Some destinations become part of your travel history.
Others become part of your life story.
For us, Canada has been woven into our journey together from the very beginning.
Our Canadian story started in 1996 when we chose Western Canada for our honeymoon. Living in tropical Florida, we wanted something completely different. At the time, both of our careers were taking off, and we were already spending plenty of time on airplanes for work. We wanted a destination that felt far away without requiring long international flights or major time-zone changes.
Canada proved to be the perfect choice.
Flying into Seattle, we spent a week exploring Vancouver, Whistler, and Victoria. It was our first opportunity as husband and wife to simply slow down, experience new places together, and begin creating the travel traditions that would define so much of our marriage over the next three decades.
We fell in love with the mountain scenery of Whistler, the beauty of Vancouver, and the charm and elegance of Victoria. Little did we know that this honeymoon would be the beginning of a decades-long relationship with Canada.
More than a decade later, in 2009, Canada surprised us again.
This time it was Prince Edward Island that captured our hearts.
We traveled to PEI to participate in the inaugural International Golf Couples Festival, an unforgettable four-day celebration of golf, food, culture, and island hospitality.
Arriving a few days early, we checked into Rustico Resort Golf & Tennis Club, where we met owner John-Anthony. Within hours of our arrival, he invited us to dinner at his home with his wife Lisa, their sons, and his parents.
That evening remains one of our favorite travel memories.
Around their family table, we enjoyed fresh island salad, perfectly prepared steaks, famous Prince Edward Island potatoes, and strawberries that were quite simply the best we had ever tasted. What began as a simple dinner invitation became a lifelong friendship.
The hospitality we experienced that evening perfectly reflected everything we would come to love about Prince Edward Island.
The International Golf Couples Festival itself was equally memorable. The event opened with an incredible seafood reception and continued with rounds at The Links at Crowbush Cove, Glasgow Hills Resort, and Green Gables Golf Course.
The closing banquet showcased what PEI does best—fresh seafood, lobster, and endless servings of world-famous Prince Edward Island mussels.
There’s just one funny detail.
Before visiting Prince Edward Island, Cathy didn’t like mussels.
After experiencing fresh PEI mussels, she became an instant fan and now eagerly awaits every opportunity to order them. Sometimes all it takes is finding the right destination serving the right dish.
That trip to Prince Edward Island expanded our Canadian story beyond beautiful destinations. It gave us lifelong friends and countless reasons to return.
In 2011, Canada became part of another important family milestone when we returned to Victoria during an Alaskan cruise. By pure coincidence, we were visiting on our actual 15th wedding anniversary.
Even more special, the cruise celebrated multiple anniversaries within the family. John’s parents were commemorating their 50th wedding anniversary, while John’s sister Kathy and her husband Jeff were celebrating their 30th anniversary.
Standing in Victoria fifteen years after our honeymoon visit, surrounded by family and celebrating generations of marriage, felt like a full-circle moment.
Since then, we’ve continued exploring Canada together—from the rugged coastlines of Nova Scotia and Cape Breton to the welcoming shores of St. Andrews-by-the-Sea, the towering mountains of Whistler, and the charming communities that make Canada such a remarkable destination.
What started as a honeymoon has become a collection of adventures spanning decades.
Along the way, we’ve discovered incredible golf, unforgettable seafood, breathtaking scenery, rich history, wonderful people, and friendships that continue to enrich our lives today.
Canada isn’t simply a destination we’ve visited.
It’s a destination that has grown alongside our story.
