Almost everyone dreams of having a warm winter escape, but sometimes the best travel experiences aren't necessarily a flight or time zone away. When I spent an un-girly girls' weekend in the Ontario Highlands and the town of Haliburton, I found blazing red flames, pink and purple beets, a warm workout, and the perfect place to sizzle and fry the catch of the day.  In short I found plenty of things to heat up the winter weather- and to warm my heart!

If you’re searching for an idyllic seaside retreat with a hearty dose of unspoiled Nova Scotia wilderness, you couldn't ask for better than Malagash, along Route 6 in Cumberland  County. Situated on a small spit of land in the Northumberland Strait, Malagash is sandwiched between the villages of Tatamagouch and Wallace, the two major service providers in this rural area. While it is short on amenities, it is full of natural beauty and Malagash makes for a fantastic detour for anyone driving between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

Amsterdam is filled with accommodation choices. There's every kind of hostel imaginable, from church-administered institutions to some of the wildest, most legendary properties on the backpackers' trail. There's gorgeous boutique hotels, major brand name chains, traditional bed and breakfasts, and even farm stays outside the city. And, of course, there are a lot of forgettable, cheap hotels in Amsterdam. But what we were looking for could be summed up in one word: value. 

When bedded down at the Nova Hotel, I was thrilled by how many boxes it checked, value included. Is it among the hotels in Amsterdam center? Check! It's on a main tram line that runs to central station. It's just down the street from the Amsterdam Museum, and it's less than 5 minutes away from the Dam and Royal Palace. And nearly all the places on our list ofAmsterdam's best foodie spots are also just a short walk away. Perfect!

Every good travel experience contains a quest of some kind, a search for something special. When you're in southern Belgium and northern France, there's no end to the opportunities to explore with exceptional sites to discover. We started out on a quest of sorts in Belgium, paying homage to Canadians of the past, and what started out as a simple ride became one of the best roadtrips of our life.

Welcome to the latest installment of the "Save, Splurge, Steal" interview series. Getting great value when I travel is always such a fun challenge for me and I love to learn how other people get the best possible experience for their available time and money. I'm asking pro travelers to share their expertise and I hope you enjoy their responses as much as I do!

Andrew Dobson runs dobbernationLOVES, a daily lifestyle blog focussed on inspiring the world to “Eat Well, Travel Hard, Live Better.”  He originally started blogging to document a three year adventure around the world to visit over 60 countries. While he moved to Toronto in 2010 to “settle down,” the blog has retained its original travel roots, as well as sharing plenty of Toronto Tales.

I've often thought that there is no better way to enjoy the splendor of the great outdoors and the beauty of the Canadian winter than from the warmth of a cozy window seat, with a latte and good book in hand. But a girl cannot live on caffeine and Jane Austen alone - sometimes you just need to get outside for a breath of fresh air. I'm sure that this is what was going through my head when I agreed to go ice fishing on rural Ontario's Lake Simcoe. This was going to be as anti-adventurous as it gets! 

There's a fantastic scene in one of my favourite TV shows, The Big Bang Theory, where Sheldon and Amy enjoy a weekend away with the highlight (or lowlight, depending on your point of view) being a meal and ride on a historic train-turned-dining car. While their particular experience had lots of funny ups and downs, it's easy to see the appeal of enjoying a gourmet meal in a memorable setting.  Fortunately, when we ate at the Train Station Inn in Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, there were no sitcom worthy fiascoes - just lots of delicious food!

Sometimes, it's just nice to stay at home and be lazy. Or stay at home and be super productive (hello, organized linen closet!) Or just stay home and just be. That's what January is going to be like for me and that suits me just fine!

I had a great time chatting with the team from CBC Radio's Ontario Today program about the trials and tribulations of holiday travel. My verdict? Just stay home.

My next trip (destination: London ON) is in February and I can't wait to go into it relaxed and refreshed. 

Where will your travel dreams take you in 2015? Perhaps a beautiful beach with fuchsia sunsets? Or maybe rolling hills tinted purple with heather? Will you see exotic animals or ancient pueblos? Will you visit castles, lighthouses, cobblestone highways? Shall you brave urban jungles or real ones? 

I asked over 20 travel bloggers - people who live, breath, dream travel all day, all year - for their top picks for 2015. They've shared hopes and dreams on where they want to visit for the first time (or sometimes a 9th time), and where they hope you'll discover as well. I can't think of any group better equipped to give travel advice and I hope their passion becomes your inspiration in the new year!

So what are you waiting for? Why not start planning your trip to.....