From a new sauna at Nordik and an upcoming tasting event in the Glebe to a local town that recently played host to a Hollywood movie crew, this week’s Heads Up post is full of news. Plus, you can get the scoop on Black Friday deals, a winter camping package in the Pontiac and hot places to unwind in Prince Edward County.
Nordik Spa Village has a new steam sauna
Although it already has quite the array of places to get warm and cold and then warm again, Nordik Spa Village in Chelsea recently added a new eucalyptus steam sauna.
Tickets go on sale soon for Taste in the Glebe
Taste in the Glebe is an annual Ottawa event offering guests the chance to sample food and beverages from about 40 Ottawa restaurants and other businesses. The next one is taking place on January 28, 2026, at the Glebe Community Centre. Tickets go on sale at 7pm on Monday, December 1.
Hollywood stars are in the region this week
If you were in Carleton Place on Monday, you might have seen Pamela Anderson out and about. Filming was taking place in the town just west of Ottawa for a new rom-com called Love Is Not the Answer, directed by Michael Cena. According to this CTV News piece, the movie crew will be at the Ottawa airport on Tuesday.
Aventure Outaouais lets you try winter camping
Curious about winter camping, but a bit nervous, too? Perhaps Aventure Outaouais has the answer. The local tour company offers a two-day, one-night winter camping package in West Quebec’s Davidson Forest. They’ll pick you up, drop you off near your campsite (you’ll still need to hike 1.5km to the site) and provide all the gear you need to enjoy a winter night under canvas. They’ll even cook for you! (I’m perpetually cold from October to May, so I might not be the best candidate for this one, but your mileage may differ.)
Chatelaine has PEC travel tips
Sure, winter is the off season in Prince Edward County. However, you’ll still be able to take advantage of some of the travel tips in this Chatelaine article describing an ideal girls’ getaway in PEC. You’ll find ideas for places to stay, eat, drink, relax and shop.
Black Friday deals are here
I know, I know: Black Friday is an American thing. Well, it used to be, until everyone and their dog started offering pre-Christmas bargains. So if you’re looking for a deal on a future road trip, here are some local and Canadian Black Friday bargains.
- OWL Rafting in Foresters Falls is offering up to 30 percent off whitewater rafting experiences. You need to book between November 28 and December 1, for dates between May 16 and September 7, 2026.
- Porter Airlines has a pre-Black Friday sale until Thursday, November 27.
- Parc Oméga animal park in Montebello is offering discounts of up to 50 percent on admission tickets, accommodations and more.
- Wilderness Tours Rafting Resort in Foresters Falls is discounting selected 2026 rafting and kayaking experiences by 25 to 50 percent. Book by December 1.
- Flair Airlines’ Black Friday promotion offers price cuts 25 to 50 percent on selected flights.
- Breakway Adventures is offering 20 percent off its gift cards for experiences across Canada; Ottawa and Eastern Ontario choices include biplane rides, hot air balloon adventures and blacksmithing classes.
- Sentier des Cimes, the forest observation tower near Mont Tremblant in the Laurentians, has a 25 percent Black Friday discount on tickets to Lumagica, the tower’s illuminated winter incarnation. The sale goes from November 24 to December 1.
- Air Transat’s Black Friday deals offer up to 50 percent off holiday packages. Book between November 24 and 30 for travel until October 31, 2026.
- Indigo is offering Black Friday discounts of up to 50 percent between November 24 and 30. (How is this road trip-related, you ask? How about travel guidebooks? Or armchair travel via novels set in exotic locales? Hey, I can find any way to work books into a post.) And speaking of books, Ottawa Press and Publishing has a Black Friday sale on some of its newest titles, until November 30.
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.