Are you looking for affordable fun in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario, including inexpensive festivals and events? Look no further! Canada’s capital offers all sorts of activities that won’t break the bank. Some of these suggestions are even free—and you can’t get much more affordable than that! Here are a few of my favourite activities for budget-conscious visitors and locals alike.
This is the sign at one of the trail’s parking lots, not the smaller sign you will see if you get to the trail from Conroy Road. Photo by Laura Byrne Paquet.
See an Ottawa museum for free
Did you know that you can get free admission to Ottawa’s national museums at certain times of day?
- Thursdays from 5pm to 8pm: the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum.
- Daily from 4pm to 5pm (when the museum is regularly open): the Canada Science and Technology Museum, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, and the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.
In addition, several other local institutions—including the Ottawa Art Gallery and the Nepean Museum—are always free (but donations are appreciated).
And here’s a little-known tip: If you’re an Ottawa resident, you can borrow a museum access pass from the Ottawa Public Library. The library has passes to a range of local museums, including the Canadian Museum of Nature and the National Gallery of Canada. Check with your local branch for details.
Take a garden tour
Shakespeare’s Gardens in Prescott, Ontario, overlook the St. Lawrence River.
The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club maintains the Fletcher Wildlife Garden at the Central Experimental Farm. There, you can learn how to use plants native to our region to create a sustainable home garden that’s also friendly to butterflies and other wildlife. There’s no admission fee.
On Saturday, June 22, you can take a self-guided tour of 11 private gardens throughout the region on the Greater Ottawa Water Garden Horticultural Society’s annual tour. Tickets are $20 per person.
Further afield, the 1000 Islands and Rideau Canal Garden Trail is a self-driving route that takes you to more than a dozen public and private gardens, located mainly along the St. Lawrence Seaway. Some are in public parks and open all the time, while others are private enclaves that require advance arrangements. A small but charming free stop on the garden trail is Shakespeare’s Gardens in Prescott, planted with flowers mentioned in Shakespeare’s plays.
Enjoy a free festival in Eastern Ontario
The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival at Vincent Massey Park in Ottawa features lots of free performances.
Free or largely free events in Ottawa include the Canadian Tulip Festival (May 10 to 20, 2019), Westfest (June 7 to 9), the Tim Horton’s Ottawa DragonBoat Festival (June 20 to 23), the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival (June 20 to 23) and the HOPE Volleyball SummerFest (July 13).
If you’re in the mood for a road trip, you could learn about the history and culture of the Kashubs, an Eastern European group who settled the Barry’s Bay area in the 1800s, at Kashub Day in Wilno (May 4). And music fans could check out Priorpalooza, an all-day music festival in Arnprior (June 1) or Perth’s Stewart Park Festival (July 19 to 21).
Ski or hike on a trail in the National Capital Region
Wildflowers along the shore on Petrie Island.
- Hike through Pine Grove Forest. In this NCC forest near Hunt Club, you’ll find 18.4 kilometres of hiking trails (you can also cross-country ski along them in the winter). Learn about the forest’s ecology on trail 43, an interpretive trail. And both the trails and parking are free.
- Check out the seven kilometres of trails—some along the shore of the Ottawa River—on Petrie Island in Orleans. There is a small parking fee between 7am and 6pm; after that, you can park for free.
- On Ottawa’s southeastern edge, explore the Mer Bleue Bog, which has a microclimate typical of subarctic regions far to the north. Its 20 kilometres of trails include a 1.2-kilometre accessible boardwalk, and parking and admission are free.
- In the west end of the city, stroll paved paths along the Ottawa River in Britannia Park or hike through Stony Swamp.
- Check out some of the many, many hiking trails in Gatineau Park (note that most of the parking lots charge a fee). Borrow a Gatineau Park cross-country ski pass from the Ottawa Public Library (check with your local branch for details).
Delve into history in Ottawa
With its green carpet, and original chairs and desks, the new, temporary House of Commons chamber is reminiscent of the Centre Block chamber, now under renovation.
- Even if you’ve done a Parliament Hill tour in the past, don’t miss the chance to take a free tour the new, temporary House of Commons and Senate chambers. The House of Commons now meets in a newly roofed courtyard in the West Block, while the Senate has moved down the street to the former train station across the street from the Fairmont Chateau Laurier.
- Doors Open Ottawa (June 1 and 2) is a great chance to peek behind the doors of dozens of the city’s most interesting buildings, at no charge. (Check out the provincial Doors Open website for information about similar events across Ontario.)
I plan to keep expanding this post over time. Did I miss one of your favourite ideas for free fun in Ottawa or cheap activities in Eastern Ontario? Send me your tips in the comments!
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