Many people consider Aylmer, Quebec, little more than a bedroom community for people commuting into Ottawa-Gatineau. So why would you consider going there on a day trip? I can offer lots of good reasons, but the fact that you can get there easily by bike or bus if you don’t want to drive is right up there.
When I say it’s an “easy” ride by bike, I don’t mean that it’s necessarily a short one. It’s about 15 kilometres (one way) from Parliament Hill to Aylmer. However, that ride is largely flat and you can do it almost entirely on the recreational path network. So, if you’re in reasonably good shape and not in a huge rush, it’s very doable. (For details on the bike route, as well as information about getting to Aylmer by bus or car, see the “If you go” section at the end of this post.)
OK, so the community is easy to reach…but why should you go?
Hit the spa or a golf course
The westernmost community in Gatineau, Aylmer has a lot of resort-like amenities: a beach, a marina, three golf courses and even a Nordic spa. At that spa, Kōena (1172 d’Aylmer), you can warm up in a steam bath or one of two saunas, dip briefly into an icy plunge pool, then unwind in a hot tub, relaxation area or treatment room.
One of the golf courses, Golf Chateau-Cartier (1170 d’Aylmer), is right next door to Kōena. And there are two other Aylmer courses where you can pay greens fees by the round: the Gatineau Golf and Country Club (160 Golf) and the Kingsway Park Golf and Country Club (1461 de la Montagne).
Head to the beach
As for the beach, Parc des Cèdres (15 Raoul-Roy) is the perfect place to spend a lazy summer day. You can cool off with a drink from the snack bar—or you can hop into the change room, put on your bathing suit and take a dip in the Ottawa River from the supervised beach. Let the kids loose on the play structures. Watch sailboats gliding away from the marina to catch the breeze on Lac Deschênes—the official name for this wide stretch of the river. (The marina is pictured at the top of this post.) And stick around until dusk, because the sunsets here are often spectacular.
Tip for history buffs: Charles Symmes, nephew of Hull’s founder Philemon Wright, built an inn in Aylmer back in 1831. Today, it’s the Symmes Inn Museum (1 Front), on the edge of Parc des Cèdres. There, you can learn about Symmes and other local luminaries, such as Anishinabeg leader Tessouat and pioneering photojournalist Marjorie Davison.
Tip for foodies: If you get hungry and you didn’t bring a picnic, don’t worry—right next to the park, you can get chicken dumplings, wontons and spicy Hunan-style Chinese dishes at Woilàla (11 Front). And a 10-minute walk to the east, you’ll find Amazonas (19 Eardley), a tiny restaurant where you can enjoy ceviche, tamales, pollo saltado, lomo mixto and other Peruvian specialties.
Shopping, food and drink
Looking for more places to eat in Aylmer—or somewhere to have a refreshing beverage or enjoy some retail therapy? Here are my tips.
One of my favourite Aylmer restos is at The British Hotel (71 Principale). It’s not so much for the food, which is quite good—a nice variety of burgers, pizzas, salads and the like—but for the ambiance. Built in 1841, this old stone building has been everything from a bank to a stable. It’s just a very pleasant place to hang out. And if you’re a whiskey connoisseur (I am not), there are more than 60 kinds to sip, as well as wine, beer and cocktails.
To try some locally brewed craft beer, you could also drop into 5e Baron (55 Principale), a microbrewery where the choices include a barleywine called Bill in a Barrel (Cognac), Citadin (a Czech-style Pilsner) and Mixtape Orange (a New England IPA). If you’re hungry, you can pick up the daily sandwich special or tuck into a charcuterie board.
A little off the beaten path, African Soul Food (425 Vanier) sells a wide range of pan-African ingredients, coffees, sauces and other packaged goods, as well as clothing, art, books and more. There’s a café, too, and occasional workshops.
Located in a cute century-old house, Boulangerie aux Deux Frères (146 Principale) is the place to go for baguettes, croissants and, most especially, flaky, yummy chocolatines.
Speaking of chocolate, Béatrice et Chocolats (101 Principale) makes pralines in a dizzying variety of flavours, including salted caramel, margarita and chai.
Run by a mother-daughter duo, Bouquinart (110 Principale) is part bookstore (with a diverse selection of French books), part art gallery and part event venue. You might stumble on an author reading, a vernissage or a kids’ treasure hunt, depending on the day.
If you go
As I mentioned at the start, Aylmer is 15 kilometres west of Parliament Hill. To drive there from Ottawa, take the Champlain Bridge over the Ottawa River, then turn left onto either boulevard de Lucerne or chemin d’Aylmer. (Lucerne is prettier but d’Aylmer is probably faster.)
The STO, Gatineau’s public transit company, also provides regular bus service between Ottawa and Aylmer. Bus routes change often, so do check. However, as I write this, STO route 41 offers a direct connection from downtown Ottawa to downtown Aylmer.
It’s easy to cycle to Aylmer along National Capital Commission multi-use paths. Take the western section of the Ottawa River Pathway on the Ontario side, cross on the Champlain Bridge, then take the Voyageurs Pathway beside the river to Aylmer. Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals also offers self-guided bike trips to Aylmer.
Accommodations in Aylmer, Quebec
Disclosure: This section contains affiliate links, meaning that I’ll earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you—if you book accommodations by following a link or using the map.
Want to make a weekend of it? You could stay at the aforementioned British Hotel or at the DoubleTree by Hilton Gatineau-Ottawa (1170 d’Aylmer), which is right next to Kōena spa and the Golf Chateau-Cartier course. Use the map below to find a vacation rental or other accommodations in Aylmer.
For more information on Aylmer, see the websites of APICA (the local business association) and Tourisme Outaouais.
Looking for more ideas for things to see and do in our region? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.
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.