Quebec Guide and Deals

For more than 30 years, the guides at Irish Creek Outfitters have explored Ottawa's local waterways and woods in search of trophy fish and game birds. During guided fishing trips along the Ottawa River, Golden Lake, or Muskrat Lake, trip leaders equip anglers with necessary equipment and hard-earned techniques for catching wall-worthy catches. In addition to using digital maps and Aqua-Vu underwater video cameras, fishing experts select lures that resemble seasonal food sources such as bugs, minnows, or limited-edition rib sandwiches. During the winter, they duck the chill wind inside portable shelters with propane heaters while wrestling and winning finned fighters such as walleye, northern pike, and lake trout.

A year-round hotspot at the Jay Peak Resort, Jay Peak Pump House Indoor Waterpark beckons families to slip into its colorful slides and lounge in its 100-plus-degree hot tubs. La Chute, a quick-descending slide 65’ above the water, launches visitors through a 360-degree turn before depositing them in the pool below only six seconds later. In the Mill Pond kids’ play area, children man water cannons, adjusting their trajectory to blast unsuspecting friends or hydrate parched marathon runners.

An arcade replete with 3-D games and immersive ride simulators provides a break from underwater exploits, and the snack shack quells cravings for pizza, burgers, and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. Adults can lounge at the poolside bar, where bartenders serve up frozen cocktails, draft beers, and firsthand advice on shark wrangling.

For more than 10 years, Magenta Studio Photo's talented photographers have teamed up with clients to craft custom-fitted photo shoots. Each session starts with a consultation to review the myriad options available for solo portraits, couples, families, and more. Then, clients can create a preferred ambience by selecting background colours and lighting options. Tailored photo shoots give models the chance to pose with props brought from home or from Magenta Studio's costume cache. Following the shoot, photographers are happy to review every pose to ensure satisfaction and to help subjects select shots that can be immortalized on a fleet of products, such as prints, handbags, and home accessories.

Patrons can peruse the homepage gallery for examples of Magenta Studio Photo's moment-capturing prowess, and consult the FAQ page to answer any bunny-ear-related inquiries.

Adventure Forever's certified mountain guides and first-aid responders enlighten beginning outdoorspeople and seasoned aficionados alike on the intricacies of ice climbing, rock climbing, and easy to difficult day hikes. During full-day treks and lessons, guides escort troupes of thrill seekers up frozen faces and climbing courses, plying their clientele with the necessary skills and knowledge to tackle Mother Nature's vertical labyrinths. Each experienced guide carries years of wisdom, capably leading participants through regions stretching across Canada, the United States, and Middle Earth.

After careers in psychological and social services, husband-wife team Ed and Shirley switched gears and spent a decade running a motel. With those years of experience in guest services behind them, they decided to focus on a smaller enterprise with luxurious, individual attention—and so, in 2011, Abadin Bed and Breakfast was born near the banks of the Ottawa River. It's named after a small municipality in Spain that the couple has travelled through, and is inspired by Europe's bed and breakfasts. And because Shirley is an artist, she and Ed have filled the rooms and grounds with intriguing, contemporary artwork and modern furniture.

Travel-weary guests can relax on the lounge room's white leather lounge chairs in front of the fireplace before apparating up to queen and king rooms. Ed and Shirley decorated each room individually, so guests might open the door to an airy space with white and cream tones, or a daring purple-and-black suite. Each room's 40-inch LCD TVs is outfitted with a media player and cable, which guests can watch as they snuggle into bathrobes and bounce on pillow-top mattresses. In the morning, the iPod docking station's alarm clock rouses them for a hot, plated breakfast. Behind the greek-revival-style mansion, a swimming pool and cozy patio give guests a chance to kick back and perfect their dolphin-show routines.

Hips start swiveling with grace at White Sands Golf Course & Practice Centre, where golfers hone their form at a nine-hole executive course, extensive practice facilities, and academy classes. On the 1,477-yard course designed by Graham Cooke, golfers can choose from three tee options and finish rounds in less than two hours. To gear up for the water hazards and serpentine sand bunkers that stud the fairways, players can sharpen their technique at the extensive White Sands practice facility. Here, 30 fibre mats and 42 grass tees await along the driving range, and players can work on their victory half smiles after chipping out of the practice sand trap onto a green.

White Sands Golf Course & Practice Centre is also the site of the Graham Gunn Golf Advantage School, whose head is a member of the European Senior Tour and spent a decade as head professional at the Carleton Golf & Yacht Club. Gunn teaches clinics and offers private coaching for students who don’t want to be overheard asking how long you have to sit on a golf ball before it hatches.