Discovering Hidden Gems

In celebration of Canada's 150th birthday, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG®) is launching a fun contest to find the top 150 hidden travel gems in our country. IHG® sponsored this hotel stay and my participation in this campaign. All opinions and thoughts expressed our my own. 

Staying at Sheraton on the Falls for the Holidays

During our visit to the Fallsview Waterpark, we enjoyed our stay at the Sheraton on the Falls in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This modern 4-diamond hotel within the Falls Avenue Resort gives the best view of both the American and Horseshoe falls that we have ever seen from a hotel at Niagara Falls!

Take a trip to Fallsview Indoor Waterpark this holiday season

Fallsview Indoor Waterpark located on the Falls Avenue Entertainment Complex features three acres of indoor water fun! It is a fun place for everyone in the family to visit anytime of the year. We loved every moment, as we enjoyed the different aqua activities. The waterpark features 16 waterslides, a 1000 gallon tipping bucket, jungle beach play area, year-round outdoor pool and sundeck, two oversized adults only Jacuzzis, a tiny tots splash area, and a full size wave pool.

Taking a break from our routine by Staying at Holiday Inn Express

This is a sponsored post in partnership with IHG. 

We took off from our everyday routine we've been on since school started, by staying at Holiday Inn Express at St. Jacobs in Waterloo. Autumn is a wonderful time in Canada to travel and see the beautiful scenic changes as the leaves showcase a variety of fall colours.

Staying at DoubleTree Fallsview Resort and Spa by Hilton to Explore Niagara Falls

Picture posted with permission from DoubleTree

When we plan to stay over at Niagara Falls, we choose DoubleTree Fallsview Resort and Spa by Hilton Niagara Falls because it is conveniently located close to all the attractions we like to check out when visiting the falls. We also choose to stay here because of the Hilton HHonors program.

Experiencing Wilderness Aboard Agawa Canyon Tour Train

We went on a fun one day wilderness rail excursion from 8 am to around 6:30 pm aboard the Agawa Canyon Tour Train. This unique scenic ride carries us 114 miles or 183 km north of Sault Ste. Marie and is open from June to mid October.

Visiting the City of Saint John, New Brunswick

Going from a stay at a small town like Saint Andrews to the city of Saint John is a different experience, and a wonderful way to explore the Fundy coastline. We loved our stay at Hilton Saint John located by the wharf. We enjoyed the excitement of the city during the day and night. 

Carefree Camping at the KOA Deluxe Cabin

We loved our two-night weekend stay at the Toronto West KOA in Campbellville, Ontario. There are more than 485 Kampgrounds of America (KOA) locations in the U.S.A. and Canada since founder Dave Drum constructed a campground on the banks of Yellowstone River in Billings, Montana in 1962. The campgrounds are conveniently located close to the highways and byways so we can stay overnight and relax during road trips without detouring before proceeding with long journeys. 

Win Your Own HotelSpa® Ultra-Luxury 7-setting LED Hand Shower

We love this Hotel Spa Ultra-Luxury 7-setting LED Hand Shower. There are seven luxurious settings. We can use it either as an Overhead or Handheld shower. I like the lightweight, extra-large 4.25" chrome face of this hand shower. The 7 Settings include Power Rain, Pulsating Massage, Hydrating Mist, Mist/Massage, Rain/Mist and Water-saving Economy Rain and Pause modes. There is also a 3-zone Precision SpiralFlo Dial with Rub-clean Jets and Click-action Lever. 

Our Experience at the Espace Pour La Vie Montreal

During our stay in Montreal, we visited the Space for Life. We took the train from the hotel to this space, which was convenient than looking for parking and finding the location. I like that all the four attractions are close by, which makes it convenient to visit the attraction at the same time; especially because we went for a short visit. 

Exploring and Enjoying Downtown Montreal

This summer my family and I enjoyed exploring Montreal, Quebec. Our drive to Montreal was about 5 hours from Toronto with a few stopovers at ONroute locations. We stayed over at the largest hotel in the province of Quebec, Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal. The Canadian National Railway built this downtown hotel in the 1950s.

Inspiring DK Books for Mothers and a Middle Eastern Recipe To Enjoy Eggs

Middle Eastern Egg beid bi tom recipe follows

Mothers must be celebrated everyday! In celebration, DK is hosting a Mother’s Day Boutique with a collection of inspiring and intriguing books that are 30% off for a limited time. These books such as Mediterranean Cookbook, Dressmaking, Ultimate Food Journeys, and The World's Must-See Places are for mothers of all ages and interests.

Benefits of Being An Avioner This Holiday

During the holidays, shopping malls can get very hectic, crowded and busy. However, having an Avion RBC card changes the feeling of chaos and makes us feel like "royalty" instead. With the RBC Visa Avion card, we can get our car parked by valet, relax in the VIP lounge away from the crowd and enjoy shortbread cookies and warm beverages, while our gifts get wrapped for free.

Imagining and Discovering With The Imaginext Rescue City Center

I am sure all parents just like me enjoy watching their little ones imitate, imagine and play. It puts a smile on our face when our children are playing and we hear positive interactions such as helping or caring about others. When my children play, I hear them imagining to be superheroes and firefighters to save the day, or caring about other people as doctors, or being a person in the community like a cashier. 

Travelling via Emirates

This summer when we travelled to Sri Lanka we travelled by Emirates via Dubai. We travelled from Toronto to Dubai on the Airbus A380.  
Travelling via Emirates was fun because of the spacious seats. I like that we can put the seat hand resting part up and allow children to sleep flat. We enjoyed their ice entertainment that kept us busy during our long journey.

Fall Adventures With Disney Junior

I am very excited to announce about Disney Junior’s Princess and Heroes Contest. The grand prize for this contest will include round-trip flights to Toronto, two nights stay at a hotel, rink side seats, backstage character meet and greet for a family of four. The winning family will also get a $1000 for a Disney Store shopping spree.

Our Stay at Jetwing Beach Hotel by the Golden Sandy Beaches

During our summer vacation in Sri Lanka, we had the pleasure of staying at the Jetwing Beach hotel in Negombo, Sri Lanka. We had a memorable stay at this hotel by the golden sandy beaches of Negombo.

The Little Mermaid and Other Adventures at Disney Junior This September

Disney Junior is full of adventures this September, as they will have many new episodes of programs such as Justin Time, Doc McStuffins, and The Little Mermaid series. They will also be having an awesome contest for a family of four who are fans of The Little Mermaid.

Hilton HHonors Knows the Importance of a Well Travelled Teacher

I am glad to be part of the Hilton HHonors loyalty program for many years, as we can earn perks by staying at any of the ten Hilton Worldwide’s distinct hotel brands. This loyalty program as a part of Hilton Worldwide’s Travel with Purpose has put together a grant program, in partnership with the Institute of International Education (IIE). This program celebrates cultures and the power of travel that builds stronger communities.

Through this Teacher Treks Travel Grant Competition, 15 teachers will get to travel and experience first-hand the subjects they teach, enrich their curriculum, benefit the school, and inspire students to explore the world. Hilton HHonors has announced 30 finalists from 20 different states chosen by K-12 teachers and education experts after going through the applicants’ entries. We can vote for our favourite finalist until April 30^th and win 1 of 10 Hilton HHonors $250 Gift Cards.

Importance of healthy breakfasts for daily life and sports: Recipe for Fruit and Honey Oatmeal breakfast

My four year old son loves to play hockey and other sports, but I haven't yet put him into anything other than preschool programs so he can get a feel for different sports.  I wanted to share the story and tips from Linda Staal, an expert mom of four professional hockey players.  Many hockey families will find this information to be very helpful as they try to make tournament weekends to work smoothly for everyone.

Linda emphasizes that we make time for family meals so we can stay connected i.e. preparing oats in the slow cooker overnight so it is ready for breakfast.  Encouraging our children to have fun and feel good about their accomplishments without judging success by the scoreboard is important, and this is something that we as parents need to take to heart so we can keep our children motivated in everything they do.  Linda suggests that families should pack a hockey survival kit that have snacks like Quaker granola bars and fruits for everyone to snack.  Her children pack their favourite pillows and blankets for long car rides, which is something my family does as well so we feel comfortable.  I agree with Pearle Nerenberg, a sports dietitian's idea of packing a cooler and kettle along with oatmeal packages, dried fruits and nuts when we travel.  These make it convenient for us to make nutritious meals and save money when we are on the road by avoiding fast food and hotel food expenses.

Linda's children started playing hockey since they were four and she found that being organized was very useful so she can manage everyone's schedules.  Like Linda, I too believe that having a healthy sleep and a nutritious breakfast makes a good start for our day.  I think Quaker Oats is one of the healthiest meals we can have to kick start a functional day.  
Linda and her family is committed to being balanced and healthy that they have recently established the Staal Family Foundation to support families in need that want to provide recreational activities for their children.      

A little more about the 130 year old trusted Quaker brand that helps people get the best start to their day.  Quaker brand is focused on the power of whole grain oats to provide a nutritious energy that will help all of us have a productive day.  Quaker products are made with 100% Canadian oats and their major production location is in Peterborough, Ontario.  Quaker brand produces honest and pure products.  Over the years they have pursued unique milling methods that provide wholesome nourishments that are convenient.  Quaker supports ONEXONE and Breakfast for Learning and Food Banks Canada has they believe that every Canadian has the right to access a nutritious breakfast.  The 2010 Health Canada study shows that oat fibres helps us reduce cholesterol, risk factors for heart diseases and have other benefits such as lowering cholesterol.  For example 1/3 cup Quick Quaker Oats or Quaker large flake oats provide 40% of the daily amount of fibre we need.

Here is a healthy Fruit and Honey Oatmeal breakfast idea that serves four, from Quaker.

2 cups oats uncooked
3 1/2 cups water 
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 peach or other fresh fruit

Bring water, dried cranberries, honey and cinnamon to a boil.  Then reduce the heat to medium and add quick oats.  Cook the oats for 1 minute or until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.  Let stand until desired consistency then top with sliced peach or other fresh fruit and serve hot.

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