectic pace of life – visitors won’t find televisions or internet access in their rooms or be able to get mobile phone reception anywhere in Yoho National Park.

Fantastyland Hotel at West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, AB

Where else can road trippers sleep in an igloo, experience Arabian nights or escape to the islands in a Polynesian room? At Edmonton’s Fanstasyland Hotel, where guests can choose from 120 theme rooms and visit the adjacent West Edmonton Mall to explore Galaxyland Amusement Park, try for some hole-in-ones at Professor Wem’s whimsical mini-golf course, and shop ‘til they drop at the more than 800 stores and restaurants.

Hotel Arts in Calgary, AB

Instead of simply having artwork in hallways or room walls, the Hotel Arts in downtown Calgary is itself a work of art! This boutique hotel with an urban-chic motif showcases a rotating collection of modern art within its public spaces. With rattan chairs, cabanas and large white umbrellas, the hotel’s poolside area feels like a tropical getaway. This design-driven hotel artfully meshes Calgary’s cultural scene with a boutique sensibility.

The Fairmont Banff Springs in Banff, AB

What person wouldn’t love the opportunity to stay in a historic castle for one night? Styled after a Scottish baronial castle, The Fairmont Banff Springs offers stunning vistas, championship golf courses, unparalleled skiing, classic cuisine and Willow Stream, a world class European-style spa. With the gorgeous backdrop of the Rocky Mountains, patrons can hit the links, go horseback riding, hiking, mountain biking while indoor thrill seekers can enjoy shopping, relaxing treatments at the Willow Stream Spa and even fit in a raucous game of bowling.

Columbia Icefield Chalet in Jasper National Park, AB

At the Columbia Icefield Chalet, guests are literally across the street from the Icefield – the largest sub-polar body of ice in North America covering 325 square kilometres with solid ice up to 365 metres deep. The Columbia Icefield is a powerful, dynamic force, shaping the regional landscape and climate. Guests have the opportunity to tour the Icefield during the day and sleep atop the Icefield Centre at night, with guest rooms occupying the top floor of the centre boasting spectacular views of the mountains and glaciers all around. In addition, this hotel and centre three hours from Calgary and five hours from Edmonton also houses the “The Glacier Gallery” – an extensive interpretive centre packed with information on this special area of Jasper National Park so guests can not only feel at one with the glacial splendor but learn more about it.

Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, ON

Less than two hours drive from Toronto, Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls is a family destination resort that brings northwoods adventure and pampering relaxation together. Jam packed with kid-friendly activities morning to night, Great Wolf Lodge has an indoor water park experience that lets young and old soak in the fun with KidCabin suites that resemble actual log cabins to give kids a place to rest their heads after a full day at play. Mom and Dad can indulge at Elements Spa Salon, a quiet retreat with soft music, aromatherapy candles and trickling water to restore balance and well being with environmentally friendly products.

Huff Estates and Winery in Picton, ON:

For those Ontario residents who crave the flavour of local Ontario wines, the new Huff Estates and Winery in Picton offers a perfect vineyard setting just two and a half hours from Toronto. Dating back to the 1820′s, the Huff Estates and Winery offers packages to fit any getaway needs and lets guests not only tour the Huff Estates Winery but also enjoy wine tasting sessions.

The Elora Mill Inn at Elora Gorge

The Elora Mill Inn is a historic hotel that dates back to the 19th century as one of Ontario’s “Four Great Mills” and promises a charmingly historic ambiance. When guests stay the night they find themselves experiencing a part of history as the Inn itself is built from the actual mill. The inn’s H2O Restaurant boasts cuisine from local ingredients and the Gorge Lounge & Patio features live Jazz events and a balcony overlooking the Grand River. This quaint hotel is a gem in the charismatic limestone village an hour and a half west of Toronto’s city lights, but feels like a pastoral getaway to nature.

Sterling Inn & Spa in Niagara Falls, ON

For couples seeking a romantic road trip getaway this summer, the Sterling Inn & Spa, Niagara Falls’ only boutique hotel, caters to couples. From the pampering relaxation of ONE, the full-service spa to AG, the fine dining restaurant offering regional fare, the Sterling Inn & Spa is a retreat from the stresses of the city. The essence of Niagara is embodied in this cozy and tranquil hotel which offers a destination of romance with revitalizing cultural spa therapies from around the world and mouth-watering feasts to satisfy the palate and bring out the essence of the local ingredients.

North Americans are prone to workaholism as they continue in their never-ending pursuit of happiness – that is, the ever increasing acquisition and consumption of goods and services. We should be looking to Europe though, to find a better balance in our lives. People over there (and of course I’m generalizing) take the time to enjoy what they already have…and it works too! Companies are as good as the workers that back them up so happy workers mean profits. And what’s the best gift you can give an employee? More vacation time! According to Mad Morten, a minimum of three weeks paid vacation is mandatory (yes by law people) for every Norwegian worker, regardless of seniority. I tell ya, I’d certainly be more willing to take on that extra project with this kind of incentive.

But it’s not always just about having enough vacation time. I used to dread planning a holiday because my company wouldn’t spring for a temp in my absence so that even when I was supposed to enjoy my time off, I’d be stressing about the mounting work that awaited me. That is perhaps why according to this year’s Vacation Deprivation survey, nearly one third of British Columbians are not taking all of their vacation time.

Click on for more of the Ipsos-Reid findings and find out how we can keep this condition from spreading (management make note!)

Rising Vacation Deprivation Condition in British Columbia Leading to Vacation Envy, Expedia.ca Survey Reveals
More than half of working BC residents have experienced vacation envy

VANCOUVER, BC – May 13, 2008 – The sixth annual Expedia.ca Vacation Deprivation survey by Ipsos-Reid reveals that nearly one third (32%) of British Columbians are not taking all of their vacation time (up from 25% last year) and 42% of BC residents identify themselves as being vacation deprived (up from 25% last year). BC employees give back an average of 3.10 days (up from 2 days last year) of unused vacation time to their employers. This translates into nearly 41 million untaken days in Canada overall and a staggering $6.3 billion (CDN) in wages handed back to employers.

“It is becoming increasingly difficult for Canadians to break away and enjoy a real vacation, given the popularity of electronic devices like Blackberries and feelings of vacation guilt brought on by some employers or colleagues,” says Beverly Beuermann-King, a stress and wellness expert. “As the Vacation Deprivation condition creeps up, it’s not surprising to see vacation envy emerging as an issue in the workplace.”

Vacation envy on the rise

Vacation Deprivation symptoms can lead to vacation envy – feelings of jealousy when a co-worker or friend returns from vacation. This year’s survey revealed that 54% of British Columbians admit they have felt vacation envy at some point in their life. Some Canadians are more susceptible to envy – women (48%) are more likely than men (35%) to have felt vacation envy and younger Canadians aged 18 to 34 (59%) are twice as likely to have suffered from vacation envy, compared to those over the age of 54 (26%).

Are electronic devices helping or hindering vacation planning?

When asked if technological advances such as Blackberries, PDAs, Pocket PCs, webmail or cell phones make it easier to take vacations, 45% of BC workers feel that technological advances have made it more difficult to get away from work, up from 41% last year. Only 19% of BC workers feel that technological devices make it easier for them to get away from the office. Men (22%) are also more likely than women (15%) to feel that it is easier to get away from the office with electronic devices.

What prompts Canadians to take time off?

The survey found that a majority (55%) of British Columbians indicate that a family event, such as a wedding or family reunion, would prompt them to use their allotted vacation time. “Finding a great deal” on a vacation would prompt 50% of BC residents to book a trip and 36% say that their interest in an amazing vacation destination inspires them to book time off work. Travel options such as convenient flight times or direct flights also encourage 37% of British Columbians to use their vacation days.

Increasing vacation stimulation at work

More than a quarter of BC workers (26%) believe that their employer does not offer a fair vacation policy. What can employers do to help decrease Vacation Deprivation symptoms among their staff? The survey found that 24% of BC employees feel that a mandatory policy to take a minimum number of vacation days per year would do the trick. BC employees believe that employers can motivate them to take vacation time by lightening their work load (20%), encouraging them to take time off (21%) and offering a fair vacation policy (19%).

VD from sea to shining sea

The survey revealed that British Columbians (42%) are the most likely to identify themselves as vacation deprived, followed by those living in Alberta (41%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (37%), Ontario (36%), Atlantic Canada (30%) and Quebec (19%). Residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (42%) are most likely to have not taken all of their vacation days, followed by those living in Alberta (36%), Atlantic Canada (36%), British Columbia (32%), Ontario (29%) and Quebec (18%).

Why aren’t we taking time off?

Almost a quarter (23%) of BC residents revealed they have cancelled or postponed their vacation plans in the past because of work. According to the survey, some reasons for not taking all vacation days are:

· “not scheduling far enough in advance” (15%)
· “too busy with work to get away” (12%)
· “having kids in school” (5%)
· “fear of being perceived negatively by colleagues” (4%)
· “fear of missing an important meeting or decision” (4%)

Additionally, BC workers may also find it stressful to take vacations – 35% feel guilty about taking time off and 33% say that their employer does not encourage them to take all of their vacation time.

Get Vacation Deprivation syndrome under control and celebrate summer!

It’s time to cure Vacation Deprivation syndrome and seek adventure this summer with Expedia.ca’s Summer Sale. Book your dream summer vacation now and take advantage of the savings with 30% off select hotels in Canada, USA, Europe, Latin America, Caribbean, Asia-Pacific and select resorts.

Survey Methodology

Ipsos-Reid

These are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted on behalf of Expedia from 03/25 to 03/28, 2008. This online survey of 2,032 employed adult Canadians was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid’s national online panel. The results are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample’s composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. An unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

About Expedia.ca

Expedia, Inc. operates Canada’s most visited full-service online travel service, Expedia.ca. To help Canadians plan and purchase travel, Expedia.ca provides the best combination of scheduled and charter flights, car and hotel reservations, vacation packages, destination activities, cruises, trip insurance and traveller-authored content. Expedia.ca customers are supported by customer support agents available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via a toll-free number and email response.

In a new Dabbler travel mini-series, writer and seasoned globetrotter Valerie McTavish offers Snapshots from her current travels in Cambodia and Vietnam. Her final stop: The largest city in Vietnam. If Beijing is “the City of Bicycles,” then Ho Chi Minh City is “the Capital of Motorbikes.”

Stepping off the sidewalk in Saigon could easily be considered suicidal. I’m standing in the Ben Thanh Market area studying my map to plot a route that requires the least number of street crossings. When I look up, a wall of styrofoam chunks is an inch from my nose – the courier with this impossible balance of junk on his bicycle has decided to use the sidewalk to skirt a jam on the road.

Since standing on the sidewalk with your head down in Saigon could easily be considered suicidal, I may as well cross the street. There are an estimated 10 million scooters dancing with each other in the corridors of Ho Chi Minh City and they provide their own musical accompaniment – beep, beep, honk, honk. They all seem to swing and jive with few incidents even when pedestrians, hawkers pushing carts, buses, cyclists, and SUVs join the jig.

At this moment, I am steeling myself to cross 8 loosely defined lanes of traffic as I make my way to what I believe is the street that will deliver me back to my hotel. I look for a local headed in the same direction; they make for excellent shields and there’s strength in numbers. No such luck – I’m on my own.

I approach the road and put on my poker face. You have to look like you mean business – one glimpse of uncertainty and they’ll run you back to the curb. Look left, look right, look left and behind, now step off. Walk at a steady pace, do not break your gate – scooters at 10 marks off are already adjusting their course. As vehicles approach, make eye contact – stare them down. Keep going, don’t stop and trust they will go around you. Crap, that motorcycle appears to be driven by a 3-year old, how can I eye him down. Keep going, almost there. Red alert! Man on a cell phone – I run and leap to safety with inches to spare, his sweaty breeze grazing my back.

It doesn’t take long to learn the ballet and, truth be told, it’s one of the most entertaining things to do in this massive city. But, if you are going to go out and play in traffic, be sure to do like the locals and pick up a smog mask at the market. Wandering these streets and breathing the exhaust of millions, really is suicidal.

In a new Dabbler travel mini-series, writer and seasoned globetrotter Valerie McTavish offers Snapshots from her current travels in Cambodia and Vietnam.

The sun has risen in the mist over the lush morning of Vietnam. I am 6 hours on the rails south of Hanoi, clunking past nameless villages. We are still north of the infamous and still bomb-pocked Demilitarized Zone where ironically much of the fighting happened during the American War. While most people on the train are fighting to hang on to a thread of sleep as they jiggle in their bench beds, Vietnam has yawned and stretched. Tableaus of urban life click past me like scenes from a Viewmaster. The slides contain a young man surfing on a wooden plank over a muddy field behind a water buffalo as his father hauls on a rope slung through the beast’s snout; a pony-tailed girl squats in the next plot over hacking at the earth with a hoe; a woman in a conical hat folds in half to inspect the grains hidden in her vibrant green rice paddy; a single tomb sits inexplicably in the centre of a farmer’s field, its only mourner the stick-scarecrow in a plastic poncho.

Above the daily toil, groups of children shoulder backpacks as they kick the dirt road on their walk to school. Unlike urban students, they wear no uniforms, only scruffy clothes and plastic sandals. One boy drops his load and chases a scraggly dog down a hill. His mates cheer him on as he launches pebbles at the little mass of fur. The train chugs past the school yard where the student march comes to a boil, only to temper off as we slide down the rails. Landscape gives way to a placid lake where large nets sit suspended like trampolines on four crude tree-poles. They wait to be submerged and gather up all the fish the grey water below will allow. Nearby, paddles sit idle in abandoned wicker baskets floating tethered to the shore.

The edges of the lake lead back to rolling hills dotted with homes. Some are mere shacks with woven bamboo walls and thatched roofs. The sturdier ones are made from wood planks covered by a single slant of corrugated tin. As humble as the homes appear there is pride here. In front of one home, the Vietnamese flag is bowed between a bent-over sapling of a branch. It’s a single yellow star on a blood red background reminding them of their optimistic future and their tormented past.

In a new Dabbler travel mini-series, writer and seasoned globetrotter Valerie McTavish offers Snapshots from her current travels in Cambodia and Vietnam. Second stop: Halong Bay, possibly Vietnam’s most famous natural attraction.

Limestone towers float past us as we dip our paddles into the waters of Halong Bay. The rise of these rock islands is at once stunning and puzzling. They jut out of the water, pointy and sure and then stop. Some of the islands are lush with green shrubs and grass decorating their face, while others are a finger of stone, bulbous at the bottom and seemingly teetering on a disappearing needle beneath the surface. We negotiate our way around the hundreds of Junks (really replicas of the traditional Chinese Junk boats) that have ferried the tourists to this World Heritage Site in varying degrees of comfort and luxury. There are over 200 boats working their way through these islands and trotting visitors into the few designated sites, like Surprising Cave. The natural beauty of the massive cave is spectacularly destroyed by the coloured lights and long line of tourists who all feel a need to rub the surface of the stalactites and point out all the formations that look phallic. But in our kayak, we find ourselves on the route less travelled, up close and personal with the bay. Our guide, Quang, has left his family in the Sapa region to point out caves and arches to tourists. He diligently tells us the typical old tales of rock hideaways that harboured lovers torn apart by familial obligations. He waited patiently as we scrambled and climbed in our discovery of these awe inspiring natural works of art. From the top of one of the larger islands, we could see dots of rock on the watery landscape stretched out well into the South China Sea. A haze hung woven in between like cobwebs in an abandoned barn.

Our paddles rhythmically slapped the water, droplets trickling down to our hands and into our laps. Watching the slicing of blue sea made it impossible to ignore the trash floating; there goes a hypodermic needle, a blue plastic bag, an empty bottle of vodka and the one hundredth Choco-pie cookie packet. Little silver fish, no more than an inch long, float lifeless on their side along with the rubbish. Quang believes they have died because the water is too cold, but admits it could be the pollution. An idea that would make anyone question the fish feast that will be presented at dinner. A slow moving, flat-bed boat has a man hanging over the front, his net scooping and flipping back into the boat. Quang confirms that these are the garbage collectors, people whose job is never done. It seems inexcusable to us. Confounding. Who would throw trash into this beautiful nature? Why would people come to this natural wonderland only to deface it? Back on the big boat, it is easy for us to forget the dirt below and fall back in love with the looming limestone, the romantic orange sails of the Junk and the warm breeze on our blissfully ignorant faces.

Interesting Halong Bay Folklore & Etymology:

Local legend says that long ago when the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, the gods sent a family of dragons to help defend the land. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders. The people kept their land safe and formed what later became the country of Vietnam. After that, dragons were interested in peaceful sightseeing of the Earth and decided to live there. The place where Mother Dragon flew down was named Hạ Long, the place where the dragon children attended upon their mother was called Bái Tử Long island (Bái: attend upon, Tử: children, Long: dragon), and the place where the dragon children wriggled their tails violently was called Bạch Long Vỹ island (Bạch: white- colour of the foam made when Children Dragon wriggle, Long: dragon, Vỹ: tail). [Source: Wikipedia]

In a new Dabbler travel mini-series, writer and seasoned globetrotter Valerie McTavish offers Snapshots from her current travels in Cambodia and Vietnam. First stop: Angkor Wat, the 12th century temple in Angkor depicted on the national flag of Cambodia and made famous by Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider.

The rain came as we began our descent. Big drops on a dusty forest trail, welcome after a day of dry thirty-eight degree heat. We join the herd of tourists heading down in the dusk. All the stereotypes are present. Us; independent travellers (not tourists!) be-decked in MEC clothes, fully prepared with flashlight in hand. We’re focused on a mission as we negotiate our way past shuffling slipper-footed girls huddled under umbrellas and pasty-legged retirees struggling with the physical demand challenged by their girth. We move in stealth silence. The quiet might be confused with sacred reverence on this mound at the heart of Cambodia – home to the world’s largest temple. In truth, our mood is more of disappointment. In the final moments of the sunset, blooming clouds destroyed our hopes of seeing the golden temple. Angkor Wat illuminated at sunset is a trophy shot sought by all visitors.

The sounds of the amputee orchestra tell us we have almost made it to the elephant loading zone, and hence the car park. At the bottom, the serenade of cicadas reaches a crescendo, drowning out the traditional one string bowed instruments and multiple drums and gongs. The shower departs along with our disappointment – the symphony of the forest, the smell of rain startled flowers, and the embrace of the vine canopy are soul soothing. Tomorrow is another day in Angkor, another day in Cambodia. Our tuk-tuk driver waves us over and we follow him to his strategically parked motorcycle chariot. Our moment of traveller bliss is gone as fast as it came. A young Khmer girl dressed in a dirty dress follows us relentlessly. “Wann cold beer? Wann Coke? one-dollar-one-beer-sir-one- dollar-one-beer. Wann Beer? Yes? One-dollar-one-beer-lady- one-dollar…her whining song of sale masked by the belch of the motorcycle as it coughs exhaust and lurches on the road back to Siem Reap.

Dabbler reader Anya writes:
Peeved at the world today, I decided to get away. And as I was searching through a multitude of websites offering “the cheapest flights around,” my WestJet page suddenly read “50% off. Today Only.” The prices literally changed within half a second!

Having just gone through the grueling process of trying to find half decent ticket prices to Russia, I’d just learned the lesson that it’s better to book earlier than later because every day that you wait, the prices increase. Well, there goes that theory! Is there nothing in the travelling world that’s constant?!

Here’s the link to the WestJet deal. You can get in on the deal today for travel on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays until March 19, 2008 but hurry! They say the sale is “for today only!“

Even though Vancouver is only a few hundred years old, there is a heck of a lot of history, much of which is bound to raise a brow or two. To get a better idea, watch the above video featuring Chris Mathieson from the Vancouver Police Centennial Museum as he offers a small sampling of what to expect in one of his fascinating “Sins of the City Walking Tours.”

A unique two-hour must-see for anyone wanting to learn about the edgier side of this great city, the 10-block tour on foot leads you through the oldest parts of Vancouver as Chris regales you with stories about:

* Bootleggers, prohibition, and the often quirky evolution of liquor laws (and their enforcement) in the city
* The development of the early drug trade and the surprising Vancouver origins of Canada’s narcotic laws
* Racial and labour tension boiling over into demonstrations, riots and murder
* The evolution of the sex trade, from brothels to streetwalkers
* The city’s considerable predilection for gambling

Pick a topic: Drugs, sex, alcohol, gambling and there will be something worth discussing. It would also be very worthwhile to discuss the origins of the phrase “skid row” with Chris; our Downtown Eastside is a classic example, especially when you look at its early history.

Previous to working at the Police Museum, Chris worked in Chinatown and gave tours of that area, discussing the history of the early Cantonese immigrant community. Although he sometimes alluded to the brothels, opium dens and gambling houses that used to be there, he didn’t get to cover them in any detail. Once he started his new job, the topic seemed like a perfect fit for the Police Museum. And, of course, it’s just darned sexy stuff!

The Police Museum has always been relatively unknown to those who live in Vancouver, but the tourist guidebooks (like Frommers and Lonely Planet) consistently rate it as one of the best and most interesting museums in the city. Tourists have definitely found this tour appealing (thanks in part to an international surge in so-called “black tourism”), but locals also seem to be keen on learning more about their own city’s naughty past, particularly when we have such a squeaky clean appearance.

Chris says that back then, men greatly outnumbered women in Vancouver, which is why brothels weren’t just about sex. Men went to a brothel to smoke cigars, drink brandy and hear some music. It was about finding the comforts of home and sometimes that included the services of a woman. The city’s first madam was named Birdie Stewart, who opened a brothel at the corner of Water and Abbott streets. But as the neighbourhood grew, the community forced her to move. A cream-coloured building on Alexander Street was a hospital before it became a brothel and then a rooming house, which it remains today.

“Ohhh! That’s why things are that way!” is the most common reaction. Often, people will walk down the street and see things, but not really understand them. Why are there separate “Gentlemen’s” and “Women with Escorts” entrances into the old hotel bars? Why is Vancouver so casual when it comes to marijuana? Why do we have government-run liquor stores? Why are there so many rumours of tunnels under Chinatown?

There really are too many misconceptions to recount. A few include: That Vancouver is a quaint seaside city with a quiet and boring history (the tour proves otherwise!), that the issues of the Downtown Eastside are a recent phenomenon (they’ve been there for 120 years), that there was a large system of tunnels in Chinatown (ummm… no!), that Vancouver is and always has been a multicultural city (we’ve actually been pretty profoundly racist for much of our history)…the list is long.

The Downtown Eastside and Gastown are the oldest (and some of the most beautiful) neighbourhoods in Vancouver. Chris doesn’t go down Hastings Street on his tour, as it can be a bit chaotic; the majority of the tour happens on quiet streets that are perfectly safe during the day. He’s not had an incident and honestly doesn’t expect one (part of this tour is about busting the reputation of the Downtown Eastside; there’s so much more to it than Hastings and Main).

Now in its second year, Sins of the City Walking Tours are led by Chris himself, rain or shine, every Friday and Saturday from 4 – 6 PM throughout the summer. All tours depart from the museum, which is located at 240 E. Cordova St, Vancouver.

The cost is $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. This includes tax, as well as admission to the museum on the day of the tour. There is no age limit set, but this is definitely a tour for adults. A few cool parents have brought their teenagers, but this is definitely racy material.

Reservations are required 24 hours in advance by calling 604.665.3346 or emailing programs@vancouverpolicemuseum.ca. Chris can accommodate up to 30 people per tour, and can do tours at custom times and days for groups of 10 or more at a discounted price, regardless of the season. For more info, visit www.vancouverpolicemuseum.ca

If you have kids, you know that travelling with them is hardly a piece of cake. It’s simply not feasible to pack all of a child’s necessities, yet it’s just not possible to do without. Until now, there have been few options for parents, so to accommodate their needs, Wee Travel rents baby equipment to people visiting Toronto, Vancouver, and Victoria.

Launched by Shana Cherry and her Toronto-based sister Lesley, Wee’s mission is to make it easy for parents to travel lighter by providing a full range of hard-to-pack baby equipment and supplies. In other words, they provide everything that parents could possibly need when travelling so that they don’t have to bring it all with them.

The idea was hatched after Lesley and her son visited Shana in Vancouver a couple of years ago. Shana’s son had outgrown his cot, stroller and other kid-size equipment, so Lesley had only to pack some clothes. But when Lesley and son visited a friend in New York, things weren’t so easy. Her hosts had assured her they had everything, but Lesley discovered that meant poorly maintained equipment that had obviously been in storage for some time. She ended up buying a new stroller.

Many people have very old equipment which is inadequate and likely doesn’t meet current safety standards, so in addition to travellers, Wee also caters to local grandparents who have small children visiting. Hotels frequently use this type of service, as do big budget film and production companies, airlines, car rental companies…pretty much anyone who has a baby or toddler coming.

The rentals offer temporary solutions for newborns to children up to eight years of age. These include car seats, cribs, Pack ‘n Plays (fold-up playpens that infants can also sleep in), ExerSaucers, swings, bags of toys, high chairs, change tables, rockers, beach packages, strollers and joggers (double and single), backpacks for hiking and snugglies for newborns out for a stroll with their parents…virtually anything you require for your child when you’re away from home.

There are similar services in Vancouver and Toronto but Wee stands out in several ways. Whether you’re staying at a hotel or in someone’s home, they will deliver any rentals to your door before you arrive, and pick them up after you leave. They are also very careful about the equipment they offer. Neither trend nor hype top the list of criteria in the selection process as the latest fad may not always be practical for someone who’s travelling. If you’re in Vancouver and you like to go for walks, to shop, or to go for coffee with your stroller, storage and portability are obvious necessities. Wee also sanitizes everything with baby- and environmentally-friendly products and if you need their services on a more regular basis, they offer practical gifts with a certain amount of rental. For instance, as you saw in the video, they have a compact folding potty seat which comes in a washable bag; very useful when travelling with your child. Shana has a background in psychology so she did a lot of research on parenting books and offered one as a gift as well.

There is always something new in the baby equipment market so Wee is always on the lookout for innovative new products. One of their most recent items is the Gogo Kidz Travelmate, which is a suitcase wheeler-type tool that you hook on to the bottom of a car seat to enable you to pull a seated child through the airport. It fits through the isles of the plane and goes right onto the airplane seat with the car seat. Imagine the convenience!

You’ll find the prices quite reasonable. Here are some examples:

Car Seats: $7 a day or $42 a week.
Pack ‘n Plays: $7 a day or $42 a week.
Cribs, which come with a 4”mattress inside a foldable steel sided frame (no assembly required) and includes a sheet: $10 a day or $60 a week.
High Chairs: $7 a day or $42 a week.
Booster Seats or Bumbo Seats: $5 a day or $30 a week.
Gogo Kidz Travelmate: $5 a day or $25 a week.
Double Joggers (probably the most expensive item): $14 a day or $84 a week.

And in addition to larger equipment, Wee also offers:

Baby Supplies: They’ll provide you with any brand of diapers, wipes, formula, baby food, shampoo, soap or sunscreen ($10 service fee).

Bag of Toys: A selection of age appropriate toys to keep your little ones entertained, including books, toys, and videos ($4 a day or $24 a week).

Specialty Toys: They offer a variety of toys such as trikes, push cars, wagons, rocking chairs, toys, picnic tables and winter sleds.

Mom/Dad: They will do a run for whatever you require should you be so focused on baby that you forget some important items for yourself.

International Beach Package: If you are traveling somewhere hot, they have a number of sun packages. They can arrange to drop it off at your home or at the airport on the day of your departure. They offer a large fold-up sunshade (not an umbrella), a playpen, beach toys, pail and shovel and a variety of other items ($20 a week).

Interestingly, the Cherry sisters have noticed a distinct east-coast, west-coast divide when it comes to what parents want. In Vancouver, a lot of people rent outdoor equipment such as strollers, joggers, and beach packages. In Toronto, joggers are not much in demand but Lesley regularly rents out ExerSaucers and swings. It has to do with climate obviously and Vancouver caters to a more active lifestyle with great outdoor spaces like Stanley Park and the Seawall to take a stroller. Toronto summers are so hot and their winters so cold that locals are more inclined to stay indoors.

With airlines now, there are a lot of restrictions on what you can bring, and you have your own personal restrictions because there’s a limit to what you can carry. There are a lot of things you have to check in and parents often complain that their car seats end up getting torn, dirty, and bashed around when they send them through. It’s not on the site yet, but soon, Wee will offer wheeled car seat cases.

A lot of times, people come to Vancouver but they’re going to the Island or through the Rockies. Shana realized that there are many people from new Zealand and Australia who come here for a month, rent a motor home, and travel around Canada. Wee is a useful service for such travellers because their rentals can be taken anywhere as long as they are brought back when they’re due.

When you’re planning on traveling somewhere, give some thought ahead of time, to what your child is going to need to have an enjoyable vacation because if your child has an enjoyable vacation, you’ll have an enjoyable vacation. You might start by thinking you need a package of diapers…then all the formula because where you’re going they won’t have yours…the swing is a must because ‘Johnny’ lives in that swing and won’t nap anywhere else…you also need somewhere for him to sleep in because he can’t sleep in the bed…and there’s also the jogger because you like to jog every day…and it’ll probably be raining in Vancouver so you also need some cover for the jogger…by the time you finish your list, you’ll need a moving truck to go on holiday! If this sounds like something your family has gone through, next time you go to Vancouver, Victoria or Toronto, consider Wee Travel. They’ll certainly make sure your holiday is much more enjoyable.

Things You Didn’t Know About Car Seat Safety

Shana is certified to install car seats but she can’t actually do it for you as that would pose a liability issue. Car seat safety is the driver’s responsibility but Shana can help by looking at the installation that you’ve done and direct you if it’s not safe.

Here are some important tips from Shana:

* A lot of parents like to swaddle their babies to make them comfortable in their car seats. What they don’t know is that they’re sacrificing their child’s safety when they do this. In the case of an accident, everything compresses upon impact so if there is a towel or a snuggly wrapped around the baby, it too will compress. This means that the straps won’t be as tight as they were and your child could actually shoot out of the seat. So, never put anything between the car seat/straps and your child. If you want to keep your baby warm, place the blanket on top once they’re securely strapped in (you should be able to put one or two fingers between your child and the strap).

* The purpose of the middle clip that you do up on the infant or convertible seats is to ensure that the shoulder straps remain in the right position in case of an accident. Please note that it doesn’t hold your child in and typically will break off on impact. What it does is keep the straps in place until such an incident. That buckle should be at armpit height.

* With booster seats, many people think that high backs are safer. That is not true. There are two options available to accommodate the kind of car you drive. If you have headrests, you don’t need a high back on the booster and if there are no headrests, you want to have a high back to avoid whiplash. One’s not safer than the other.

* All car seats and cars are shaped differently. The seats in your car may have more padding…you may have flat seats or bucket seats…As long as your car seat meets Canadian safety standards (CSA sticker) though, it’s alright to have about one inch of wiggle room. Shana received a recent email from a client who had a very strong man install her car seat so it fit tightly in her car, but she couldn’t do the same in a rental car. The reality is that depending on the car and depending on the car seat, a tight fit isn’t always possible. The back seats in some cars have a little bit of a hump on them, or a little ridge…some slant a little more at the back…If you manage to secure your car seat so well that it won’t budge, that’s fantastic. However, please note that it can move one inch and still be considered safe.

For more information and a tourist and shopping resource, visit www.weetravel.ca. Also check out the Wee blog here for additional tips and the latest news.