Tall, white wind turbines are replacing grain elevators as the iconic landmark of the southern prairies. And to satisfy visitors’ curiosity, TransAlta Wind, the energy company that operates more than 200 wind turbines, has developed an audio tour to guide them along.

Visit www.visionquestwind.com to print a tour map and download the “Journey Into the Wind” audio tour for free to play along the route. (Before you leave home, you can watch a video about the construction of a wind turbine and a day in the life of an Alberta wind farm.) The 11 tracks on the audio tour explain wind energy in a colourful way that will absorb children and adults alike. As you crane your neck to see the twirling blades on the 40-metre towers, you’ll learn how wind turbines are built, how each site is chosen and how wind farms produce clean energy. Peigan tribal elder Wilford Yellow Wings Sr. shares stories about the aboriginal history of the region.

The tour also highlights interesting places along the route. Alberta’s wind-power country is home to Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; the 1903 disaster scene at the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre, and the historic Crowsnest Pass coal mine — about the only place where the southern Alberta wind doesn’t howl.

— Linda Goyette

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THE ALLURE IS SO STRONG that when the time comes, Melanie Coates wants her ashes scattered off Ministers Island, N.B. “From the bathhouse,” says the Torontobased hotel exec who fell for the Passamaquoddy Bay isle while working at the Fairmont Algonquin in St. Andrews.

Visitors can see the circular, quarried beach-stone bathhouse and the rest of Covenhoven, the sumptuous 50-room summer estate built by railway tycoon Sir William Van Horne, by driving or walking across the ocean floor at low tide. Still standing is Van Horne’s massive barn and the stone house (circa 1790) of the Anglican minister for whom the island is named.

The Canadian Pacific Railway Van Horne developed spans the country, but his legacy rests on the island, says Coates. Here, visitors can take guided tours of the estate, gaining insight into his genius and decadent lifestyle.

The main attraction, however, is the beauty of the island, which can be experienced in picnic areas and along hiking trails. “It’s 500 acres of untouched beauty over here,” says Mark Clark, executive director of Ministers Island.

From June through mid-October (or offseason by arrangement), a shuttle boat leaves from Bar Road in St. Andrews. Island touring, including boat ride, costs $12.
www.ministersisland.org

— Shelley Cameron-McCarron

HERE’S SOME GOOD NEWS to sink your teeth into. Prince Edward Island’s Fall Flavours, an island-wide fine-food festival, debuts Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, and Canadian wonder chef Michael Smith is inviting everyone to his home province.

“P.E.I. is a food lover’s paradise, especially during harvest when the fruits of our food artisans come to fruition,” says Smith, the host of popular Food Network shows such as “Chef at Home.” “It’s the perfect time to visit, share our flavours and enjoy the many unique events of the festival.”

Foodies will be able to indulge almost every whim: from learning the art of preserves and wine-and-cheese pairing to joining local hosts to pick potatoes, dig clams or catch lobsters. More than 100 events are planned, including a wine and handcrafted ales festival, prix fixe menus and a Chef’s Gala Dinner at Dalvay By The Sea.

For more, visit fallflavours.ca or call (800) 955-1864.

— S.C.-M.