Tulips, fireworks headline May long weekend in Ottawa
Gas prices as high as they are might keep people closer to home this long weekend.
Ottawa has plenty of events for Victoria Day which not only could be popular with the hometown crowd, but for tourists as well.
Carol Zulman and Eric Taub just flew in from Los Angeles. They’re in Ottawa to see the tulips and visit family, but getting here wasn’t cheap.
"When we started looking for prices it was out of sight," says Zulman. "Close to $1,000 U.S. per person to fly to Ottawa."
The price of flights might have gone up, but getting here by car is also a small fortune.
Kristy Brown and her family is visiting from Nova Scotia.
"We drove from Nova Scotia and it was like $300 in gas."
And Rachael Guidry drove to Ottawa from New Brunswick.
"Normally we probably could have gotten here with about a $70 fill up. Now its $120, $130.”
According to IPSOS, about 53 per cent of Canadians are reconsidering their road trip plans. However, CAA Business Manager Jeff Woznow says there are ways to do it for less.
"They’re taking into account the price of gas," says Woznow. "It could be something as simple as changing from a 400-series highway to get where you’re going to taking an 80 kilometre highway. That makes a huge difference."
The Canadian Tulip Festival is a great place to spend the long weekend.
If you’re a little more adventurous you can visit Dows Lake Pavilion, rent a canoe, paddle boat, or kayak, and spend the weekend on the water.
"Very popular. Weekends are crazy," says Dows Lake boat rental employee Evan Wakeman.
"We wanted to have a fun activity with the family,” says a Toronto resident renting a paddle boat. “We’re visiting from Toronto and it seemed like a fun way to celebrate together.”
For locals, and those who opted to spend the money to get here, a fireworks celebration is on the schedule this May long weekend for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
“Because it’s Victoria Day, there are fireworks on Sunday night at the Canadian Tulip Festival at Dows Lake, free,” says Jantine Van Kregten of Ottawa Tourism. "And also free on Monday night at the Rideau Carleton Casino."
Carol and Eric cancelled a trip to Europe to come to Ottawa, now hoping it was the right choice.
"We are renting a car and going to Québec as well, so it’s going to cost us as much as Portugal." Zulman says laughing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.