Family travel

THERE ARE FEW things as beautiful as trees coated in ice and freshly dusted with snow. Of course, seeing such a scene isn’t an everyday occurrence, which may be part of its allure. I still vividly recall a childhood holiday trip, when my family drove from our central Ontario cottage through shield country to Quebec City. For most of the journey the forests were in that perfect glorious state, sun glinting off icy boughs. Two stories in this issue jogged that memory. First and foremost is our story on the nation’s best winter drives (page 23). We may not all think of it this way, but many Canadians’ pleasure travel involves visiting family or friends. (I routinely make a four-hour drive along Ontario’s Highway 7 between Ottawa and Bobcaygeon to visit my parents.) When those trips are relatively short in nature, we typically take to the road, and we probably do so as often in the winter around the holidays as at any other time of year. So as you’re planning your family visits this coming winter, consider our picks for best road trips. Perhaps one is close to your regular route anyway, but even if not, all are worth a detour or a specifically planned trip. Sure, winter driving presents its own challenges — the same ice and snow that creates those gorgeous scenes can also create treacherous road conditions, but we’re Canadians, both used to winter driving and not afraid of getting out there, no matter the weather. It’s that very weather that can make for the most memorable of road trips. And chances are, we’re making them with family anyway. Which brings me to the second story here that twigged that childhood travel memory. At my fiveyear-old son Zev’s request, we hit the road to Ontario’s “Granagara Falls” (as he says it) this past summer. And while I’ve detailed the amazing winter offerings in Niagara Falls ( above) in the magazine’s “One city” section on page 18, I’m hopeful my kids will one day wistfully recall the road trip. I already do. Travel memories are made all the better with family. Enjoy yours this season.