A 15 Minute Bike Ride to Becoming A Tourist In Your Own City

Are you a dedicated, hardcore cyclist? Sometimes? Only on the weekends? Perhaps if you had easier access to bike paths you would be more inclined on a regular basis? Calling all outdoor and urban lifestyle enthusiasts! Hintonburg Connection is mere minutes away from one of the prettiest bike paths in the city: the Trans-Canada Trail, hosting The Ottawa River Pathway. Enjoy cruising along the charming 30km stretch of cyclist greenery heaven while you glide beside the Ottawa River, defining Ontario and Quebec borders. Where can its pretty picturesque pathways take you? Choose your own adventure, there’s even a beach or two worth stopping at along the way!

Find your beach at: Westboro Beach Café. Operating May through September, grab an ice-cold beverage of your choice, enjoy Lebanese-inspired cuisine and crowd-pleasing pub-fare like crispy fish and chips. Throw in some energetic live music with a picante latino flavour, and you’ve got yourself the perfect summer staycation! Catch a sunset on grassy knolls overlooking Gatineau and the Ottawa River with a book. Bring a picnic, go for a swim. Find serenity through nature: take a 15-minute leisurely bike ride from your new home at Hintonburg Connection every day, if you’re so inclined!

A 15-minute bike ride to the North end of Major’s Hill Park will get you a killer seat at Tavern on the Hill, a seasonal outdoor patio with a stunning view of the Ottawa River, a natural beauty. While you're there, gaze at the majestic architecture of the Parliament Buildings, Supreme Courthouse of Canada, the elegant Chateau Laurier, chic National Art Gally and the charmingly rustic Notre-Dame Basilica. Be a tourist in your own city; enjoy a few national capital treasures while you sip casually, drinking in all the nation's capital has to offer. 

Want a longer ride? Bike to Andrew Hayden Park in under 40-minutes; watch sail boats sail away from the harbor….Check out historical landmarks along the way, or jump around like a kid again in the splash pads! Refuel, grab a burger and a beer at Baja Burger Shack at Britannia Beach, you’ll have earned it by then!  

Craving something a little different on your cyclist adventure? Visit the Arboretum and Experimental Farm. Escape the concrete jungle and play among the green grass, endless flowers, seeking shade underneath a tree. Learn about past, present and future food-agro techniques through unique, artistic exhibits at the Museum of Agriculture. The farm, established in 1886, is only a 15 minutes dash by bike from your front door at Hintonburg Connection. Keep an eye out for free entry summer specials, like “Welcome Wednesdays” – feed your curiosity at no extra charge!

Need some tune ups on your bike? Or need a new bike period? How about some cycle swag? Luckily you have a handful of local spots to choose from: Bushtukah, Fresh Air Experience, Cyclelogik, MEC, Full Cycle can help you with that! What are you waiting for? Get peddling in your new neighbourhood at Hintonburg Connection!