Some villages are worth the drive for one thing. Wakefield gives you a red covered bridge, a stone mill beside a waterfall, a main street of galleries and a music room with real history, all on the Gatineau River. Come once in October and you’ll be planning the winter trip on the way home.
Our guide to things to do in Wakefield, Quebec covers 16 picks, updated for 2026, from the covered bridge and the Moulin Wakefield Mill spa to horseback rides, forest ice skating and nights out on Riverside Drive. We weighed season, cost, who each stop suits and how easily it fits a day trip, so you can decide what to do in Wakefield before you leave Ottawa. Start with the quick picks, then read on for the full list.
In This Guide
- Quick picks: top things to do in Wakefield at a glance
- The best things to do in Wakefield, Quebec right now, from the covered bridge to forest skating
- Tips for planning a Wakefield day trip from Ottawa worth knowing
- Frequently asked questions about things to do in Wakefield
- More Ottawa guides worth exploring
Quick picks: top things to do in Wakefield at a glance
Unsure what to do in Wakefield Quebec on a first visit? These five are the top things to do in Wakefield.
1. Historic Wakefield Covered Bridge
A red covered bridge over the Gatineau River, rebuilt by the community after a 1984 fire. Wakefield. Free.
2. Moulin Wakefield Mill Hotel & Spa
Outdoor hot tubs beside MacLaren Falls at a restored stone mill. Wakefield. Upscale.
3. Black Sheep Inn
A riverside music room that has hosted Arcade Fire and Feist. Wakefield. Ticket prices vary by show.
4. Wakefield Hiking Trails
Community trails linking forest paths, river views and the covered bridge. Wakefield. Free.
5. Patinage en forêt
More than six km of forest ice trails with a heated chalet. Lac-des-Loups. Mid range.
The best things to do in Wakefield, Quebec right now, from the covered bridge to forest skating
Every pick below fits the village day the intro promised, and together they cover Wakefield tourism in every season. Expect the riverside landmarks first, then nights out, outdoor adventures and the winter activities that keep the village busy after the leaves drop.
1. Historic Wakefield Covered Bridge
A red wooden covered bridge crosses the Gatineau River, offering views of the water and forested hills surrounding Wakefield. The original burned in 1984 and was rebuilt through community efforts, and today it’s one of the free things to do in Wakefield that every visitor ticks off. For the best Wakefield covered bridge photos, shoot from either bank in autumn, then follow the connecting trails to nearby heritage sites.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: A red covered bridge rebuilt by the community
📍 Location: Historic Wakefield Covered Bridge, Wakefield, 45 Chem. de Wakefield Heights, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Scenic, family, kid-friendly
2. Moulin Wakefield Mill Hotel & Spa
A restored nineteenth-century stone mill overlooks MacLaren Falls and features outdoor hot tubs beside the cascading river. The heritage buildings beside Gatineau Park hold guest rooms, restaurants and spa facilities, and the former flour mill now pairs hot tubs, a sauna and a seasonal pool with views of the falls. Book a spa treatment or an overnight stay, and enjoy the colour around the falls in autumn or the snowy riverside setting in winter.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Hot tubs beside MacLaren Falls
📍 Location: Moulin Wakefield Mill Hotel & Spa, Wakefield, 60 Ch Mill, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, anniversary, special occasion
3. Wakefield Hiking Trails
A community-maintained trail network connects forest paths, river viewpoints, the covered bridge and Wakefield’s historic landmarks. Sentiers Wakefield Trails maintains routes through and around the village, linking woodland, heritage sites and the Gatineau River, which makes this one of the best things to do in Wakefield for free. Dogs must stay leashed, bicycles aren’t allowed, and trail maps and current conditions come from the local trail organization.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Free trails linking the bridge, river and heritage sites
📍 Location: Wakefield Hiking Trails, Wakefield, 42 Chem. du Cimetière-Maclaren, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Outdoor, family, dog-friendly
4. Fairbairn House Heritage Centre
An 1838 heritage house introduces Wakefield’s settlement history and provides a starting point for an 18-stop village walking tour. Built by Scottish settler William Fairbairn, the house tells the community’s story when it’s open, and its self-guided tour is the best starting point for Wakefield things to do on foot. Check indoor hours before visiting; parking is nearby.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: An 18-stop self-guided village tour
📍 Location: Fairbairn House Heritage Centre, Wakefield, 45 Chem. de Wakefield Heights, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Historic, family, kid-friendly
5. River Walk Wakefield
A riverside walking route follows the Gatineau River past Wakefield’s historic buildings and village waterfront. The route links shops, restaurants and historic landmarks, autumn brings colourful reflections from the Gatineau Hills, and summer suits a waterfront picnic or paddling outing. Parking is available at various village locations, subject to posted restrictions.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Gatineau River views along the main street
📍 Location: River Walk Wakefield, Wakefield, 723 Chem. Riverside, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, date, family
6. Black Sheep Inn
A riverside music venue has hosted Canadian performers including Arcade Fire and Feist and returned to live programming in 2025. The longstanding room on the Gatineau River resumed concerts in September 2025 after an extended closure, and evening shows in its intimate setting are the main reason to go. Confirm the concert calendar, tickets and admission rules before travelling.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: A music room that hosted Arcade Fire and Feist
📍 Location: Black Sheep Inn, Wakefield, 753 Chem. Riverside, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Late night, date, group
7. Kaffe 1870
A longstanding Wakefield pub occupies a historic Riverside Drive building and hosts live music in an intimate setting. The café, pub and entertainment venue keeps later hours on selected nights, which makes it one of the go-to things to do in Wakefield at night for anyone staying over. Parking is nearby, subject to village restrictions.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Live music in a historic main-street pub
📍 Location: Kaffe 1870, Wakefield, 715 Chem. Riverside, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Late night, girls night, group
8. Heron Wine Bar at Moulin Wakefield Mill
Friday and Saturday live music accompanies wine service in a historic mill lounge with an open-hearth fireplace and billiard table. Inside the Wakefield Mill, this wine bar pours Quebec and international bottles beside heritage furnishings, making it one of the most romantic things to do in Wakefield for couples. A terrace opens in warmer months, and reservations are recommended.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Fireside wine and weekend live music
📍 Location: Heron Wine Bar, Wakefield, 60 Chem. Mill, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Romantic, date, anniversary
That covers the heart of village Wakefield, and the second half heads into the hills for horseback rides, bungee jumps and winter sports.
9. Captiva Ranch Horseback Riding
Guided horseback rides through the Gatineau Hills operate year-round, while children aged three to seven can join supervised pony experiences. About five minutes east of the village on 450 acres, each ride works like a guided tour of wooded trails and open countryside, with the 90-minute introduction costing about $113 for riders 12 and up. It’s one of the most fun things to do in Wakefield, and reservations are required at least 24 hours ahead.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Year-round trail rides and pony walks
📍 Location: Captiva Ranch, Wakefield, 189 Chem. de la Montagne, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Outdoor, family, kid-friendly
10. Great Canadian Bungee
A 200-foot bungee jump launches participants above the turquoise water of Morrison’s Quarry. South of Wakefield, Great Canadian Bungee also runs a zipline over the quarry, and spectators can watch from designated observation areas. It’s seasonal rather than a winter activity, so book ahead, and participants must meet the operator’s safety requirements.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: A 200-foot jump over turquoise water
📍 Location: Great Canadian Bungee, Chelsea, 1780 Route 105, Chelsea, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Adventure, group, special occasion
11. Turntable Park
A preserved railway turntable marks the site where steam locomotives were once reversed for their return journey toward Ottawa. The Wakefield train no longer runs, but whether you search Wakefield train or train de Wakefield, this turntable tells the story of the former line, whose corridor is now used for recreation. Wakefield Bakery and the general store sit right beside it for a snack stop.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: The turntable that reversed steam locomotives
📍 Location: Turntable Park, Wakefield, Riverside Drive near Wakefield General Store, Wakefield, QC
⭐ Vibe: Historic, family, kid-friendly
12. Khewa Indigenous Art Boutique
An Indigenous-owned boutique showcases artwork, jewellery and handmade pieces by Indigenous creators. The Riverside Drive shop is an easy way to learn about contemporary Indigenous creative work during a village walk. Daily hours are listed, though holiday schedules may differ.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Artwork and jewellery by Indigenous creators
📍 Location: Khewa Indigenous Art Boutique, Wakefield, 737 Chem. Riverside, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Cultural, family, solo
13. Marché Wakefield Market
Saturday market stalls bring regional farmers, food producers and artisans together near the Wakefield Community Centre. The market runs from 9 am to 1 pm, an easy anchor for things to do in Wakefield this weekend, and nearby trails extend the visit. Winter and holiday markets may follow separate schedules.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Saturday stalls from regional producers
📍 Location: Marché Wakefield Market, Wakefield, 38 Chem. de la Vallée de Wakefield, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Outdoor, family, kid-friendly
14. Centre Vorlage
A ski hill overlooking Wakefield offers downhill skiing and snowboarding within minutes of the village centre. Beyond the runs, Centre Vorlage has two alpine touring routes, Fox Run and La Grande Boucle, plus groomed fat biking trails, the busiest of winter Wakefield activities. Operating dates depend on snow, and free parking is on site.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Skiing, uphill touring and fat biking minutes from town
📍 Location: Centre Vorlage, Wakefield, 65 Chem. Burnside, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Winter, family, kid-friendly
15. Patinage en forêt
More than six kilometres of maintained ice trails wind through a forest, with a heated chalet and outdoor fires for warming up. Among things to do in Wakefield, winter’s standout is this ice skating trail in nearby Lac-des-Loups, where children five and under skate free. The season depends on sustained freezing temperatures, so check conditions before driving up.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: A six-km ice skating trail through the woods
📍 Location: Patinage en forêt, Lac-des-Loups, 9 Mnt Beausoleil, Lac-des-Loups, QC J0X 3K0
⭐ Vibe: Winter, family, date
16. La Confiserie Wakefield Confectionery
Shelves of retro candy and homemade sweets turn a Riverside Drive storefront into a nostalgic stop for families. The shop sits near the bakery and general store and opens Wednesday through Sunday. It’s a weather-proof treat stop in any season.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Retro candy and homemade sweets
📍 Location: La Confiserie Wakefield Confectionery, Wakefield, 817 Chem. Riverside, Wakefield, QC J0X 3G0
⭐ Vibe: Family, kid-friendly, birthday
Tips for planning a Wakefield day trip from Ottawa worth knowing
With the list sorted, these habits make a Wakefield day trip easy, whether you’re chasing fall colour or fresh snow.
If you’re looking for things to do in Wakefield today, start with a coffee at Bluebarn near the entrance to Wakefield village, cross the covered bridge, then walk Riverside Drive. October is the last stretch of the warm-weather season: Eco-Odyssée’s water maze closed for 2026 on October 12 and Great Canadian Bungee is seasonal, so save those for next year if you’ve missed them.
For things to do in Wakefield, Quebec winter brings downhill skiing, alpine touring and fat biking at Centre Vorlage, plus night skiing and snow tubing at Sommet Edelweiss once it reopens for the season. Tourism Outaouais lists Patinage en forêt’s forest skating trail nearby, the Wakefield Trails turn into snowshoe routes after heavy snowfall, and visitors who want cross country skiing can pair a Wakefield weekend with trails in Gatineau Park.
Wakefield shopping centres on Riverside Drive, where local shops like Boutique Jamboree sit beside the Wakefield Artisans Galerie and the 100 Mile Arts Network’s second-floor gallery, both showing local art from the Outaouais, while ArtMode Gallery sits inside the Wakefield Mill Hotel. Anyone mapping things to do in Wakefield QC on foot can add Pipolinka Bakery, Boulangerie Wakefield and the Wakefield General Store for picnic supplies between Wakefield shops.
Dinner seats at The Village House Wakefield are limited, so book ahead, while Café Le Hibou, Cafe EARLE and isabelle bistroquet cover daytime meals. To stay over, Belle de Nuit Wakefield Inn and Auberge Krön near the covered bridge are quieter alternatives to the hotel spa at the mill, and if a weekend here has you browsing real estate Wakefield Quebec listings, a night in each season is the best way to see the village before committing.
Heading back south, things to do in Chelsea Quebec include Great Canadian Bungee’s jump and zipline over Morrison’s Quarry and a round at Larrimac Golf & Tennis Club, so anyone wondering what to do in Chelsea Quebec can add a stop on the drive home. Golfers can also play the eighteen holes at Edelweiss Golf & Country Club beside the ski area, all within the Gatineau Hills.
Frequently asked questions about things to do in Wakefield
These are the questions visitors ask most often before driving north.
Where is Wakefield, Quebec?
Wakefield is a village on the Gatineau River in the Gatineau Hills of the Outaouais region, north of Gatineau, which is why it also turns up in searches for Wakefield Gatineau and Wakefield Outaouais. It’s in Quebec, not Ontario, so searches for Wakefield Ontario land here, and older listings may write it as Wakefield PQ, Wakefield (Québec) or Wakefield Québec. There’s no separate Ville de Wakefield either, since the village belongs to the municipality of La Pêche, and every stop in it is covered in the guide above.
How far is Wakefield from Ottawa?
The drive from Ottawa to Wakefield takes roughly 30 to 35 minutes from downtown, heading north through Gatineau and Chelsea, which makes Wakefield Ottawa day trips easy. The Wakefield to Ottawa return is just as quick, so a morning on the trails, lunch on Riverside Drive and an evening show at the Black Sheep Inn fit into one outing. Check road conditions in winter, and see the full list of stops above.
What are the best things to do in Wakefield with kids?
The best things to do with kids in Wakefield are the Story Walk and geocaching on the community trails, Captiva Ranch’s pony walks for children aged three to seven and La Confiserie’s retro candy shelves. For things to do in Wakefield with toddlers, the covered bridge, Turntable Park and the Saturday market are short, easy stops. In winter, Patinage en forêt lets kids five and under skate free, one of the most fun things to do in Wakefield Quebec families plan around snow, and each family stop is detailed above.
Is this Wakefield the same as the ones in England or the US?
No. Of all the Wakefields people search for, this guide covers the village in Quebec, while things to do in Wakefield UK, things to do in Wakefield MA, things to do in Wakefield RI, things to do in Wakefield NH and things to do in Wakefield VA point to towns in England and the United States, and things to do in Port Wakefield point to South Australia. If you’re planning from Ottawa, a hurried Wakfield, Wakefiled, Walefield, Wakefiel, Wakefueld or Wake Field search still means the village on the Gatineau River covered above.
More Ottawa guides worth exploring
If Wakefield has you planning more day trips and things to do, these guides pick up where this one leaves off.
Things to do in Ottawa for visitors: A first-timer’s guide for pairing a Wakefield trip with a city stay.
Outdoor things to do in Ottawa: Trails, rivers and parks closer to downtown.
Family-friendly Ottawa outings: Kid-ready plans for weekends and school breaks.
Free things to do in Ottawa: No-cost outings for weekends in the city.
Ottawa nightlife venues and night-out ideas: More live music and late-night plans back in the capital.
The best things to do in Wakefield come down to the river, the bridge and whatever the season brings, from autumn trails to forest skating. Bookmark this guide before your next trip north, because we update it as seasons change and every spot is verified.
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