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Manitoulin Island
7/23/2010
Take a vacation in your own backyard and travel north to Manitoulin Island.
There, you’ll find a bustling seaport community, nestled in a picturesque bay side setting. Manitoulin Island has transformed from yesterday’s Voyageur trade route to become today’s popular cruising destination.
In fact, they say the journey is the destination and when you take the Chi-Cheemaun ferry to the Island, you’ll see why. The vessel is 365 feet long, weighs nearly 7,000 tons and is the largest ship of its kind on the Great Lakes.
In operation since 1974, the Chi-Cheemaun, whose name means ‘Big Canoe’, can carry 143 cars and 638 passengers between Tobermory and South Baymouth, making the 30-mile trip in less than two hours.
You’ll dock at the Bay Street Marina on the shores of Manitowaning, the first European settlement on Manitoulin Island. Established in 1836, a treaty declared the entire Island of Manitoulin as a Native Reserve. The town of Manitowaning (meaning "Den of the Great Spirit") was established as a joint experimental project by Anglican missionaries and the Canadian government. However the mission failed, and a revised treaty in 1855 opened the Island to non-Native settlement.
After docking, visitors should tour the Assiginack Museum Heritage Complex, where you can stroll through the newly renovated museum and take in their collection of items from early life.
The Assiginack Museum was opened in 1955 in the back area of a stone building that was originally built in the 1860's as the local jail. An addition was added to the Museum quarters in 1967 to help house a growing collection of artifacts, historic information and memorabilia.
The Assiginack Museum Heritage Complex has become well known for its excellent exhibits and educational programs that display local artifacts and provide notable historic information.
Exhibits feature a comprehensive array of glassware, porcelain and pottery and so much more! Visitors can also explore the Blacksmith's Shop, Schoolhouse, Pioneer Home and Driving Shed that have also been added to the complex.
Manitoulin Island offers a getaway like no other. Take time to stroll the downtown core, and enjoy the chance to shop and dine in a warm, friendly environment. Or, visit a historic working lighthouse, take in a show at Burn’s Wharf Theatre, or see the oldest Anglican Church in northern Ontario. And don't forget to climb to the top of the 19th century grist mill!
Julia Bryan handles communications and public relations for DeNure Tours in Lindsay.
| | | | | | Mackinac Island - A Step Back in Time
7/16/2010
Have you ever wanted to go back to the days of horse drawn carriages and the simple pleasures of a relaxing day filled with delectable food? Then visit Michigan’s Mackinac Island, pronounced (mack-in-awe).
Nestled in the heart of Michigan’s Straits of Mackinac, life on Mackinac Island is simple. You won't find malls, freeways, factories, or even cars. Instead, you’ll find charming streets lined with shops, benches under aged trees and you’ll listen to the enchanting clip-clop of horses filling the roadways.
Once you step off the ferry, you will be transported back in time. Motor vehicles are not permitted, and there is no better way to see the Island than by horse-drawn carriage. You can also rent bicycles and travel the pathways that follow the 8-mile circumference of the island.
Mackinac Island was made popular in the Victorian era following the American Civil War. Visitors from Chicago, Cleveland and Detroit would come by large ferry boats to enjoy summers on the lake. Today, its Victorian image is preserved and enhanced by a small population of 500 permanent residents and scores of summer residents that maintain cottages.
A true natural beauty, Mackinac Island’s State Park features natural limestone formations such as Arch Rock, a natural rock bridge above the eastern shoreline of Mackinac Island. Native American legend says it was created when a beautiful Indian maiden's tears washed away the limestone bluff as she waited in vain for her lover to return.
You can also visit the longest front porch in the world at the famous Grand Hotel, a landmark property that opened in 1887. Or, at the Original Mackinac Island Butterfly House you’ll find 800 square feet of tropical garden filled with hundreds of live butterflies from four continents. This conservatory was the first of its kind in Michigan, and is also the third oldest live butterfly exhibit in the United States.
The bustling village has a lot to offer with small boutiques, and shops that sell famous island fudge. In fact, since most visitors purchase this island specialty, residents endearingly call their tourists ‘fudgies’.
Whatever your interest, a visit to Mackinac Island allows you to relax and enjoy a forgotten era. Just a short drive from Canada, yet far away from the present day. This summer, take the opportunity to visit a place where time stands still.
Julia Bryan handles communications and public relations for DeNure Tours in Lindsay.
| | | | | | The Turks & Caicos Islands - Beautiful By Nature
7/9/2010
Like much of the Caribbean, the Turks & Caicos Islands host world-class hotels, sandy beaches and vibrant coral reefs. However, this chain of islands is also rich in history, and home to the only commercial conch farm in the entire world!
Turks and Caicos consists of 40 islands and cays, eight of which are inhabited. They are located 550 miles southeast of Miami, just below the Bahamas and just east of Cuba. And they are located in the Atlantic Ocean, not the Caribbean Sea.
Long before Christopher Columbus set foot on the capital island of Grand Turk in 1492, these islands were inhabited by Taino and Lucayan Indians. These original inhabitants left a rich heritage of seafaring, salt raking and farming, that is still in evidence today. Their history is also reflected in the name of the country. Turks is a reference to the indigenous Turk’s head cactus and Caicos is from the Lucayan term “caya hico” meaning string of islands.
Today, Turks & Caicos boasts the fastest growing economy in the Caribbean, and part of that success is attributed to strictly controlled development that protects the island’s heritage.
To learn more about this history, visit the The Turks & Caicos National Museum on Grand Turk. This is the country’s only National Museum, and it is located in one of the oldest stone buildings on the islands, Guinep House.
The Museum chronicles local history, and it is home to the only gallery dedicated to the history of the Lucayans. It features a 1000 year old Lucayan paddle which is the only Lucayan wooden artifact to be found where it was lost.
Here, you’ll also learn the legend of the Molasses Reef wreck, the oldest European shipwreck to be discovered in the Western Hemisphere, and at the new Space Gallery, you’ll find photos and personal recollections from John Glenn and Scott Carpenter's splashdown just off the shores.
On Grand Turk you can also explore the only conch farm in the world, where Caribbean Queen conchs are raised to adulthood. You can watch how the process is done, enjoy a conch show, and see conch pearls.
The Turks & Caicos Islands also have fabulous shopping, breath-taking views, legendary diving and snorkeling, and is home to the “Best Beach in the World.” And if that isn’t enough, the official language is English and the U.S. dollar is the currency of the Islands.
Julia Bryan handles communications and public relations for DeNure Tours in Lindsay.
| | | | | | Thousand Islands - More than Salad Dressing!
7/2/2010
The Thousand Island region has been delighting visitors on both sides of the border for centuries. And that is why the Canadian and U.S. governments work together to promote tourism to this scenically rich region.
The Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S border in the St. Lawrence River. The islands stretch for about 80 km downstream from Kingston, and they range in size from 100 square kilometres to smaller islands occupied by a single residence.
There are actually 1,864 islands that make up the 1000 Islands. And this exact count can be tracked since there are very precise qualifications. To be considered as part of the 1000 Islands, a land mass must meet two criteria: it must be above water 365 days a year and it must support two living trees.
The area was discovered by vacationers in the 1870s. During that time, many distinguished visitors made the region widely known as a summer resort.
Two of the most famous families were the Singers and the Boldts. The Singer family was known for manufacturing sewing machines and also for their summer home on Dark Island - now known as Singer Castle.
One of the other famous residents was George Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. In 1900, he launched an ambitious construction project to build a huge castle on Heart Island. It was to be one of the largest private homes in America, but the construction ceased abruptly in early 1904 after the death of Boldt's wife Louise.
It is also said that George Boldt popularized Thousand Island dressing. Apparently, a local resident gave him the recipe and he liked it so much that he instructed his staff to put it on the menu at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.
Today, the area is still popular among vacationers, campers, and boaters, and is often referred to as the "fresh water boating capital of the world." Visitors can explore the beauty of the region from boat cruises that weave among the islands.
This area boasts a variety of outdoor activities such as swimming, kayaking and cycling. Or, if live theatre is your passion, visit the 1000 Islands Playhouse on the waterfront of Gananoque — boaters can even dock there while they see a show!
The Thousand Islands are all unique, offering visitors a wonderful recreation experience spanning two nations.
Julia Bryan handles communications and public relations for DeNure Tours in Lindsay.
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