Gatineau Outdoor Activities

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

After taking her son to a miniature golf course in Nepean, Josée Whissel was frustrated. There were mini-golf courses in Orléans, she told Orléans Online, "but nothing like this." In response, Whissel—with help from her husband, two kids, and DNA (her father once owned a course himself)—opened The Game to serve as a hometown mini-golf destination. Designed to challenge golfers of all experience levels, whether young children or old pros with prosthetic putters for legs, obstacles range from sand traps and waterfalls to rough patches in the artificial turf. Between games, players can reenergize with food and drinks from the snack bar manned by a bilingual staff.

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.

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.

Dunnderosa Golf Club’s par 3 course lets golfers swing and putt their way through tree-dotted hills that look out on the scenery of nearby Gatineau Park. With greens that are reachable in one shot on every hole, the course invites players who are still seeking out their first hole-in-one or trying to arouse jealousy in their driver by spending more time with their short irons. Dunnderosa Golf Club also features Dunn-D’s mini-golf course, which wreathes around a central waterfall for 18 holes of tricky putts and scenic landscaping. Lined by brick rails and peppered with rocky obstacles, each hole presents geometric challenges, forcing players to carom balls around 180-degree turns and steer them through craggy outcrops before sweeping them into holes positioned on devious slopes. The mini-golf course’s front nine is designed to be accessible for players with reduced mobility, offering a competitive venue for clubbers of all ages and those intent upon playing with their shoes tied together.

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.