Category: Attractions

The Wild Zoo of Saint-Félicien, Quebec, Canada

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The Wild Zoo of Saint-Félicien, founded in 1960, is a zoological park located in St-Félicien, in the province of Quebec. It is dedicated to the conservation of boreal fauna. There are 80 species for a total of almost 1000 animals. The original park was enlarged in 1972 with the creation of a nature trail park and six historic villages stretching over 7 km which can be visited aboard a small train from where you can observe several animals in freedom, in safety. The existing habitats have been designed so that some species find them as their own natural habitat. Other sections have been added over the years to house Japanese macaques, tigers and a Mongolian steppe. The pedestrian part has 7 sectors. There are also 2 movie theaters which allow the public to attend exhibitions and images on a 3D screen. You will find several species such as woodland caribou, snowy owls, arctic foxes, polar bears, black bears, moose, geese, bisons, antelopes, beavers, etc.

Tips

The zoo is closed until June 4th , 2021 and from June 5th to 18th , only the pedestrian section will be open with a 50% discount on the regular rates. It’ll be open till October 31st, 2021.

Wear comfortable shoes, there is a lot of walking to be done, the distances between the different sectors are important..

If you plan to spend a few days in the region, you can buy the Passeport Attrait (5 different proposals) which includes 13 tourist attractions of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and in this way you will save 40% of the regular price of the zoo entrance . However, you must check the instructions for each place during the pandemic.

The ticket office is closed and tickets are purchased online. Children under 2 don’t pay and students and people 65 and over have a discount and must show ID. Family packages are also available.

Victoria and Albert Museum, London, England

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The Victoria and Albert Museum (“V & A”), is a large museum of arts and sciences in the heart of London’s South Kensington in a place known as Albertopolis. It was created in 1851 as the South Kensington Museum. It was built on land acquired through profits had during the 1851 World Fair, designed to resemble several museums and educational institutions aimed at converging education, industry, science and art, mainly dedicated to industrial goods and crafts. In 1880, the collection of the India Office was incorporated into the museum. The decorative arts are the specialization of the museum collection with a wide variety of objects from different periods. Also included in the crystal, pottery, high fashion dresses and accessories, furniture, tapestries, silverware, toys, statues, etc .; with approximately 4.5 million objects.

Tips

It is open daily and admission to the Museum is free but sometimes there are exhibitions that require paid access.
You can get there by public transport to Earl’s Court Station with the subway and then you have a regular bus with a frequency of 3 minutes that leaves you at the door or you can also make a walk of 20 minutes.
If you plan to spend the day at the museum, you have two cafeterias, one inside and the other in the garden (closed in December and January) where you can have a hot or cold complete meal or just a drink and a snack.
You can bring your camera and make pictures almost throughout all the museum except for temporary exhibitions.

Boldt Castle, Thousand Islands Archipelago, Alexandria, New York, USA

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Boldt Castle is located on Heart Island in the Thousand Islands Archipelago on the St. Lawrence River, along the northern border of the State of New York, in Alexandria. This is a very important and known touristic place. Millionaire George Boldt, general manager of the Waldorf Astoria in New York City and manager of the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia, and his family, used to stay in a cottage in the area near Wellesley Island. He loved the region very much and decided to build a castle for his beloved wife; Louise. The Boldt family asked to the GW & WD Hewitt architectural firm to build a sumptuous 6-storey castle with Italian gardens, tennis courts, golf courses, stables, a polo field and other four buildings on Heart Island with a yacht shelter on a neighboring island which they owned as well. He wanted to give this monument to his wife for Valentine’s Day but unfortunately she died in 1904 because of heart problems. After the tragedy, the millionaire decided to stop everything … After 73 years, the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority bought Heart Island and the nearby yacht shelter in 1977 for one dollar, with the agreement that all revenues from the operation of the castle would be reserved for the restoration. The site followed improvements for several years and the original construction was also improved with marble, a dome of stained glass windows and the woodwork of the grand staircase; contemporary innovations that have embellished even more the castle. Most of the rooms are furnished with contemporary objects. In the unfurnished rooms of the castle there are exhibits showing images and objects made in the archipelago of the Thousand Islands at the time when the Boldt lived there. The bridge that connects the two banks can be lifted and lowered as required.

Tips

The castle can be visited with a fee in US dollar with a very good exchange rate for the Canadians. The price includes the shuttle transfer to the quay of the family ships, where 4 boats that belong to them are in demonstration.

It is accessible by ferry or tourist boat from Alexandria Bay or Gananoque, Rockport or Ivy Lea, all three in Ontario.

You must pass the US Customs and Border Protection office so you must provide proper identification.