Sometimes, the key to a great road trip is advance planning! And this week’s Heads Up post is full of tips for doing just that. Read on to find out where you can observe the stars, cycle quiet country roads, buy soy candles, hit a waterpark, paint with your child and more.
Campsites at the Festival de montgolfières de Gatineau (Gatineau’s hot air balloon festival) are currently discounted; seven-day reservations are already sold out. As an example of the savings available, a three-night pass regularly priced at $219.99 is on sale for $174.99.
Nature Nocturne is a popular series of after-hours events for adults at the Canadian Museum of Nature, with multiple dance floors and other fun. The next four events have just been announced, and the first one is on Friday, June 5. Jump on this one quickly if you’re keen; these nights regularly sell out weeks in advance.
A new shop called North + Rose is officially opening in Carleton Place on Saturday, May 2. Stock includes soy candles, hand soaps and home décor. The owner plans to offer workshops in the future.
Speaking of Carleton Place: Anticipate delays if you’re driving Highway 15 between Carleton Place and Franktown. The road will be under construction, and down to one lane in places, until November 30.
Tickets are at least 50 percent sold for the Naturally L&A Gravel Ride on Saturday, June 6. The 53-kilometre rural cycling event along asphalt and gravel roads passes through Tamworth, Croydon, Enterprise and Centreville, northeast of Napanee. Six rest stops will feature local food and live music. Note that this isn’t a race; everyone can cycle at their own pace.
And Stormont Dundas and Glengarry has also published its 2026 visitor guide online.
There’s an informative new video of Mont-Mégantic National Park in the Eastern Townships, including details about its astronomical observatory (see above).
The Ottawa Jazz Festival has added an extra day (Thursday, June 18) to its 2026 program. Headlining that night is Wyclef Jean.
Tickets are available now for a Mom and Me painting class at the Spencerville Mill on Sunday, May 31. Each member of a parent/child pair will create a painting of a cat with vase of flowers.
You can also get tickets now for the Abbotsford Garden Tour, a self-guided trek around private gardens in the Glebe and Westboro that’s taking place on Saturday, June 20.
Splash Valley Waterpark and Resort in Cobden (see video above) has added a new attraction called the Aquaglide Helix. Basically, it looks like a row of huge beach balls strung together—just designed to get you to fall into the waters of Astrolabe Lake.
Looking for inspiration for canoe and kayaking trips? Check this list of suggested paddling routes from the Ontario’s Highlands tourism organization, which includes routes starting in Renfrew and along the Mississippi River.
Cooking classes are filling up quickly at Maison Maitland near Brockville, but there are still a few spots available for a Vietnamese cuisine class in May and French bistro cooking lessons in June.
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.
