Wednesday, May 31, 2017

5 Family Oriented Day Trips Near Ottawa

If you are planning on visiting Ottawa this summer, or live here and are wanting to plan a few day trips, then this post is for you. There are many options for day trips in the Ottawa area, these are five that I think are fun. All of these are within 90 minutes or so of downtown.



1. Upper Canada Village - fun for all ages. I went many times growing up, and have been twice with the boys. Plan to spend 3-5 hours at the village to see everything and immerse yourself in what life was like in the 19th century. Pack a picnic and enjoy their picnic area, or purchase food from the cafeteria, cafe or restaurant.

2. Parc Omega - we haven't had the chance to visit, but everyone raves about it. (You can read what Becky from A Little Bit Of Momsense thought and if you want to read in french, you can check out Entre 2 Escales for their thoughts) Stock up on carrots (costco is a good place to go) and feed some of the animals as you drive along.

3. Saunders Farm - outdoor family fun! Splash pad, jumping pillows, mazes, tractor ride and play structure.  Pack a picnic (or purchase food onsite - cash only) and spend the day. Remember to reapply sunscreen or you may come home with a burn. We always have a blast when we visit.

4. Mill of Kintail - I haven't been here since I was in elementary school, it's a popular place for field trips. Hike the trails or visit the museum and see works of art from Canadian artists. Just a short drive West from Ottawa.

5. Go hiking - Gatineau park is a great place to put on your hiking shoes and get out in nature. A short drive from Ottawa. In addition to hiking, you can bike, camp or check out the Mackenzie King Estate.

14 comments:

  1. Thanks for these great ideas for a visit to Ottawa Ashley. We have yet to take my children, but I would love to and these places offer a nice variety of things to do and see. I will keep this list handy for sure!

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    1. I am sure they would love it if they had the chance!

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  2. We were in Ottawa in winter and we absolutely loved it. I want to go back one summer or fall, so I will keep these places in mind. I love that they are all options for a day trip and not too far for tourists who may have a rented vehicle for a day.

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    1. Winter is so much fun with winterlude (if I remember correctly, you were at city hall?) and all the outdoor festivities it brings!

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  3. I wish we'd had the time to explore Ottawa when we lived in Montreal! I drove there once for a conference, but that's it!

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    1. Oh, so close by! I haven't been to Montreal (other than driving through heading to Halifax). I know there is plenty to see/do, just hasn't happened

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  4. Absolutely loved exploring Ottawa last year when I was able to visit for a few days. Hoping to travel there again this summer, and am eager to hike in Gatineau Park! Thanks for the inspiration! :)

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    1. I hope you enjoy it, the fall is lovely with all the changing leaves

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  5. Gatineau Park is close to us, so I think a hike is in order for our family. They need to get our adn see nature up close.

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    1. I have it listed, but still haven't brought my kids over there yet

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  6. These are great. We actually plan on coming with the boys to Ottawa this summer, so I am bookmarking this post as we speak!

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  7. I've never heard of Mill of Kintail! I will definitely look into taking the boys there over the summer. Thanks for mentioning it.

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  8. These places look like a lot of fun. I have never been to Ottawa but I have always wanted to go.

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