How did I not know this incredible fairy-tale like place existed a mere half-day drive from my home? Sparkling Hill Resort and Spa is perched high on a hill overlooking the Okanagan Valley just outside of Vernon, British Columbia. Driving up the winding hills past Predator Ridge Golf Course, I
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If you are looking for a slice of paradise on your next family vacation, you’ll find it at the Fairmont Kea Lani Maui Resort. I’ve stayed at several Fairmont properties so I may have biased to begin with because I’ve never met one I haven’t loved. That meant that the
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Growing up with brothers, I never really understood the concept of sisterhood. It seemed to me that my friends with sisters were always fighting, competing and annoying each other, so I never felt that I was missing out on anything. And then I had children. The women I needed after
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Sparkling Hill Resort in Vernon, B.C. has launched an exciting new giveaway that guests won’t see coming – literally. From August 15 until September 14, every 100th guest checking out will receive their entire stay for free. That fabulous dinner at the PeakFine restaurant? On the house. The purely blissful
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Decisions, decisions. My four-year old daughter was bent over a tray of sparkly rings, trying to choose the prettiest one. We stopped at the Grand Jewels of Wailea, located in our hotel, simply out of curiosity. The shop carries some of the most unique and famous pieces of jewellery worn
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Everyone pads softly in matching brown slippers, identical white robes cinched tightly at the waist, voices rarely raised above a hushed whisper and on each person, the same serene smile. It is the smile of people who have abandoned their faculty for critical thought to the mindless calm of serenity.
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Before having children, tropical holidays consisted of reading through stacks of books between ocean dips and beachside naps. The sweet bliss of doing nothing and the indulgence of beachy boredom could often make up for the less-than-perfect accommodations that fit our young budgets. These days, any attempt to relive the old
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Kananaskis Country, or K-Country as we [sort-of] locals like to call it, is a stunning swath of provincial parks and wilderness areas in the foothills and front ranges of the Canadian Rockies, roughly between Calgary and Banff. To call this area a national treasure might just be understating the case.
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When it comes to winter getaways, Western Canadians are spoiled for choice, particularly when it comes to Arizona. Easy to get to, with a myriad of daily flights from most major Canadian cities, Phoenix is a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts and families looking to reconnect with nature and each other.
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Sitting on the sunny patio at Gray Monk Estate winery, I reflected that between the apples, the wine, the liquors and the spa, I was going to have a tough time convincing myself to go home from our team building retreat in Vernon BC. Enjoying everything the region has to
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