The Crack Trail in Killarney – Keep Calm and Wander

The Crack Trail in Killarney - Keep Calm and Wander

Hiking The Crack trail in Killarney was a different experience I had to endure. And I mean it in a good, satisfying way. It is the best hiking I’ve ever had in Ontario. Reaching the top was insane, but the views were worth the trouble. Every step you make will be worth it, I promise!

Hiking the Crack Trail

The sign at the entrance shows that it’s a difficult-level hiking trail. Like any trail, we started slow and easy. We passed through a forested area as we started our ascent. Then came the blistering rocks and onto the Crack.

Personally, the hike was primarily easy-intermediate, with steep terrains. The only tricky part was the last 10-15 minutes before reaching the apex of The Crack, and we had to scramble on all fours. There was no proper trail, but hikers had to climb huge boulders to pass through the crack. And after this challenge, magnificent views await those who made it to the top!

Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Ontario Gay Travel Resources

Winter Travel: Hamilton’s Frozen Waterfalls – 2TravelDads

Winter Travel: Hamilton's Frozen Waterfalls - 2TravelDads

Hamilton’s frozen waterfalls should be on your list to visit to enjoy or embrace winter in Canada. The city is just less than an hour away from Toronto and it’s pretty accessible via Go Bus. However, from Hamilton to these frozen waterfalls you’ve got to hire a taxi or Uber and tell them to wait for you. So, your best bet is to find or constantly prod a friend with a car to go with you.

Hamilton’s Frozen Waterfalls – Tiffany Falls

We arrived just after lunch and we had to wait a bit on the roadside for a parking space that can’t accommodate more than 10 cars, at least. From the parking lot, it was an easy 8-10 minutes walk to the waterfall. Though we brought ice cleats, we didn’t see a need to use them since the snow was still fresh from a blizzard that engulfed Ontario. Yep, it’s okay to bring your kids here, but not sure about the infants.

Tiffany Falls was entirely frozen when we visited it on February 5.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Ontario Gay Travel Resources

Craigleith Manor Boutique Bed & Breakfast – Gay Owned Collingwood B&B

Craigleith Manor Boutique Bed & Breakfast - Gay Owned Collingwood B&B

GAY OWNED COLLINGWOOD B&B –
#1 GUEST RATED GUESTHOUSE

Rated by guests as one of the Top 25 B&B/Inns in Canada since 2018, Craigleith Manor is a gay owned Collingwood B&B that was named the #1 Bed & Breakfast/Inn in Canada as reviewed by guests on TripAdvisor “Best of the Best” in 2021.

Located only 10 minutes west of main street in Collingwood, Ontario and 10 minutes east of the Blue Mountain Ski Resort the location is perfect. The Scandinave Spa is only a 5-minute drive away. Our many packages offer a great way to organize a relaxing and fun stay in our area.

We know all the best restaurants and keep an extensive list for the use of our registered guests. We can make reservations for you and let you know where the best martinis are, the best Carbonara or steak. Just ask. It’s what we do.

See the Craigleith Manor Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Central Ontario Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Hiking the Chikanishing Trail in Killarney, Ontario – Keep Calm and Wander

Hiking the Chikanishing Trail in Killarney, Ontario - Keep Calm and Wander

The Chikanishing Trail in Killarney (Ontario) is a beautiful hiking trail along the coast which runs along the waters of the Georgian Bay. Although the bay was teasing us for a dip, we decided to just sit down and chill on the comfy red rocks. We watched the sunset here while the calming crashing of the waves was music to our ears! So serene and magical!

The Chikanishing Trail

The trail was pretty easy to moderate. However, it requires agility as there are terrains where you have to hop from one rock to another. It could be a bit challenging for those with agility problems, but it won’t be uncomfortable, I guess While in most parks,, the blue markers are attached to trees, the ones you’ll find here are drawn into the rocks A few are faded, so you have to find them to not get lost, or else you might find yourself scrambling on all fours.

This is a 3.5-kilometer trail that you can finish in under 40 minutes one way. It is lovely to watch the sunset from here, but as soon as the sun goes down, you have to g back. This is a loop trail so watch out for the blue markers to guide you back to the parking lot. 

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Ontario Gay Travel Resources

The Other Side of Gay Calgary (Across the River) – Keep Calm and Wander

The Other Side of Gay Calgary (Across the River) - Keep Calm and Wander

Calgary is a walkable and bike-friendly city. If you are planning to walk across the river, start early morning or late afternoon to avoid the searing heat. Also, be cautious when walking on this pathway because cyclists, skateboarders, runners, and segways use this path, too.

Gay Calgary Across the River

The trail or pathways runs from East to West along the River Bow. It is a 7.2-km loop trail that would take 2 hours to complete. However, you don’t have to make the whole trail; you can walk part of it and ride a bike for the rest. It’s nice to walk on the pathway directly opposite the city skyline – the views are spectacular. And if you have time, spend time sitting by the riverside, admire the views, and perhaps, dip your feet onto the turquoise water.

Calgary has so many bridges. Each one is unique from the others. Looking at or crossing them feels like a bridge competition in the city is ongoing. George King Bridge is one of my three favorites – for photo purposes!

Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Calgary Gay Travel Resources

Canada’s Lake Louise – Keep Calm and Wander

Lake Louise - Keep Calm and Wander

Lake Louise is probably the most famous glacial lake in Canada. That’s because it’s just a bus ride away from Calgary. Thus, making it the most accessible turquoise-colored lake which graced the covers and pages of travel magazines worldwide. There’s no doubt that it’s also the most crowded place in the summer months.

Calgary to Lake Louise by Bus

Let it be known that buses that bring tourists to tourist attractions in Alberta aren’t cheap. Sometimes, taking a one-day tour (which I did) is so much better because it’s less hassle and more places to see.

Take the reliable Brewster Express that has been in the business for more than a century. From Calgary, they can connect you to Banff, and Jasper. One-way ticket costs $99 and a round trip tickets costs $169.

Remember that Banff in summer is really crowded and finding parking spaces is pain in as*. So, if you don’t want the hassle of circling around or finding parking spaces, buying the buy a Hop-On and Hop-Off Bus Day Pass ($63) is a great idea! The bus stops at Banff, Johnston Canyon, the Louise Gondola, and Morraine Lake.

Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Calgary Gay Travel Resources

Victoria’s Butchart Gardens – Keep Calm and Wander

Butchart Gardens - Keep Calm and Wander

At Butchart Gardens in Victoria (British Columbia), the flowers will happily welcome you. This is one of Canada’s largest gardens with a designation as a National Historic Site. As you can guess from its name, there are gardens within this huge garden that was made possible by Jennie Butchart, wife of a Canadian businessman who manufactured Portland Cement. Today, the garden receives one million visitors every year and these pictures below will tell you why.

Taking a bus to Butchart Gardens

On a beautiful Spring day, I spent my whole morning strolling from one garden to another. From downtown Victoria, I took a bus early to avoid the heat that was predicted that day. It took me around 45 minutes to arrive there. Though the bus won’t stop at the gate of Butchart Gardens, the bus driver was kind to drop me off at the exact stop/location and walked from there.

Before coming here, it is better to check out the gardens’ virtual tour on their website. If you want to be surprised, then avoid doing it. However, once you arrive and pay your entrance fee, remember to get a map so you will be guided on where to start and go. The dominant flowers here were tulips of different colours.

By Alain – Full Story at Keep Calm and Wander

Southern Vancouver Island Gay Travel Resources

Victoria for Gay Families in BC – 2TravelDads

Victoria for Gay Families in BC - 2TravelDads

There are so many great things to do in Victoria for gay families or just as adults. It’s one of our favorite Canadian cities and I know you’ll love it too!

The capital city of BC is our go-to destination for fun and easy weekend trips around the holidays and in spring when the weather is getting nice. Yes, we go there often, but it’s because we love it so much! We’ve figured out our top favorite activities and tips for visiting Victoria with kids and get ready, because we’ve got 18+ things for you to do to have an unforgettable trip.

Victoria for Gay Families – Getting There

This charming Canadian city is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, just north of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula and just west of Vancouver, BC. It’s a fairly large city and is situated on a harbor, the Inner Harbour, and then stretches out to its suburbs of Saanich, Sidney, and Sooke. Getting there is fairly easy and doable on nearly any budget.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Victoria Gay Travel Resources

Banff Ecotours for Gay Families – 2TravelDads

Banff Ecotours - 2TravelDads

With more and more families choosing outdoors vacations with trips into nature, it’s become increasingly important to be thoughtful and have low-impact travel be at the forefront of planning. We discovered some incredible ecotours in Banff and Canmore, which is becoming an even more popular destination than ever before. Ecotours in Banff are a way to enjoy the unique Canadian Rockies while leaving no trace on the land.

One of the most frequent questions we get about traveling as a family is how do we find activities that are good for all of us to enjoy together. A close second is how do you find a good ecotour company. Well, we lucked out with our recent trip to Banff, Alberta. We discovered AdventureHub while looking for guided hikes and ecotours in Banff. Wow. Every destination needs a resource or tour booking site like this.

Finding Banff Ecotours through Adventure Hub

Adventure Hub is a collective tour site for ecotours in Banff and Canmore, Alberta. This means that you can go to the webpage and see what tour operators are vetted and a part of the Adventure Hub group, and then from there you can choose the activities in Banff that sound the most fun for your family.

By Chris and Rob – Full Story at the 2TravelDads

Alberta Gay Travel Resources

Gay Halifax, Nova Scotia – 2TravelDads

Gay Halifax, Nova Scotia - 2TravelDads

Visiting Gay Halifax

Halifax, Nova Scotia is such a beautiful city! Even though we loved exploring the Bay of Fundy and the Nova Scotia Lighthouse Route, our time enjoying gay Halifax was wonderful. There are so many things to do in town, particularly if you love history. A great city to explore on foot, this is our guide to visiting this seaside city with kids.

Give the podcast a listen and follow along with our article below. You’ll find that many of the best things to do in town are very close by, and if the weather is nice you won’t even need a car. Once you start exploring beyond downtown, you will need your own vehicle, especially for going out to the picturesque eastern shore of Halifax Harbour.

Being a historic city with a solid urban core, there are lost of hotels directly in Downtown. You’ll be able to find most of your mainstream travel brands as well as some boutique options. We stayed in the area of Dartmouth for our time there. Dartmouth is just across the Harbour, accessible by the ferry or bridge. Dartmouth is quiet and beautiful, and very near the airport and routes out of the city, so it’s an easy home base.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Gay Halifax Travel Resources