Unexpected Journeys

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Unexpected Journeys

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Unexpected Journeys, Travel Company, Ottawa and Area, .

“The gift of an experience”

Surprise road trips for adventure lovers! 🚗 Woman & Indigenous-owned 🇨🇦 Voted ✨Ottawa’s Best Experience✨

Book your journey now! 👇

-journeys.com

01/06/2025

✨ Let me reintroduce myself 🥂

There are so many new followers I think it’s time I said hello once again! 👋🏼 🇨🇦

✨I’m Jen, the owner of Unexpected Journeys. I create one day, surprise, self-guided road trips that explore the areas around Ottawa and beyond! 🚙

✨So far over 4000 groups have headed out on one of our surprise road trips!! 😊

✨My little company consists of just ME! I do everything from creating the itineraries to marketing, to responding to your emails, to social media to taking all the photos on this account to packaging all of the orders headed your way! 🙋🏻‍♀️

✨Chris is my support system! I drag him out when I test out my itineraries, he knows not to eat before I take a picture 🤭, he shows me the best nap spots 💤 and poses whenever I need him to! (Bribes are often used! 😂)

✨Love being outdoors, hiking, being on the water, exploring in any season but also like a warm shower and air conditioning after I’ve come in! 🤷🏻‍♀️

✨A few things you may or may not know about me:

-Scorpio ♏️
-55 years young
-Northern Ontario born
-Sweet over savoury 🍫
-Jason Bateman fan ❤️ (admit it , you are too!)
-Playing on repeat: Teddy Swims, Morgan Wallen, Tragically Hip 🎶
-1 tattoo - 2 kids 🧒👧🏻- Chris and I together 15 years - Retired high school teacher (taught 28 years) 🧑🏻‍🏫- Unexpected Journeys has won 3 Ottawa magazine Faces awards 🏆) - 2 younger sisters - Grew up in the 80s…IYKYK 😂

✨So very honoured that so many of you have headed out on Unexpected Journeys and trusted me with your memories. 🫶🏼

Do we have anything in common? Stop in and say hi.

26/05/2025

❓I bet you didn’t know!

💦 Most of our surprise road trips will lead you to places to put in your kayaks, SUPs and canoes? 🛶

OR

💦We’ll let you know where you can rent one for a little exploring on the water!!!

🚙💌 We have really thought of EVERYTHING to make your day of adventure incredible! All of these locations can be found on our Unexpected Journeys!

Tis the season to be on the 💧, in the 💧 and by the 💧. (Our Unexpected Journeys are filled with these stops too! 😊)

16/05/2025

This is what over 300,000 tulips looks like!
This is where you can see them for free. ⬇️

🌷🌷The last 4 days of the Canadian Tulip Festival is happening this long weekend in Ottawa. 🌷🌷

🌷Where can you see these lovely ladies?

🌷Commissioners Park along the Rideau Canal (Beside Dow’s Lake) - 🚙Parking tip: I always park at the lot off Preston on Beech St and walk over.

🌷Major’s Hill Park behind the Chateau Laurier - National War Memorial - Along Confederation Blvd - All located close to downtown Ottawa - 🚙 Parking tip: Park the parking garage for the Rideau Centre off Daly Ave. Go right to the top level. I’ve parked there for years and it has never been full at the top!

🌷Jacques Cartier Park and the Canadian Museum of History in Gatineau

🌷Beachwood Cemetery - one of the most historical and beautiful cemeteries in Canada

🌷Hidden Gem alert 💎: Maplelawn Garden on Richmond Rd

14/05/2025

🌸Have a seat, you’re going to need one when I tell you this! ⬇️

✨🚙💌OUR NEWEST JOURNEY LAUNCHES BY THE END OF MAY!!!!

💌This one will be the second in our series that explores Prince Edward County and you are going to love it! 😍

✨We are almost at 10,000 followers here on Instagram… Watch for a little something special happening when we reach that number!!! 🎉🥳🍾 (We would really appreciate if you helped us get the word out about Unexpected Journeys🫶🏼)

✨☀️Follow along this summer as we share everything local so you can enjoy it too! Think new spots to eat 🥘, hikes 🥾, unique stays 💤, events 🎭, photo ops 📸 and lots and lots of hidden 💎.

❓What’s your favourite part of the summer? ☀️

03/05/2025

🌸📸 Follow along as we guide you to some of the most insta-worthy floral backdrops in and around Ottawa. 💌 Did you know that all of our Unexpected Journeys will lead you to spectacular gardens? Tis the season! 🌸🌸🌸What is your favourite bloom?

30/04/2025

💝 MOTHER’S DAY GIFT IDEA 💝

🌸A day out with mom all planned for you!

🚙💌Why not take mom (or the mother of your children), on one of our surprise road trips and share a memorable day with her surrounded by the people she loves? We’ve taken care of all the details!

✨Time spent together creating memories really is the best gift of all!✨

💌Each Mother’s Day Unexpected Journey includes:
* A beautifully wrapped itinerary💌
* A plantable postcard, with a personlized message that mom can plant to remind her of her day (besides all the incredible memories)🌅🍃
* A “Love Letter To Mom” that you can fill out together that we promise will make her smile ❤️📝
* Something “unexpected” that mom can leave in a special spot along the way (it’s biodegradable) or take home with her ✨
* Moments of pure joy, laughter, nostalgia, delight smile 😊

🗺️Choose from our 12 incredible surprise road trips that explore Ottawa and the surrounding areas or give her a gift certificate so she can choose her own.

Get outside, get discovering, get inspired, get excited!

*Deadline to order journeys that will arrive in time for Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 4th

26/04/2025

A list of 🇨🇦 summer activities to inspire you.

☀️What’s on your summer bucket list?

I plan on spending all of it in 🇨🇦 doing some of this: ⬇️

1.☀️Waking up for every incredible sunrise ( and then sometimes going back to bed! 🤭)
2.💦Spending as much time on the water as possible kayaking, canoeing, SUPing
3.🔥Hitting up a few new provincial parks
4.🥾Hiking some new trails
5.🚙A few road trips to discover small towns I’ve never visited
6.🍔Lots of BBQs
7.🧺Some picnics
8.⛱️Visiting as many patios as possible
9.🗻Travelling to Jasper to see my son
10.🗺️ Exploring Muskoka with my daughter for a new journey coming up!
11.🛥️Get out on the Rideau Canal (boat tour)
12.📚Read a few books on a few different benches with a view
13.🎶See a concert or two
14.💤Have some outdoor naps on a hammock
15.🍷Visit a few wineries

❓☀️Let me know what’s on your summer bucket list.

*Thanks for the inspiration 🤍

15/04/2025

💌Our newest Unexpected Journey has just launched!

✨TUCKED AWAY IN THE COUNTY✨

▫️The Vibe: Laid Back. Rustic.
Remote. 🌲🌊🪨

▫️Perfect For: Couples, friends, foodies, nature lovers, explorers who love rugged and unexplored terrain, those who have been to the County before, photographers, bird lovers 🤍 🥙👫📸🦢

▫️This Journey takes you in this direction: South of Ottawa - West of Kingston - To the Prince Edward County area 👉🏻🗺️

▫️You might experience:
Wow moments (Lots!) ✨
Photo-worthy outdoor art 🎨
Lots of secret spots 🤫
Chocolate, cheese and cafes ☕️🍫
Wineries, ciders, craft breweries 🍷🍺
Sweet hiking and snowshoe trails 👟🥾
A winter skate ⛸️

**This journey might require an overnight stay as it takes you a little further away from Ottawa depending on where you are

▫️Driving time to first destination from: 🚙�Ottawa - 3 hrs�Kingston - 1 hr 15�Gatineau - 3 hrs 10�Pembroke - 3 hrs 20�Montreal - 4 hrs�Peterborough - 2 hrs�Belleville - 40 min�Port Hope - 1 hr 30�Brockville - 2 hrs

▫️Pet friendly: Yes, all outdoor stops 🐶

▫️Accessible: Stop 1 not easily accessed for those with mobility issues when the weather is wet. There is a 15 minute walk in on a flat, wide path that can get muddy. Stop 4 is not accessible but there are other options to choose from instead.

▫️Activity Level: Easy, short walks - optional longer hikes 🌳

Check out our website site for more details!
(🔗Link in bio)

Have you been to beautiful Prince Edward County yet? ☀️

ontario

13/04/2025

Absolutely had to get on this AI trend!!! 😊

This little Unexpected Journey’s owner has everything she needs head out on her latest surprise road trip! 🚙💧💌🎒🗺️🥾🇨🇦

Loved seeing all of these images that people are coming up with!

✨You can make own. Here’s what you do:

Get the ChatGPT app (it’s free) and put in this prompt:

➡️Create a picture of a 3D action figure toy, as if it were displayed in a transparent plastic packaging, blister packaging model. The figure is as in the photo, the style is relaxed, friendly smile. On the top of the packaging there is a large writing: “insert yours” with a tagline underneath that says “insert yours”

Also add some supporting items next to the figure, like “insert things that represent you“

The packaging design is minimalist, cardboard color, cute toy style sold in stores. The style is cartoon, cute but still neat and clean, mattel toys style, also add the mattel logo in the top corner.”⬅️

Add a photo of you and voila!! ✨

Share this post with your friends so you can see their versions! 😊

I tried a more cartoon version and a more realistic version. Let me know what style you like best!!! ⬇️

WARNING: Highly addictive!!!

03/04/2025

✨✨✨Local Business Spotlight✨✨✨

🐇 COMPASSIONATE RABBIT BAKING 🐇

🇨🇦 ❤️ I just have to tell you about this incredible local small business I’ve been following forever!

🍪 🤍🐇creates the most stunning cookies I have ever seen! 🫶🏼 Once you take a look at the pics in this post, you’ll be ordering soon…trust me!

Christine Balderson (artist extraordinaire 👩‍🎨and baker 👩‍🍳), started her company during COVID and since then, has decorated over 50,000 cookies! 🍪

She ❤️ getting to be part of all different kinds of celebrations and seeing the joy that her creations bring to people.

3 random facts about Christine:
▫️She’s an identical twin
▫️Loves planning surprise adventures
▫️Dream vacay - bike trip around Quebec or backcountry hiking/camping in Newfoundland

📝Her custom orders take anywhere from 6-12 hours to create. So if you’re interested, she needs at least 2 weeks notice. Her order form is on her website. You can also see her seasonal offerings there as well.

Watch for her cookie decorating classes!

Oh, check out the Unexpected Journeys cookies 🍪 she created for me!!! 🥹 OMG!
Did I eat one? Yah, I did. They are as delicious as they are beautiful! 👌🏼

Please follow, like and help spread the word about this wonderful local biz. 🇨🇦

31/03/2025

🍁 Maple Season has arrived!🍁

Save this post!

Grab your tuque, your boots, your family and friends and head out to to the sugarbush for one of 🇨🇦 most iconic experiences!

Did you know that Canada produces around 85% of the world’s 🍁maple syrup?

The season is short and sweet so get out there!

🍁 - Edwards -Weekends - $ - Animals, taffy, trails, tractor rides, museum, delish food - Farm shop - Pancakes

🍁 - Cumberland - Weekends - $ - book in advance for weekdays - Pancakes, taffy, petting zoo, trails, fire pits

🍁 - Near Perth - Wed-Sun - Free - Trails, pancakes, beautiful heritage building - Firepit

🍁 - Pakenham - Trail and Maple Store open daily - $ - Trails, sleigh rides (weekends), bonfires, delish food to eat outside, gift shop

🍁 - Lanark County - Pancake house - Free - Trails - Museums - Vintage tools - Open year round!

🍁 - Almonte - Tastings available - Trails - Kettle Boys - Picnic by the fire - Store - Open daily

🍁 - Nepean - Weekends - $ - Wagon rides- Trails - Animals - Play areas - Treats, hot chocolate - Gift shop - Book online

🍁Mapleside Sugarbush - Pembroke - Stroll through the maples- Visit the shanty - Shop - Maple products

🍁Domaine de L’Ange Garden - L’Ange Garden - 25 min from Ottawa - Sleigh rides - Incredible meals - Tubing - Book in advance

🍁Sand Road Maple Farm - Moose Creek - Maple Farm Buffet - Trails - Wagon rides - Gift shop

🍁 - Chelsea - Incredible Sugar Shack meal

🍁 - Westport - Maple syrup - Pie Bar - Order online

🍁 - Montebello - Weekends - Included with admission - Sugar shack- Taffy - Skating - Bonfire

🍁 - Vanier - Only operating urban sugar shack in North America - $ - Book in advance - Weekends - Music, food, activities

Please share any that I’ve missed. ❤️

21/03/2025

CONTEST CLOSED🌸 Spring Into Adventure Giveaway! 🚗✨

🌿 Spring is here, and it’s time to hit the road! One lucky adventurer will receive:

🚙 2 Surprise Road Trip Packages from Unexpected Journeys

🫧 6 spring scented soaps from Ashton Soap Works

💐 A gorgeous bouquet of faux tulips from the Barn Cat Richmond

💵 A $25 pre paid visa to spend at a local 🇨🇦 business while on your road trip.

How to Enter:

1️⃣ Follow and
2️⃣ Like this post ❤️
3️⃣ Tag your road trip buddy in the comments (each tag = 1 entry!) 🚗
4️⃣ Bonus Entries: Share this post to your story & tag us for 10 extra entries🌼

🌞 Contest ends: Monday, March 24th at 11:59 EST
📍 Open to residents of 🇨🇦

Good Luck! 😊

Address

Ottawa And Area

Website

http://unexpected-journeys.com/

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