Why should you take a day trip from Ottawa to the Hull sector of Gatineau, Quebec? Are wine, a secret garden, a lake, cool food shops and an interprovincial zipline enough enticement?
Many people cross the Ottawa River to Hull to visit the Canadian Museum of History (100 Laurier), and that’s a good impulse. The curvilinear museum, designed by Douglas Cardinal, is packed with excellent displays and usually has a good blockbuster temporary exhibition going, too. The Grand Hall—with its soaring totem poles and six-storey curtain of windows overlooking the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill—is a showstopper. There’s usually something heart-pounding playing in the IMAX big-screen theatre, and small kids have a blast in the Canadian Children’s Museum (sort of a museum-within-a-museum). And here’s something even many frequent visitors don’t know: On top of the museum’s curatorial wing, you’ll find a quiet Zen garden.
Once you’ve seen the museum, there are many other places to discover in Hull. Right next door, in fact, Jacques Cartier Park (285 Laurier) is a pretty place to relax with a picnic while watching boats come and go from the Hull Marina; the park is also the site of a huge winter playground during Winterlude (February) and hosts lots of family activities on Canada Day (July).
Other major annual events in Hull include the Festibière Gatineau beer festival (July) and the Les Grands Feux Casino Lac-Leamy international fireworks competition (August).
For live theatre, concerts and other shows, venues include Théâtre de l’Ile (1 Wellington), which presents professional and community productions in a 119-seat theatre inside an 1886 stone building; Salle Jean-Despréz in the Maison du Citoyen (25 Laurier); and the glittery Théâtre du Casino Lac-Leamy (1 du Casino), where more than 1,000 spectators can gather to watch concerts, Broadway-style shows, big-name comedians and more.
Great restaurants and food shops in Hull
I once enjoyed an incredibly tasty lunch at Le Cellier (49 St-Jacques). Even the salmon tartare—normally not one of my favourite dishes—was outstanding. Tucked into a small house just a few blocks from Place du Portage, this elegant spot serves classic French cuisine (rack of lamb, escargots, tartiflette) as well as a few international choices, such as spring rolls and mushroom risotto. Note that the menu changes frequently, so these particular items may not be on it when you visit. There’s also an extensive wine list.
Speaking of wine: Did you know that Hull is home to one of the world’s top sommeliers? After placing second in the World’s Best Sommelier Competition in Japan in 2013, Véronique Rivest returned home and opened Soif Bar à Vin (88 Montcalm). You can nibble on cheeses, charcuterie, oysters and other upscale snacks while sampling new-to-you wines with the cheery, unpretentious guidance of Rivest and her team. Ask about tastings and other special events.
When seeking items to bring back to your home kitchen, you might initially drop into La Brûlerie (69 St-Joseph) for a bag of its house-roasted coffee, but there’s so much more to browse for: espresso makers, teapots, vinegars and oils, a huge range of spices, bread, and all sorts of Quebec cheeses and beers.
For Quebec cheeses of all descriptions, as well as packaged foods, charcuterie, craft beer and other goodies, head to the Hull location of the Outaouais chain La Trappe à Fromage (114 Saint-Raymond).
Looking for Middle Eastern ingredients? La Palmeraie Epicerie et Boucherie Halal (277B St-Joseph) is packed to the rafters with spices, sauces, lentils, jars of preserved lemons, halal meat and more, as well as tagines and other specialized cookware.
Check out a fabulous furniture store
I had to give a shoutout to Vice Versa (100 Montcalm)—even though I know you’re probably not going to buy furniture on the average day trip. This eclectic store is packed with high-quality, Canadian-designed furniture and home décor pieces, arranged in eye-catching displays. The prices are reasonable, the staff is well informed and helpful, and I love stopping in here for design inspiration. Plus, the stylish kitchen stools my husband and I bought here almost two decades ago are still going strong!
Lac Leamy: A retreat in the middle of town
To many people, “Lac Leamy” is synonymous with the Hôtel-Casino du Lac-Leamy (1 du Casino). One of the region’s biggest tourist attractions, it’s always busy with people trying their luck at slot machines and table games, taking in a show at the theatre, or enjoying a meal in the posh Arôme restaurant (if you want to try the famous dry-aged beef, be sure to reserve well in advance). Art fans make a point of wandering into the Hilton Lac Leamy hotel next door (3 du Casino) just to see the enormous sculpture by glass artist Dale Chihuly suspended above the lobby. (Disclosure: The hotel link above is an affiliate link, which means if you follow it and book accommodations, I’ll receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you.)
But even if you don’t have the slightest interest in roulette, craps, steak or glass art, the casino’s namesake lake is worth visiting. Head to Lake Leamy Park to canoe, kayak, snowshoe, cross-country ski, cycle, picnic or go birding, all within sight of city towers.
You can rent equipment at the Centre de plein air du Lac-Leamy (100 Atawe), which is near the park’s north parking lot. The other parking lot, closer to the beach, is at the end of promenade du Lac-Leamy, which runs off boulevard Fournier. Both lots have a parking fee at certain times of year. You can also reach the park easily on foot or by bike, along the Voyageurs Pathway, or get there by boat along main Leamy Lake channel.
Follow the Downtown Gatineau Culture Trail
Here’s something even many locals don’t know: The Hull sector of Gatineau is home to a free walking trail dotted with cool artworks, such as a giant wall sculpture of a deer, made from recycled items. Some pieces are permanent features of the trail, while others are only there for a year. Learn more in my post about the Gatineau Culture Trail.
Zip over the Ottawa River—then visit an urban waterfall
Looking for a bigger thrill? From late spring to early fall, you can ride a zipline between Ottawa and Hull, high above the Ottawa River. You start your trip on Interzip Rogers starts at the Zibi residential/retail site in Hull, where you buy your tickets, check your personal items and get your zipline gear. Then you walk across the Chaudière Bridge to the Ontario side, climb a tower and zip back to the Quebec side. Once you’re back on land and have dropped off your gear, you can visit an urban waterfall.
This is a bit of a cheat in a post about Hull, as it’s actually officially on the Ontario side of the river, but Chaudière Falls is easily to reach from Hull via the Chaudière Bridge. Long sacred to the Anishinaabe people, the foaming cataracts were largely invisible to the public for generations, blocked by various dams and industrial structures. The site has recently been made much more accessible to visitors, with paths, viewing platforms and interpretive panels. It’s really a revelation to see this roaring natural site in the middle of the city. (It’s a short walk from here to the Canadian War Museum and the National Holocaust Monument, too.)
If you go
Downtown Hull is two kilometres from Parliament Hill. You can walk, drive or cycle there via five bridges over the Ottawa River; from downtown, the most common routes between the two downtowns are over the Chaudière, Portage and Alexandra bridges.
Both OC Tranpso and the STO operate bus routes between the two downtown cores. In summer, the oddly named Water Taxi, Eh? runs shuttles across the Ottawa River between the Ottawa Locks and Richmond Landing in Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of History in Hull.
For general visitor information, see the Tourisme Outaouais website and the tourist information office (103 Laurier). For ideas for food-centric itineraries in Hull and beyond, see the Circuits Croquez l’Outaouais website.
Disclosure: The map above contains affiliate links, meaning I’ll earn a small commission if you use it to book accommodation—at no extra fee to you. And you’ll help support this site, for which you’ll earn my thanks!
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.