Earlier this autumn, Porter Airlines took to the sky again after its planes sat grounded for nearly 18 months in response to the relentless pandemic. The ultra-convenient Toronto-based airline company, which is headquartered downtown at Billy Bishop Airport, has slowly readied destinations in the weeks since.
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If you’re in the market for a weekend jaunt, these five spots are just a short flight away.
Chicago
If it’s been a few years since you’ve hit Chicago, you’re overdue. With its stunning skyscrapers, celebrated food and drink scene, and vibrant arts and culture offerings, a weekend in Chicago is always a good idea. But its many new additions offer even more incentive to visit “The Windy City.” From countless new restaurants to a slew of new hotels, the city has no shortage of fresh draws to discover. The luxury-only set of discerning travellers has new options on the accommodation front, with the opening of LaSalle Hotel in the city’s financial district, the addition of Pendry Chicago, and the St. Regis Chicago. Meanwhile, celebrated new restaurants include Italian spot Adalina, contemporary Greek restaurant Andros Taverna, and French Canadian-inspired spot, Dear Margaret,
Montreal
From new restaurants and boutique shopping to the high-energy Canadian Grand Prix and the talent-packed Jazz Festival, Montreal constantly gives its visitors something to text home about.
The vibrant city has seen some new additions on the hotel front in recent years, including the sleek and impeccably designed Hotel Monville and the Hotel Humaniti Montreal, which has quickly become an architectural landmark. Condé Nast Traveler’s “Top 12 Hotels in Canada: Readers’ Choice Awards 2021” recently named both Hotel Gault and Sofitel in their rankings. Meanwhile, a handful of headline-making restaurants have opened up as of late, including Romanian street food spot Mici D’Ici, Lebanese restaurant Shay, and Peruvian fusion spot Barranco Restaurant.
Halifax
For a taste of Canada’s charming east coast vibe – and unmatched lobster and other fresh seafood – hit Halifax. The Atlantic city offers sweeping sites, a vibrant arts and culture scene, a burgeoning culinary industry, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever met. The city made national headlines earlier this year with the announcement of a late fall launch of the shiny new Muir Hotel, an Autograph Collection Property in the vibrant new Queen’s Marque district. Almost all of the rooms in this anticipated hotel offer views of the dreamy Atlantic Ocean. The shiny new spot is Nova Scotia’s first five-star luxury hotel. A handful of new(ish) restaurants have also opened their doors, including Spanish tapas spot Los Toros, TAPestry Beer Bar, and cocktail-focused spot Dear Friend.
New York City
All of the lights, sounds, and lack of sleep housed in New York City is just a one-and-a-half hour flight away. The constantly evolving and ever-moving city has welcomed a slew of new restaurants, hotels, and attractions in recent years. This includes restaurants like the celebrated Peruvian spot Contento, the Upper West Side Southeast Asian comfort food restaurant Wau, or seafood spot Dame(to name a few). Adding to the options in the hotel department, the anticipated Pendry Manhattan West, the Graduate Roosevelt Island, Six Senses New York and Ace Hotel Brooklyn all made headlines when they opened their doors this year. New York also gained a new tourist attraction with the recent opening of the all glass, view-filled Summit One Vanderbilt.
Quebec City
The picture-perfect and forever romantic Quebec City offers the next best thing to a European vacation. Throughout its storied streets and historic buildings, you’ll find sophisticated French bistros, charming cafes, boutiques, and live music. The storied Fairmont Chateau Laurier– a towering historic castle-like building that sets the backdrop to countless photos – is an obvious choice if you’re in the market for storied and iconic. For a unique and equally as history-rich, wellness-focused stay, Le Monastère des Augustines – a restored 17th century monastery, now part wellness-focused hotel – offers a peaceful year-round sanctuary. The city’s notable new restaurants include the farm fresh Bistro Hortus, French-Italian spot Alphonse, and the gourmet Le Clan.
