Spring in Ottawa; 7 Cool Ideas for a Getaway in the Capital
Spring is a transformative time of year in Canada, as the snow melts, sap begins to run, flowers emerge, and Canada geese make their way home. The shoulder season is a great time to visit Ottawa, with fun outdoors activities, plenty of great indoor attractions for rainy days, and an amazing culinary scene that is vibrant all year round. Pack your rubber boots, your winter hat, your summer shorts and enjoy the joyously unpredictable spring season with theses fun things to do in the Ottawa region this spring.
Ottawa Spas
Soak, scrub and massage away winter at Ottawa’s best spas
When it comes to spas, Ottawa has your back; and plenty of places to have it massaged! Across the Ottawa River in Quebec, two amazing outdoor spas await you. The popular Nordik Spa Village (known to locals as “Le Nordik”) is located in Chelsea, QC, just a stone’s throw away from Gatineau Park. It offers an extensive series of hot and cold pools, saunas, steam rooms, relaxation rooms, an serious vibey underground salt-water pool, and in true Quebec style, some epic cheeseboards and cocktails to match. Kōena Spa, while smaller than le Nordik, might be the hidden gem of the region. Visit for the dreamy outdoor thermal pools, detox in their epic Himalayan salt room, or opt for a body scrub to refresh that tired winter skin.
It’s great on French toast and rolled on snow, but maple syrup isn’t only for eating. Holtz Spa, located in the heart of Ottawa’s ByWard Market, offers a unique maple syrup treatment that will leave you feeling relaxed, refreshed and more Canadian than ever. Book the epic Maple Luscious Body Scrub Wrap which incorporates real maple sugar and golden maple syrup. Dream of fluffy pancakes as you detoxify with a maple sugar body scrub, followed by a relaxing maple shea butter wrap. Après-spa with brunch in the ByWard Market, or pick up some maple cookies, syrup or candies in the ByWard Market Square.
Maple Sugar Shacks
Experience maple syrup from tap to table, and enjoy an epic pancake stack
Have you even visited Ottawa if you haven’t been to a maple sugar shack? Ottawa is lucky to be squeezed in the middle of some serious Canadian maple syrup heavy hitters; Lanark County, ON and the province of Quebec. Head out for a road trip and visit some of the Ottawa region’s maple hot spots like:
Each one has its own charm and specialty, so be sure to decide if pancakes, kids activities, hiking trails or sleigh rides are on the top of your list. One thing they all have in common is delicious Canadian maple syrup, so don’t be shy to stock up on some jugs of amber, pure maple sugar, maple cookies, or those addictive little maple candies you can never get enough of.
While most sugar bushes are located in the agricultural regions surrounding the city, Ottawa is home to Canada’s only urban sugar shack, Muséoparc Vanier. Easily accessible by car and public transport, the 17.5-acre sugar bush has a series of winding trails allowing you to see sap collection in progress, as well as a pancake house serving up classic sugar shack fare. Don’t miss the maple syrup festival each year in late March or early April, with fun family activities, a francophone flair, and all things maple.
The Canadian Tulip Festival
Overdose on tulips at Ottawa’s most colourful festival
The Canadian Tulip Festival is the most colourful festival in Ottawa, and dare we say, Canada. This cherished annual festival draws people from all over the country, and the world, and begins the weekend prior to the Victoria Day weekend, ending on the holiday Monday. Stroll through the multicoloured beds in Commissioners Park, snap an album full of epic pics, discover new and unique tulip varieties, and enjoy an authentic poutine or fresh squeezed lemonade overlooking Dow’s Lake. While tulips bloom throughout the 10-day festival, we recommend visiting during the first half of the festival; warm May weather swings can cause the tulips to bloom and peak early.
Ottawa’s Best Restaurants, Cafés and Patios
Loosen your Belt and Dive into Ottawa’s Food Scene
Brunch. Need we say more. Talk to any well-versed foodie and you’ll know that Ottawa’s brunch scene is second to none. Whether you’re looking for a boozy brunch in an old bank building, bacon and eggs in a cozy diner, inventive twists on the classic eggs benny, or a boogie rooftop buffet with epic views, Ottawa has it all. Check out some of our favourite brunch spots.
If coffee culture is more your pace, a café hop through Ottawa’s best cafés is a no brainer. Pair your coffee with art, books, bikes and even laundry at some of the city’s most unique and quirky cafés
For a quiet breakfast in your hotel, or a treat to satisfy a mid-afternoon sugar slump, a bakery stop is definitely the way to go. Ottawa bakeries are no joke, and you may find yourself packing up more than a couple of boxes. Try a savoury feta boreka or a fresh-baked banana chocolate muffin from Breads and Sons, a deep-fried pickle sandwich or sweet towering Kronut from Art-is-in Bakery, or a wood-fired sesame seed bagel straight from the oven, piled high with bacon and cheese from Kettlemans Bagels.
Summer breeze blow your way? In need of some fresh spring air? Get the jump on summer and grab a pint at one of Ottawa’s best patios. While not all patios are open in the spring, many in the ByWard Market are open all year round and will gladly seat you in a beam of spring sun.
Flower Farms, Florists and Spring Markets
Pick up a spring bouquet or pick your own at a local flower farm
Look but don’t touch is the rule of thumb at the Canadian Tulip Festival, but if you’re looking to get your hands on a bouquet of spring blooms, there are some great options in the Ottawa region. Pick your own bunch at Green Corners Farm, located 25 minutes from downtown Ottawa, or a little further east in Prescott and Russell, the beautiful Vankleek Hill Tulip Fields. Design your own bouquet fresh from the field, take some epic photos against a striped background of rainbow blooms, and feel good about supporting hard-working local farmers.
If you’re located centrally or a road trip isn’t in the cards, you can still find locally grown spring flowers at the Ottawa Farmers’ Market at Lansdowne Place. Open on Sundays in the spring season, you can often find fresh cut tulips along with other beautiful natural arrangements nestled in homey mason jars. The Ottawa farmers market is also a fantastic place to scout out the region’s bounty of locally grown and locally made items. Bring your own bag and stock up on fresh maple syrup, locally-roasted coffee, farm-fresh seasonal vegetables, and unique artisan crafts.
Ottawa’s oldest florist, and perhaps one of its finest, Scrim’s Florist is the place to go for fabulous spring flower arrangements. With roots dating back to 1874 Scrim’s has been adding floral pazazz to homes and office around Ottawa for decades, with famous customers like William Lyon Mackenzie King! Pop in for a look around, pick a pre-arranged bouquet, create something uniquely you, or debate how many tropical pots you can fit in the backseat.
Ottawa Museums, Art Galleries and Free Tours
Brush up on Canadian history, art and take a peek inside some famous buildings
Umbrella weather is almost a given during the Canadian spring, but luckily there are plenty of cozy indoor spots to keep your feet dry in Ottawa. Learn about Canada’s fascinating history and diverse Indigenous culture at the Canadian Museum of History, or explore iconic and contemporary Canadian art at the National Gallery of Canada or the Ottawa Art Gallery.
If you’re planning a visit to a Lanark County sugar shack, we highly recommend adding a stop at one of Ottawa’s coolest and secretive museums, the Diefenbunker. Built in 1961 as a Cold War communications headquarters, the four-storey underground bunker is full of fascinating artifacts, intriguing history, and is the perfect place to spend a rainy day incognito.
Visiting Canada’s capital is not complete without exploring some of Canada’s most iconic buildings. Take a free guided tour of the Parliament of Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada or the visually stunning Senate of Canada, located in a beautifully restored historic train station.
Public Gardens, Cool Ottawa Neighbourhoods and Spring Walking Trails
Snap epic selfies with beautiful spring blooms, and maybe a goose or two
While the Canadian Tulip Festival is the main focus of most spring visitors to Ottawa, nature lovers will love the city’s other beautiful gardens and outdoors spaces that come alive in the spring. For eye catching cherry blossoms, apple blossoms, and magnolias, head to the Dominion Arboretum, the Ornamental Gardens, the Canadian Museum of History, and along the Rideau Canal Pathways.
If you’re getting thirsty or want to grab a bite, head to Tavern at the Gallery, located at the National Gallery of Canada. This cool outdoor patio explodes in pink each spring, and become a piece of artwork of its own. Enjoy a local brew, tasty charcuterie board or fresh burrata salad under an umbrella of blooms.
Looking to get off the beaten path? The historic neighbourhood of the Glebe is the perfect place to get a taste of local life. Grab a foamy cappuccino and get lost in this quaint community teaming with century homes dating back to as early as 1832. Surrounded by mature trees, it won’t be hard to find that iconic brick home framed with pretty pink petals for your next selfie.
Wildlife and rivers are more your vibe? Make your way to the Ottawa River pathway system, and explore this extensive network of well-maintained paved paths, which happen to be popular among nesting Canada geese as well. Go for a stroll or bike ride and you’re bound to bump into a family or two of Canada’s most famous honking residents, with adorable goslings in tow. If you’re travelling on two wheels be sure to keep your eyes peeled for geese crossing the path; humans can’t see the unofficial goose crossings.
