This week’s post is full of news you can use. Read on to find out how to get tickets to Gatineau’s big fireworks festival, take an art class in a small village or beside a waterfall, be in the right place at the right time for the April 8 eclipse, and (sigh) avoid the latest construction slowdowns.
Newboro is a fun day trip
My latest road trips column for Ottawa Business Journal is live! Check it out for information on some fun things to see and do in Newboro, a Rideau Lakes village that’s home to a soap shop, an art school, a Rideau Canal lock and more.
You can paint a waterfall or descend into a mine in Sudbury
Speaking of my recent stories: Here’s my post for Perceptive Travel on 5 fun things to do in and around Sudbury. The art class above was run by the Art Gallery of Sudbury, and we had the chance to paint a waterfall that A.Y. Jackson captured on canvas decades ago. (Spoiler alert: My version isn’t likely to be hanging in a gallery anytime soon…but the experience was still a lot of fun.) Other fun includes the simulated mine tour at Dynamic Earth and the cool exhibits at Science North. And, no, I didn’t forget everyone’s favourite giant roadside coin, the Big Nickel.
Tickets for big Gatineau fireworks show are available
Do you like to plan really far ahead? Then you’ll be pleased to know that tickets for Les Grands Feux Casino Lac-Leamy—which, as I emphasize every year, are not at the casino but at the Canadian Museum of History—are on sale now. This year’s event will feature musical, pyrotechnical shows created by teams from China, Spain, Barbados and the United Kingdom, and it will run from July 31 to August 17.
Eclipse bookings are going quickly—especially in Niagara Falls
If you are a Globe and Mail subscriber, you’ll be able to see this paywalled story about the crowds expected in Niagara Falls to see the total solar eclipse on April 8. In a nutshell, the city is expecting one million visitors. Unbelievable, eh?
According to the G&M story, Kingston is expecting 30,000 people to show up. (I’ll be one of them.) Ottawa is just outside the path of totality, but lots of other places in Ontario, Quebec and New York state will witness the full enchilada. Check my guide to the solar eclipse for information on what various communities will be doing on the big day. (P.S.: Wherever you’re planning to watch the eclipse, make sure to get your optometrist-approved eclipse glasses now, as vendors are starting to sell out. Look for glasses with an ISO-12312-2 rating. This story from CTV News has lots of good information on eclipse glasses.)
Tuesday is always discount day at VIA Rail
Did you know that VIA Rail offers discounts and deals every Tuesday? This week, the bargains include 15 per cent off economy- and business-class fares in the Windsor to Quebec City corridor on certain days, and a 15-per-cent discount on long-haul trains such as The Canadian.
News flash: Construction may cause traffic slowdowns
Yes, now that winter seems to be winding down, we’re entering the second of Canada’s two seasons: construction.
If you’re heading west from Ottawa, be aware that Highway 17 westbound between Arnprior and Renfrew is down to one lane until April 30.
East of Ottawa, both sides of Highway 417 just east of the Highway 138 interchange will be down to one lane for repaving work, due to start on April 1 and last for at least several months.
And within the city limits, traffic in Old Ottawa South will be a nightmare this weekend due to construction work that will see Bank Street southbound closed between Glen and Cameron avenues from Friday, March 22, at 6pm, until Monday, March 25, at 6am.
Looking for more tips on things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or order a copy of my book, 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.