Some road trips are all about the destination. The best ones are about seeing where the road takes you.
A vineyard down a country road. A tiny cidery pouring something you've never tasted before. A brewery patio made for lingering. A family-run farm, a little Quebec village, a bottle picked up for later, and a long drive home with the windows down.
That's the spirit of the Ottawa Valley Tap & Cork Route .
The route winds through the Ottawa Valley and across the river into the Pontiac, linking 15 local breweries, cideries and wineries, each with its own story and its own little corner of the countryside. It reads less like a checklist and more like an invitation to explore. Pick up a Tap & Cork passport along the way and collect stamps at each stop until December 31, 2026.
The Ontario Side of the Route
Calabogie Brewing Company
We'll start close to home.
Calabogie Brewing Company is five minutes from the inn, with a taproom and a patio on the Madawaska River. They pour small-batch beers, from a West Coast IPA to a nitro milk stout, plus whatever seasonal brew is on tap when you visit.
It fits beautifully into a Calabogie day. Spend the morning outside on the lakes, trails or backroads, grab lunch in town, then head over for a pint in the afternoon.
Whitewater Brewing Company
If your Tap & Cork day takes you west, Whitewater Brewing Company has two brew pubs: Lakeside in Cobden, and Riverside in Foresters Falls. Riverside is closed for the season, so in the cooler months plan on Lakeside.
It pairs perfectly with a day in the Whitewater Region, especially if you're already heading toward the Ottawa River. Take the scenic drive, stop for lunch, have a beer, and take the long way home. If a few cans make it back with you, even better.
Whitewater O'Brien Winery
For something a little different, head to Westmeath and Whitewater O'Brien Winery , near the shores of Lower Allumette Lake.
The first vines went in here in 2014, and the vineyard grows cold-hardy grapes like Frontenac, Marquette and Petite Pearl. Hot days and cool nights give the wine a taste that's all Ottawa Valley. The tasting patio is seasonal, so check their hours before you make the drive.
It's one of those stops that makes you appreciate the landscape around you. This is Ottawa Valley wine country, and it tastes like it.
Brooker's Cider
If cider is more your thing, make your way to Douglas and Brooker's Cider .
Established in 2020, this farm-based cidery uses sustainably grown wild apples to make small-batch hard cider, ciderkin and cyser. The ciders are wild fermented, dry, unfined and unfiltered, with a natural-wine kind of personality. The cidery is open Wednesday to Sunday afternoons.
It's a lovely stop for anyone who likes meeting the small producers behind the bottle. That's what Tap & Cork is all about: the people making things here.
Dog House Brewing Co.
Keep heading west and you'll find Dog House Brewing Co. in Petawawa.
This father-and-son, veteran-operated brewery is rooted in its community, with beers made for patios, bonfires and beach days. That feels pretty fitting for an Ottawa Valley road trip.
Farmgate Cider
Toward Arnprior, Farmgate Cider is a family-owned cidery making dry, European-style ciders with no pesticides and no sulphites. The tasting room is open Wednesday to Sunday.
Build it into a scenic drive, especially while the orchards and countryside are doing their seasonal thing. Cider tastes pretty great after a day spent wandering country roads.
Cold Bear Brewing Co.
Arnprior is also home to Cold Bear Brewing Co. , a brewery built around the idea that beer is about the gathering, the community and the people who grow, make and share it.
Farmgate Cider and Cold Bear make a natural pairing. Two stops, one scenic day, and all the time in the world.
Cartwright Springs Brewery
Head toward Pakenham and you'll find Cartwright Springs Brewery , where every beer begins with spring water and local, sustainable practices come first.
Pakenham itself is worth lingering in, so leave room in your day to wander.
Across the River: Discovering the Pontiac
One of the best parts of the Tap & Cork Route is that it carries on into Quebec.
Cross the Ottawa River at the Portage-du-Fort bridge and you'll find a whole collection of small producers and rural communities on the Quebec side. One weekend can feel like two very different road trips.
Little Red Wagon Winery
Just outside Shawville, Little Red Wagon Winery is a small vineyard and winery in West Quebec that also shows local art. It's open May through October.
It's exactly the kind of place we love on a road trip: personal, unexpected and a little off the usual tourist trail.
Coronation Hall Cider Mill
In Bristol, Coronation Hall Cider Mill pairs a family-run artisanal cidery with a country store, all built around old-fashioned craftsmanship and community.
Pair it with a drive along the Ottawa River and you've got yourself a pretty perfect Valley day.
L'Ancienne Banque
In Chapeau, L'Ancienne Banque brings together a microbrewery, restaurant, sports pub and live music under one roof. Come for a pint and stay for the evening.
Brauwerk Hoffman
For German-style lagers and ales, make your way to Campbell's Bay and Brauwerk Hoffman . Grab a seat on the terrace in good weather, and their brewery store is open year-round.
A little bit of Germany, a little bit of Quebec, and a whole lot of Ottawa Valley road trip.
Domaine du Pontiac Village
In Quyon, Domaine du Pontiac Village brings wine and a little history together. The vineyard was first planted in 2007, and there's a vintage car museum on the property. It's open on weekends from late spring to mid-October, so save this one for a summer trip.
It's a good reminder that the stop you remember is often the one you didn't plan.
Domaine de Cawood
Further into the Pontiac, near Danford Lake, Domaine de Cawood is home to several thousand vines. Its first wine was a Marquette red, and it shows off the small-scale, hands-on spirit that makes this route so interesting.
Vignoble Les Collines
In Luskville, Vignoble Les Collines grows grapes with respect for the land and makes wines that reflect the Quebec terroir. The vineyard has grown to around 9,000 vines, and visitors can learn about its farming, microclimate and winemaking. It's open on weekends through October.
Take this one slowly. Standing among the vines with a glass in hand makes you want to stay awhile.
How We'd Do the Tap & Cork Route from Somewhere Inn
The beauty of the route is that you get to choose. Pick a direction each day and let the rest unfold.
Day One: Stay Close to Calabogie
Start your morning slowly at the inn. Grab a coffee, head out for a hike, then make your way to Calabogie Brewing Company for an afternoon pint.
Spend the rest of the day doing whatever feels good. A sauna round, a book, a nap. Then come back, pour a glass of something you picked up along the way and settle into a proper evening.
Day Two: Head West
Make a day of the Whitewater Region. Visit Whitewater O'Brien Winery, stop at Whitewater Brewing's Lakeside pub in Cobden, see the Ottawa River and take your time getting back to Calabogie.
This is the day for scenic roads, little stops and letting the map take you the long way.
Day Three: Cross the River
Bring your Tap & Cork passport and head into the Pontiac. Choose a few stops, maybe Little Red Wagon Winery, Coronation Hall Cider Mill or Brauwerk Hoffman, and make the drive part of the experience.
Fit in as many or as few as you like. All you need is somewhere beautiful to stop along the way.
A few tips: pick a designated driver for the day (or let the bottles ride home with you for later), and check each stop's hours before you go. Many shift to shorter or weekend-only hours after Thanksgiving.
Come for the Tap & Cork Route. Stay for the Deep Exhale.
After a day of tasting, exploring and taking the long way home, there's something pretty wonderful about pulling back into Somewhere Inn Calabogie.
The driving is done for the day. It's just your room, the quiet of Calabogie and a little time to yourself.
Pour a glass at the Lobby Wine Bar. Warm up in the thermal cycle. Pull a chair up to the fire and watch the light change outside. Talk about your favourite stop of the day.
Then wake up and do it all again, or don't. That's the beauty of a proper day off.
Sip slowly. Take the scenic route. Stay awhile.
From the Front Desk is our ongoing series on the places we actually send people. Written by the team at Somewhere Inn Calabogie, who live here, drive these roads, and have a favourite stop on this route. We love our backyard and can't wait to share it with you.
Come see it for yourself.
Eleven rooms in the Ottawa Valley, a two-minute walk from Barnet Park Beach.
Best rate, guaranteed. Find it lower and we’ll match it.
More notes from the front desk.
New posts, local finds and the odd quiet weekday, a couple of times a month.
One click to unsubscribe, whenever you like.
