Quebec Restaurants

Lave Auto Royale's attentive technicians only admit two cars per hour in order to give each auto their undivided attention. Armed with high-quality products, they wash and wax cars by hand, adding when necessary a clay-bar treatment, which is a nonabrasive method of removing stubborn debris such as tree sap and recalcitrant mules from cars' exteriors. Additionally, staff members have years of experience providing a host of special services, ranging from window tinting to the installation of bug deflectors, spoilers, decals, and racing stripes.

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.

Driven by a desire to share their passion for luxury and classic cars, the crew at Dream Car Rentals founded an independent rental agency that places customers behind the wheel of Ferraris, Porsches, Audis, and Dodges. They deliver their fleet of five cars directly to clients for weekend rentals, special events, day-long joyrides, or unplanned visits from 1980s action-film stars. They also coordinate race days, when customers can pilot the four-wheeled steeds on the 3.4-kilometre Circuit iCar course or the 5-kilometre topographic track at Calabogie Motorsports Park, which features 20 sharp turns and an anti-minotaur security system.

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.

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.