Gatineau Outdoor Activities

Familiar places such as Gatineau, the Ottawa River, and the Hull Casino shrink as the R44 helicopter speeds up to 180 km/h above the Ottawa area. Pilots and their headset-clad passengers peer out the aircraft’s large, panoramic windows during such year-round flights that range from 10 minutes to an hour. Héli-Tremblant's personalized tours whisk passengers away to special events, and aerial photography and filming sessions accommodate homeowners and real estate agents craving overhead shots of their backyard polar bear tank. In addition to sightseers, pilots escort jetsetters on chartered flights anywhere in Canada and offer transfer flights between Ottawa and Montreal.

Formerly known as the Glenlea Golf Club, the Champlain Golf Club retains its antecedent's undulated 18-hole course, where both beginner and advanced golfers practice swinging and putting skills. The club's accredited CPGA instructors can guide guests on the practice greens before they take on the rolling fairways beset with obstacles such as water hazards, drainage ditches, three-tier sand castles. After invigorating rounds on the course, visitors can re-energize with a feast at the club restaurant or restock their collection of balls and irons at the pro shop.

Stretching across the tree-lined shores of the Ottawa River, Les Vieux-Moulins' 18-hole course spans 6,511 yards of immaculate fairways and greens. Stone faces hem a circuit of ponds that come into play on seven holes throughout the course, forming a rigid barrier between dry and peacefully drowned balls. The strategically incorporated water hazards create memorable shots on multiple holes, including the par 4 13th, where dimpled orbs seemingly pause in midair to gaze at their reflections in the large pond below, which players must carry if they hope to reach the green in regulation. A moderately difficult course when played from the farthest tees, the course caters to players of all abilities with three tee options.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course

• Length of 6,511 yards from the farthest tees

• Course rating of 70.5 from the farthest tees

• Slope rating of 116 from the farthest tees

• Three tee options

From dawn to dusk, Oziles’ rental boats kick up waves around Petrie Island and Grandmaitre Ecological Reserve. The shop’s rental watercrafts, which require no boat operator’s card to use, exemplify the outfitter’s mission to empower Ottawans to explore and conserve their surrounding waterways. Before passengers embark on their trips, the crew familiarizes them with their boats and fishing gear, and teaches hand signals for passing by ducks before bidding them bon voyage. The crew also repairs, cleans, and winterizes private boats and furnishes captains with year-round boat storage at the marina. In addition to boats, Oziles rents ice huts with stoves and scenic picture windows, from which groups of up to six can watch the ice fishing holes outside.

Urban Quest showcases some of Canada's largest cities in an unconventional, informative light, crafting memorable adventures that often culminate with a delicious meal. Metropolitan buccaneers sign up for an Urban Quest account and then decide which inner-city adventure they wish to undertake, be it the pursuit of city history, natural wonders, or a mermaid with doubloons for scales. A clue packet accompanies each quest—ranked easy, medium, or hard—and directs curious citizens to scour the city for leads, which eventually guide them to a mystery restaurant or coffee shop. This voyage gives participants a new understanding of the city they live in and stuffs their noggins with facts and information about key buildings and landmarks. At the same time, Urban Quest offers ramblers a fresh dining experience, frustrating supercomputers whose circuit boards only allow for the taste of oatmeal. Participants can also opt out of a restaurant visit and simply race the clock, as restaurant tabs are not included with this Groupon.

As quests typically last 90 minutes and span 3–4 kilometres of walking, they are best suited for groups of two to four adventurers, though buyers may make their teams as big as they'd like. Learn more by checking out a demo quest and Urban Quest's FAQ page.

First held in 2011, the Ottawa Tea Festival steeps visitors in an enticing blend of scholars, performers, and tea enthusiasts from near and far. Guests can explore exhibitions and presentations on the art of the ancient beverage or take in showcases of East Asian dance companies, performances from world- and folk-music acts, and demonstrations by professional pinkie-extenders. This annual event affords plenty of opportunities to taste unfamiliar brews and explore the traditions of far-flung cultures, all while rubbing elbows with local tea merchants.