Day trips
A day in La Petite-Nation with kids, never more than 20 minutes in the car
Parc Oméga's elk, build-your-own ice cream, a giant sundial, a waterfall that's free for kids and sculptures that move. Never more than 20 minutes in the car between stops.
With kids, the golden rule of a day out isn't what you see. It's how long everyone's strapped into the car between things. Past twenty minutes, the back seat starts negotiating.
So we built a day where the longest drive between stops is about twenty minutes. It all happens in the southeast corner of the region, between Parc Oméga, Montebello, Papineauville and Plaisance. The big one goes first, in the morning, while everyone still has patience, and the afternoon is shorter stuff.
Drive times are calculated, then rounded. They're approximate and don't include the surprise bathroom stop.
Getting there
Parc Oméga is on Route 323, just north of Montebello. Allow about 1 hr 10 min from Ottawa or 1 hr 50 min from Montréal via Highway 50. Already in the area? Even better.
9 a.m. · Parc Oméga
Time here: 3 hrs, lunch included
Parc Oméga is a drive-through safari: 12 km of road past about twenty North American species, including elk, bison, wolves and bears. Kids stay in the car, window down, carrot in hand for the deer. It's exactly the kind of outing where nobody has to walk to be happy.
After the drive there are walking trails and an old-time farm to burn off some energy. For lunch, the park has picnic areas. Pack lunch ahead of time; it's easier with little ones.
The park is open year-round. Check hours and prices on its website before you go.
Drive: ~10 min (7 km), south on Route 323 to Montebello.
12:10 p.m. · Montebello, dessert
Time here: 30 min
Aramis on rue Notre-Dame has an ice cream counter where you build your own treat. With kids, that's a very strong selling point. There's also a snack bar and pizzeria if someone didn't love the picnic.
Drive: ~10 min (6 km), west on Route 148.
12:50 p.m. · Papineauville, two small parks
Time here: 30 min
Sundial Park on Route 148 has a big armillary sphere sitting right on the 75th meridian, the line that sets Eastern Time. Always open. A chance to explain time zones, or just to run around it.
Close by, Parc du Moulin-Seigneurial is a little park under the bridge where the old flour mill used to turn. You can see the remains, hear the creek, and there's a spring to refill water bottles before the walk.
Drive: ~20 min (15 km), Route 148, then montée Papineau and chemin Malo. The longest drive of the day.
1:40 p.m. · Plaisance Falls
Time here: 1 hr 15 min
At the Plaisance Falls, the Petite Nation River drops more than 35 metres. The trail is 2 km return to the lookout: short enough for five-year-old legs, impressive enough for teenagers pretending to be bored. Panels along the way tell the story of North Nation Mills, the old mill village.
Good news for the budget: it's free for 17 and under. Adults pay $8.50, or nothing if they already have national park access. Dogs are allowed on a leash.
Drive: ~10 min (5 km), into the village of Plaisance.
3:05 p.m. · The sculptures that move
Time here: 1 hr
The Centre d'art populaire du Québec on rue Desjardins is full of moving sculptures and larger-than-life figures made of wood, fabric, metal and everyday objects. Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., until Thanksgiving.
Right across the street, Café d'la rivière for a snack before the drive home.
4 p.m. · Heading home
From here, allow about 1 hr to Ottawa and a little over 2 hrs to Montréal. With any luck, the back seat falls asleep.
Attraction
Parc Oméga
Notre-Dame-de-BonsecoursThe drive-through safari: moose, elk, bison, wolves and bears along a 10 km road. Open all year.
IllustrationRestaurant
Aramis Pizzeria
MontebelloSnack bar and pizzeria with an ice cream counter where you build your own treat.
Attraction
Sundial Park
PapineauvilleA big metal armillary sphere sitting right on the 75th meridian, the line that sets Eastern Standard Time. Designed by Montreal sundial maker André…
IllustrationHeritage
Seigneurial Mill Park
PapineauvilleUnder the bridge, on the site of Papineauville's old flour mill: a view of the creek and the mill ruins, plus a few works from the 2023 art symposium.
Lookout
Chutes de Plaisance (Chutes du Moulin)
PlaisanceThe Petite-Nation River drops more than 35 metres right next to the remains of North Nation Mills, the old mill village. A 2 km return walk, some…
IllustrationMuseum
Quebec Folk Art Centre
PlaisanceSelf-taught makers from all over Quebec who turned wood, fabric, metal and everyday junk into art. Moving sculptures, larger-than-life characters…
Do Parc Oméga first, while everyone's patience is still full. Keep the afternoon short.
What to know
- Drives: the longest is about 20 minutes. All in, about an hour of driving once you're in the area.
- Season: Parc Oméga is open year-round. The falls follow Sépaq's season, spring to fall. The Centre d'art populaire closes after Thanksgiving (groups by reservation). Off-season, swap it for a second round of Oméga's trails.
- Cost: check Parc Oméga's prices on its website. At the falls, 17 and under are free.
- Hours: call ahead for the ice cream counter and the café. Hours change with the seasons.
- More ideas: our Parc Oméga tips and our list of things to do with kids.
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