Yes, it is cold, snowy, icy at times and it takes a while to warm the car up but living in Ottawa definitely has its perks in the Winter. Growing up only an hour away from the city I have been able to enjoy many of Ottawa’s amenities over the years. The hidden gems we discover as a family that continue to pop up each year excite me!
Here are my top 3 family friendly activities this Winter:
1. Skiing
Whether you want to cross country or downhill – or both – Ottawa has it all within a 30 minute drive or less. Enjoy the wonderful Gatineau Park trails while cross-country skiing. Let the little ones ski along, wear babes in a carrier or bring a sled/chariot. Note: you must pay a small fee to use these trails but they are beautiful and totally worth it!
This year we are all about the downhill skiing. Within 30 minutes of downtown Ottawa enjoy Ski Vorlage, Ski Eldelweiss, Camp Fortune or Mont Cascade. The two-year-old is absolutely loving it and I am hoping to turn myself into a solid and confident beginner from the more apprehensive beginner I am currently.
2. Wave Pools
The City of Ottawa has two indoor wave pools (Kanata and Splah in Gloucester) that will tire your children out and allow the whole family to have fun! There are specific times for the designated wave swims and both pools have leisure swim times that operate without waves should that be of interest to you. Pretend you are on a tropical vacation! Only downfall is there is no swim up bar.
3. Skating
The City of Ottawa Rink of Dreams was funded by the Sens Foundation, Hockey Canada, City of Ottawa and other local partners. It is a great ice surface, completely lit up at night that invites the whole family to have fun. This outdoor rink is in operation daily from 6a.m. (who would be up skating at that time?!) until 11p.m. Promise me that if you make the trip downtown for a skate that you treat yourself to a Beaver Tail . They are soooo good!
Of course there are many other great places and things to enjoy on a chilly January day in Ottawa! Take a trip to the Science Museum, Tubes and Jujubes, or Starr Gymnastics for some fun and let the kids run off steam!
Whatever you decide to do grab a latte from Bridghead first and enjoy the time with your family!
