This summer was chock full of great family outdoor travel and adventure, from beginning to end!
The Morrison clan isn’t only into the hunting, fishing and conservation. Outdoor travel and adventure also play a big part during the warmer months.
This summer with the Canadian dollar sagging we chose not to cross into the States for vacation and, instead, enjoyed quality family time a short drive from the Nation’s Capital. The first leg of our journey brought us to Niagara Falls which, believe it or not, was a first for all of us.
For me, the highlight of Niagara Falls lay several miles from the Falls and hustle and bustle of Clifton Hill. It was our day spent at Marineland Canada!
Special thanks to Ann Marie Rondinelli for facilitating a wonderful day at Marineland. We enjoyed everything this famous family destination had to offer from Friendship Cove, to feeding the resident bear population, to the ultimate interactive experience with the Arctic beluga whales.
Certainly the most popular marine mammal at Marineland, belugas’ are very special creatures indeed!
The magnificent orca or killer whale also attracts a crowd at Marineland.
We were also fortunate to be offered an informative Beluga Whale Encounter by Marineland’s head trainer, Alex who did a terrific job at explaining what makes these belugas so special.
Thanks to this up-close-and-personal training session my wife, daughters and I were given a glimpse into the largest collection of beluga whales in the world, and trust me, these creatures are indeed pampered! The facilities were large, immaculately kept and run like a tight ship.
All the marine and land mammals were handled with great care and passion, and staff members all had big smiles on their faces.
But Arctic Cove isn’t the only area of interest at Marineland.
If you’re into big rides, (which I am not) the Sky Screamer is a Niagara favorite; offering one of the best views of the horseshoe falls, if you’re brave enough to give it a shot of course(which I was not). After spending time feeding the exotic deer and black bears, we were entertained at the dolphin and walrus show held at King Waldorf stadium.
The entire day was a hoot from beginning to end! Do yourself a favour this summer or next, check out Marineland in Niagara Falls. It truly is fun for all ages. For more information: http://www.marineland.ca/
Shortly after arriving home from Niagara Falls, I jumped straight into some serious road-testing with the 2015 Toyota 4Runner Limited – an SUV which has long held the title of ‘dream vehicle’ for hunters & fishermen(myself included) so it only made sense that I try one out, considering I had yet to step foot inside one of these classic SUV’s.
So much has changed with the 4Runner since its inception in 1984 while at the same time so much has not changed.
The new 4Runner now have 4 doors (5 if you include hatch) while the first generation 4Runner’s only had 2 doors, something difficult to fathom in today’s day and age but they were utilitarian then, and remain very much so today.
The 2015 model comes with a lot more class and style than its predecessor.
The 2015 4Runner is a sharp looking SUV to say the least, with an aggressive and rugged appearance overall. This year marks the 5th Generation of the almost legendary machine. Sure, there are others in its class, but none boast such a long-standing reputation among avid sportsmen than this vehicle does.
The Toyota 4Runner triumphs as THE go-to truck-based SUV for off-roading enthusiasts and, I believe, designers at Toyota continue to embraced this fact.
Having already road-tested the 2015 Highlander this spring, one might tend to make an (unfair) comparison between Toyota’s popular crossover utility and this 4Runner SUV. Upon first glance the Highlander may seem to have the edge, when really its an apples to oranges comparison between a vehicle with unibody construction versus one with traditional ‘body on frame’ construction like the 4Runner.
Die-hard off-roaders will go with the truck based 4Runner SUV every time and there’s good reason for that. This vehicle’s proven track-record heading off-the-beaten-path is legendary, with great ground clearance and standard skid plates for example. For those not in ‘the know’ CUV’s aren’t really intended for off-road use even though they’re offered with AWD capability.
For the 2015 model year, Toyota has stayed the course with the ‘go-to’ 4.0 litre V6 engine which has performed well in this SUV and kicks-out out a solid 270 horses. This engine may not have quite the ‘get-up-and-go’ on the highway of the Highlander’s 3.5 litre, but is still more than peppy enough and geared well for towing.
The Limited trim I tested boasts lots of great amenities including full leather seating, backup camera, Sirius satellite radio, generous drink holders and fully adjustable electric seat controls.
When it comes to layout and gauge cluster I found everything to be nicely appointed with large, easy to access dials and controls.
This side view of the 2015 4Runner Limited I tested, shows an aggressive and sporty look with a set of nothing to sneeze-at 20-inch (245 60R20) tires!
All in all, the 2015 Toyota 4Runner turned out to be a worthy summer vacation companion and a real head-turner as well. I only wish I had taken this beast more off-road, into the back-40 or perhaps to hunt camp. The new 4Runner remains a reliable and worthy adversary for any outdoor enthusiast and really, it felt just the way I had dreamed-about for all these years. For more information, http://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/vehicles/4runner/overview
I hope your summer was as enjoyable as mine was!
The Outdoors Guy