Why did the city folks cross the road?
To get out of the city, of course (and the suburbs)!

That's a good one, right?
Right?

Okay, so maybe there are funnier jokes out there... but what I'm saying is no less true: urban populations are venturing farther and farther out into more uncharted areas for their vacations. Maybe this is partly due to the endless growth of city centers around the world, but I think our sensibilities as "tourists" are also becoming more sophisticated, spontaneous and organic.

I, for one, approve this trend!

Especially at this time of year! As a Canadian, this new sense of adventure means we might have more of a seat at the tourism table year-round... things like ATV and snowmobile trails, winter hiking, snowshoeing and ice fishing can be really quite enjoyable with the right attitude! 

ORGANIC... Check.

Yep. If there's one word that perfectly describes the wintertime in rural Canada, it's definitely "organic".

We don't live in igloos though, people... there is electricity and running water, cell networks. But we do change a little bit in the colder months: we move a bit slower, we do things simply... we focus more on the essentials-- on the season's work-- and less on life's smaller trifles. 

We become closer in a way. And I think visitors get a special taste of us Canadians at this time of year.

SOPHISTICATED? Sure!

With more time to reflect-- and to interact with each other-- the whole winter experience here is more rich: heartier foods with complex and earthy flavours; thick linens and cozy sweaters; bigger bonfires; longer stories...

And the landscapes up here are absolutely breathtaking (albeit strangely foreboding at times).   

AND SPONTANEOUS? Hmm...

What's more spontaneous than taking your family to Ontario, Canada in January?! Or how about an impromptu snowball fight on the frozen lake between ice fishing sessions?

Or a surprise polar bear attack? Huh?! Is that spontaneous enough for you? 

Just kidding about that last one... I'm not that far north. But you get my point! It may not be your cup of tea, but I bet you won't be considering the old tourist mainstays-- like Las Vegas, London, Niagara Falls and the CN Tower-- as readily as you once would have not too long ago.

Times are changing... that's all I'm saying. 

People are craving real experience, adventure; little regional touches and tastes that you just don't find in a resort or big hotel...  and where there's a will, the 21st century has granted us new ways to make it happen. So do it: find your own ideal getaway.

The cottage resort I manage, for instance-- SPRINGWOOD COTTAGES, seemingly in the middle of nowhere-- is only about four hours away from the CN Tower in Toronto, actually, and two hours away from the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa... and we're getting more traffic in the off-season lately.

I'm sure there are rural options just like it not too far away from the cities around you (wherever you are) right now as you read this. So it's not like you need to climb Mount Everest or take a long plane trip to do something original. Look around.

Sure, you can still visit some impressive tourist traps on your journeys, but make sure you try new things too. Throw the map out the window once in a while and hit a dirt road... you just might find something amazing.

And it's trendy now anyway. So embrace it!

In fact... if you do come to the resort in the next four months and you mention Publish0x sometime during the booking process through the Airbnb link above-- or RIGHT HERE-- I'll make sure you get 10% cash back when you check in. We'll call it the exclusive Publish0x discount! 

So come see me up in Canada. We'll have some hot cocoa by the fire after a long day of beaver trapping and hockey. (That's another joke. Our sense of humour apparently gets razor sharp in the wintertime too.)

The End.
(Nailed it. lol)