Sometimes great ideas cross my desk that don’t quite fit the format of my weekly road trip roundup post, which focuses on nearby things to see and do in the upcoming week.
For instance, I might hear about a really cool festival that’s an eight-hour drive away. That’s not a trip you’re going to decide to do on the spur of the moment, but you might consider it if you had enough advance notice. Then there are the nearby events that may sell out weeks or months ahead of time—they don’t fit the “what do to this weekend” format but, again, they’re food for thought if you like to plan ahead.
So, with that in mind, I’m launching a new series of “plan-ahead weekend” posts, where I’ll pass along ideas for those road trips that might take a bit of forethought. Please let me know if you find this useful! (This first post is short because I’m travelling a lot this week.) So, with a drum roll, here are the first two ideas…
Slog through the mud…for fun
Photo copyright ZoomPhoto.ca.
How tough are you? Tough enough to spend the weekend thrashing around in sludge? If mud’s your thing, it looks like you’d better move fast if you want to go to Mud Hero, a mushy, 6K course with 16 obstacles to slip and slide through. As of today, the messy extreme weekend (June 4 and 5) is already 85% full on Saturday and 50% full on Sunday. Early-bird tickets are $65 if you buy by April 11, and the price rises steadily until it hits $80 by May 31. Don’t want to run through the mud? You can cheer on your friends at no charge and enjoy live and DJ music; there’s also a cash barbecue and bar. It all happens on the grounds of Commando Paintball near Navan.
Sample food by four chefs at Fairmont Le Château Montebello
Photo of Aux Chantignoles restaurant courtesy of Fairmont Le Château Montebello.
The Fairmont Le Château Montebello hotel is holding its first Spring Culinary Festival on Saturday April 16. The event will feature dishes prepared by four chefs: Jean-François Fortin from the host hotel, Baptiste Peupion from Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth, Éric Beaupré from Fairmont Tremblant and Gang Yang from Bashu restaurant in Toronto. The event starts at 1pm with culinary demonstrations and tastings with wine pairings, moves through a cocktail hour at 6pm, then finishes with a gala buffet at 6:30pm with a vote for the best chef. The festival package, which also includes tips and one night’s accommodation, starts at $205 per person, based on a double occupancy room.
A bonus idea
Finally, don’t forget to the slowly expanding calendar of events right here on the Ottawa Road Trips website. It’s still not nearly as comprehensive as I would like it to be, but I’m adding festivals and events all the time.
Want more tips on road trips from Ottawa—including info on hotel discounts, contests, festivals and other cool news? Subscribe to my free weekly e-newsletter! I will never spam you—promise.