The air is crisper, the weather is colder, and the leaves are turning the perfect shade of orange. Yep you guessed it, it’s autumn here in Ottawa, or should I say fall.
I have to be honest, I have never been one to be excited by the changing seasons, in the UK there’s really only two weathers – cold and rainy or sunny and rainy.
However, being here in Ottawa has made me more aware and mesmerised by everything a new country has to offer. I have somehow become more intrigued by my surroundings, making me become an autumn season lover. But my new found love of autumn may just have appeared from finally trying pumpkin pie at thanksgiving and I’m now ready to try all things pumpkin spice!
Therefore, I have finally tried the classic pumpkin spice latte (I’m really late I know) and I can now understand why everyone loves the autumn/fall season! I just want to mention that for any nut allergy sufferers like myself, most pumpkin spice blends contain nutmeg, which is actually a seed not a nut, but you may still be allergic to nutmeg. I also discovered Second Cup (a Canadian born coffee place) which has a great Pumpkin Spice and White Hot Chocolate, which has no nuts and may be a safer option.
There’s also a lot more autumn and halloween related things to do in Ottawa besides from drinking coffee (which is probably still my favourite thing to do…) and I have listed a few down below:
- Pumpkin picking
In Ottawa there seems to be more of a trend of going pumpkin picking then back home, with even various pumpkin carving competitions at my University. There are also a number of places to go pumpkin picking in Ottawa from Abbey Hills Farm, which is conveniently open seven days a week, to Saunders Farm.
2. Farm Fright night
If you fancy making a pumpkin picking trip even spookier, head over to Saunders farm where you can explore their pumpkin patch and also enjoy/ be extremely terrified at an evening in a Haunted House. Saunders Farm is great for all age groups, no matter how old or young and leaves everyone genuinely frightened at the end!
3. Visit Gatineau Park
This is definitely the most Instagram-worthy place to capture those autumn/fall vibes. But there are a number of different hikes depending how intense you want your trip to be. Whatever you choose, you will surely immerse yourself within the autumn season with the stunningly changing leaves and views of Quebec.
