According to my calendar—and the rapidly melting pile of snow on my front lawn—spring is here! And that means it’s time to start planning ahead for warm weather fun, whether you want to ride your bike for CHEO, see waterfalls or fireworks, treat your mom to afternoon tea, or compete in a canoe/kayak race.
Given that so many people are planning to enjoy their summer holidays in Canada this year, it’s also time to start booking those long-distance trips before all the hotel rooms, campsites and car rentals are gone.
Keep reading to avoid missing out!
Plan ahead to attend these City of Ottawa museum events
A few always-popular events are coming up at various City of Ottawa museums. Grab your spot early to avoid disappointment!
Registration is open now for Hop Into Spring (Saturday, April 19), an event for young families at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum featuring face-painting, games and visits with baby animals. Registration opens soon for Easter at the Estate (April 19 and 20), a day of crafts, animal visits and more at the Billings Estate National Historic Site in Alta Vista.
Perhaps the hottest ticket of all is the Mother’s Day Tea at the Billings Estate on Sunday, May 11; that one almost always sells out. Registrations open on Tuesday, April 1, at 10am.
The Outaouais offers a lot of spring fun
Early spring tends to be a slow season for many tourism businesses, as the ski season is winding down and the summer rush is still months away. Tourisme Outaouais has compiled a spring fun post listing lots of places you can enjoy now, without the crowds—everything from thrift shops and spas to cocktail classes, naturalist talks and waterfalls.
You can bike or walk for CHEO
Registration is open now for the CN Cycle for CHEO on Sunday, May 4. Sign up to ride 15km, 35km, 70km or 100km, or to walk 2km or 5km, then collect pledges to fund pediatric oncology care and research at Ottawa’s children’s hospital. It looks like a great way to see a lot of the city while raising money for a good cause. All routes start and end at the Canadian War Museum.
Tickets for this summer’s fireworks shows are available
Sure, it seems early to be thinking of midsummer. Heck, there’s still a pile of snow on my front lawn! But if you love
Les Grands Feux du Casino Lac-Leamy, the annual fireworks competition best viewed from the grounds of the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau, you can buy your tickets now. The event runs on Wednesday and Saturday nights from July 30 to August 16.
It’s also time to plan those Canadian summer holidays
As many Canadians drop American destinations from their summer travel plans, the popularity of Canadian destinations is rising—but so are prices. According to this post by Canadian travel journalist Jim Byers, you should start booking now if you want to visit your dream destination at a price you can afford. Many experts predict prices will just keep rising as availability decreases—particularly in iconic destinations such as the Rockies and Prince Edward Island.
You can paddle from St. Andrews West to Williamstown
Can’t wait to get your canoe or kayak in the water? You’re in luck, because the Raisin River Canoe Race is coming up quickly. One of Eastern Ontario’s longest paddling races, the 30km event on Saturday, April 12, follows the Raisin River from St. Andrews West (just north of Cornwall) to Williamstown. Despite the name, it’s open to both canoes and kayaks. You can register on the day of the event, if spaces are available, but you’ll save $10 to $20 by signing up in advance.
Now is the time to help women and children in need
OK, so this isn’t a road trip, but it’s a great local cause that could use your help right now. Harmony House Women’s Shelter in Ottawa needs the new (not used) items listed below to help women and children in our community get back on their feet and start again. You can read more about the organization’s work, and how it uses these items, in this Facebook post. If you can help, I know it would be very much appreciated. To arrange a drop-off, please call 613-233-3386 ext: 225.
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.
