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

Six Great Cities for Visiting Canada in Winter – 2TravelDads

Visiting Canada in Winter - 2TravelDads

Visiting Canada in winter is not for the faint of heart, but if you know how to do it right and where you can find charming warmth, it’s not so bad. Canada from coast to coast is a treasure trove of mountain getaways and historic cities. Here are six beautiful places to embrace the Canadian winter (and they’re pretty great in summer too!).

Visiting Canada in Winter: Banff

I could just say “the Rockies” as the whole mountain range between Alberta and British Columbia is an outdoors-man’s paradise in the winter, but Banff has a special place in my heart so I’ll focus on that location.

Banff National Park is home to the stunningly beautiful Banff Springs Hotel – one of Canada’s most iconic buildings. This luxury hotel was built during the 19th Century in a cross-country effort to make the vastness of Canada more appealing to tourists, and it worked. The hotel offers suites anywhere from $300 to $1,000 a night, but with over 300 rooms available, there’s always a place for you! There are also many cabins in Alberta around Banff these days, so finding a more affordable option is easier than ever.

Full Story at 2TravelDads

Canada Gay Travel Resources

Surfside Inn – Nova Scotia Gay Friendly Inn

Surfside Inn - Nova Scotia Gay Friendly Inn

In 40 minutes from downtown Halifax, Peggy’s Cove, and Lunenburg, Surfside Inn is a Nova Scotia gay friendly inn comfortably located just across the road of Queensland Atlantic Ocean Beach, where powerful waves meet the rocks so loudly that you can hear them sound all the night from you room window any time of the year. The most guest’s rooms have ocean and lake views & sound.

Surfside Inn features Victorian secluded style, Relaxed and peaceful atmosphere throughout, a gracious Restaurant with Fine dining & variety of seafood. It was designed for Romantic stay with Beautyrest mattresses, private whirlpool tubs, single or double sizes. Add to your stay a Full Romance Package that includes bottle of wine and home-made truffles upon arrival, and three course dinner for two at night.

Travel Proud Certified, this generational Inn is long-time dedicated roof for the LGBTQ+ travelers, a Nova Scotia gay friendly inn. If you wish for a confident stay, this property is for you, where you show up yourselves, as you identify yourself. Restore yourself enough to be back to the city life again. Escape your life in Queensland…

See the Surfside Inn Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Nova Scotia Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Gay Montréal, Canada – wolfyy

gay Montréal

Montréal’s gay life is found in the popular gay village, located in the east of the city near the Latin quarter. The gay village has increasingly been promoted as a tourist destination over recent years.

Gay-owned restaurants, clothing stores and bars line the streets beneath festive hanging balls. This rainbow art installation has become symbolic of Montréal’s gay life. The city is one of the best lgbt-friendly destinations for gay travelers who want to visit Canada.

The Montréal Gay Village

Montréal has a pretty legendary gay village. All the gay nightlife is in this part of town and the area is a fantastic place to hang out, with tons of bars, restaurants, and boutique stores lining the main street. The vibe is undeniably awesome.

For many years, strings of rainbow-colored balls hung over St. Catherine Street East, which is the heart of the gay village. This art installation has created a beautiful symbol of how gay-friendly the city truly is.

montréal places to stay

Should you look for a hotel in the Montréal gay village? Well, this depends on what type of accommodations you typically prefer. If you like more local experiences, then I’d head over to Le Plateau

But, there are some places to stay that I definitely wouldn’t pass up. I’ll give you the full rundown in wolfyy’s gay Montréal guide linked below.

Montréal Gay Travel Guide on wolfyy

Gay Canada Resources

Toronto Gay Nightlife – The Nomadic Boys

BLOG - Toronto Gay Nightlife - tnThe Nomadic Boys

Diverse, exciting, buzzing and…best ass?

Yup, that’s actually a thing in the Toronto gay scene! Over at Woody’s gay bar, every Friday evening, they host the “best ass” competition!

Butts aside, the gay scene of Toronto truly has something for everyone. The city is home to Canada’s largest LGBTQ community and welcomes visitors from all walks of life.

Just like the gay scene of Montreal, the gay village of Toronto is huge. It is located at the intersection of Church and Wellesley Streets, hence its nickname: the “Church and Wellesley Village”, or just “The Village”…or, “ya’ll wanna go out in Church later?”. This is where the majority of the best gay bars, clubs, restaurants, cafes and clothing stores can be found.

Toronto’s Gay Village is also ground zero for the annual Toronto Pride week every June, which is one of the largest Pride events in the world. Whether you come to the Toronto gay village in the deep winter or summer, there’s always a buzz in the air, which is why we love it.

In this guide, we’ve put together our list of favourite Toronto gay nightlife – gay bars and clubs in Toronto. Also, be sure to watch our vlog about the gay scene of Toronto above.

By Stefan Arestis – Full Story at the Nomadic Boys

Toronto Gay Travel Resources