by Belt Drive Betty | Jul 15, 2026 | Travel Features
Jamaica isn’t just a beach destination — it’s a whole sensory experience. The smell of jerk spice drifting from a roadside grill. The sound of reggae rising from a beachside bar. Rolling Blue Mountains disappearing into the mist. Waterfalls you can actually climb. And yes, some of the most beautiful stretches of Caribbean beach you’ll find anywhere.
Water Adventures
Jamaica’s coastline is built for water lovers. Snorkelling and scuba diving reveal vibrant coral reefs teeming with marine life. Glass-bottom boat tours are perfect for families. The more adventurous can try parasailing, catamaran cruises, windsurfing, or paddleboarding. For something truly memorable, book a horseback ride along the beach that ends with you and your horse plunging into the sea together — one of those experiences that stays with you forever.
Waterfalls and Rivers
Jamaica’s interior is laced with rivers and waterfalls that beg to be explored. Dunn’s River Falls — where you can climb the terraced cascade from bottom to top — is a bucket-list experience. The Martha Brae and Rio Grande rivers offer romantic bamboo raft rides guided by skilled local raftsmen. And for adrenaline seekers, tubing the rapids of the White River or Rio Bueno delivers a completely different side of the island.
The Blue Mountains
Home to some of the world’s most sought-after coffee, the Blue Mountains offer hiking trails through misty peaks, hidden waterfalls, and panoramic views over Kingston. A sunrise hike to the summit is a rite of passage. The cool mountain air and lush green trails feel worlds away from the beach resorts below — and that contrast is exactly what makes Jamaica such a rich destination.
Take It Easy
Of course, Jamaica is also the ideal place to do absolutely nothing but lie in a hammock with a rum punch. World-class golf courses overlook the Caribbean Sea. Jamaica gives you everything from full throttle to total stillness — and everything in between. That contrast is rare, and it’s exactly why people come back.
Ready for Jamaica?
Renée Charbonneau is a Certified Travel Agent and proud member of CMTA Travel Services in Grande Prairie, AB. She can put together the perfect Jamaica resort or cruise package for you.
📩 Contact Renée at CMTA Travel Services
by Belt Drive Betty | Jul 1, 2026 | Travel Features
For Albertans, Alaska is practically in the backyard — and yet it remains one of the most awe-inspiring destinations on the planet. Vast glaciers, untamed wilderness, breaching whales, and bald eagles circling above old-growth forests. When people say you have to experience Alaska for yourself, they mean it. And nobody does Alaska better than Princess Cruises, with over 55 years of experience and 21 “Best Cruise Line in Alaska” awards to their name.
Voyage of the Glaciers — The Signature Itinerary
Consistently Princess’s top-rated Alaska offering, the Voyage of the Glaciers gives you not one but two days among magnificent glaciers — including Glacier Bay National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that only a select group of cruise lines have permission to enter. You’ll also visit three of Alaska’s most compelling towns: gold rush-era Skagway, salmon-rich Ketchikan, and Juneau, the state capital. The sense of scale here — towering ice walls, endless wilderness, wildlife around every corner — is something photographs simply can’t capture.
Inside Passage Sailings from Seattle
For those who want flexibility, Princess offers Inside Passage itineraries with weekend departures from Seattle — making it easy to connect from Alberta without a complex routing. Late-night departures in Juneau and Victoria give you extra time to explore these favourite ports at a relaxed pace. Shore excursions range from whale watching and salmon fishing to helicopter rides over glaciers.
Go Deeper with a Cruisetour
For the full Alaska experience, a Princess Cruisetour combines a seven-day glacier cruise with scenic rail travel and nights at a Wilderness Lodge deep in the interior. The Direct-to-the-Wilderness rail service takes you from the ship directly to the Denali area through glass-domed windows, with Denali National Park and its extraordinary wildlife viewing waiting at the other end. This is how Albertans — who appreciate big sky, wide open spaces, and genuine wilderness — should experience Alaska.
Alaska Trip Planning — Where an Agent Earns Their Keep
Alaska cruise and cruisetour packages can be complex to assemble — especially when you’re adding flights from Grande Prairie or Edmonton, pre-cruise nights in Vancouver or Seattle, and shore excursion bookings. Having Renée in your corner means the logistics are handled, the pricing is competitive, and your Alaska experience is exactly what you hoped it would be.
Ready to see Alaska the right way?
Renée Charbonneau is a Certified Travel Agent and proud member of CMTA Travel Services in Grande Prairie, AB. She specializes in Alaska cruise and cruisetour packages for Albertans.
📩 Contact Renée at CMTA Travel Services
by Belt Drive Betty | Jun 9, 2026 | Tours & Trip Builders
Motorcycle trip builder apps are only worth your time if they help you plan a ride you actually want to ride—good roads, sensible stops, and a route that doesn’t fall apart the minute you miss a turn. The best ones also make it easy to share the plan with other riders, which matters whether you’re riding with friends or showing up to a structured day ride. Pricing is usually billed through Apple/Google (sometimes in USD/EUR), so the CAD numbers below are realistic ranges—good enough to budget without pretending exchange rates and taxes don’t exist.
Best motorcycle trip builder apps (links, cost, and where each one shines)
1) Wolf Pack (Wolf Pack for Motorcyclists) — best for organized rides, day trips, and event-based planning
Wolf Pack earns its spot because it’s a true trip builder and it’s being used by event promoters to manage rides—think scheduled day rides, meet-up details, and a clear plan riders can follow. In other words, “events” isn’t just a calendar feature; it’s a way for organizers to publish and manage rides so participants aren’t guessing the route or the stops.
2) EatSleepRIDE (ESR) — best for riders who want planning + tracking + community
ESR is popular because it’s rider-first and practical: organize rides, track them, and share them without making it a whole production.
- Get it: https://eatsleepride.com/
- Cost (Canada): Free to use; optional paid features may apply depending on plan/region
- Works best for: everyday ride planning + tracking, especially if you like community features
3) REVER — best “big platform” option (planning + tracking + lots of riders using it)
REVER has a big user base and is a common choice for riders who want one platform to plan, track, and save rides.
- Get it: https://www.rever.co/
- Pro details: https://www.rever.co/pro
- Cost (Canada): Free tier + Pro listed at $39.99 USD/year (roughly $55–$65 CAD/year)
- Works best for: North America, riders who want a well-known platform and don’t mind paying for the good features
4) calimoto — best for “take the fun roads” (curvy/scenic routing)
If your goal is to make the road the destination, calimoto is built for that.
- Pricing / info: https://calimoto.com/en/pricing
- Cost (Canada): Free tier + Premium (varies; expect roughly $40–$90 CAD/year depending on plan/store)
- Works best for: scenic/twisty ride planning (always sanity-check remote/rural routing)
5) Scenic (iOS) — best for iPhone riders who want tight route control
Scenic is a strong choice if you’re on iPhone and you care about shaping a route and having navigation that respects the plan.
- Get it: https://scenic.app/
- Premium: https://scenic.app/premium/
- Cost (Canada): Premium listed as $4.99/month billed annually (roughly $80–$100 CAD/year, depending on App Store pricing/tax)
- Works best for: iPhone riders, especially for multi-stop routes and careful planning
6) Kurviger — best value for riders who want routing control (twisty/backroad bias)
Kurviger is for riders who like control and want routing that favours interesting roads.
Bottom line: If you’re planning rides that involve other people—especially promoter-led day rides—Wolf Pack’s event-based approach is a real advantage because it gives riders one place to get the plan, the timing, and the route. For solo “find the best roads” riding, calimoto/Kurviger/Scenic tend to be the strongest route-focused tools, and REVER sits in the middle as the big, established platform.
Sources:
More motorcycle travel resources: Ready to start planning your Canadian ride? Browse the Canadian Motorcycle Directory for tour operators and rental companies. Read more on the Let’s Talk Motorcycles hub. For personalized trip planning, contact Belt Drive Betty.
by Flat Tail Freddy | Jun 8, 2026 | Ride Smart (Canada)
Canada is an unreal place to travel. It’s also a place that will humble you fast if you roll in unprepared — because distances are bigger than they look, services can be far apart, weather changes quick, and wildlife doesn’t care how experienced you are. Travel Canada with respect, not bravado, and you’ll have the kind of trip you’ll talk about for the right reasons.
1) Canada is bigger than you think
Maps make it look easy. Real life adds:
- long gaps with nothing but road and wind
- construction that eats an hour
- fuel stops with limited hours
- weather that flips on you mid-afternoon
Plan your day so you’re not rolling in on fumes, in the dark, and pissed off. That’s when dumb decisions happen.
2) Fuel isn’t a suggestion — it’s a rule
In a city, running low is annoying. In parts of Canada, running low is how you end up parked on the shoulder doing math you should’ve done earlier.
- top up sooner than you think you need to
- don’t pass fuel because “there’ll be another one”
- if you’re heading into a remote stretch, treat fuel like water: you don’t gamble with it
3) Wildlife will ruin your whole day
If you’re travelling at dawn or dusk, you’re travelling in wildlife hours. Period.
- scan the shoulders, not just the lane
- if you see one animal, expect more
- don’t outrun what you can see in low light
Moose don’t care about your bucket list.
4) Weather changes fast. Road surfaces change faster.
Canada can give you sun, rain, wind, and cold in one day. Sometimes in one hour.
- slick patches after rain
- cold mornings even in summer
- gravel and loose debris in construction zones
Dress for the worst part of the day, not the best part. Layers beat bravado.
5) Your phone is not a safety plan
There are places where your phone works great. There are places where it’s a fancy camera with no signal.
Have a basic plan:
- a way to deal with a tire problem
- a way to charge your phone
- emergency contacts written down
- tell someone where you’re going and when you should be in
6) The simplest Canada travel strategy: margin
Start earlier. Stop earlier. Leave room in the day.
- buffer time
- buffer fuel
- buffer patience
That’s how you keep the trip enjoyable and keep yourself out of the “we pushed it and paid for it” zone.
CMTA Members: Never Ride / Drive Alone Program (Free)
If you’re a registered member of the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association (CMTA), you’ve got a safety backstop:
NEVER RIDE / DRIVE ALONE PROGRAM
A FREE service for registered CMTA members.
Sponsored by Intercon Messaging (Live Answer. Reliable Solutions.)
Call: 1-866-765-6718
And keep an eye out for Rumble Canada — coming soon. It’s CMTA’s premier program, with road trip maps, a rider/driver friendly business directory, community events calendars, and more.
Travel Canada like it deserves respect. Not fear. Respect.
More riding resources: Find verified tour operators, shipping companies, and rental services in the Canadian Motorcycle Directory. Explore more on the Let’s Talk Motorcycles hub. Contact Belt Drive Betty to plan your next Canadian adventure.
