18.7K

From ziplining over a waterfall in Fort Coulonge or sipping a cold beer in Vankleek Hill to bungee jumping in Wakefield, cooking in Picton or hiking through the treetops in the Adirondacks, there are countless things you can see and do within a four-hour drive of Ottawa. Here are 50 road trips ideas to inspire you.

Disclosure: I have visited many of these places as a guest of the properties mentioned and/or the local tourist board. None of them reviewed or approved this post. This post contains some hotel affiliate links, which means I will earn a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you book accommodation by following the link.

Escape to the Outaouais

Aylmer

Have lunch or stay in The British, a restored 19th-century hotel, then stroll along rue Principale, popping into cute boutiques. Bring a picnic and watch the sunset overlooking the Ottawa River at Parc des Cèdres.

Chelsea

Relax in the hot and cold pools of Le Nordik Spa-Nature, or see local artworks at La Fab Arts Centre. For lots of details about shops, restaurants, galleries and history, check out my guide to Gatineau Park.

Fort Coulonge

See the mighty Chutes Coulonge (and check out the zipline and via ferrata, if you dare), bike the 92-kilometre Cycloparc PPJ or stay at the Spruceholme Inn.

Gatineau Park

Explore Mackenzie King’s collection of ruins or hike the steep but scenic Luskville Falls Trail. If you’re new to the park, my Gatineau Park for beginners post will point you in the right direction.

Île du Grand Calumet

Montebello

Try an electric ATV scooter scavenger hunt with Géo-Explora, drive among roaming animals at Parc Oméga, or splurge on a night at Fairmont Le Château Montebello. For more details, see guest author Jane Finn’s fab post about a weekend in Montebello and guest author Stephen Johnson’s great tips for a family overnight trip to Parc Oméga.

Wakefield

Try Canada’s highest bungee jump at Great Canadian Bungee, explore a marsh by pedal-boat at Éco-Odyssée or enjoy a romantic getaway at the Wakefield Mill Hotel and Spa. Intrigued? Check out my ultimate day trip guide to Wakefield and 10 things you didn’t know about Wakefield.

Explore other spots in Quebec

Bromont

Make and eat chocolate treats at a chocolate museum or visit one of Quebec’s largest spas (Balnea). I have lots more ideas in 7 cool reasons to visit the Eastern Townships and 5 more reasons to visit the Eastern Townships. (Sensing a theme here?)

Laval

Test your skills in a flight simulator at AéroSim Éxperience or learn about space exploration at the Cosmodome Space Centre. The Hilton Montreal/Laval is a stone’s throw from the Cosmodome.

Montreal

Where do I start? Check out festivals featuring everything from comedy to electronic music, explore Old Montreal, visit the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts…the list goes on and on.

St-Jérôme

Mont Tremblant

There’s much more to Mont Tremblant than skiing. In the summer, you can hike, swim, ride a gondola, go mountain biking, kayak, eat, shop, kick back in a spa or rock out at a festival.

The Ottawa Valley and Lanark County

Almonte

Explore the trails at the Mill of Kintail Conservation Area, or check out the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum. You’ll find lots more inspiration in my complete day trip guide to Almonte and 10 things you didn’t know about Almonte.

Arnprior

Stroll through an old-growth forest in Gillies Grove, learn about local history at the Arnprior and District Museum, nosh on sandwiches, soups and baked goodies at Mighty Fine Bakehouse, and check out an ever-growing selection of cool shops. (I have all the details in my post about day tripping to Arnprior.)

Barry’s Bay

Pick up some outdoor gear at MAD Outdoors before heading to Algonquin Park.

Beachburg

Carleton Place

Check out the shops and historic buildings downtown, then meditate as you make your way around the Carleton Place Community Labyrinth. And here are my complete guide to Carleton Place and 10 things you didn’t know about Carleton Place.

Eganville

Explore the Bonnechere Caves and hunt for fossils. (Guest author Hollie Grace James has a fun story about her visit to the caves.)

Pakenham

See the famous five-arch bridge, pick up some craft beer at Cartwright Springs Brewery and hike through High Lonesome Nature Preserve.

Pembroke

Get all the supplies for a great picnic at Ullrich’s deli/market and check out the city’s roughly 30 historical murals.

Perth

Check out an old mica mine at Murphys Point Provincial Park or catch a few concerts at the free Stewart Park Festival. (Here’s a post packed with more ideas on things to do in Perth.)

Renfrew

Go kayaking on the Madawaska River, pick up some treats at Bonnechere Bakery and Bistro, and check out the extensive collection of local historical artifacts at the McDougall Mill Museum. For more ideas, see my Renfrew day tripping guide.

Smiths Falls

Do you have a railroad fan in the family? Kids and adults alike get a kick out of seeing vintage trains at the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario. You can learn more about Smiths Falls in my post about my stay in a Parks Canada oTENTik at nearby Upper Beveridges Lock. I also have a detailed guide on day tripping to Smiths Falls. Finally, here are 10 things you didn’t know about Smiths Falls.

Wilno

Visit the Wilno Heritage Park to learn about the Kashubians, settlers from what is now Poland. You can learn more about Wilno in one of my very first Ottawa Road Trips posts.

East of Ottawa

Cornwall

See a show at the Aultsville Theatre, cycle 75km of bike lanes and trails, or eat your fill at the Cornwall Ribfest. Auberge Chesley’s Inn is a gorgeous heritage B&B not far from the river.

Hawkesbury

Catch an exhibition or show at Le Chenail Cultural Centre.

Ingleside

Bring your binoculars to the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary.

L’Orignal

Take a self-guided walking tour featuring 17 historic buildings and visit the 1826 l’Orignal Jail.

St-Albert

Shop for curds and much more at the St-Albert Cheese Co-op. (Hey, if you like cheese, St-Albert is just one of the places suggested in my big list of stops for cheese lovers.)

Vankleek Hill

Take a break from cycling the 72-kilometre Prescott and Russell Recreational Trail with a cold beer at Beau’s Brewery. To make a day of it, you could follow my itinerary for day tripping to Vankleek Hill.

Williamstown

Visit the atmospheric ruins of St. Raphael’s, one of the first Catholic churches in Ontario and a National Historic Site. Williamstown is also home to the Sir John Johnson Manor National Historic Site, the one-time residence of the town’s Loyalist founder.

South of Ottawa

Brockville

Zip-line through the trees at Treetop Trekking (formerly SkyWood Eco Adventure), learn about the ecology of the St. Lawrence River at the Aquatarium or enjoy the free sound-and-light show in the Brockville Railway Tunnel. Did you know that Brockville was also the site of one of Canada’s largest bank heists? That’s one of the intriguing facts in 10 things you didn’t know about Brockville.

Delta

Visit the Old Stone Mill National Historic Site, one of Ontario’s oldest surviving gristmills.

Gananoque

See vintage watercraft at the Thousand Islands Boat Museum, enjoy theatre at the Thousand Islands Playhouse, go kayaking or take a cruise of the 1000 Islands.

Kemptville

Drop into the Ferguson Forest Centre to explore hiking trails or take your pooch through the obstacle course in the dog park, or come for the four-day Kemptville Live Music Festival in July.

Lansdowne

Camp, fish, swim and hike at Charleston Lake Provincial Park.

Merrickville

Shop for mustards and more at Mrs. McGarrigle’s Fine Food Shop, or watch glassblowers at work at Gray Art Glass. Here are 10 things you didn’t know about Merrickville.

Morrisburg

Bring the kids to Upper Canada Village, which brings 1860s Ontario to life. As well as checking out special events all summer, don’t miss the Pumpkinferno jack-o-lantern festival in October or the Alight at Night event in December. For more inspiration, see my day tripping guide to Morrisburg and Iroquois.

Prescott

Take a guided tour at Fort Wellington, learn about the Battle of the Windmill, check out the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, or just kick back with a picnic and a book by the St. Lawrence River at the Sandra S. Lawn Harbour and Marina. For more ideas, see my guide to visiting Prescott and nearby Spencerville.

Westport

Catch live music at the Cove Inn, indulge in some retail therapy or hike trails overlooking Upper Rideau Lake at Foley Mountain Conservation Area.

Kingston and Prince Edward County

Bloomfield

Shop cute boutiques and stop for fabulous ice cream at Slickers.

Kingston

Visit Fort Henry, shop pedestrian-friendly Princess Street, have a great dinner at Chez Piggy, Tango Nuevo or Olivea, or sign up for the wildly popular Kingston Pen tour (that’s just the tip of the iceberg). Think you know K’town? Do you know all of these 10 things you didn’t know about Kingston?

Picton

Take a cooking class at the Waring House Inn, or visit one of Prince Edward County’s 35+ wineries.

Sandbanks Provincial Park

Rent a cottage from Ontario Parks and walk eco-friendly trails along the world’s biggest baymouth barrier dunes.

Wellington

Visit wineries galore and stay at the hipster Drake Devonshire Inn.

Wolfe Island

Hop a ferry in Kingston and spend the day cycling Wolfe Island.

Northern New York state

Alexandria Bay

Bring your passport on a 1000 Islands cruise to visit Boldt Castle, half-built and then abandoned by a New York City millionaire. (Please check the latest rules for Canadian visitors on the castle’s website.)

Lake Placid

Test your nerves on the Olympic bobsled run or splurge at the Mirror Lake Inn.

Saranac Lake

Paint outdoors at the Adirondack Plein Air Festival and learn about a fascinating moment in medical history at the Saranac Laboratory, built as the first tuberculosis research lab in the United States.

Syracuse

Shop till you drop at the giant Destiny USA mall or eat deep-fried Oreos at the New York State Fair.

Tupper Lake

Learn about the Adirondacks’ ecology and walk an elevated path through the treetop canopy at the Wild Center.

Want more tips on road trips from Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly e-newsletter or pick up a copy of Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.