-- L. Liu, Toronto
A: There are many sources of information: Ontario Tourism has a user-friendly web tool at ontariotravel.net. Click on the sublink Driving Directions and start your road trip planning by following three easy steps. Specify your trip origin, submit your destination and a route request.
In addition, many areas of the province are classified as tourism regions for marketing purposes. For instance, the Hills of Headwaters (thehillsofheadwaters.com) includes six towns from Orangeville to Erin. Muskoka Tourism (discovermuskoka.ca) covers towns like Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and Port Carling, among other places.
Both of these regions offer road trip suggestions. Discover Muskoka has actually come up with a free downloadable MP3 file Titled Six Days and Seven Nights that you can access at discovermuskoka.ca. The Hills of Headwaters has a "Create your own tour" available at its website. This customizable link allows you to plug in places of interest, duration and whether you'd like meals and accommodation included in the search.
I plugged in the "Towns and Villages" experience, selected all the regions and put a seven-day stay with meals and accommodations and the results were huge.
Another tool I like is Rural Routes (ruralroutes.com). This online map divides Ontario into sections like Northern, Ottawa, Eastern, Central and more. So, let's say Central Ontario is your interest. A list of cities will appear. Simply click on the town and receive a description and a map.
I wanted to see Trent Hills. I got a map, a selection of vintage photos, website addresses to tourism offices, and driving directions from Toronto. I also like how RuralRoutes.com provides off-the-beaten path suggestions and lists nearby lakes.
Q: Is it safe to make online travel bookings?
-- D. Singh, Toronto
A: Millions of people successfully book travel this way but it pays to trust your source. The Travel Industry Council of Ontario has valuable tips on this topic at its website. For example, TICO advises travellers to deal with TICO-registered travel companies as these must adhere to Ontario's consumer protection laws.
Another tip is to look for the Ontario registration number on the website. Ontario travel retailers are required to display their address, phone number and Ontario registration number. If you can't find it, check the "About Us," "History" or "Our Company" sections on their website to learn more about them.
Internet addresses ending in ".ca" mean the company is Canadian. Trip cancellation insurance is another thing to look for. By law, Ontario travel agencies selling travel online must offer trip cancellation insurance and out-of-province health insurance at the time of the booking.
For more tips, contact TICO at 1-888-451-TICO (8426) or tico.ca.
I'm still one of those old fashioned types who likes face-to-face contact with a travel agent. Good ones know the ins and outs, and can offer tips and sound advice.
Q: I haven't flown for a few years now but will soon be taking an international flight. Can I take food on board in my carry-on?
-- J. Hogan, Hamilton
A: International flights luckily offer food services along with beverages. However if you wish to pack snacks, this is fine regardless of your flight being international or domestic. The Canadian Air Transport Security Authority (catsa-acsta.gc.ca) offers a list of food products suitable for taking on board at their website. For example, solid food products are permitted in carry-on and checked baggage. If you are planning to bring food from a foreign country into Canada, you should check with your air carrier or Canada Border Services Agency (cbsa-asfc.gc.ca) as some restrictions may apply. If you plan to bring food products from Canada into another country, you should also contact the appropriate foreign office or the customs authority of the country of your destination.
ilona@mycompass.ca
