{"id":942755,"date":"2026-10-23T01:40:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T01:40:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/942755\/"},"modified":"2026-10-23T01:40:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T01:40:15","slug":"7-things-to-do-in-ottawa-if-you-want-to-escape-the-city-without-actually-leaving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/942755\/","title":{"rendered":"7 things to do in Ottawa if you want to escape the city without actually leaving"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was born and raised in Ottawa<\/a>, so I can find fun in the local hidden gems<\/a> and the popular spots around the city<\/a>. <\/p>\n

That said, sometimes I need a little getaway from Ottawa’s everyday vibe without going too far off the map.<\/p>\n

So, for my fellow 613 locals or friends visiting the capital<\/a>, here are eight spots you can visit when you want to feel like you’ve escaped the city… without actually leaving home.<\/p>\n

Walk the path and stairway behind Parliament Hill<\/p>\n

Price: Free<\/p>\n

When: Seasonal; closed during the winter<\/p>\n

Address: Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON<\/p>\n

Why You Need To Go: Last but not least, I had to mention the gorgeous trail behind Parliament Hill.<\/p>\n

I didn’t even know there was a path there until a few years ago, and I really enjoyed it on my first visit.<\/p>\n

You’ll find some really great views of the river and across to Quebec, and eventually you’ll reach the long staircase that takes you down to the Ottawa River pathway.<\/p>\n

To me, it feels like going to one of the forested trails you’d find in Gatineau Park or Ottawa’s south end, but it’s right in the middle of downtown, which I always thought was pretty cool.<\/p>\n

That hidden stairway is proof you don’t have to leave the city to feel like you’ve actually gotten away from it.<\/p>\n

NCC Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Take a day trip to Manotick Village<\/p>\n

Price: Varies by activity<\/p>\n

When: Daily; individual business hours vary<\/p>\n

Address: Manotick, ON<\/p>\n

Why You Need To Go: Manotick is actually one of my favourite day trips in Ottawa<\/a> because even though it feels like a totally different place, it’s still technically part of the city.<\/p>\n

I grew up spending a lot of time in Manotick and also lived in Barrhaven<\/a>, which is pretty close by, so this has always been one of my go-to spots when I want to spend a day soaking up some small-town vibes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can stop by the local shops, check out the heritage buildings like Watson’s Mill, and walk along the Rideau River Heritage Trail.<\/p>\n

You can also pop into Miller’s Farm and Market year-round for fresh produce and baked goods, visit their garden centre and farm animals, or pick your own berries and pumpkins when they’re in season.<\/p>\n

I mean, is there anything more perfect for a fall day in the city<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Manotick Village Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Go for a hike in Gatineau Park<\/p>\n

Price: Free to visit; parking fees may apply at some locations<\/p>\n

When: Year-round<\/p>\n

Address: Gatineau Park, Gatineau, QC<\/p>\n

Why You Need To Go: Is Gatineau Park<\/a> technically in Quebec? Yes.<\/p>\n

Do us Ottawa locals<\/a> basically consider it part of Ottawa anyway? Also yes.<\/p>\n

And when there’s a free shuttle that can take you right to the trails, I’d say we’re pretty connected.<\/p>\n

I’ve been hiking in Gatineau Park<\/a> since I was a kid, and it never gets old. No matter the season, getting out there for a hike and fully immersing myself in nature is one of the best ways to reset.<\/p>\n

I have lots of favourite trails in the area<\/a>, but if I had to rank my top three, I’d go with King Mountain, Luskville Falls and Pink Lake<\/a> when it’s not super busy. Mackenzie King Estate has some gorgeous trails running through it, too.<\/p>\n

NCC Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Relax at Hog’s Back Falls<\/p>\n

Price: Free<\/p>\n

When: Year-round<\/p>\n

Address: 600 Hog’s Back Rd., Ottawa, ON<\/p>\n

Why You Need To Go: I feel like Hog’s Back Falls is a super underrated little getaway<\/a> right in the south end of the city.<\/p>\n

For over a decade now, I’ve loved climbing down the rocks with a snack and a book to sit and watch the water. It’s truly so peaceful and always looks gorgeous in the summer and fall.<\/p>\n

Plus, if it’s a hot day, you can sometimes get hit by mist from the falls, so it’s a cooldown and vibe spot all in one.<\/p>\n

You’re also super close to Mooney’s Bay, so you can easily walk over, sit in the grass or on the beach, and have a full-on picnic, too.<\/p>\n

NCC Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Paint pottery at The Mud Oven<\/p>\n

Price: Varies by item; starts at around $16+<\/p>\n

When: Hours vary.<\/p>\n

Address: 1150 Bank St., Ottawa, ON<\/p>\n

Why You Need To Go: When we think of escapes, we might think of more physical places like hiking trails<\/a> or spa getaways<\/a>, but for me, going to The Mud Oven is a little escape<\/a> in itself.<\/p>\n

It’s so fun to pick out your own mug, plate or whatever kind of pottery you’re into, find a cute design on Pinterest, and spend a little while completely in the zone.<\/p>\n

I actually had my birthday there with my girls a few years ago, and I think it was way better than the classic dinner celebration.<\/p>\n

Though, trust me, we definitely stopped at one of my favourite restaurants<\/a> afterwards.<\/p>\n

The Mud Oven Website<\/a><\/p>\n

Eat your way around the world<\/p>\n

Why You Need To Go: Now, we can’t all afford to hop on a plane to Italy or Japan, but we can absolutely travel there through the food in the city. Ottawa has such a huge and diverse food scene, so pick a country you want to visit and try a dish from there! You could even make a whole day of it and go on an international food “tour.”<\/p>\n

There are tons of must-visit restaurants around the city<\/a>, and some of my favourites are Le Mein Craft Noodle for hand-pulled Chinese noodle soup, Ayla’s Social Kitchen for Mediterranean food, and Pili Pili for some really good charcoal-grilled chicken.<\/p>\n

We also have tons of great Vietnamese and Indian spots all over the capital, so you really can’t go wrong.<\/p>\n

Go for a walk in the Ottawa Greenbelt<\/p>\n

Price: Free to visit<\/p>\n

When: Year-round<\/p>\n

Address: Multiple trails throughout Ottawa, ON<\/p>\n

Why You Need To Go: You’re not a true Ottawa local<\/a> unless you love the Greenbelt. I said what I said.<\/p>\n

Gatineau Park<\/a> usually gets all the love for hiking spots<\/a>, but Ottawa has some gorgeous boardwalks and trails<\/a> of its own.<\/p>\n

Mer Bleue Bog is definitely one of the most popular, and with such an Instagrammable boardwalk<\/a>, who wouldn’t want to go there?<\/p>\n

But the Jack Pine<\/a> and Lime Kiln trails in Stony Swamp are also lovely, and I grew up walking my dogs in Conroy Pit all the time.<\/p>\n

NCC Website<\/a><\/p>\n

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"I was born and raised in Ottawa, so I can find fun in the local hidden gems and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":942756,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,20739,291912,275902,275899,275901,298127,256021,291913],"class_list":["post-942755","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ottawa","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-ottawa","tag-ottawa-activities","tag-ottawa-day-trip","tag-ottawa-day-trips","tag-ottawa-hidden-gems","tag-ottawa-summer-activities","tag-things-to-do-in-ottawa","tag-things-to-do-ottawa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/942755","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=942755"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/942755\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/942756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=942755"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=942755"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=942755"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}