21 Cozy Microadventures For Ottawa Travellers

25/8/2019

We have 21 suggestions for Ottawa travellers to discover the city's cozy side, one microadventure at a time.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Cozy microadventures for Ottawa travellers by TurnipseedTravel.comPicture

I am not adventurous. Nope, not one bit. Sure, I talk a good game and occasionally do things which other people might consider a bit daunting, like walking across Victoria Falls Bridge or kayaking in the Saguenay Fjord, but I think we all know the truth. Deep down, I'll always be the girl who caused a commotion in the Athens Meat Market and braced for an attack from non-existent wild pigs in Hawaii. I'm scared of adventure and (...I like to think...) adventure is a bit scared of me. However, a conversation with a friend has completely re-framed things for me. I've been introduced to the world of microadventures!

The phrase microadventure has been popularized by Alastair Humphreys in his book Microadventures: Local Discoveries for Great Escapes. The book describes a microadventure as something "close to home, cheap, simple, short and 100% guaranteed to refresh your life. A microadventure takes the spirit of a big adventure and squeezes it into a day or even a few hours."

Hang on a second. That sounds like what I do. That sounds like what I do ALL. THE. TIME. I like things that are cheap, simple, short, and refreshing (aka COZY things!). Could it be that I've been an adventurer - and a trendy adventurer at that! - all along? Since the spirit of Humphrey's microadventures focus on this close to home, here are my favourite microadventures to recommend to Ottawa travellers.

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The Best Family Campgrounds Ontario Wide

1/7/2019

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These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've
"tested" A LOT of them!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Family campgrounds Ontario by TurnipseedTravel.com

Here, we hiked to the site of where Tom Thompson painted the Jack Pine in Algonquin Provincial Park.

If you close your eyes and imagine a vision of Canada, what do you see? If the first thing that comes to mind is ‘nature’, you’re not alone. Canada is filled with cosmopolitan cities and charming towns but its real claim to fame is the pristine, unspoiled wilderness. Happily, you don’t have to go on a massive expedition to the wilderness to get a taste of the true Canadian spirit. Here are 4 breathtaking family campgrounds Ontario wide, all offering a taste of the true north.

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Fun Things To Do in Kingston: Events With Makers and Creators

22/4/2019

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Kingston events don't get much more memorable than a meet up with the city's best makers and creators.

Our Kingston, Ontario, Canada travel experience was sponsored by Tourism Kingston and we thank them for their support. Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .

Kingston Events: Meeting with makers and creators

Nick Allinson isn’t just a woodworker. I suspect he may just be a bit of a room worker as well. Within a minute of meeting him, he was drilling me not on the other makers and creators I was interviewing later that day in Kingston, Ontario, but rather what I’d be eating and where. I had barely mentioned a popular breakfast place that was on my list when he interrupted. "No! Not that one! You need to go here" before insisting I write down the name of what he says is the city’s finest breakfast joint (Northside Espresso) and telling me the story of the owners (Katie and Jess), who are from Australia.

In the same breath, Nick insisted we also visit Stone City Ales, arguing that they’re the finest brewery in the city and utterly unlike some suspected imposter brewers (say it ain’t so!) After a few minutes, he was waxing poetic about the city’s best florist, LSP Designs, and heaping praise upon his fellow makers and creators, who he credits for launching an amazingly innovative program to bring travelers and makers together at the most unlikely of venues - hotels. Yes, hotels!

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Discovering Perth, Ontario, Restaurants, Where Pie Is Perfection

13/3/2019

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In Perth, Ontario, restaurants don't just take the cake. They also make the pie!

Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Discovering Perth Ontario Restaurants: This Way For Pie sign

The community of Perth, Ontario is just a short, one hour drive from my home in Ottawa but it's in a class all of its own when it comes to food. The handsome, historic town of 6,000 boasts a long list of restaurants, bakeries, pubs, and cafes tucked into the fetching limestone buildings of its downtown core. Always one to eagerly form neighborly bonds, I set out to Perth with two friends, a pair of stretchy pants, and a cooler in the trunk of the car to keep any perishable purchases preserved. While many foodie quests begin with savory appetizers and conclude with dessert, this trip would be happening in reverse. At the very top of my list was a visit to the Perth Pie Co's new headquarters, a delicious pilgrimage I'll be making again and again. If you're in search of Perth, Ontario, restaurants, I hope you'll follow in my footsteps for at least part of your quest, as my experience was absolutely delicious!

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I Heart Lake Simcoe Resorts: Inside Briars Resort and Spa at Jacksons Point, Ontario

1/2/2019

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A review of Briars Resort and Spa at Jacksons Point, Ontario - my favourite of all the Lake Simcoe Resorts.

My visit to the Briars was sponsored the Central Counties Tourism and I thank them for their support. Note some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means I am paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Lake Simcoe Resorts at Jacksons Point Ontario - Briars resort review. Picture

It sometimes takes a lot to bust out of a Canadian winter rut but a weekend at the Briars Resort and Spa on Lake Simcoe, in Jacksons Point, Ontario (just an hour north of Toronto) was just the thing to make winter exciting again! The beauty of all the Lake Simcoe resorts is something I had long heard about but never had the chance to explore - but I knew just the people to take along on my adventure. Arriving on a Friday night with three of my best blogging friends in tow, I was excited to dive into the first offering of their “Blah Busters” package – local wine and a delicious selection of cheeses. It was the perfect way to kick off a girls’ weekend and get into the outdoors spirit.

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The Best Places To Eat In Kingston, Canada's Foodie Capital

24/9/2018

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Once upon a time, Kingston was Canada's capital city. Now it's Canada's undisputed foodie capital!

Our Kingston, Ontario, Canada travel experience was sponsored by Tourism Kingston and we thank them for their support.
Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .

Gnocchi and braised beef cheek from Olivea, one of the best places to eat in Kingston Ontario

Do you remember the first time you tried pesto? I do. I had just turned 19 years old and I was living in Kingston, Ontario. I walked into a tiny, narrow, downtown restaurant on Princess Street called "Lukes!" In a few years, the titular Luke himself would turn 15, take over as the restaurant's executive chef, pivot the brand to "Luke's Gastronomy", and become Canada's foodie wunderkind. But in 1999 it was just Lukes! and I was just a student (likely with a coupon in hand...) who ordered the cheapest meal on the menu. Pesto pasta. It cost $9. Or maybe it was $12? In any case, there were long noodles and there was pesto, a deep muddy green mix of silky oils and granular cheese, nuts, and herb stalks. It was like being punched in the face with the most incredible mix of salty earthiness, the pungent herbaciousness of the basil wrestling with its own undertones of licorice and pepper.

I was a goner. It was love at first bite.

Living in Kingston was like attending a culinary finishing school and I was a rough and tumble debutante who had never once moved past mashed potatoes. It introduced me to flavors, ingredients, and textures that were actually rather commonplace but had never crossed my path before. Things like hummus (smooth, but not too smooth, spread over triangles of firm pita bread and topped with red onion and cucumber), sky high cheesecake with ingredients like blackberry with peaches or Oreo crumble with swirls of Irish cream, scalding hot cafe au lait -too bitter for me to properly enjoy (don't worry - I evolved!) - and large, squishy cubes of tofu, flash fried, coated in a spicy sweet black bean sauce, served with bell peppers that were barely al dente.

Amazing.

Little did I know when I was indulging on pesto pasta for the first time that I was sitting in the middle of what would soon be Canada's food capital. Today, Kingston, the first capital city of Canada, boasts the highest number of restaurants per capita in the country. It's second only to New Orleans in all of North America. When I had the opportunity to return, this time with student life long behind me, I knew I had to dive into Kingston's food scene once more.

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Surprises and Serendipity In Ontario's Highlands

31/8/2018

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#ComeWander with us in one of Ontario's most delightful travel destinations - Ontario's Highlands.

Our Serenity Seeker's travel experience was sponsored by Ontario's Highlands Tourism Organization and we thank them for their support.
Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .

Almonte Ontario waterfall Ontario's Highlands Picture

If you're searching for serenity, this is a fine place to start!

Travel enthusiasts have probably heard of the highlands of Scotland, Iceland, Ireland, and Guatemala - but have they discovered Ontario's Highlands? The Ontario's Highlands Tourism Organization encompasses a large geographic territory in the south-eastern part of Ontario, Canada, including the Haliburton Highlands, Hastings County, Lanark County, Frontenac County, Lennox and Addington, and the Ottawa Valley. The vast landscape of Ontario's Highlands is famous for its natural wonders and its bragging rights include the title of Canada's geocaching capital and Canada's whitewater capital. When Ryan and I visited the Highlands though, we had a different approach to discovering its outdoor treasures.

Thanks to Ontario's Highlands website, we discovered we were "Serenity Seekers", travelers who like to explore with purpose but also with leisure. People who soak in the beauty of nature in a relaxed way. Serenity Seekers are in pursuit of peace, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Sometimes that comes through a vigorous hike to see a waterfall, but it's just as likely to be found in a beautiful spa, enjoying a lovely view, or indulging at local restaurants.

If you suspect you're a Serenity Seeker like me, there's an enticing three day itinerary to help you make the most of your time in Ontario's Highands. We did as much of it as we could, spending a lot of our time around the towns of Almonte and Carleton Place, and we added a few surprise stops of our own! Here are some of our most memorable and serene moments of discovery along the Serenity Seeker's route.

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The Best Free Things To Do in Kingston Ontario

21/8/2018

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What are our favourite free things to do in Kingston, Ontario? Let's start with exploring the history and mysteries at Kingston City Hall.

Our Kingston, Ontario, Canada travel experience was sponsored by Tourism Kingston and we thank them for their support.
Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .

The best free things to do in Kingston Ontario: Free tour Kingston City hall

Getting ready to start our FREE tour of historic Kingston City Hall.

If you hang around Kingston City Hall long enough, you might just hear a delightful rumor. Legend has it that "back in the day" (like most rumors, the exact timeline is unimportant), there were tunnels underneath City Hall. There were tunnels that led to the nearby Prince George Hotel, a notorious drinking haunt and tunnels that led down to the waterfront - depending on who you ask. It was just the kind of set up you'd need to discretely nip out for a drink between city council sessions... or be part of a bootlegging enterprise during the era of American prohibition. These rumors are short on official proof and long on delightful speculation - just as I like it! And most happily, stories like this kept coming during our free tour of Kingston City Hall, our favourite of all the free things to do in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

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Dreaming of a Travel Scarf with Pockets? Meet Your New Favourite Piece of Gear!

11/8/2018

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I should have been on vacation but I couldn't stop thinking about the next big thing to share with you. If you've dreamed about a travel scarf with pockets, you're going to love this post!

Waypoint Goods provided me with a complimentary infinity scarf with pocket of my choice for review, as well as a scarf for a blog giveaway and I thank them for their support. Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase through said link.

Testing out a scarf with pockets while traveling at Craighleigh Provincial Park: Posing in front of tents Picture

What you see: A big smile while I stay cozy with my hidden pocket scarf in the dining shelter as a rainstorm rages outside. What you don't see: My frantic worry that Ryan left me for some gal with a dry tent when he was late arriving back from a coffee run.

What does summer vacation look like for a travel blogger? Probably a lot like it looks for everyone else! First, there are plenty of indulgent snack foods (hello there, poutine, ice cream, and popsicles). Next, there's a lot of laziness and lounging about in the sun, enjoying the breeze and watching the leaves ripple on the trees. There's even a good amount of time hanging out by the shore, collecting feathers and shells, and generally being thrilled to put social media on snooze.

Of course, there's also the unexpected rain - but we'll get to that in a moment!

This year, our summer vacation brought us to Craigleith Provincial Park for four nights of southern Ontario camping. Ryan and I stuffed our car with camping gear, beer, extra beach towels (but no pillows.... not our finest moment), a backpack brimming with books, magazines, and board games - and, of course, our dog, Oliver! Aside from the pillows, just one thing was missing and this one was intentional. My laptop was left at home and I couldn't have been happier!

But while I had officially banished work, I couldn't turn off the blogging side of my brain. Case in point: while camping, I was able to try out an incredible travel scarf with pockets, something I've been enamored with ever since I first heard about it. And I couldn't wait to tell you all about it! An infinity scarf with pocket features has been on my travel wish list for a while now. Originally I had visions of cuddling around the campfire in a chic scarf, looking glamorous while keeping my phone and keys safe, but Mother Nature delivered a heck of a rain storm that really let me put things to the test.

Check out our video showing just how gorgeous Ontario camping at Craigleith Provincial Park really is - on clear days and stormy ones alike! Then read on to learn more about my new favourite travel scarf (and enter to win one for yourself....)

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21 Cozy Microadventures For Ottawa Travellers

We have 21 suggestions for Ottawa travellers to discover the city's cozy side, one microadventure at a time.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

The Best Family Campgrounds Ontario Wide

These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've
"tested" A LOT of them!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Fun Things To Do in Kingston: Events With Makers and Creators

Discovering Perth, Ontario, Restaurants, Where Pie Is Perfection

In Perth, Ontario, restaurants don't just take the cake. They also make the pie!

Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

I Heart Lake Simcoe Resorts: Inside Briars Resort and Spa at Jacksons Point, Ontario

The Best Places To Eat In Kingston, Canada's Foodie Capital

Once upon a time, Kingston was Canada's capital city. Now it's Canada's undisputed foodie capital!

Our Kingston, Ontario, Canada travel experience was sponsored by Tourism Kingston and we thank them for their support.
Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .

Surprises and Serendipity In Ontario's Highlands

The Best Free Things To Do in Kingston Ontario

Dreaming of a Travel Scarf with Pockets? Meet Your New Favourite Piece of Gear!

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We have 21 suggestions for Ottawa travellers to discover the city's cozy side, one microadventure at a time. ​Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've ​"tested" A LOT of them! ​Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

In Perth, Ontario, restaurants don't just take the cake. They also make the pie! ​Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Once upon a time, Kingston was Canada's capital city. Now it's Canada's undisputed foodie capital!

Our Kingston, Ontario, Canada travel experience was sponsored by Tourism Kingston and we thank them for their support. Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .

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Posts by Date

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We have 21 suggestions for Ottawa travellers to discover the city's cozy side, one microadventure at a time.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

These are the best family campgrounds Ontario has to offer - and we've
"tested" A LOT of them!

Some links in this post may be affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

In Perth, Ontario, restaurants don't just take the cake. They also make the pie!

Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase.

Our Kingston, Ontario, Canada travel experience was sponsored by Tourism Kingston and we thank them for their support.
Some links within this blog post are affiliate links, which means we are paid a small commission should you make a purchase .