a peek inside the fishbowl

06 Jul, 2012

A walkabout at Andrew Haydon Park

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Easy ways to make kids happy| Ottawa

I am determined to return to Andrew Haydon Park (map here) for dinnertime. We’ll go earlyish; and bring a frisbee, a single-use bag of charcoal briquettes, some burgers and a side salad or two (like this coleslaw recipe!), and claim one of their many BBQs for the afternoon and evening.

Speaking of charcoal, check out this handy tip for lighting your hibachi. Smart eh?

Andrew Haydon is pretty close to perfect: it has views of the water, lots of trees and picnic tables, and just the right ratio of parking to nature. Curious children will enjoy themselves here.

Andrew Hayden Park, Ottawa

It is dog-friendly too!

My favourite time of day to visit is the hour or so just before sunset. The whole place is flooded with golden light. It is a sight to behold.

Andrew Haydon Park, Ottawa

Andrew Haydon Park, Ottawa

Andrew Haydon Park, Ottawa

Andrew Haydon Park, Ottawa

Andrew Haydon Park, Ottawa

Perfection.

What’s your favourite picnic park in Ottawa? Do tell.

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Looking for other fun activities and events in Ottawa? You might want to check out the ultimate Ottawa Bucket List!


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4 Responses to "A walkabout at Andrew Haydon Park"

1 | Jennifer

July 6th, 2012 at 9:07 am

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Were you there last night? We were too!!! We didn;t have any luck with the frogs though. But we did spot a baby beaver near his beaver dam. The part of the park we like the best is just east of the main park. The water play ground. For the younger set it provides hours and hours of fun. From there you can also walk out to very shallow area that the windsurfers use to take off from. It’s kind of like being on an island because you have to walk through about three inches of water to get out to it. There are BBQ’s there as well. We had hamburgers and decided next time we’ll bring corn to BBQ. As we were leaving I actually thought “the water park should be added to Andrea’s Bucket List”!!!! Too funny.

2 | CampingGirl

July 6th, 2012 at 9:39 am

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I’ve never been to Andrew Haydon park but it looks beautiful!

3 | Chrissy

July 6th, 2012 at 1:30 pm

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Pinhey’s Point is my go-to picnic place in the summer (and spring and fall!). It’s so quiet there. We can spend hours just tossing rocks in the river, climbing trees, and looking for turtles. We often pack up and go on those days when the girls are at each other’s throats and I’m out of ideas. It’s a great place to unwind, and so close to home (I’m in Kanata). I will have to try Andrew Haydon Park very soon, I think.

4 | gemma@thesweetestdigs

July 6th, 2012 at 1:38 pm

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This is right down the road from where I grew up! Such a lovely spot. They used to have dancing at the bandstand on certain nights of the week!!

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Thank you for visiting! My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our two daughters Emma (14) and Sarah (12). I've been blogging since 1999, which makes me either a total dinosaur or a veteran of the Canadian blog scene, I'm not sure which! The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I am the Managing Editor of Capital Parent Newspaper but also make my living doing a bunch of other fun things. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, family travel, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa for parents and kids. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

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