34 DISCOVER TORONTO, MONTREAL AND VANCOUVER July/August 2022 Travel News


Continued from page 33... Osheaga (July 29 to 31, 2022) A yearly must-do on North America’s music festival


circuits, Osheaga brings the top trend-setters to Parc Jean-Drapeau for three days of multi-stage performances of a lifetime. This year’s lineup includes headliners Montréal’s own Arcade Fire plus Dua Lipa and A$AP Rocky, alongside fan favourites Mitski, Caribou, Wet Leg, Charli XCX, Pierre Kwenders and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.


The Montréal Highland Games (July 31, 2022) The Montréal Highland Games return to the


Douglas Hospital grounds in Verdun on Sunday, July 31, after a two-year hiatus. This family-friendly festival invites Montrealers of all backgrounds to celebrate Scottish sport, music and culture, with everything from Celtic music and pipe and drum bands to Highland dancing, medieval combat and classic Scottish athletics. Montreal International Portugal Festival (June 17 to 19, 2022.


Dive into Portuguese language, culture and enjoy


some of the most famous Portuguese gastronomic specialties. Bring the kids and meet their popular mascot, the Portuguese Rooster.


L’International des Feux Loto-Québec (June 25 to August 6, 2022)


After a two-year hiatus, the International des Feux Loto-Québec, Montréal’s beloved fireworks festival, will be back from June 25 to August 6 to light up the city’s skies. One of summer’s most-anticipated events, the festival will be presented at Lac des Dauphins at La Ronde on Wednesday and Saturday evenings. This year’s program will include the participation of six world-class pyrotechnic companies who will compete to win the hearts of spectators and the Gold Jupiter trophy, the most prestigious award in the industry.


Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (June 30 to July 9, 2022)


For 42 years, the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal has expanded the definition of jazz,


Montreal October 1 2021 - Majid Jordan performs during second day of the Osheaga Music and Arts Festival © Susan Moss


spotlighting acts as varied as Anderson .Paak and the Free Nationals, Bob Dylan, Tanya Tagaq and Diana Ross. 2022 offers unmissable opportunities to experience the likes of Jean-Michel Blais, Woodkid, Bebel Gilberto, Gregory Porter, Jesse Cook, Ôlafur Arnalds, Pat Metheny, Alicia Moffet and George Thorogood & the Destroyers. Nick Cave lovers also won’t want to miss a rare showing of Stranger than Kindness: The Nick Cave Exhibition at the Maison du Festival. Now that’s what we call range. Check out the full schedule of performers and reserve tickets at the festival’s website.


VANCOUVER’S HIGH-VALUE EXPERIENCES


Vancouver’s sparkling ocean, lush rainforest and dramatic mountainscapes are a luxury in themselves. But sometimes, we just want to cruise on a yacht. Among the city’s most indulgent activities and accommodations are helicopter journeys to alpine glaciers,secluded mountain lakes and pristine vineyards; rockstar-worthy suites to keep you entertained around-the-clock; and new eateries that will make your tastebuds swoon. Whatever your definition of luxury, you’ll find it in Vancouver. Wine and fly Take your adventuring to new heights with BC Adventure Company’s Backcountry Helicopter and Fraser Valley Wine and Culinary Adventure. After boarding your private helicopter, you’ll soar over snowcapped peaks, backcountry waterfalls and shimmering lakes, before landing in a remote locale. Upon landing, snap photos of the panoramic vistas, or enjoy a glass of champagne beside a glacier-fed river. But you’re just getting started: next, hop into a luxury vehicle for a leisurely drive through the Fraser Valley’s agricultural paradise, where two incredible wineries await. Here, you’ll settle under the sun for an alfresco wine and culinary experience, whose farm- fresh ingredients shine a spotlight on the region’s flavourful bounty.Alpine adventure Hanging glaciers, knife-edge peaks, crystal alpine lakesare a few of many sights you’ll see onHarbour Air’s Alpine Lakes and Glaciersaerial adventure.The year-round tour lifts off from the downtown harbour and glides over the skyline into the mountains, touching down to skim the waters of a hidden alpine lake. If you desire (and trust us, you do), you can add a gourmet picnic, which you’ll enjoy at a lakeside beach before lifting back into the clouds. The suite life While Vancouver is filled with adventures, some


of the most luxurious take place high in the sky. On your next trip, treat yourself to a night (a week?) at one of the city’s most dazzling suites. With rainforest showers, private plunge pools and meditation ponds, we’ll understand if you never leave your room. Live the celebrity life –even for a night –with a stay


in Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Chairman’s Suite. Aptly nicknamed the “Rock Star Suite”, the 2,650-square- foot space is sprawled over two storeys –accessible by private elevator –and canopied by a Swarovski crystal chandelier. Two living rooms offer plenty of space for hosting, complete with kitchen and butler’s pantry, while the master bedroom connects to a marble bathroom with hand-carved soaker tub. The second level leads to a private rooftop patio overlooking the downtown harbour, which you can view from your


gazebo.There’s also a meditation pond and fire pit for moments of reflection. Movie stars have stayed in the Shangri-La Hotel’s


Orchid Suite–why shouldn’t you? The 1,395-square- foot mansion-in-the-sky has floor-to-ceiling-windows, a discreet service entrance to the kitchen, and steam showers and TVs in the bathrooms (because why shouldnature’s call take you away from The Weather Network?). Forget the huge soaker tub, rainforest shower or soft- as-a-cloud king bed.The real draw of the Rosewood Hotel Georgia’s 1,492-square-foot Georgia Suitelies outside its doors, where aprivate garden terrace and plunge poolwill quickly become your favourite place to sunbathe and swim. Inthe evening, cozy up beside the outdoor fireplace and dream about tomorrow’s suite adventures. The DOUGLAS, an Autograph Collection Hotel


–part of Parq, downtown Vancouver’s sprawling entertainment complex –is home to several suites fit for royalty,andThe Denis the most decadent of them all. Made for socializing, the 2,200-square-foot penthouse is warmed by a halo light fixture, while a wet bar, pool table and oversized round couch invite lingering conversation. Climb the floating staircase to the second level –whose two bedrooms overlook the city’s glass towers –and relax into your Japanese soaking tub. This bliss is worth every penny.Will travel for foodYour tastebuds will need a separate passport when travelling to Vancouver, where feasting is its own sport. Tried-and- true restaurants like Botanistand St. Lawrenceelevate the Pacific Northwest’s bounty with delicious flavour combinations and beautiful platings –complete with terroir-driven wine programs and showstopping cocktails –but there’s always a new eatery staking claims to the Culinary Throne. Here are the newest restaurants to tickle our palates:


AcquafarinaI Seat yourself under the sky-high ceilings and prepare


to loosen your waistband as you work through aseven- course tasting menu that incorporates flavours from Sicily. Leave your cell phone at home: the restaurant has a no-phones-at-the-table policy. Luigi & SonsI Steak lovers, this one’s for you: a new butchery and provisions spot opening in Yaletown in 2021. The space is owned by the same culinary minds behind acclaimed steakhouse Elisa, whose tartare/ charcuterie bar, wood-fired cuts and extensive whisky collection lure hedonists from all corners of the city.


Right: Fairmont Pacific Rim swimming pool © Destination Vancouver/ Fairmont Pacific Rim


Left: Sky helicopters aerial view flying over downtown Vancouver © Destination Vancouver/Sky Helicopters


Right: Bugaboo Provincial Park, couple, hikers © Destination BC/ Albert Normandin


SaolaI The exquisite flavours, traditions and techniques


of Southeast Asia play a starring role in this new destination restaurant, owned by four friends (two chefs and two actors). Centred around storytelling (one of the actors is also a writer), the eatery –openingin summer 2021 –will lead guests through an interpretation of modern Asian cuisine inspired by the group’s travels. Sip and soar Sure, you can swill craft beer at a brewery, but why


not break with routine? SKY Helicopter’s West Coast Craft Beer Flight tourtakes beer to new heights, leading guests on a picturesque flight through the Coast Mountains before landing in the forested backcountry. Deep in the woods, you’ll sample local craft beers before catching your ‘copter back to the city. Oenophiles can try the newly launched Ultimate Fraser Valley Estate Winery Experience, a seasonal affair (July to October) involving a helicopter journey over the Cascade Mountains, Gulf Islands and Strait of George to a private wine tasting and vineyard tour at Glass House Estate Winery. Afterward, settle in for a private picnic complete with charcuterie and share plates, plus a bottle of wine for good measure.


Roll into the Rockies Journey through the vast Canadian Rockies on


Rocky Mountaineer’s 10-day Canadian Rockies Circle package.You’ll start with an overnight in Vancouver, before boarding the luxury train and travelling further into BC, then crossing the border into Alberta. During the day, you’ll see mountain peaks, winding river canyons, vast forests and glaciers from 1the glass- domed coaches and outdoor viewing area; at night, a sumptuous bed in a luxury hotel awaits (no sleeper cars here!). Yes, we said yacht Sure, you can kayak and stand-up paddleboard in Vancouver’s scenic waters, but sometimes, you just need a yacht. Pacific Yacht Charterstreats guests to a magical cruise along the city’s waterways and harbours, where playful seals, floatplanes and zodiacs jostle elbows with big ships and the occasional whale in a dance best seen from the middle of the action. Onboard, you’ll sip champagne or a cold beer, dine on Pacific Northwest food, and wave to landlubbers while inhaling the salty sea breeze. The yacht can be chartered for private parties, weddings, corporate gatherings and other special occasions (tip: every day is a special occasion). Information provided by Destination Vancouver, Destination BC and Tourism Montreal


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