11 road trips for this week: Ice cream in Wakefield, hikes in Ottawa and a virtual Great Glebe Garage Sale

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From spotting grey wolves to exploring Ottawa on an e-bike, I’ve found all sorts of fun amusements you can try over the next few days and weeks—whether you want to get out into the real world or explore from the comfort of home. Wherever your real or virtual travels take you, have fun and be safe! (P.S.: Read to the end of the post to find out about a contest—open only to Ottawa Road Trips readers—for two tickets to a paranormal event in Almonte.)

Enjoy family arts and crafts in Wakefield or Brockville

On Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the summer, Fairbairn House in Wakefield is offering craft workshops for small groups. Open to children and adults alike (the minimum age varies, depending on the activity), these workshops will give participants the chance to learn skills such as churning ice cream (July 28), making sock puppets (August 4) or felting wool (August 6).

On August Friday mornings in Brockville, children can take outdoor art classes organized by Little Wild Roses and Fun Art Paint Studios. Projects include grapevine fairy crowns and painted kites (August 7) and painted garden boxes (August 21).

For all of these classes and workshops, advance registration is advised.

Score a Great Glebe Garage Sale deal—online

For many bargain hunters, the Great Glebe Garage Sale is one of the high points of spring. The live version didn’t happen this year, for obvious reasons, but you can now nab gently used goods from the comfort of your own home. That’s right: the Great Glebe Garage Sale has gone virtual. Until September 7, shoppers can use an app to view and bid on items for sale. Once you agree on a price with the seller, you pick up the item and pay via credit card on the app. All the instructions are on the Glebe Community Association’s website. Net proceeds go to the Ottawa Food Bank.

Visit a vineyard in Morrisburg or PEC

Is she folk? Is she roots? Is she country or blues or swamp? Lynne Hanson (above) will bring her mix of all that—plus her trademark comedic banter—to a guitar-driven show at Stone Crop Acres Winery and Vineyard in Morrisburg on Saturday, July 25, with special guest Blair Hogan.

A bit further afield, if this year isn’t already upside-down-enough for you, Sandbanks Estate Winery in Wellington (in Prince Edward County) is celebrating Christmas in July this weekend with festive costumes.

Explore Parc Oméga by night

Up in Montebello, Quebec, Parc Oméga wildlife preserve is opening its illuminated trail several nights a week, beginning July 29. Starting at dusk, visitors can wander the trail to hear frogs and crickets, see a movie of elks battling each other, and perhaps even glimpse a pack of grey wolves. You need to buy tickets in advance.

Hop on an e-bike in Ottawa-Gatineau

I’ve long been a fan of Escape Bicycle Tours, which rents out bikes for independent adventures and guided tours. In addition to traditional bicycles, the company also rents out e-bikes—just the solution for the sultry days we’ve been having lately.

Celebrate healthy living—from a distance

Herbfest has been a summertime fixture in Eastern Ontario for 25 years. It focuses on gardening, wellness and healthy living in general. This year, the event—which usually takes place at Waba Cottage and Gardens in White Lake—is going online. From July 26 to August 9, you can go to the festival’s website to enjoy music, demonstrations, craft activities and more. You’ll also find links for buying products from the festival’s vendors.

Hike Ottawa’s Greenbelt

The National Capital Commission recently posted a great list of tips for exploring seven of the many hiking trails that run through the Greenbelt, including Pine Grove (pictured above). Fresh air, big trees, birds and no admission fees—what’s not to love?

Enjoy a museum in Ottawa–Gatineau

The Canadian War Museum in Ottawa and the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau have re-opened their doors to visitors. Both museums are now open from Thursday to Sunday, from 10am to 4pm, and you need to buy a timed ticket ahead of time. Lots of outdoor presentations are on the agenda, such as tank demonstrations at the war museum and Indigenous performances at the history museum. Tickets for each week go on sale each Monday, and if you’re interested, I’d move quickly; this week’s tickets are already sold out. (Wondering which other museums you can visit? Check out my list of attraction re-opening dates.)

Contest: Win two tickets to a ghost-hunting event at the Mill of Kintail

If you’re a fan of ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night, you might just be in the target audience for Spirits of the Wind, billed as a “public paranormal investigation” at the Mill of Kintail in Almonte. It’s running over the upcoming long weekend (July 31, August 1 and August 2), and the organizers are giving away a pair of free tickets to one lucky Ottawa Road Trips reader. For a chance to win, just leave a comment on this post by midnight on Monday, July 27. I’ll randomly draw a winning name from all the comments. One comment per person, please!

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