Hello friends, it is me again! I want to take a moment before getting into the meats and potatoes of this blog post to say thank you. If I have learned anything over the past two years it is that time should be spent doing things that fulfil us. You choosing to spend your valuable time reading my blog posts really fulfills me and for that, I say THANK YOU! Now, on to the main event! For this blog post, we are focusing on the City of Pembroke and the Township of Laurentian Valley. I truly love these two communities. Both of these communities have wicked community events and really strive to support their local businesses. This makes it easy to create a community itinerary for the City of Pembroke and the Township of Laurentian Valley because there is no shortage of things to do and see in these two communities. Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?
Where to stay
Best Western Pembroke – located right off of Highway 17, this hotel has all of the amenities that you may need. The Best Western boasts a delicious restaurant (there is more about that below), a swimming pool and often hosts local events like various craft markets. This hotel is also located across the street from the Irving Big Stop (which will always be my favourite spot for breakfast) and has parking for snowmobiles. This accommodation option is central to most activities in the City of Pembroke and the Township of Laurentian Valley.
Comfort Inn Pembroke – Located in Pembroke and very close to the Township of Laurentian Valley, this is another traditional lodging option. Some of the amenities of this accommodation option include free WiFi, free hot breakfast, pet friendly and space for truck parking. This hotel is close to several restaurants and a short drive to the downtown core of the City of Pembroke.
Holiday Inn Express – also located right off of Highway 17 and near the Irving Big Stop is the Holiday Inn Express. Some of the amenities in this hotel include express start breakfast; free WiFi internet in all rooms; meeting room and business centre; fitness centre and a heated indoor pool that is open daily from 07:00 to 22:00. I should also add that this hotel also has pet-friendly floors.
Grey Gables Inn – I am a huge fan of unique lodging/accommodation options. This inn is located on MacKay Street in Pembroke, which is within walking distance to all the shops and restaurants in downtown Pembroke. Grey Gables Inn is rich in history, which dates back to 1874 when the land was first purchased by the original owner. Construction began in 1911 and was completed in 1913. The cost to complete this construction project back in 1913 was estimated at around $75,000, which equates to over $2,000,000 today. Such a rich history amongst these walls. I could seriously go on and on just about the history of Grey Gables Inn alone, however, it has also adapted with the times through their restaurant.
Located on-site at Grey Gables Inn is the Oak Door Restaurant Steak and Seafood Restaurant, which is the only place I’ve been able to find in the Valley that actually serves steak tartar – I know, sometimes my big city tendencies show. Needless to say, their food is delicious and the menu is definitely something that would be found in that of a big city restaurant. On special occasions (Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day and Christmas) the Tea Room is also offered. I’ve had the chance to have high tea at Grey Gables Inn in the past and it was delicious and memorable. Grey Gables Inn also has an on-site spa, however, it has been closed during the pandemic. Needless to say, Grey Gables Inn is an experience.
Sugar Cove Cottages – located in the centre of Cotnam Island, Sugar Cove Cottages offers three recently renovated cottages. For those not familiar with this area, it is located on the Ottawa River and has a private beach, fire pit and BBQs. Also included with your stay are stand-up paddleboards. This cottage resort is also located next to some stunning walking trails. This location is one of the many gems of the Ottawa Valley and is the perfect spot to unplug, unwind and recharge. Sugar Cove Cottages is also a prime spot to make use of the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit.
Airbnb – A quick scan of Airbnb yields a plethora of results. There are several unique accommodation options in the Township of Laurentian Valley and the City of Pembroke. These listings include the entire penthouse unit at the historic Dunlop Manor; a traditional Mongolian yurt in the woods; and a beach house along the Ottawa River in Pembroke. Those are just a small sampling of the options that are available on Airbnb for this area.
Where to Eat
Westwinds Restaurant – located within the Best Western in Pembroke, I have literally had people message me about this hidden gem. I have been told that this is a “must visit” restaurant in the Ottawa Valley. They serve up delicious wraps, burgers, pizzas and various main options. One of the more intriguing menu items is the chicken waffle burger. This comprises of savoury waffle, breaded chicken, lettuce, tomato, buffalo sauce, onion rings and syrup. Let’s be honest, it sounds wild and I will likely order it during my next visit.
Marigold Unique Flavours – this restaurant is located in Pembroke, near Buns Master and MacDonalds on Nelson Street. It is a newer restaurant in the Ottawa Valley and is packed full of flavour. This restaurant serves up food from East Indian, Indo-Chinese and Thai cuisines. “Each dish will have its own distinctive flavour and aroma which cannot come from come from any curry powder, but from spices which have to be separately prepared each day fresh for each individual dish.” (Source: Marigold Unique Flavours website).
@Zaffran – located within the downtown core of the City of Pembroke, this restaurant is also relatively new. Their food packs a punch full of flavour and the portion sizes are very generous. If I’m being honest, I cannot handle any sort of heat so whenever I order from @Zaffran I indicate that I want my food to be mild on the heat scale. What do I usually order? I love basically any of the paneer (an Indian cottage cheese that is non-melting) dishes are all delicious; samosa chaat (I cannot even describe it, but it is delicious and not spicy); and my feller always orders the vindaloo chicken (which is definitely spicy). I always add on a naan to one of our dishes, which is different than the naan you find in the grocery stores – different in a good way!
Brum’s Dairy – okay confession time…I am lactose intolerant. Cheese, milk, ice cream – it all makes my stomach super upset. I choose to ignore that minor detail of my intolerance to lactose when I indulge in Brum’s Dairy Ice Cream at their dairy bar – where they serve 35 flavours of ice cream. It is so darn good and one of my favourite pick-me-ups when I am having one of those days. I love that Brum’s Dairy has been serving the Ottawa Valley for over 100 years. Clearly, there is something special about a business and their identity when they have been able to foster a loyal customer base for that length of time.
Things to do
The Tap & Cork Route – I have mentioned The Tap & Cork Route in previous blog posts, but it deserves another mention. The Tap & Cork Route is a self-guided, at your own pace route that showcases the Ottawa Valley and Pontiac Region’s wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries. There are several stops along the route that is in the City of Pembroke and the Township of Laurentian Valley. These stops include Square Timber Brewing Co (which is on the cusp between the Township of North Algona Wilberforce and the Township of Laurentian Valley); O’Kenny Craft Spirits; and Two Hawks Brewing Co. These are three unique stops that all offer their own unique flavours. If you prance about the route, feel free to tag me in any and all photos on Facebook & Instagram!
LV Four Seasons Trail – Located at the Alice & Fraser Recreation Centre in the Township of Laurentian Valley, this is a favourite spot of mine. This four-season trail is open for skating in the winter and nature walks in the summer. In the winter, it is open every day for skating from 10:00 to 17:00 with the exception of Thursdays and Saturdays. On Thursday it is open from 10:00 to 16:00 and then for night skate from 18:00 to 21:00. The trail is open on Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00 and then open for night skating from 18:00 until 21:00. It is important to note that this trail is maintained by volunteers, so when it is closed it is giving the volunteers time to maintain the ice. I would also be remised if I did not mention how magical it is to go night skating at the LV four seasons trail. It is lit up with string lights and there are usually a couple of bonfires burning along the route. If skating is not your thing, there is also a snowshoe trail that is located adjacent to the skating trail.
Shopping in Downtown Pembroke – Another favourite activity of mine is shopping in Downtown Pembroke. I especially enjoy it when one of the Shop Hop events is taking place because it means many of the stores are open later. I love parking at the parking lot next to Giant Tiger and walking up and down the street, popping into the shops as I walk by. Some of my favourite stores include West on Main; Pick-it-Fence; Scotch + Spruce; The Urban Gourmet Co; Anna’s Lingerie & Swimwear; and McGuire’s Doughnuts (which I affectionately refer to as shopping fuel). I honestly love being able to pop into the stores in Downtown Pembroke and chat with all the small business owners. Everyone is so darn nice and it makes me thankful to be a part of this community.
Hiking
Kiwanis Walk Way – Located in Pembroke, this trail connects Waterfront Park and Riverside Park. The total length of the trail is 1.5km and is situated next to the beautiful Ottawa River. I enjoy walking along this trail in the early spring as I check out the ice melting on the Ottawa River. I take my time, have a sit at Waterfront Park at one of the many benches and then take a slow, leisurely trundle on the Kiwanis Walk Way to Riverside Park and back again. It is an easy and flat trail, which is also paved. This trail is one of those trails that are perfect for all skill levels and is wheelchair & stroller friendly as a result of it being paved.
Champlain Trail Museum and Pioneer Village – I have recently learned about the groomed trail at the Champlain Trail Museum and Pioneer Village, which is perfect for snowshoeing. You can park behind the main museum building and start your adventure there. Don’t have snowshoes? Fret not! The museum has snowshoes available for rent.
Wrap up
The next blog post will be published in approximately two weeks times. It will be a bit different than the usual type of blog posts that I have been publishing lately. This next blog post will be focusing on….drum roll please….maple season in the Ottawa Valley! This is beyond exciting for many reasons, but mainly because maple season is delicious and it also means that spring is so darn close, I can taste it!
Also, for more information on the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit check out this link here: Ontario Staycation Tax Credit. I can pretty much guarantee that I will be making full use of this tax credit this summer, I cannot wait!