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kooza-10

Cirque Du Soleil is back in Vancouver from October 29 – December 27, 2015 at Concord Pacific Place right by Science World. I was invited to the premiere night and I was super excited since all of the Cirque du Solei shows I’ve seen so far are awesome. If you don’t want any spoilers, don’t continue with the rest of this post.

kooza

KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil that combines two circus traditions—acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. The show highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colourful melange that emphasizes bold slapstick humour.

The show had its world premiere in April 2007 in Montreal and has since played in over 47 cities in 12 countries, on three different continents.

At first I didn’t really know what to expect from the performance, but it was one of the best Cirque du Soleil shows I’ve seen in Canada.

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Before you head into the tent to get to your seats, remember to grab a selfie with this photo wall.

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Depending on when you come in, there may be a bit of a line up to get in.

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The inside of the tent is pretty neat.

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There’s a food and beverage station with snacks, candy, alcohol and ice cream. Its usually overpriced, so I would suggest you eat before coming to the show.

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Let the show begin.

trickster2

The show starts with the Trickster bursting onto the scene like a jack-in-the-box in front of The Innocent, and that’s just the first of many surprises to come.

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The Innocent’s journey brings him into contact with a panoply of comic characters such as the King, the Trickster, the Heimloss, the Obnoxious Tourist and his Bad Dog.

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Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA explores themes of identity, recognition and power.

skeletondance

The show is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement.

wheelofdeath

One of the awesome acts of the night was the 1,600-pound Wheel of Death rotates at heart-stopping speeds, powered only by the two artists who leap and counter-rotate in a death-defying display of fearless acrobatics and astonishing teamwork. Like the High Wire, the Wheel of Death is positioned diagonally.

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If you are in Vancouver, definitely check out KOOZA.

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Website:
https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kooza/tickets/vancouver.aspx

grande-rockies-outer

After passing the Banff Lake Louise area, we made a stop for the day at Canmore, Alberta before continuing our trip to Calgary. We stayed at the Grande Rockies Resort located right by the Bow Valley of the Canadian Rockies.

grande-rockies-lobby

We checked-in with the front desk. The desk is hidden behind the waterfall in the lobby. We parked our car in their underground gated parking.

grande-rockies-seats

We stayed in a one bedroom condo style suite, which fits 4 people. They have fully functioning kitchens in there too.

grande-rockies-surprise

When we got into our room, we found chocolate dipped fruits and a bottle of white wine from the resort to celebrate our honeymoon.

grande-rockies-livingroom

The living room has 2 couches, dining table, fireplace and a flatscreen TV. One of the couches has a pull out bed.

grande-rockies-kitchen

The kitchen has a fridge, oven, stove, microwave, coffee maker, and a dishwasher.

grande-rockies-utensils

The kitchen seemed like it had all the tools. We didn’t use the kitchen at all since we ate out. I can see this suite being useful to people who are staying for more than a few days.

grande-rockies-bbq

Out on the patio, there is a  grill you can use too.

grande-rockies-view

Out on the patio, you can view The Three Sisters, a trio of peaks in Canmore.

grande-rockies-mountains

grande-rockies-bedroom

The bedroom is further down the hall and it has a king-sized bed.

grande-rockies-tv

There is a small TV and a desk. Too bad they didn’t attach a bigger TV on the wall to maximize space. Either way, it was good enough.

grande-rockies-laundry

There is a washer and dryer with an ironing board and iron. This comes in handy if you’ve travelled for a while and need to wash your clothes.

grande-rockies-sink

The washroom has a sink and a shower.

grande-rockies-shower

The shower can be a bit complicated to start but once you start pushing the buttons on the control panel, you will figure it out easily.

There is a heated indoor swimming pool, hot tub and kids pool with waterslide that is accessible for all guests. There is also a fitness room as well.

Inside the resort, they have their award winning Habitat Restaurant and Bar. They have won the 2015 diners choice from OpenTable as well as Awards of Excellence from Trip Advisor from 2011 to 2015.

Their breakfast buffet starts daily from 7am to 11am. Sadly when we were here, their restaurant wasn’t open.

 

They serve casual Canadian cuisine & cocktails. Their dinner menu has a good amount of gluten-free options. A majority of the items sound super good.

grande-rockies-dining

Overall, it was a good stay. The only thing that annoyed me was that our keycard didn’t work, so we had to run back and forth several times back to the front desk to get someone to open the door. Apparently this happened to a few other guests too.

Address:
901 Mountain St, Canmore, Alberta

Websites:
http://www.granderockies.com/

Habitat Restaurant & Bar Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Lake-Moraine-entrance

Moraine Lake is about 14 kms away from the Town of Lake Louise. During busy times it’s a bit hard to find parking here. It’s a great spot to go hiking and some even say it has better views than Lake Louise. It is about half the size, but the view is spectacular. It is also a glacier-fed lake.

Depending on the time of year you make a visit to the area, the one road that takes you to Lake Moraine may be closed.

Lake-Moraine

It was a cloudy day, so the lake didn’t shine as much today.

Lake-Moraine-rocks

You’ll notice a rock pile at the beginning of the lake and it’s an actual moraine, which is an accumulation of glacial debris. A lot of people like to climb it as the view from the top is one of the most photographed location in Canada.

Lake-Moraine-view

We noticed a lot of people were up there. It is about a half a kilometre stroll up there. Besides hiking, you can rent a canoe to go on the lake, go horseback riding, or relax at the Moraine Lake Lodge.

Lake-Louise-arrive

Lake Louise is located in Alberta’s Banff National Park. The emerald green colour of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake.

It’s very easy to drive to and theres lots of parking space.

Lake-Louise-v

It’s stunning and this is the view that draws thousands of tourists a day. You can’t pass by Banff National Park without making a stop here.

Lake-Louise-front

During the Summer, you can rent a canoe to paddle around the lake when it’s warm. During the winter, it becomes a skating rink.

Lake-Louise-fairmont

Lake-Louise-chateau

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is recognized globally for their progressive environmental stewardship and responsible tourism.  It is the only building located right by the lake. No other hotels are around.

Lake-Louise-Agnes-lake-Trail

There’s lots to do like hiking to Lake Agnes to visit the Teahouse and mirror lake. It is a shorter hike than going to the Plain of Six Glaciers Teahouse. These places are only accessible by hiking.

Lake-Louise-hike

M and I attempted hiking to the Lake Agnes Teahouse, but according to Google Maps, it would take just under an hour, so we gave up. We didn’t realize it was slightly uphill.

Since we were on a time crunch, we headed back.

Lake-Louise-trail

If you was a short walk with a nice view of the lake, walk around the Lake Louise Lakeshore Trail. You can see the beautiful emerald waters.

Lake-Louise-binoculars

Of course, take lots of pictures. There are a lot of tourists around, but there is a lot of space to take scenic shots or selfies.

Lake-Louise-view

Website:
http://www.banfflakelouise.com/

lakelouise-gondola-base

Lake Louise Gondola is located at the Lake Louise Ski Resort in Banff National Park. It is a 5 minute drive off Highway 1. It was a beautiful day in September, so we came here to get a good view of all the surrounding mountains.

lakelouise-gondola-tickets

I pre-purchased a Travelzoo Voucher for $29.95 to ride the gondola for 2 people. I brought my printout to the front desk and they redeemed it for 2 physical tickets.

lakelouise-gondola-lodge

The lodge is quite nice with the mountains in the background. Once you’re in the ledge make your way to the gondola.

lakelouise-gondola-up

It’s a short walk, just follow the path down.

lakelouise-gondola-in-out

The ride lasts for fourteen minutes, in an open chair or a fully enclosed gondola. For those who are afraid of highs, a closed gondola might be for you. M and I took a closed on up the mountain and then an open chair lift on the way down. You can’t go wrong with either, but the open chair lift is easier to take photos assuming you don’t drop anything.

lakelouise-gondola-lookout

6,850 feet above ground, the viewing platform gives a great view of the Banff National Park. Once you’re up here, you can do guided hikes, eat a buffet lunch at their restaurant or visit their interpretation centre.

lakelouise-gondola-walk

Other than that, there’s not too much to do up here. When we were here, the upper chairlift wasn’t operational, so we couldn’t go up any higher.

lakelouise-gondola-tops

The views are the best part, so make sure you have your camera with you.

lakelouise-gondola-banff

At a distance, you can see Lake Louise and the Fairmont building.

lakelouise-gondola-fairmont

If you have a telephoto lens, you can take a super far away shot of the lake in all it’s glory.

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Take note of the beautiful glaciers too! They are enormous!

lakelouise-gondola-glacier

lakelouise-gondola-down

On the way down, you must take an open chair lift and the view is just spectacular. M swallowed his fears and held on to dear life. The ride can get a bit bumpy sometimes. Below you, you might be able to spot bears.

For regular price, it’s pretty expensive to pay $30 per person. If you can try to find a deal, do it! If it wasn’t for the Travelzoo deal, I probably wouldn’t have come here.

Address:
1 Whitehorn Rd, Lake Louise, AB

Website:
www.lakelouisegondola.com/

emerald-lake-reflection

When going through Yoho National Park right before Banff National Park, make sure you stop at Emerald Lake. Once you get there, you will be mesmerized by the vivid emerald-coloured waters.

It’s very easy to drive here from the highway and there’s a good amount of parking.

emerald-lake-drive

The drive was quite stunning. Lots of trees to your left and right with a beautiful mountain in front and behind you.

emerald-lake-fog

Then, it got foggy and I was super scared since I wanted a clear view of the lake. We were here quite early around 10am, so the fog does tend to linger in the morning.

emerald-lake-view

Once we got there, the fog really started to blow away revealing the Emerald Lake beneath it.

emerald-lake-fog-people

The fog was a blessing since it made my pictures super awesome a spooky. There’s the Emerald Lake Lodge to the left.

emerald-lake-boat

You can rent canoes out onto the lake to paddle around. There’s trails around so you can do some hiking. Plus, if you are a photographer, theres wildlife all around the lake.

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Here’s the bridge moments later where you will find a majority of the tourists.

emerald-lake-pic

Walk further down away from that bridge and you will find an even better view of the lake. Just stunning.

emerald-lake-scene

It’s a stop in the Rockies that you can’t miss. Beautiful lake and my photos really don’t do it justice. You have to see it with your own 2 eyes.

Website:
http://www.field.ca/yohonationalpark/emeraldlake/

yoho-natural-bridge-sign

The first stop at Yoho National Park on the way to Emerald Lake is the Natural Bridge. It’s an easy drive here and with lots of parking.

yoho-natural-bridge-look

The Natural Bridge is a natural rock formation that spans the flow of the Kicking Horse River west of Field, BC. It is sculpted by the strong erosive forces of rushing water over what had once been a waterfall.

yoho-natural-bridge-view

Visitors are given the opportunity to view the natural bridge from a variety of different vantage points.

yoho-natural-bridge-walk

You can get to the tallest point that over looks the bridge by a man-made bridge. It’s a very short walk.

yoho-natural-bridge-calm

Just standing on the man-made bridge, you can see the other side of the fall with much more calming water.

yoho-natural-bridge-rock

yoho-natural-bridge-river

You can even get pretty close to the natural bridge. The Natural Bridge is a powerful reminder of how much influence water has in shaping the landscape around it.

yoho-natural-bridge-closeup

Here is the view from the backside. The water gets pretty strong right at the peak, so do be careful and don’t fall in.

yoho-natural-bridge-falls

Overall, it’s a quick place to stop by to take some pictures and enjoy natures wonders.

Website:
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/bc/yoho/index.aspx

kicking-korse-glacier-enter'

Glacier Mountaineer Lodge was where we stayed in Golden, BC. It’s located in the heart of the Kicking Horse Mountain Resort alpine village – at the base of the Golden Eagle Express Gondola. The mountain is around 10 minutes away from the downtown area of Golden, BC.

It’s a good location to stop at if you are enjoying the snow in the winter or heading up the Gondola to hike or sightsee in the Summer.

kicking-korse-glacier-lobby

We pulled up to the front of the building, walked through the lobby to check in. It definitely has a rustic mountain-feel to it.

kicking-korse-glacier-checkin

Since it was low-season and we were checking in past 6pm, they left our envelopes at the front with our keys and other information.

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We stayed in their one bedroom suite and it was quite spacious for the two of us. You will find their fully furnished living rooms with satellite TV, gas fireplace, and private balconies. It was clean and reminded us of home away from home.

kicking-korse-glacier-door

There is also a fully furnished kitchen with fridge, microwave, oven and coffee maker.

kicking-korse-glacier-bedroom

The bedroom had an old CRT TV with cable, views of the mountains and a closet. We spent more time in the living room since it was more comfortable watching TV there with the flatscreen TV.

kicking-korse-glacier-dining

The tables has 3 chairs and a bench. I quite liked the bench feature. Makes me want to get one for my own place.

kicking-korse-glacier-living

There’s lots of sitting space if you were to entertain guests. Very cozy.

kicking-korse-glacier-door-back

The entrance to the balcony/patio gave us a great sight of the slopes. There’s not much to see during the Fall, but it was cool to see the changing colours of the trees and the snowboarding trails. In the Winter, it will be more beautiful.

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kicking-korse-glacier-slopes

kicking-korse-glacier-patio

kicking-korse-glacier-hooks

There’s lots of hooks and space to hang any winter gear you have.

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kicking-korse-glacier-toilet

The washroom has a tub, a shower, toilet and sink. Nothing fancy, but it does the job.

They also have a fitness centre, hot tub, and a steam room to enjoy at the lodge.

kicking-korse-glacier-view

The view of the other mountain peaks are just amazing even in the Fall. Its so nice to see the snow right on the peaks of those large mountains.

kicking-korse-glacier-night

Overall, it was a pleasant stay and I love the surrounding nature. Mountains on all sides with some beautiful Fall foliage. The only bad thing about coming here during low-season is that there’s nothing open up here, so you will need to head to the town to get lunch or dinner. The lodge has vending machines, so you can get pop, water or snacks. When it’s their normal season, it won’t be a problem at all. M and I didn’t mind since we were carry a lot of snacks and drinks with us since we were on our roadtrip.

kicking-korse-glacier-crossing

The best part about going to Kicking Horse Lodging is this crazy bridge you have to drive across. Only one car can pass at a time. I’ve never seen anything like this, so I was super excited.

Address:
549 Kicking Horse Trail, Golden, BC

Website:
http://www.kickinghorselodging.com/glacier-mountaineer-lodge/

enchanted-forest-parking

The Enchanted Forest was opened in the 1960s to the public and is situated in a natural growing forest with the world of fantasy all around you. In the 1950’s Doris Needham made unusual fairy tale figurines from cement by shaping her creations by hand, without the use of molds. It was the Needham family’s dream to create an enchanting world of fantasy set in untouched nature.

enchanted-forest-blue

You can find it right off the Trans Canada Highway before Revelstoke, BC. Just look out for the blue cones and you know you are entering the Enchanted Forest.

enchanted-forest-enter

Head to this house to pay and enter inside. It costs $11 for an adult and $8 for children. Infants go in for free.

enchanted-forest-kittens

This magical place where visitors can see, touch and step into the homes of fairytale heroes, villains and creatures that hold so many memories for all of us. You’ll be reminded of old childhood fairytales and song.

enchanted-forest-trail

The main trail of the grand forest provides the magical setting for over 350 jolly folk art figurines, BC’s tallest grandest treehouse that rises fifty feet into the forest canopy and a giant stump house with surprises around every corner.

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enchanted-forest-piggy

You can even enter the 3 little pigs homes. For an adult its a tight squeeze, but for any kids, it’s definitely an adventure.

enchanted-forest-cabin

Some structures are big enough for adults, but it’s really more for the kids to enjoy having an adventure.

enchanted-forest-climb

The treehouse was quite tall and fun to roam around. It’s pretty safe, so you’re not gonna fall off of it.

enchanted-forest-show

Do you remember the old woman who lived in a shoe?

There was an old woman who lived in a shoe.
She had so many children, she didn’t know what to do.
She gave them some broth without any bread;
And whipped them all soundly and put them to bed.

I loved the references to a bunch of mother goose’s nursery rhymes. It is a great place, but some of the statues are quite creepy. I always just thought things from childhood should be cute. All the characters have a look to them that just kinda give me the chills. Kinda like the dark side of fairytales.

enchanted-forest-pooh

Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore and Christopher Robin make an appearance, but its not what they look like in this modern age.

enchanted-forest-snow-white

Favourites like Snow White can be spotted. Kids seem to love this place and don’t notice the subtle creepiness of the figures.

enchanted-forest-bunny

Wouldn’t you be creeped out by this? I didn’t want to sit on this rabbit.

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enchanted-forest-end

It definitely gets creepier near the end of the forest.

enchanted-forest-rabbit

Into the rabbit hole you go to reach the exit.

enchanted-forest-dragon

I wouldn’t drive all the way from Vancouver just for this, but if you are passing by, it’s worth a stop to stretch your legs and take a few photos. It’s fun for the kids, but as adults, it’s quite creepy. We spent about 30 mins walking through the enchanted forest.

enchanted-forest-sign

Address:
7060 Trans-Canada Highway
Box 2938,Revelstoke, British Columbia

Website:
http://www.enchantedforestbc.com/

davidson-orchards-village

Davison Orchards Country Village in Vernon, BC is the place to go with your family for the Summer or Fall seasons. You can check on their website what new attractions and activities they have here.

davidson-orchards-farm

When I came here, we just missed the opportunity to pick apples from their orchard. I’ve always wanted to walk in an orchard to pick apples from the trees. It’s ok, they still had apple tastings in their shop so you can try the different types.

davidson-orchards-apple-tasting

They had their cold pressed juice to sample as well as caramel and their different apples.

A few kinds of apples they had are:

  • Ambrosia
  • Arlet
  • Aurora
  • Golden Delicious
  • Granny Smith
  • Honeycrisp
  • Jonagold
  • MacIntosh
  • Mutsu
  • Spartan

Hands down, my favourite is the Honeycrisp for it’s crunchy and sweet taste.

davidson-orchards-apple-box

There’s still lots of apples to be bought in the store. No shortage of them either.

davidson-orchards-squash

They also had a bunch of different squash for sale. Great for the fall season.

davidson-orchards-bakery

Their shop also has pies. Some may say they have the best pies in Vernon. We weren’t hungry when we arrived at the village since we just finished brunch.

davidson-orchards-juice

We decided to grab some of their fresh cold-pressed apple juice. Man, it was really good! I can’t drink regular apple juice anymore. If you come here, you must grab a bottle…or even a jug of their apple juice. It’s amazing.

davidson-orchards-pumpkin-castle

As it’s nearing halloween, they have tons of pumpkins for sale. They even had enough to build as castle. It’s fun for the kids to play inside the pumpkin castle and pose with the pumpkin king and his knights.

davidson-orchards-band

They also have a pumpkin band too. One of them is Anna from Frozen.

For the Pumpkin Festival in October, they do pumpkin tours and family pumpkin picking experiences.

davidson-orchards-cow

The Crazy Cow Kids Corral is 1 acre of play area for little kids. Adults can play too…no shame.

davidson-orchards-donkey

They also have a handful of farm animals. We saw this cute donkey and it reminded us of the movie Shrek.

davidson-orchards-goat

They had a lot of goats around.

davidson-orchards-auntie-may

Auntie May’s Deep Dish Café is located in the original farm house at Davison Orchards. It’s a bustling cafe offering everything from coffee, to healthy homemade lunches, and of course their famous pies by the slice. Many item are grown or prepared at the orchard.

davidson-orchards-view

Overall, M and I enjoyed this stop in Vernon. We discovered amazing fresh cold-pressed apple juice and saw some cool local produce. It’s a great place for locals and tourist to visit.

Address:
3111 Davison Rd, Vernon, BC

Website:
http://www.davisonorchards.ca/

Auntie May's Deep Dish Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

manteo-dock

Manteo Resort is located on the shores of Okanagan Lake in Kelowna. It is minutes from downtown and of course the many wineries in the area. M and stayed here during our road trip across BC for one night. We were looking for a place that had a great view and right on the water.

manteo-parking

Manteo Resort offers a “no surprise fee guarantee”, so there are no extra charges for use of amenities, local phone calls, internet, national newspapers and parking. All the parking is outside of the hotel in the rear. When you check-in, they will provide you with a parking pass for your stay.

manteo-beach

M and I arrived here 45 minutes early for the check-in at 4pm. They checked us in right away and told us they would give us a call when our room was ready. This wasn’t a problem at all since they had a mini beach that we could relax as we sat on their huge colourful chairs as we waited.

manteo-chairs

15 minutes later they told us our room was ready.

manteo-kitchen

M and I stayed in the one bedroom premium suite with a lake view. It can fit up to 4 people.

All the rooms have:

  • Free Wi-Fi
  • Flat-screen TVs
  • Duvets, feather beds and feather pillows
  • Alarm clocks with iPod docking stations
  • In-room safes
  • Daily newspaper delivery
  • Robes
  • Coffeemakers
  • Discounted hotel breakfasts at Smack DAB

This particular room also has:

  • Private bedroom with a King size bed
  • Living room with double pullout sofa
  • Fully equipped kitchen and dining area
  • Private balcony
  • Business desk
  • iPod docking station and iPod stereo

manteo-licingroom

At first glance, the decor is a bit dated and all the furniture doesn’t exactly match. I have a feeling the colour of the couch and the blue chair is supposed to mirror their logo as it has blue, red and yellow.

manteo-couch

The living room is spacious and great if you have kids.

manteo-music

Their iPod docking stereo is now outdated too. You can only use it on the older generation iPhones. You can also put in a CD if you happen to have one with you.

manteo-kitchen-appliances

There’s a kitchen with a stove, microwave, a refrigerator and a Keurig. It’s convenient if you want to cook. For us, it wasn’t really needed since we spent our time eating out at the restaurants in the area. I can see how this would be great if you had kids with you or staying here for more than a night.

manteo-coffee

They have coffee and tea pods for the Keurig.

manteo-cookies

They even dropped off some cookies after we got into our room. A nice touch.

manteo-dining-area

The only thing that bothered me about the dining area are the abundance of chairs in the suite. A bit much for the 2 of us, but if we had other people on this trip or kids, I think it would be handy.

manteo-view

From the living room, you can get to the balcony. It has a great view of the Okanagan Lake.

manteo-bed

The bedroom has a king sized bed and looks more modern that the living room area.

manteo-tv

There’s also a flat screen tv with cable. We spend most of our time watching Food Network.

manteo-bathroom

Pretty basic washroom with one sink in this area.

manteo-tub-shower

There is a bath and shower combo.

manteo-shampoo

The products that they have are from h2o+, which is a pretty good brand.

manteo-washroom

You can section off the bathroom from the toilet room with a sliding door. It’s good for letting others use the toilet when someone is in the shower. This also has its own separate sink.

manteo-d

While you are here, make sure you walk along the dock during the day or night. It takes you pretty far out into the lake, so great for taking photos of the area.

supermoon

At night, I was able to catch the Super ‘Blood’ Moon at the docks.

Smack Dab is the restaurant inside Manteo Resort and they are open for breakfast buffet, lunch and dinner. They serve up new style classics with bolder flavours. You can grab a drink inside or be sitting outside in the patio. They have a good selection of craft beer with 12 on tap and 20 by the bottle. A good way to celebrate BC and what we make here locally. Don’t worry they also have wine and cocktails too.

They also have a private dining room that seats up to 22 people. Great for large groups if you are here for a family get-together or birthday party.

Not quite sure what else to do here? They have indoor/outdoor pools, hot tubs, kids waterpark, saunas, movie theatre, fitness centre, tennis court, 9 hole putting green, playground, private beach and boat moorage.

Thats a lot of things you can do especially keep the kids entertained or to keep yourself relaxed.

manteo-lakeview

Overall, our stay was great. It was right between downtown and Summer Hill Pyramid Winery. The service was good, beds were comfy, strong wifi signal and it has a fantastic view. The only 2 things that would have been improved would be an update on the living rooms decor, also the cable would cut out a bit in the evenings.

manteo-sign

Address:
3762 Lakeshore Road, Kelowna BC

Website:
http://www.manteo.com/

Smack DAB Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

kangaroo-creek-farm

Kangaroo Creek Farm in Lake Country is close to Kelowna and its’s a must for families visiting the Okanagan. It costs $5 per person or $20 for a family of 5. They only accept cash, so remember to visit the bank before you arrive.

I was drawn to visit this farm during my road trip across BC since when do you see kangaroos in BC? No need to visit Australia or go to a zoo.

kangaroo-creek-farm-parkin

You can park on the street outside of the farm, but not parking inside. There are limited parking spots, so make sure you come early or somehow avoid the rush.

kangaroo-creek-farm-sign

There are 2 areas of the farm. One area on the right with the kangaroos and other animals, and on the left are sugar gliders, wallabys, emus, pigs, etc. You have to visit both areas when you’re here.

kangaroo-creek-farm-pet

We came on a weekday, so it wasn’t too busy. It was mostly tourists and local school kids on a field trip. Not too crowded. Still plenty of room to play with the kangaroos and other critters.

kangaroo-creek-farm-field

kangaroo-creek-farm-feed

You can go up to the volunteers with yellow baskets and ask for food to feed all the animals. There is also a joey holding area. Cradling the little kangaroos are pretty awesome since they are very tame and calm.

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There are good amounts of kangaroos here and they are friendly. You must pet them on the back rather than the front or else they get a little feisty.

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There is one little guy who is quite unique. An albino wallaby named Irwin.

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Pigs!

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The little goats are pretty cute. You can’t help but stare into their oddly shaped eyes.

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Kids love them.

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Even M loved feeding the goats leaves.

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Baby ducks! So cute and small. I was so afraid I would step on this little guy.

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Capybara is a largest type of rodent in the world. When we were there, this fella didn’t really do much. I think he was just enjoying the sun too much.

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Chicken! I’m always amazed how all these animals can roam around the farm without getting into fights.

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This is the other side of the farm. It’s not connected to the area of kangaroos. You will see more wallaby’s, emus, pigs and sugar gliders.

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Ducks are near the little pond. They were so vocal when we were there. Not quite sure what they were squawking about. Maybe they wanted more food.

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I have no idea what animal this is. Its like a rabbit  but its not.

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Emu! There’s a few of them around the farm. Cute but I was kinda afraid to approach them.

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Sugar Gliders are pretty cute! You can feed them bananas as they cling onto your arms. Very soft too.

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Overall, it was a great attraction for adults and kids. M and I spent about 45 minutes here since we went around to all the animals, fed and petted them. Also, lining up to hold the baby kangaroos.

The price was only $5 and its a lot cheaper than going to a zoo. You can get up close and personal with all the animals.

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Address:
3193 Hill Rd, Lake Country, BC V4V 1T7

Website:
http://kangaroocreekfarm.com/

bcf_promo

Planning to take the ferry during the next few weeks? Don’t forget to take advantage of BC Ferries ‘50% Off The Coast’ promotion. This is very beneficial to those who walk on the ferry instead of driving. I usually drive out of convenience when going to Victoria, BC but it’s too bad this promotion isn’t applied to the vehicle fee, which makes traveling on BC Ferries quite expensive. They are looking to maybe offer a vehicle discount promotions later, but for now, the deal is for regular passenger fares only.

The regular price per adult passenger to travel from Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (Victoria) is $16.90. During the 50% off regular passenger fare promotional sailings, the fare will be $8.45.

Major & Minor Routes:
September 8 to October 15, 2015
Monday to Thursday, and Saturday routes
(Metro Vancouver; Vancouver Island; Sunshine Coast; Southern Gulf Islands; Northern Gulf Islands)

Northern Routes:
October 1 to October 31, 2015
All sailings
( Inside Passage; Haida Gwaii; Discovery Coast Connector; Skidegate / Alliford Bay)

Details:
http://www.bcferries.com/promotions/50-percent-off-the-coast
http://www.bcferries.com/promotions/fall-promo-details.html

bcferries-ferries

767-westjet

This morning, WestJet announced the introduction of non-stop flights to Gatwick, London from 6 Canadian cities – Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and St. John’s beginning of May 2016.

The flights all operate as overnight flights leaving late afternoon or evening, which is ideal for those who are connecting to any of the six airports from other regions in Canada. It only costs an addition $20 for that connection. Not bad at all.

Toronto:
From $249
Daily flights

Vancouver:
From $299
Flights 6 times a week

Calgary:
From $299
Flights 5 times a week

Edmonton:
From $299
Flights twice a week

Winnipeg:
From $279
Flights once a week

St. John’s:
From $199
Daily flights

WestJet is able to offer these new long distance flights due to their recent acquisition of 4 new Boeing 767-300 aircrafts. These planes seat 262 guests and has a range of approx. 11 hours.

westjet-hotmeals-plus

You are obviously curious if there will be in-flight meals to go with the plane ride, the answer is yes and no depending on your choice of seats.

Their Plus cabin has 24 wider seats arranged 2-2-2 (no middle seats) with increased legroom and deeper recline. They also provide a welcome drink, hot towel service, and hot meals served with wine or beer. You will definitely need to pay a bit more or schmooze your way into an upgrade.

The main cabin has 238 seats, with a 2-3-2 configuration. There are complimentary light snacks and non-alcoholic drinks served. You have the option to purchase more substantial snacks and meals from their Buy-on-Board service.

Sucks, but you can easily grab something from the airport for the long journey or bring food in your carry on bags.

More details: westjet.com/londongatwick

harrison-hot-springs

Harrison Hot Springs is a great day trip from Vancouver, BC for families or couples. It is a 1.5 hour drive away from the city via Highway 1. There are spas, recreational activities, and restaurants to enjoy. The best part is really the view. A 10 minute drive away, you can even visit Sasquatch Provincial Park to see Hicks Lake.

harrison-sasquatch

There is a tiny village where you can check out stores and some other local restaurants. Or take awesome selfies with Sasquatch.

harrison-lake

Harrison Hot Spring Resort and Spa is located closer to the East side of the lake. The full-service resort really is surrounded by mountains and has a beautiful view of the lake. There are 340 guest rooms with varying views. Of course try to get a room that has a view of the lake.

Harrison_hot_Springs

If you are a guest of the resort, there is complimentary parking.

There’s lots of activities like their 3 outdoor, 2 indoor hot springs pools, golf, fishing, tennis, lake tours, boat rentals, kids programs, nature walks, and their Healing Springs Spa for added relaxation.

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Check-in begins at 4pm, but if you get there earlier, you room might be ready and you can also grab some complimentary tea service.

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Our room was in the West Tower on the executive floor with a lake view.

harrison-fruit-champaign

When we arrived in the room, awaiting us was a selection of Farmhouse cheeses, fruit and crackers for two as well as champagne. A great way to start the weekend with this surprise.

harrison-room

The room was clean and comfortable. The balcony is great to watch the sunrise or sunset. Just make sure to keep the screen doors on since there are bugs outside.

harrison-tv

There is wifi, a coffee maker, and flat screen tv in the room. You can tell from the interior that they have renovated a little bit but you can tell certain things are out dated. They don’t have a mini fridge.

harrison-bathroom

The washroom is pretty standard and has a slightly different look than the rest of the room. Definitely a more earthy feel. If you’re missing anything, you can call up the front desk and they will help you out.

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harrison-shower

Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa features five different hot-spring-fed mineral pools – 3 outdoor and 2 indoor pools. Each pool is kept at different temperatures.

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They have 4 on-site restaurants if you want to stay close to the resort. Each one is different from one another.

The-Copper-Room-inner

The Copper Room is like a throwback to the 80’s with a live band and dance floor. From Sunday to Monday,  Patsy B. And The Lefties play live and then from Tuesday through Saturday, The Jones Boys play. This restaurant isn’t for everyone, you will notice the age group is a little bit older. There is a minimum dress code, so make sure you don’t wear t-shirts, shorts or sneakers.

lake-side-cafe-inner

Lakeside Cafe is located on the second floor of the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa. Their breakfast buffet starts at 7am and goes on till 11am on the weekdays or 12pm on the weekends. Lakeside Cafe offers dinner too and it’s much more casual than the Copper Room.

lake-side-cafe-harrison

Overall, a nice mini getaway from Vancouver. It’s always nice to get away from the city and enjoy nature. It was a nice stay at the resort, but since I don’t particularly spend a lot of time swimming or being in pools, I didn’t get to fully embrace the whole experience. I’m afraid of water.

I enjoyed the car ride to and from Harrison Hot Springs as it’s just a nice drive down the Highway with lots of mountains and farms. Don’t forget to check out the Circle Farm Tour.

Website:
http://www.harrisonresort.com/

disneyland-parade

Before getting married, one of the items on my bucket list was to go to Disneyland. What better time to go than with your besties. We planned to be here for 2 days so we could go to both Disneyland and California Adventure Park. Since we were all adults, we knew we didn’t need any additional days since we could get through each park effectively in a day.

ride-california-adventure-disney

When budgeting, the top 3 items that would be most expensive were transportation, tickets, and accommodations. I didn’t want my friends to go broke celebrating my bachelorette. We agreed to try to save wherever we could without being too cheap.

Transportation | Airfare

Flight-Vancouver

Being from Vancouver, Canada, we needed to take flights down to California. I prefer direct flight, so I’ll do what it takes to get a good price for them. We could have drove to Bellingham and then taken a cheaper flight, but it’s a hassle.

I like to use Google Flights to track flights to see if the price drops. I’ve had some pretty good luck using it. I would track it a few months in advance of the trip for the flights I wanted. If I’m lucky, I can save 50%.

Transportation | Sign up for Uber and Lyft using Promo Codes

Uber

Getting from LAX to Disneyland is going to be an expensive taxi ride and other options would still be pricey or take too long to get to Anaheim.

We took an UberX using a $20 off the first ride coupon that we found online. There’s tons of them around, so make sure you find those codes. From LAX to the hotel, it was just under $40. With the coupon applied, it was $20 in total, which was then split among 4 of us. This is a quicker and cheaper option than taking the Disneyland shuttle.

Uber also has a referral program where you get $20 and your referee gets $20. We kept referring each other, so we could maximize the amount we spent. It’s very useful and we saved over $150.

Lyft also has free credits too, so make sure you utilize it.

Tickets | Free Admission Tickets

Disneyland-tickets

Finding cheap tickets as a tourist is a hassle. Only buy tickets from authorized sellers or else you will be SOL when you discover they are fake. There are some online discount sites like Official Ticket CenterUndercover Tourist, and ParkSavers, but you usually have to spend more to save a bit. Some people have said you can get discount tickets at AAA or Costco, but we had no interest in hunting at either of those 2 places down before doing to Disneyland. We were on a tight schedule.

Our group of friends found 2 alternatives to get free entrance to Disneyland, thus saving our group over $500 in admission tickets.

1. Find someone who works for Disney or sister companies

Disney and some of their sister companies give employees free entry for family and friends. Usually, the employee has to be present when bringing you in for free. Luckily, one of my friends knew someone who had a shift during the day we were going, so she brought 3 of us in.

2. Apply for Media Accreditation

Having a food blog definitely has it’s perks.

Qualifying media can request two Park Hopper tickets, good for one day at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Parks, once every 12 months. Just contact their public relations department to apply. You will need to provide them stats from your blog like unique monthly visitors, amount of Facebook./Twitter followers and other engagement metrics.

Accommodations | Indigo Hotel Anaheim

hotel-indigo-anaheim-3457887495-2x1

Indigo Hotels in Anaheim was our go-to location for a budget stay close to Disneyland. It is about a 15 minute walk or 6 minute drive to and from Disneyland. It’s an older hotel that recently got renovations done, so it is clean and modern. This came highly recommended from a coworker of mine. It’s a lot cheaper than staying in the Disneyland resort.

With 5 girls, we crammed ourselves in a 2 Queen-sized bed room. It’s supposed to only hold 4 people, but we made a bed with a chair and a bench. Seems weird, but it was still comfortable.

At $113.99 (USD) per night, it was a good price to split amongst 5 people. Check-in is at 3pm and check out is at 11am. It’s close to Anaheim Gardenwalk and a CVS. Easy access to booze since you won’t find alcohol in Disneyland.

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Dining | Snack, Snack, Snack

corn-dog-castle-outer

We didn’t end up spending a lot on food while we were inside Disneyland and California Adventure Park. Since we were so preoccupied with taking selfies, lining up for rides, and finding Disney characters that we mostly ate snacks or smaller meals.

You can’t leave without having a corn dog, turkey leg, Dole Whip and churros. All these items were well under $10.

We didn’t find that there were any other sit down restaurants that we wanted to dine at. We kept finding quick and simple meals at the parks. For our larger meals, we decided to eat closer to our hotel later in the evening. You can find the full list here.

Have Fun!

Tower-of-terror

We didn’t dress up all bachelorette-style for this portion of our trip (we saved it for LA), but we had so much fun for 2 days! It’s fun being a kid again. We saw other bachelorette parties here too.

The best time to go would be in the Winter or Fall. Just remember to avoid any major holidays. It’s not fun if the parks capacity is at it’s maximum. We went in early February and the lines were quick and not too crowded.

If you have any money saving tips, please share!

Photo via aria.com
Photo via aria.com

When we were in Vegas, we spent 5 days staying at Aria. We got a good package via Allegiant Air and we heard it was a nice family friendly hotel. It’s crazy big and has about 4,000 guest suites, 16 restaurants, 10 bars/nigh clubs and a big gambling space. As a guest, you have access to the pool space and facilities. Currently, they are hosting Zarkana by Cirque du Soleil.

It is located right near the middle of the strip and is super convenient to get around either by taxi or walking.

They have these huge statues out front. It probably has some symbolic meaning.

aria-lobby

You check in on the right side of the lobby. It takes a bit of time to check-in if there’s a long line.

Checking Out is much easier! You can check out by texting or emailing. Once done, you can just drop off your electronic keys in the boxes by the exit. It literally takes seconds to check out. I was really impressed how much they would make the process as painless as possible.

aria-hallway

Getting to the room was a maze because of the shape of the hotel. It twists and turns but just follow the signs and you will find your way.

aria-bed

Our room was a Deluxe Room with 2 queen-sized beds with an adjacent room connected by a door. Perfect for a family of 5.

The room was all controlled by a tablet beside the bed. It controls the TV, temperature, lights, blinds, etc.

aria-tv

It was a nice space, but do be aware, if you move anything from the mini fridge, you get charged $50. Pretty steep, but I think it’s because they don’t want you to use it to cool your other beverages if you have any.

aria-bathroom

The washroom is nice, but the frosted glass may be a bit scary for some. No one really wants to kind see you do your business. Just make sure you close the main door to the washroom.

aria-shower

The shower and the tub are in the same glassed area. You can take a bath and a shower at the same time.

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The Monte Carlo and New York New York and be seen from the lobby area. Taxi’s come quickly and isn’t a problem at all. But then again, taxi’s are everywhere on the strip.

aria-baggage

When you check out, you can leave your luggage at the hotel until it’s time to go. Our flight was in the afternoon, so we wanted to spend some time getting lunch and picking up a few souvenirs.

Overall, I enjoyed our stay and would definitely consider Aria again.

Website: http://www.aria.com/

grand-canyon-no-rail

When we were in Vegas for 5 days, it just seemed right to take a tour of the Grand Canyon for the day. I’ve never been, so we were really eager to go. The downside is that it would be too difficult to get there on our own, so we found Grand Canyon Tours.

For $79.99 per person, we would get:

  • Pick up from our hotel
  • Complimentary morning snack which checking-in for the tour at Miracle Mile Shops
  • Photo Opportunity at the Hoover Dam
  • All you can eat lunch buffet
  • National Park Rim and Village tour
  • Bright Angel Lodge

The tour begins at 6:30am and will return back to Vegas at around 9:30pm. It’s an all day trip as it is still quite far away.

grand-canyon-tour-bus

The bus is pretty standard. It’s clean and the best part is that it has Wifi. As I am constantly needing to be connected to the internet, it was definitely a plus. The seats are 2 by 2 and there’s a washroom in back back.

During the long drives, our driver – Frosty entertained us with great insight into the area, fun facts, and jokes. They will also play a few movies to keep you entertained.

grand-canyon-hoover-dam

The first stop was the Hoover Dam. We got about 20 minutes to look at it and take some pictures. It was beautiful and its amazing hearing how difficult it was to build.

grand-canyon-buffet-wait

Next stop was the lunch buffet at the Grand Depot Cafe in Williams and it was a madhouse with all the other tour buses there. At least 3 or 4 others. You wait to get seated and it didn’t take that long since they seems to have a system to seat everyone in an efficient manner.

The buffet is included in tour price, so if you are feeling nice, you can leave a tip for the servers.

grand-canyon-lunch-buffet-crowd

If you are part of the rush, you will see bodies everywhere. It took me a while to figure out how the lines worked.

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I grabbed from salad from the salad bar. It’s pretty average, it’s not fancy at all.

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The food really wasn’t impressive at all. Lots of Mexican food options.

Grand Depot Cafe on Urbanspoon

grand-canyon-tourist

Once you got off the bus and arrived at the Grand Canyon, you will see this. TONS and TONS of tourists like me. There are 2 areas like this and it gets quite annoying if you want to take amazing pictures from the edge. I would suggest avoiding this area and walk more to the left.

grand-canyon-railless

You will see an unrailed area. It does seem dangerous but just don’t get right near the edge and you will be fine.

grand-canyon-edge

The most I was wiling to do is just sit on some rocks. It really is a beautiful canyon. It amazed me by its vast size.

grand-canyon-crazy

It’s also great for people watching. You can really go to the extreme and get fabulous pictures, but for a person like me, I couldn’t do what these two were doing.

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After that section, they take you to Bright Angel Lodge for an alternative view of the canyon.

grand-canyon-sky

Whether you have a smartphone or an SLR, you’ll be able to amazing photos because thats just how amazing the canyon is.

Once we were done at the Grand Canyon, we begin the long trip back to Las Vegas. They make a pit stop at a Convenience store with a Subway if you get hungry. You have the option to be dropped off at the same hotel you were picked up or ask the bus driver to drop you off at another hotel. Instead of returning back to the Aria, we decided to get off at Treasure Island. You get back at 9:30pm, but because of the traffic on the strip and the order of which hotels they go to first, the timing may not be accurate.

Website: http://www.grandcanyontours.com/