Want to park your RV for free in the Pontiac, sample Carleton’s Lifelong Learning lectures, enjoy a festive night at the Spencerville Mill or just see some beautiful video of the Rideau Lakes? This week’s Heads Up post features all that and more.
Award-winning Rideau Lakes video includes gorgeous drone shots
The Economic Developers Association of Canada recently named the Township of Rideau Lakes a winner in its 2024 Marketing Awards for the video above (click on the image to view). The two-minute video includes interviews with Rideau Lakes entrepreneurs about why they like living and working in the township. Of even more interest to road trippers, the video includes some pretty stunning drone footage of the landscapes in this region just south of Smiths Falls and Perth.
Tickets to the Signatures Handmade Market Ottawa are half-price…for now
If you’re planning to go to the Signatures Handmade Market Ottawa at Lansdowne Park (October 17 to 20), you can get your tickets at half-price for a limited time (how limited, the organizers don’t say) if you buy them online in advance. The savings aren’t huge—$4 at best—but hey, savings are savings!
Website offers tips on great Outaouais restaurants
OK, the headline above is a bit misleading, as the English-language Chasing Poutine website covers the whole province of Quebec and includes information on much more than restaurants! However, when I checked it out recently, I found that author Jennifer Doré Dallas had pinpointed some of my favourite Outaouais restaurants—including Amazonas in Aylmer, Chez Fatima in Hull and Biscotti & Cie in Chelsea—as well as a few I hadn’t heard of and now want to try. Each of the following posts features choices for just about every budget, from posh (L’Orée du Bois) to humble (Patate Lou Lou). Here are Jennifer’s recommendations for Aylmer, Hull, Chelsea and Wakefield.
Funding announced for new Ottawa-Cornwall-Montreal cycling network
Good news for cyclists: Destination Canada, a federal Crown corporation, recently announced $250,000 in funding for a new cycling network that would connect Ottawa, Cornwall and Montreal. CTV Ottawa has the whole story.
You can save money on Mont Tremblant skiing
Until October 10, you can save up to 44 percent on the cost of downhill skiing at Tremblant this winter by buying a Nordik Card.
Ottawa has a new “dine in the dark” restaurant
If you’ve been curious about the “dark dining” restaurants that have opened in cities around the world, I have good news for you: Ottawa now has one! Dark Fork is a new restaurant in the ByWard Market where you’ll eat your meal in complete darkness, served by visually impaired servers. Fans of the concept say the lack of light heightens your sense of taste and other senses.
Colin James is coming to Ottawa
The National Arts Centre has just announced that Colin James will be giving a concert at the NAC on February 7, 2025, with special guest Terra Lightfoot. P.S.: If you’re a music fan, check out my big list of upcoming concerts all over Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais and Montreal.
Carleton program lets you sample lectures for a low fee
Carleton University’s Lifelong Learning Program is offering a Fall Showcase from October 21 to 25. The week-long program gives you the chance to enjoy anywhere from one to 10 two-hour lectures on topics ranging from the politics of Aristotle to the ethics of artificial intelligence. The presenters are Carleton faculty members, and the week is designed to pique your interest in full-length lifelong learning courses. Prices range from $25 to $40 per lecture (the lowest fee applies if you sign up for 10 sessions for $250).
The Spencerville Mill is hosting an evening of food and music
The Doc Mac Autumn Smash (Saturday, October 19) at the Spencerville Mill is billed as a fun evening of great food, games and live music. The treats will include pulled pork, warm apple tarts and salted caramel Bailey’s shooters, the music will be provided by Healy and Orr, and the games will include darts, corn hole and “apple bowling.” Colour me intrigued. Only 100 tickets are available.
Fort Coulonge has a new, free RV stop
Attention, RV drivers: If you’re heading to the Pontiac, you might be interested in the news that Fort Coulonge now has a free RV stop. It is part of the much larger Route 148 RV circuit that features stopover spots throughout the western Outaouais.
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.