Jane O'Shea articles

If the tour listing clearly said hotel pickup was included, that promise matters. Tour marketplaces regularly distinguish between hotel pickup and meeting at a central departure point, which shows that transportation can be a specific feature of the product rather than a meaningless detail. The first question is therefore whether pickup was actually included in your confirmed booking.

Discover what Canadians notice first in American beach towns, from boardwalk culture and beach rules to parking, dogs, alcohol restrictions, warning flags, fishing piers, and surprising local traditions across America.

A cruise can still operate almost exactly as scheduled while skipping the one destination that convinced you to book it. That can make an onboard credit feel surprisingly small compared with the disappointment. Unfortunately, a missed port does not automatically give passengers the same refund rights that apply when an entire cruise is canceled.

Travel photos can capture color and scenery, but they often struggle with scale, depth, weather, sound, and the feeling of actually standing somewhere. This list focuses on destinations that travel publications have singled out as underrated, lesser-known, or unusually scenic, rather than claiming there is a scientific ranking of places that outperform their photographs. From glacier-cut mountains to surreal deserts and quiet Mexican beaches, these are the kinds of places where arriving can change your impression completely.

Canada certainly has no shortage of spectacular highways, but some American drives package scenery, history, and roadside culture in combinations that are hard to duplicate. In the United States, a single road trip can hug California cliffs, cross Florida's tropical islands, follow the Mississippi River, or climb above the tree line in Colorado. The “jealous” part is playful, but these routes really do offer experiences distinctive enough to justify crossing the border with a set of car keys.

An American arriving at a Canadian national park will recognize the trailheads, campgrounds, visitor centres, and scenic roads, but some differences become obvious almost immediately. Parks Canada currently administers 37 national parks and 11 national park reserves, protecting roughly 343,377 square kilometres of land. The system stretches through every province and territory and places ecological integrity at the centre of park management.

One of the first adjustments for an American driver is seeing speed limits in kilometres per hour instead of miles per hour. A sign reading 80 or 100 can look startling until you remember that the numbers use a different measurement system. Canadian authorities confirm that speed limits across the country are posted in kilometres per hour.