Recently I spent a fun-filled weekend in Toronto. I was there for a cousins’ get together and we stayed in the downtown Entertainment District. With a WalkScore of 97/100 it was within easy walking distance of Queen Street, CN Tower, Kensington Market and many theaters. CN Tower is the major landmark in Toronto’s skyline (kind of the Canadian equivalent to the Space Needle) and helped us get our bearings on more than one occasion.

Exploring the city in July, I saw many beautiful flowers adorning outdoor cafes and pubs. For shopping we headed to Queen Street. Some of our favorite stops included: GetOutside for shoes, Mujamba for an amazing collection of ribbons & shoe laces, and Fashion Crimes for every type of party dress you could imagine. If you’re on Queen Street be sure to stop in at Dufflet, known as the ‘Queen of Cake’ and best baker in Toronto. For lunch or dinner try the secluded patio at the Queen Mother Café which serves Dufflet cakes for dessert.

For more shopping visit Kensington Market to see a collection of funky, local shops and hear live music in the streets.

Take a streetcar or cab to the historic Distillery District to see some beautiful buildings, shop and then relax at Mill Street Pub with some local ale and sweet potato fries. If you have time, catch the short ferry ride to Toronto Island. Walk around the well-groomed park or rent a two or four person carriage bicycle to explore the island. The return ferry ride provides a postcard perfect view of the city.

Summer is in full swing and many of us are planning a road trip or summer getaway. Whether your destination is the beach, a scenic town or a family gathering, here are some summer hotel deals to check out before you book your stay.

Hilton’s The Great Getaway
Hilton is offering up to 30% off during the summer, breakfast included (must be pre-paid)
More details

Starwood / AAA deals
The Starwood Hotels which include Westin, Sheraton, W and others are offering AAA members 30% off this summer.
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Hyatt / AAA deals
The Hyatt Hotels is offering AAA members some summer deals as well:

• - 25% off at participating Hyatt Regency, Grand Hyatt and Andaz hotels. Plus, use offer code BREAKF and receive free breakfast for two daily.
• - 15% off at Hyatt Place and Hyatt Summerfield Suites (breakfast included).

more details

Kimpton Ride the Rails promotion
The Kimpton Hotels’ summer promotion encourage guests to reduce their carbon footprint. Ride the train and show your ticket at check-in to get 15% off their best room rate. Urban trains from the airport count as well!
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Marriott Summer Weekends Deal
From June 1 - August 24, 2010, book your escape for Thursday-Sunday (Friday or Saturday required) and save 20% off normal nightly rates. Use code M11 when booking.
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La Quinta Route LQ promotion
La Quinta offers 15% off their best available rate for stays through June 30, 2010. Guests also receive discounts from local merchants. Booking must be made on LQ.com/ENJOY15 using the code ENJOY15.
more details

TIP: When booking hotel reservations online check the weekend rate (Friday/Saturday) to see if it’s different from weekdays. On my upcoming trip to Toronto, I saved $70 by booking Thursday (higher rate) separately from Friday/Saturday (weekend special rate).

Letters to Juliet, a movie set in Verona, Italy, opens in theaters tomorrow and it’s a perfect movie to see with girlfriends. The scenery is gorgeous, the characters have movie star looks and the story line, although predictable, has a happy ending. What more could you ask for? Stop in at your favorite Italian hang-out before or after the movie for some red wine and pasta to continue the theme.

Once you’ve seen the movie, you’ll probably want to visit Verona in person. From now until May 24 you can enter to win a trip for two to Verona, Italy with the Send a Letter to Juliet sweepstakes. You can submit your entry at the movie theater or by mailing a postcard. For details see how to enter. Ciao!

Movie trailer

This year April 22 marks the 40th anniversary of Earth Day and for many the celebration is starting this weekend. If you happen to be in southern California, stop by Santa Barbara’s Earth Day Fest today and tomorrow.

Besides music, eco gadgets and the Green car show, on Sunday Avatar director James Cameron will be there to receive Santa Barbara’s Earth Day Hero award. info

Five easy ways to be green
Here’s a short list of things you can do that will make a big impact. list

When replacing household items look for eco-efficient options — you’ll be amazed at how little things like replacing a leaky faucet or using an energy efficient bulb can make a big difference.

Other Fun
Disney Nature’s Oceans is opening at theaters this Thursday on Earth Day and if you watch during the first week a donation will be made to help preserve coral reefs. Oceans trailer

The Avator DVD is also being released on Earth Day. Why not host an Avatar “wish it were 3D” movie night with your girlfriends? Hand out goofy glasses to viewers and pretend its 3D! where to buy

Whatever you do, try to take a moment and marvel at what a gorgeous planet we live on.

What to try out a spa, but don’t want to spend too much? Spa Week is your chance to try out spa services for $50 — less than half of what services normally cost. Spa Week runs from April 12 -18. For a full list of participating day and resort spas in your area go to spaweek.com.

Appointments are going fast, so book now if you’re interested!

Via: Spa Week

Since Tucson is home to two destination spas we had to include a visit to at least one during our weekend visit. We’d all booked a Spa Day Pass at Canyon Ranch which included a 50 minute spa service, lunch and unlimited access to Canyon Ranch’s fitness classes and activities. Established over 30 years ago in Tucson, Canyon Ranch was one of the first destination spas in the US. Now with several locations around the country it’s a regular on Travel & Leisure’s Top 10 Destination Spa list.

On Saturday after a quick check-in, we found ourselves at Canyon Ranch’s hiking center. Outfitted with a pair of high-powered Bushnell binoculars and a day pack, we headed out for an early morning bird watching walk. It was a gorgeous Arizona spring day and the birds didn’t disappoint us. We almost immediately spotted our first Gila woodpecker in a towering saguaro cactus, followed by iridescent hummingbirds, cactus wren, quail and many others.

With the spa offering over 40 fitness activities a day there was plenty to choose from. We tried a sampling of yoga, zumba, world beat with live drummers, foot fitness, stretch class and hiking. Between classes, massages and facials we had a leisurely lunch at the pool-side café.

People go to destination spas for different reasons – all out pampering, meditation, relaxation and fitness. At Canyon Ranch the focus is on exercise/fitness and – if you can afford it - it’s a great place to kick-start a change to a more active lifestyle.

“Would anybody else like another scone?” My three sisters and I had just checked into the Arizona Inn in Tucson, and were relaxing in the library with afternoon tea. A novel experience, compared to our normally hectic daily routines. With one of us celebrating a milestone birthday, we’d opted for a weekend at a luxury hotel with a spa day at Canyon Ranch.

Opened in 1930, Arizona Inn has a fascinating history with beautiful architecture and gorgeous flower-filled landscaping. We stayed in a generously-sized casita with its own private porch, grassy yard and outdoor lounge area. The inn has about 100 private casitas, each different and tucked away across the inn’s 14 acres. After tea we headed to the pool to soak up some perfect 75 degrees-in-March weather. The inn has had so many movie stars stay there that their DVD library is comprised only of movies featuring past guests. Stars like Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, James Stewart, Clark Gable and Gary Cooper.

For dinner we headed just up the road to Guadalajara’s for margaritas and Mexican food. This place is fun but extremely popular so be prepared to wait at least an hour on weekend nights.

Returning to our place via the light-scaped paths, we saw that our beds had been turned-down and signature chocolates placed on each pillow. I could definitely get used to this!

The Arizona Inn is a gem - although expensive, you can share the cost with your girlfriends.

Other unique hotels: The Del, Huntington, Empress

The Shores Resort & Spa is offering luxury front row seats to the last-ever night launch of the Space Shuttle Endeavor on February 7, 2010 at 4:39am. Guests of The Shores Resort, which is located 70 miles from the Kennedy Space Center, will have shoreline seats and enjoy the following perks for the blast off:

• - Overnight deluxe accommodations
• - “Shores Coffee”, a variation on Irish Coffee or “Shores Hot Chocolate”
• - “S’Mores at Four” at oceanside fire pits
• - Breakfast treats, including Tang
• - Champagne toast at launch
• - Memento photo

The “Shuttle Launch” package starts at $169 per room.

To reserve visit The Shores Resort & Spa website.