waterfront restaurants

If you enjoy spending a sunny summer day on a restaurant patio, then check out  Guadalaharry’s Tex-Mex restaurant on Dow's Lake. Kick back with a cold beer or a margarita and munch on nachos while gazing out on the water. The food is affordable, the servers are cheery, there's lots of laughter and there’s free parking at the lot across the street.

For more information check out my article in the Ottawa Citizen Travel section

More ice cream

took a drive out to Old Chelsea to check out La Cigale, an ice cream store right at the entrance to the Gatineau Park Visitors Centre.  Well worth the drive.  The ice cream is homemade daily in crazy flavours like strawberry & sour cream, gingersnap & chai, raspberry white chocolate, and banana skor & walnut.  Sat in one of the many adirondack chairs on the side lawn enjoying my cone and then wandered into the Galerie Old Chelsea right next door to check out the art.

Perth Festival of the Maples

Want a great way to usher in spring?  The Perth Festival of the Maples, held the last Saturday in April in the heart of the maple syrup capital of Ontario, celebrates the end of the maple sap run with a bash that attracts 15,000 - 20,000 people annually.


Stroll, shop, listen to live music, watch a sheep-shearing demonstration, check out antique cars, sample maple products...or just enjoy a spring day. Perth is only 75 km from the west end of Ottawa, about an hour's drive.

for more information check out my article in the Ottawa Citizen Travel section.
Daytripping: Perth’s sweet spring bash