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My Top 5 Places to Scuba Dive, Heron Island, Australia

Looking forward to seeing an ockie (octopus) in the bommie (coral head)? Then Heron Island, on the Great Barrier’s southern reef, is the place for you, mate. You might also dive with giant sea turtles that come ashore to lay their eggs between late October and March, or with humpback whales that skirt the island from June through October. Heron Island Resort, the island’s lone accommodation, has room for 250 nature lovers. The Point Suites offer unobstructed views of the harbor and bay. Part resort, part wildlife sanctuary, the island is large enough for couples to follow their own trail to a nesting spot among the white herons.  

 

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Time to Play in the Warmth

As we reach May, it’s time to get out of ski mode and talk about road and mountain biking, hiking, canoeing, sea kakaking, white-water rafting, rock climbing, beaches, swimming holes, road trips, you name it. Email me at goplay@activetravels.com if you have specific questions on an activity or region. In the upcoming months, we’re also going to reconfigure the Go Play section of the blog, changing it from a Q&A type of format to a reference using my 20 years of content. Click on a certain section and you’ll get a wealth of information from all my articles and books on the best outdoor recreation in that area. Thanks again for checking in!

Steve Jermanok

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Allegiant and Frontier Airlines Start Flying From Providence

Providence’s T.F. Green Airport is quickly becoming a hub for low-cost carriers. On the heels of Norwegian Air’s new routes this past summer from Providence direct to Dublin, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cork and Shannon, both Allegiant and Frontier Airlines announced that they are starting new routes from T. F. Green this autumn. Allegiant is flying direct to Punta Gorda in southwest Florida (a 35-minute drive north of Fort Myers for you Red Sox spring training fans), St. Petersburg, and Cincinnati. Colorado ski lovers will want to know that Frontier now flies direct to Denver as well as Orlando. So the next time you think of booking a flight out of Boston’s Logan Airport, be sure to add Providence’s T.F. Green (PVD) to the mix. 

 
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Top 5 Paddling Spots in America, Adirondack State Park, New York

The weather in Boston has been sunny and warm this past, which, believe me, is a rarity in spring. It’s a great time to grab a canoe and paddle one of the rivers or lakes before the mosquitoes start to swarm. This week I’m going to discuss my top 5 places to paddle in America. First up, the Adirondacks in upstate New York.

The countless rivers, lakes, and ponds in the Adirondacks are connected by short trails, resulting in a seemingly endless combination of canoeing options. One of the finest is a 4-day figure eight loop in the St. Regis Canoe Area that includes eight ponds and the Upper and Middle Saranac Lakes. Creeks, inundated with beaver dams and lily pads, connect the placid waters of the ponds. Mountains hovering over 2500 feet surround the lakes. St. Regis Canoe Outfitters will help plan an itinerary and provide all the necessary amenities for a canoe trip including canoe, paddles, maps, tents, backpacks, and sleeping bags. 
 

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Roots on the Rails Finally Heads East

Vermont might be gearing up for the fall foliage crowds, but the real party starts on Saturday, November 7th. That’s when Roots on the Rails, known for its train rides out West that feature live music performances, is staging its first Vermont trip. The round-trip train ride, which is four-hours each way, will climb over the Green Mountains, past covered bridges, villages, farms and gorges while guests listen to folk and indie rock artists perform 45-minute sets. The line-up includes Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Syd Straw, Winterpills, and the Meadow Brothers. The rest of the weekend package includes performances and receptions off the train at locations in Bellows Falls and Saxtons River, with lodging at the Saxtons River Inn. Packages for the weekend run from $429 to $889 per person and space is limited to 60 patrons.

 
 
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A Moronic Move in Maine

In 1995, I was hired to write a book called Outside Magazine’s Adventure Guide to New England. My task was to partake in as many outdoor adventures as possible both summer and winter and write about that experience. Seemed pretty simple for the five southernmost states in New England. Then there was Maine. Just the thought of traversing close to 3500 miles of coastline had me second-guessing my decision. An even more absurd task was trying to find the hidden gems in Maine’s vast interior. I needed help, so I contacted Nancy Marshall Communications, the public relations firm that was hired by the State of Maine’s Office of Tourism to work with media.
 
Much to my delight, I would quickly learn that few people know Maine better than Nancy Marshall and none are as impassioned about its travel opportunities. Nancy divulged everything, from the French chef working the stoves at Chesuncook Lake House to a Registered Maine Guide who would bring guests at the Rangeley Inn on a 5 am paddle to view moose to the small B&B in Georgetown that specialized in sea kayaking.
 
Since that fateful day, I would work with Nancy and her amazing team of Charlene Williams and Kevin Gove on more than 100 stories on Maine for The Boston Globe, Yankee Magazine, Outside Magazine, Sierra and many other publications. Just this past year, I would snowmobile and see the Northern Lights in Aroostook County, sail Linekin Bay, and visit the Cushing house that inspired Andrew Wyeth’s famous “Christina’s World.” All of those story ideas came from the people at Nancy Marshall Communications.
 
Now I have learned that after 20 years on the job, as of last week, the Maine Office of Tourism will replace Nancy Marshall Communications with a PR firm from New York. Oh sure, there will continue to be travel stories about Portland, Freeport, Camden, and Bar Harbor, locales New Yorkers know best. For those of you who work in the travel industry in the rest of the state, the Maine government just threw you off the Penobscot Narrows Bridge.
 

Traveling the World While Staying Put in Toronto

Guest Post and Photo by Amy Perry Basseches

I traveled all over the world and through time this month without ever leaving Toronto. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is an annual public event in September where nearly 300 top-flight movies are shown during a 10-day period. TIFF is one of the world’s most well-attended film festivals (almost 500,000 people), and it is also among the most prestigious, moving newer filmmakers onto the big stage. Many directors, screenwriters, and actors/actresses speak to audiences immediately after their films are shown, which is an added treat. I saw 17 films this year, a huge increase from the two last year, once I understood what all the fuss was about. 

Toronto itself is an amazing city, an easy journey from both eastern and midwestern US, and full of fascinating indoor and outside activities: over 180 languages and dialects are spoken here; half of Toronto’s population was born outside of Canada; it is now the 4th largest city in North America (behind only Mexico City, NYC and LA); and the varied neighborhoods, shores of Lake Ontario, and wooded ravines of the city beckon. Walking and biking are very popular, as are a tremendous choice of cultural experiences.
 
But, back to TIFF: this month, I’ve been to India, Kenya, England, France, Sweden, Colombia, and across the US (by, for example, old-style RV, horse and wagon, classic convertible, bed of a pickup truck, and decidedly unglamorous team bus). I’ve immersed myself in wonderful stories (many of them based on fact). To me, this is similar to real travel in a small way — learning about and absorbing different ways of life, imagining different time periods, hearing different stories, and seeing different vistas (literal and metaphorical).
 
Consider a trip to Toronto anytime, and ActiveTravels can help you with a wonderful itinerary. Or plan ahead: TIFF 2018 will be held September 6-16, 2018. If you determine what movies you want to see (the list is published each August), ActiveTravels can get your desired tickets during the exclusive “pre-sale” period, held the week before the Festival. 
 
Photo: The Cast and Crew of I, Tonya, My Favorite Film of This Year’s TIFF
 
 

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