"I don't have any money."
"Can we wait until I get paid?"
"There is nothing to do around here! Everything costs money."
Stop. Now that summer is on it's way, and spring has sprung, we can actually go outside without a winter jacket without getting frost bite. There are way more things to do for cheap in the summer than there are in the winter, unless you like snowshoeing through Gatineau Park instead of hiking through it.
You shouldn't miss out on living just because life costs a lot of money. There are so many fun things to do for cheap in Ottawa in the summer, and ones that you wouldn't even think of! So here are 15 fun things to do in Ottawa this summer that cost less than $15.
Drink a huge ice cold drink on Pancho Villa's patio
At Pancho Villa, you can get a mucho grande iced drink for $11.95. This includes margaritas, daiquiris, pina coladas and much more. Yes please!
Experience a colourful block party like no other at Glowfair
Glowfair, which is from June 16th to June 17th, is an amazing festival that has music, light and art. Completely free of charge, you get to roam 10 blocks on Bank Street and feel amazing energy. And there is night yoga! Score.
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Work on your arm at Dingerz Batting & Pitching Centre
If you're a member here, you can drop in for only $10 for an hour! To become a member it's a $25 fee, however it's only $10 every time after that which is a great deal!
Pretend you're not over the Rideau River while SUP
Even though the Rideau River doesn't look promising, SUP paddleboarding is so worth it. You can rent a SUP at Ottawa SUP and I promise it'll be a workout even if it doesn't look like one. It's only $15 for an hour!
Become a kid again at the Capital Fair
From August 17th to August 18th, you can ride all the rides and become a kid again at the Capital Fair. You can do so many things for free, but single coupons are $2 each which you need to ride the rides. But obviously, keep some change for cotton candy.
Laugh your ass off at Absolute Comedy
On Mondays, you get go to a show for as little as $5. On Fridays it goes up to $15, which is still a great price for such a fun night! They also have drinks and food, so you could spend as little as $15 all together!
Experience the ultimate cheat day at DessertFest
DessertFest is, well, a dessert festival at Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne, and you can get unlimited desserts. Tickets are $12 online, $15 at the door, or if you pay at the door and like them on Facebook, you can get in for $10. $10 for unlimited sweets? I'm all in.
Find unreal unique things at the Great Glebe Garage Sale
The Great Glebe Garage Sale has been going on for years, and is well known all around Ottawa. You can bargain anything down to $1, and you won't believe the stuff you can find. This huge garage sale is on May 27th from 8 am to 3 pm, but get there early so you can snatch all the good stuff!
Practice your yoga skills on Parliament Hill
This is one of the most Canadian things ever. From May 3rd to September 27th, Lululemon has free yoga sessions on Parliament Hill on Wednesdays at 12. For anyone working downtown, this is a great thing to do on your lunch!
Watch a movie on a patio with your BFFs or a date at Aux 4 Jeudis
Every Monday from June to August between 8:30 and 9 pm, there is a movie shown on the big screen on a patio in Gatineau. At Aux 4 Jeudis in Gatineau, all you have to do is sit down and enjoy the show! And buy food and drinks, but only if you want! It's completely free otherwise.
See over 1 million tulips at the Canadian Tulip Festival
With over 65 years of experience, the Canadian Tulip Festival is the largest tulip festival in the world. The tulips are at Dow's Lake, Parliament Hill and Major's Hill Park and it's free to check them out. This attraction gets around half a million visitors each year and the tulips are sent in from The Netherlands.
Play mini golf and ride go karts at Karters' Korners
Karter's Korners is such a staple in Ottawa for summer. This brings you back to when you were a kid, and the prices haven't changed. For each lap it's $4, and for mini golf it's $8. You don't even need a license to drive these carts, so they're putting a lot of trust in all of us.
Rent a pedal boat and pedal away on Dow's Lake
Dow's Lake is so beautiful in the summer, and you can really experience it while slowly pedalling away. Rentals are $15 for an hour, which is a pretty amazing price for the time you spend on the gorgeous water!
Enjoy free concerts and races at the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival
The Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is North America's largest dragon boat festival, and it's completely free to the public. You can see races all day, concerts at night and this festival is on from June 22nd to June 24th. Even if you don't like either of these things, you can still walk around and see what the hype is all about!
Enjoy a ton of museums for free on Thursdays
Museum admissions can be pricey, and let's be real, we don't all want to pay for that especially if it's the 18th time we've been in the museum. On Thursdays, some museums open their doors and let in guests for free. On Thursdays, the Canadian Museum of History and the Canadian War Museum are free from 4 pm to 8 pm, Canadian Museum of Nature and the National Gallery of Canada are free from 5 pm to 8 pm and the Aviation and Space Museum is free daily from 4 pm to 5 pm.