Autumn activities the whole family can enjoy in Ottawa

Ottawa Travel Guide

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Thursday, 13 September 2012 17:19

The school year has started and winter is just around the corner, but that doesn't mean people who travel through Canada have to get the short end of the stick - as there are so many festivals and activities for them to enjoy in the weeks before the cold rolls around. Feel like gathering cranberries? Ottawa's the place to be. How about going for a bike ride? The Canadian capital doesn't disappoint.

Push through the bogs at Upper Canada Cranberries

Cranberry season is in full swing at Upper Canada Cranberries, where visitors can take a tour through the red bogs and listen to the kind owner, Lyle Slater, tell his tale about the farm. Slater cultivates the tart crop and manufactures delicious byproducts, from fresh chutneys and jams to antioxidant-rich sauces and jellies.

Apple picking at Mountain Orchards

Parents who think back to the first time they went apple picking will undoubtedly feel a smile creep across their face. At Mountain Orchards, those who travel to Ontario will have the chance to take a wagon ride, walk through corn mazes and feast on addictive apple donuts -  it's the perfect way to reel in the fall while enjoying the last bits of warm air.

From September until the middle of October, visitors can pick from eight different apple varieties, including the crisp Lobo, juicy Cortland and distinctive Honeycrisp.

Biking along the Osgoode Pathway

Travellers in the mood for an afternoon of sightseeing and burning calories can rent a bike and take a ride along the 21-kilometre-long Osgoode Pathway. This relatively easy trail was once a rail corridor and was recently renovated for cyclists who are either commuting to and from the city or simply want to take a leisure ride through the region's stunning landscape. Starting at Leitrim Road and heading south, the pathway ends in the charming Osgoode village, where bikers can reward themselves with a much-needed meal at Red Dot Cafe. This quaint restaurant has an impressive menu that will satisfy any appetite and taste, whether travellers are in the mood for some vegetarian quesadillas or country fried chicken.