Jetsettersblog

WestJet will start daily non-stop service between Chicago and Vancouver and between Chicago and Calgary May 14. It will also market the flights it codeshares with American Airlines from Chicago to Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Introductory fares start at $149 from Calgary and $169 from Vancouver.

Whistler Blackcomb’s Fire & Ice Show – every Sunday

This legendary family-friendly outdoor show is held every Sunday at the base of the mountains and is completely free. Dress warm, grab a cup of hot chocolate and prepare to be amazed by the live entertainment including big air, fire spinners, live DJ and fireworks display.

Roxy All-Star Snow Camp – February 11 – 12

These camps are the best way to improve your skills and hang heavy with a group of female snowboarders or skiers. From park to pipe to all mountain, from beginner to advanced, these two-day weekend camps accommodate all styles and levels of riding and feature Roxy All Star coaches and special guests.

Performance Series: Portland Taiko – February 11

Portland Taiko is a premier Pacific Northwest drum ensemble. “Taiko,” meaning drum and an art form, is deeply rooted in ancient Japanese tradition and combines rhythm, movement, energy and culture into a single art form. Portland Taiko’s aspiration is to create a taiko performance of the highest artistic quality with a strong and beautiful voice for all to enjoy. The show starts at 8 p.m. at Millennium Place and tickets can be purchased at Millennium Place.

The Yeti Snowshoe Series – February 18

The Yeti Snowshoe Series provides an exciting outdoor outlet for participants of all skill levels, from beginner through to advanced level athletes. Taking place at the Whistler Olympic Park, the Yeti offers a six kilometre sport lap and 12 kilometre enduro course over flat undulating cat-track, double track and single track

Sigge’s P’ayakentsut Cross Country Ski Event – February 25

The second annual P’ayakentsut returns with traditional loppet races of varying distances for adults and older teens, ski cross event for younger teens, and fun ski tournament for kids.

Winemaker Après Series: Osoyoos LaRose and Nk’Mip at Steeps Grill – February 29

Come and sample locally inspired menu paired with wines from the best that B.C. has to offer during the Winemaker Après Series at Steeps Grill atop Whistler Mountain.

The afternoon includes five course meal paired with five glasses of wine.

Alberta, Canada’s Premier Ski Destination
New winter packages available online at www.remembertobreathe.com

Banff National Park – Canada’s oldest and protected playground, nestled in the Rocky Mountains – is Alberta’s premier ski destination.

From the majestic mountains and glistening glaciers, Banff National Park will take your breath away. For an active ski adventure, new winter packages have been added to www.remembertobreathe.com  including family-friendly, adrenaline-pumping and romantic getaways from $77 per person.

Ski-lovers and powder-hounds aren’t the only ones planning a trip to Banff National Park this season; over the January 14th weekend, The 2012 Fairmont Banff Springs Celebrity Invitational saw big names like Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning actor Alec Baldwin, legendary actor Peter Fonda and singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins among others enjoying Alberta’s winter wonderland on the slopes.

Some winter packages available in Banff National Park include:

• Fairmont Banff Springs –

Luxury Ski the Canadian Rockies from $469 per couple per night – Stay at the luxurious Fairmont Banff Springs and enjoy a hearty complimentary buffet breakfast before you hit the slopes with your ticket for two allowing you the opportunity to ski at any one of three world-class ski areas: Banff’s Mount Norquay, Sunshine Village or Lake Louise Ski Area
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• Ski-in ski-out at Sunshine Mountain Lodge and get your 5th night free from $150 per person per night – Stay at the ski-in/ski-out Sunshine Mountain Lodge and when you buy four nights you get one night free.
Package includes all lift tickets and VIP parking.

• Lake Louise Winter Adventurer – from $199 per person per day – Discover Lake Louise with this ultimate winter experience.

Participate in a 1.5hr dogsledding adventure along the Continental Divide and enjoy the beauty of the lake itself. Later, borrow a pair of showshoes, go for a skate or shop inside the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise.

• Ski and soak for the weekend – from $426.88 per couple—Ski and save with this perfect ski package!

Offer includes two nights accommodation, Canadian Rockies continental breakfast daily, two passes to the Banff Upper Hot Springs and two one-day ski tickets to either Mount Norquay, Sunshine or Lake Louise Ski Area

• Family Friendly Getaway at Douglas Fir Resort – from $101 per person per day – Stay at the family-friendly Douglas Fir Resort and get your 4th night free and the 4th day of skiing free. Brand new waterslides and outdoor hot tub this winter!

For more information about travel to Alberta this winter and to book a package visit www.remembertobreathe.com

Porter Airlines is adding two more daily flights to New York, increasing daily roundtrip departures between Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport to as many as 13 flights, with a wider range of morning, afternoon and evening departures for passengers. The first new flight starts March 26, with a second flight beginning on April 16, and additional weekend options as of March 25.

Porter also launched a new nonstop service between Newark and Mt. Tremblant, Que., this winter, a popular skiing destination.

Ontario Tourism UK continues in their quest to promote outdoor adventure and the many opportunities to connect with nature in the Canadian province by partnering with premier outdoor clothing brand, Berghaus.

Ontario Tourism and the leading outdoor brand have joined forces to execute a nationwide, multi-channel marketing campaign, which will commence in February 2012, and will consist of in-store promotions, advertorials in a selection of special interest magazines, social media, and online marketing.

The campaign will see a giant image of breathtaking Terrace Bay, in Thunder Bay, Northern Ontario, featured in Berghaus’ four flagship store windows across the UK in February. A competition to win a 13-night outdoor adventure trip of a lifetime and £1000 worth of Berghaus kit will be promoted in-store, online and in publications such as Lonely Planet, Wanderlust, Adventure Travel Magazine and National Geographic Traveller.

Lyndsey Thomas, Sales & Marketing Manager for Ontario Tourism UK said “We are delighted to be able to secure this partnership opportunity with Berghaus. They are the ultimate leading outdoor clothing brand and this campaign will further strengthen Ontario’s position as a premier destination for those looking to experience the great Canadian outdoors.

Angela Turley, Marketing Manager for Berghaus said: “The destination is a great fit for us; so it makes sense to partner with Ontario; hopefully the great prize we have put together will attract more customers to our stores”.

Ontario Tourism will also be exhibiting at the Adventure Travel Show on 28th and 29th January at Olympia in London where visitors will have the opportunity to enter the competition.

The story of the part Newfoundland played in the saving of 700 souls from the Titanic disaster is the focal point of a new tour of the province with Frontier Canada.

Visiting the birthplace of long distance wireless communications, viewing Titantic artifacts and learning more of the rescue are just part of the tour; You can also experience a simulated version of the events and potentially also take to the sea to view an iceberg up close.

Participants will also join the Centennial Remembrance Program 100 years to the day at Cape Race, on the night of 14th April 2012.

This five night tour, which includes a number of activities, talks and visits along with accommodation and several meals takes place from the 11th – 16th April 2012 and costs £1,815 per person plus flights. For more details visit www.frontier-canada.co.uk  or contact 020 8776 8709.

No one knows a country better than a local. Travellers to Canada can now access real local knowledge and tips via social media with the new Explore Canada Like a Local online travel tool.

Social media has given everyone a voice for honest, tell-it-like-it-is recommendations on bars, restaurants, shopping, events and more. The Canadian Tourism Commission gives travellers direct access to real traveller voices by combining information from local users of Foursquare, Yelp and Gowalla.

The result is a one-stop-shop website where travellers can create their own online itineraries based on recommendations from Canadians and Canada devotees and then carry them on their smart phones for instant access.

Itineraries can be developed on the Explore Canada Like a Local website by themes based on interests or by destination. Users can also access other travel itineraries and lists developed by fellow travellers.

Whether you’re looking for culinary hotspots of Montreal, ski resorts of British Columbia or shopping in Toronto, it is all there at the one site including real time reviews, comments, images and videos from other travellers who have ‘checked in’ at the destination.

No marketing hype, no brochure speak, just real traveler to traveler reviews.

First time users simply view a how-to video then Canada’s your oyster.

For more information on Explore Canada Like a Local visit www.explorecanadalikealocal.com 

Sea Kayak Adventures is offering four- or six-day, fully guided paddling trips through the wilds of British Columbia’s Johnstone Strait off northern Vancouver Island, where whale sightings are common. It is rare for people to view the whales in their natural environment, unfettered by motorized propulsion. Whaling nearly destroyed the Pacific Northwest population of humpbacks in the first half of the 20th century. In 1967, the last remaining 13 humpback whales of Vancouver Island were killed. For 15 years, humpbacks avoided the area until a lone wanderer drifted toward Johnstone Strait in 1982. This humpback became the forerunner of a slow recovery of a devastated population.

Humpback whales are active and acrobatic, but are particularly known for their “whale songs,” long and complex underwater vocalizations that can last for hours at a time.

Despite the tentative recovery of the species, the whales of Vancouver Island remained quiet for decades. Then, in 2007, researchers recorded the first true whale song that shattered 40 years of post-whaling silence and indicated a landmark for the population’s recovery.

While still threatened by foreign whaling practices, humpbacks have become frequent visitors in Johnstone Strait, with greater numbers every summer from June through September as they return from their winter grounds of Hawaii.

The Humpback Whale Kayak Odyssey will explore old growth forests, pristine waters, and experience the presence of the peaceful whales.

The non-invasive, sturdy sea kayak offers a unique, respectful glimpse into their underwater world. Watch the humpbacks breach or listen to their underwater serenade while eagles soar overhead, dolphins frolic, and seals delight, all in the stunning backdrop of the Vancouver Island wilderness.

This narrow sheltered “whale freeway” is also known for its summer congregations of hundreds of killer whales following the salmon runs funneled from the sea into this specific area.

Canada is the first and only country in the world to establish and maintain an orca preserve there. The Michael Biggs Robson Bight Orca Preserve is set aside specifically for these unique northern resident orcas, found nowhere else in the world. Researchers flock here to study these orcas.

Participants will paddle two-person sea kayaks through the glacier-carved waterways between Vancouver Island and the rugged mountains of mainland British Columbia.

Along the way, they’ll get close to humpback whales, orcas and porpoises, as the strait is a traditional gathering place for these whales. Guides scan the calm waters for spouts and point out whale behavior. Bald eagles dot the towering trees along the shore, feasting as do the orcas on the prolific salmon runs here.

The group will also explore the area’s rainforest on foot, visit the ancient First Nations village of Memquimlis to view its totem poles and remains of a traditional longhouse, visit orca researchers and hopefully glimpse a black bear from their kayaks. Each night, they’ll camp on secluded island beaches where they can also watch orcas from their tents.

Trips depart from Port McNeill on northern Vancouver Island, BC Canada weekly mid June through mid July 2012. Four or six days of paddling are priced at $1,195 to $1,450 per person. The price includes all camping and kayaking equipment, meals, kayaking instruction and guide services. Youth get 10 percent off. Tax and airfare not included. For more information, call 800-616-1943.

Air Canada said that it would launch triple-daily, nonstop flights between Toronto Pearson and New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport beginning May 3. It will also schedule hourly flights to LaGuardia Airport. On May 1, Air Canada will add an additional daily roundtrip flight between Toronto and LaGuardia, providing customers with convenient hourly service each business day.

The new Toronto-JFK service will be operated by Air Canada Express using a 50-seat CRJ regional jet. The JFK flights will have early morning, afternoon and evening arrivals and departures. With the new services, Air Canada will operate a total of up to 38 roundtrip flights a day to the New York metropolitan area from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary and Vancouver.

Award-winning Rocky Mountaineer invites travellers to spend a little more time exploring Western Canada with its Stay and Play offer. Guests who book a Rocky Mountaineer rail vacation of six nights or more from January 15 until April 15, 2012, can extend their stay in Vancouver, BC with a free additional hotel night and a complimentary day trip adventure on the West Coast or a dinner for two in the Canadian Rockies. Choose from a delicious dinner in Banff, Jasper or Lake Louise, AB or explore Vancouver on a city tour. GoldLeaf guests can also choose a Victoria Day trip with the Butchart Gardens tour, Whale Watching tour or North Shore Tour in Vancouver.

“We are thrilled to give our guests the opportunity to discover more of Western Canada and stay longer in the beautiful coastal city of Vancouver, BC,” says Hubert Wat, Vice President, Global Marketing of Rocky Mountaineer.

“Whether it is a day trip excursion on the West Coast or a memorable dinner for two in the Rockies, our Stay and Play offer adds an authentic Canadian experience to our exciting rail journeys through British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies.”

A popular package option is the Canadian Rockies Highlights, a six night/seven day vacation, which includes a two day, all daylight rail journey onboard the Rocky Mountaineer, between Vancouver and Banff.

Guests enjoy delicious gourmet cuisine and panoramic views in GoldLeaf and the new SilverLeaf Service while travelling in comfort and style through the stunning scenery of British Columbia and the spectacular Canadian Rockies.

The package includes two nights of accommodations in Vancouver and two nights at iconic Canadian Rockies properties in Banff and Lake Louise.

Several day trip adventures are included such as a Glacier Helicopter tour in Banff National Park, Summit Helicopter Flightseeing tour as well as a Columbia Icefield Excursion.

The trip ends with an overnight stay in Calgary, Alberta. This exciting journey can also be done in reverse, travelling from Calgary to Vancouver.

The Stay and Play offer is only valid on new 2012 bookings for trips of six nights or more, made between January 15 and April 15, 2012 and must be requested at the time of booking. RedLeaf and SilverLeaf Service offer will be limited to a one night stay in Vancouver and either a Vancouver City Tour or a dinner for two in Banff, Jasper of Lake Louise. Offers are based on availability and may be modified, withdrawn or travel dates may be substituted without prior notice. Further restrictions may apply.

For more information on the Stay and Play offer or to receive a copy of the 2012 Rocky Mountaineer brochure, please contact your local travel professional or Rocky Mountaineer directly at (800) 665-7245, or visit rockymountaineer.com. For the latest news and offers, follow us on Twitter @rmountaineer  or become a fan on Facebook.

For more information about Rocky Mountaineer, please visit www.rockymountaineer.com