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Summary

This Small Town Near Ottawa Has North America's Largest Nordic Spa & 8 Other Things To Do

Only 20 minutes from Ottawa.

Staff Writer

The quaint town of Chelsea, Quebec, is only 20 minutes from Ottawa and home to Nordik Spa-Nature, the largest thermal spa in North America.

While you could easily spend a full day at this nordic spa, this town has shops with locally made products, a number of restaurants and coffee shops, thrilling adventures and a range of hiking trails you can take advantage of.

Here are nine awesome things to do in the town of Chelsea, near Ottawa.

Lounge at North America's largest spa 

Price: $86+

Address: 16 Chem. Nordik, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: You could spend a full day in this magical oasis of hot pools and tubs, cold pools, relaxation areas, saunas and steams. Once you experience this luxury spa which is the biggest in North America, it would be difficult to go back to any others the same way. You can have a fine dining experience while eating in your robe, sip cocktails in a lagoon pool and book a relaxing massage.

Website

Dine in a historic pub 

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Pub food & upscale snacks

Address: 238 Chem. Old Chelsea, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: This historic pub has been around since 1875 and feels like you're dining in a luxury cottage, with sleek wooden accents and a spacious patio. The front porch patio section has twinkly tree branches above you for a truly magical atmosphere. There are floor-to-ceiling windows near the front bar for an indoor-outdoor dining experience.

Menu

Get an adrenaline rush at Camp Fortune

Price: $20+ depending on activity

Address: 300 Chem. Dunlop, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: This ski hill in Chelsea is a popular attraction every season, offering different activities for those who want an adrenaline rush. You can go biking or hiking on mountain trails in warmer months, along with zip-lining and climbing through trees in their aerial park. They've recently added the Mountain Coaster where you can ride down on a monorail track up to 40 kilometres per hour.

Website

Eat at one of the best fine dining spots in Canada

Price: 💸💸💸

Cuisine: French

Address: 15 Chem. Kingsmere, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: This stunning restaurant nestled in an enchanted forest has been rated one of the top restaurants for fine dining in all of Canada. You can indulge in a luxury meal in a comfortable atmosphere, or on a picturesque patio when the weather warms.

Menu

Sip coffee in a barn-like bunkhouse

Price: 💸💸

Cuisine: Bistro café

Address: 6 Chem. Scott, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: Biscotti and Cie is a cozy red coffee shop that looks like a cabin and has a spacious bunkhouse where you can sip delicious coffee.

Menu

Explore a forest hiking trail

Price: Free

Address: 33 Chem. Scott, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: Point in any direction from Old Chelsea and you'll find a beautiful hiking trail in Gatineau Park. There are trails in varying difficulty levels and lengths, with some featuring creeks, lookout points and lakes. The Sugarbush trail is right in town and perfect for an easy walk that has a bridge over a creek.

Website

Shop artisan made candles

Address: 181 Chem. Old Chelsea, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: These colourful candles are made in-store and come in a variety of fun patterns. They are dripless and slow-burning so they add some ambiance to your home for hours. The cylinder-shaped ones can be refilled once empty which means they're environmentally friendly and you can save money when you get more. 

Website

Eat ice cream in a garden

Address: 14 Chem. Scott, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: Treat yourself to some homemade ice cream, milkshakes or pies on a colourful Adirondack chair in a garden patio. Closed for the winter, they reopen in the spring.

Menu

Bungee jump over a blue lagoon

Price: $20 for quarry entrance, $147.86 for bungee

Address: 1780 Quebec Rte. 105, Chelsea, QC

Why You Need To Go: Morrison's Quarry is beautiful blue water surrounded by a rocky shore where you can float and relax. It is also home to Great Canadian Bungee where you can bungee jump 200 feet above this magically blue quarry.

Website

  • Ottawa Staff Writer Megan Johnson was an Ottawa Staff Writer for Narcity Canada. Prior to joining the Narcity team she founded Ottawa River Lifestyle, a blog to promote the Capital Region and small towns along the Ottawa River. In addition to writing about Canadian businesses, local events and outdoor adventures, Megan has created content for Canadian brands and tourism boards. She has her B.Sc. in Honours Biochemistry and has always enjoyed various forms of writing and travel.

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