Do I have deals for you in this week’s Heads Up post! First and foremost is this morning’s announcement of the Canada Strong Pass, which will encourage Canadians to explore their country with deals like free VIA Rail tickets for kids and free admission for everyone to Parks Canada parks. I also have the scoop on hotel discounts and a new night walk at Parc Oméga (also discounted). And if you like dining outdoors, I have links to two lists of great Ottawa restaurant patios.
Disclosures: This post contains affiliate links, meaning I will earn a small commission on some links—at no extra cost to you—if you make a purchase via a link. I stayed at the Alt Saskatoon as a guest of Germain Hotels and Tourism Saskatoon. And Irene’s is a client of my husband’s trivia business.
Canada Strong Pass offers fantastic deals
This morning, the Government of Canada announced the Canada Strong Pass. And, wow, does it offer some amazing deals on travel within Canada between June 20 and September 2, 2025! Here are some of the bargains on offer:
- free admission to national parks and historic sites run by Parks Canada
- a 25 percent discount on campsites and other overnight stays in Parks Canada parks (if you’ve already booked one, you’ll get a rebate!)
- free lockage on Parks Canada canals, including the Rideau Canal (again, if you’ve pre-purchased, you’ll get a rebate)
- free Escape and Economy fare VIA rail tickets for children aged 17 and under (accompanied by an adult)
- a 25 percent discount on Escape and Economy fare VIA rail tickets for adults aged 18 to 24
- free or reduced admission at participating museums and galleries
You can get up to 20 percent off at Germain Hotels
Germain Hotels—a Canadian chain that includes the Alt, Escad and Le Germain brands—is currently running a promotion offering up to 20 percent off on stays at its hotels across Canada between June 19 and September 7. The deals vary by property, and you need to book by July 3. Fun fact: I just stayed at the Alt Saskatoon and it was a beautiful property, located right across the street from the gorgeous Remai Modern art gallery … just in case your travels are taking you westward this summer.
Parc Oméga is discounting its new night walk
Speaking of discounts: Parc Oméga, the drive-through wildlife park in Montebello, is offering a 25 percent discount on tickets to its new Oniro night walk, if you book online before June 27. The night walk is a nature-themed sound-and-light show/walk/experience. (Honestly, their website describes it better.)
Tickets are available for a Prescott garden party
The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival is holding a fundraising garden party and fashion show on Saturday, July 5, at Casselman House in Prescott. Tickets are $50 each and include food and two drinks.
Ottawa has lots of great outdoor patios
I’ve been thinking of writing a post about local patios, but at least two Ottawa writers have beaten me to the punch, so I figured, hey, why reinvent the wheel?
Sofie Sharom at Project Local Love has created a comprehensive list of 30 outdoor dining spots, helpfully broken down into rooftop, courtyard, waterfront and people-watching patios. And the Ottawa Citizen‘s Peter Hum just published a guide to 10 of his favourite patios, including a map. (You don’t need a subscription to read it online.)
As one indication of just how many great patios there are in Ottawa, there’s not a ton of overlap between the two lists. And here’s one of my faves that didn’t make either list: the cozy courtyard tucked behind Irene’s Pub in the Glebe. So many patios, so little time!
Move quickly if you want a balloon fest campsite
If you’d like to camp on the grounds of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival (August 27 to 31) this year, you’d better move quickly. Three-night campsite reservations are already sold out, but some longer-duration reservations are still available.
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.
