Adventure seekers flock to Ottawa Outdoor Adventure and Travel expo
The annual Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show was held at the Nepean Sportsplex this weekend and there was a little something for anyone looking to get out of the house.
- Sign up now for our daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
Hundreds of adventurers were in attendance to check out the latest on outdoor gear and equipment, family activities, camping and travel destinations.
Many participants at the show said their experience with the pandemic helped them rediscover the outdoors – and they're not looking back.
Clayton L’Heureux came looking for a new adventure for his family this summer. An avid fan of the outdoors, he's hoping to spend at least part of his summer fishing.
"There are a lot of people that are looking for things to do because they were stuck in the house and they found a lot of new adventures outside the house," L’Heureux said.
"We like kayaking, canoeing, camping and rugged adventures.”
In the almost half a century since Joe Kowalski founded Wilderness Tours in the Ottawa Valley, he says the industry has grown and changed.
Originally, he only offered white water trips down the Ottawa river, but today, that has grown to everything from lazy river tubing and mountain biking, to family adventures and camping.
He is even offering wine tastings and a brew pub as part of the experience.
"You can only live on YouTube for so long and people want to be a little bit wet, a little bit muddy, a little tired and you want to interact with people," Kowalski said.
"I think people want to be back to nature."
Dave Brown, who has organized the show for over a decade, says two of the biggest local trends he sees is the popularity of paddle boarding and the desire of people to stay close to home, with many heading into the Ottawa and St. Lawrence River valleys to spend time on the water.
"There are outdoor clubs here, the Rideau Trail Association is here, the RA centre, lots of clubs say, 'come with us we will lead you on a hike.' Those things don't cost any real money," Brown said.
The Outdoor Adventure and Travel Show wrapped up on Sunday afternoon, with many likely coming away inspired to get outside this summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Guilty: Trump becomes first former U.S. president convicted of felony crimes
Donald Trump became the first former American president to be convicted of felony crimes Thursday as a New York jury found him guilty of all 34 charges in a scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election through a hush money payment to a porn actor who said the two had sex.
Can Trump come to Canada now that he's a convicted felon?
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.
Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
Police: 3 killed, including suspected gunman, in Minneapolis shooting
Three people, including the suspected gunman, are dead after a shooting Thursday at a Minneapolis apartment complex, police said.
'Why didn't they stop?' Mom asks of driver in hit-and-run crash that killed son
The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edmonton is begging the driver to come forward.
The northern lights are returning to night skies across Canada this Friday
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
$400K in damages for B.C. woman who had unnecessary mastectomy was 'inordinately high,' court finds
A jury's award of $400,000 to a woman who had a mastectomy after being misdiagnosed with breast cancer has been substantially reduced by B.C.'s highest court, which found the damages were "wholly disproportionate."