Categories: Travel

This island park in Ontario feels like a cottage escape in the city

Image via National Capital Commission

An escape from the city can sometimes be right under your nose! Bate Island Park is just that for residents of Ottawa, Ontario – an urban park on the Ottawa River that offers stunning sunrise and sunset views, a quiet escape and even a restaurant to grab a bite!

Getting to Bate Island Park

Getting to an island sounds intimidating but it’s easy peezy.

There’s access to the island via the Champlain Bridge and there’s ample parking once you get there. The best part? Parking is free!

Bikers can also access the island on the bridge.

If you’re coming from Ottawa, it’s just a 10 minute drive from downtown. If you’re driving in from the Toronto area it will take you around four and a half hours by car.

What to do

One of the many joys of Bate Island is that while there are things to do, it’s also the perfect place to do nothing at all.

There’s an access point to the river and spots where you can post up and relax. In fact, Bate Island Park is known for its epic sunsets so if you’re heading over try to make it in the evening and watch the sun go down over the city.

“An island that feels like a cottage escape,” is what the island describes itself as and we couldn’t agree more.

Like any good cottage getaway, there’s gotta be food. Tavern on the Island is the perfect place to grab a snack offering gourmet fries, hotdogs, cold drinks and more daily from 11:00 AM until late.

Heading over while the weather is still warm? Ottawa Turbo Tubing offers a fun experience on Bate Island Park where guests can choose from two different ways to experience the Ottawa River; a guided excursion trip or the Rent-a-Tube program.

Start planning your island escape, Ontario!