Solo quests in Ottawa

An hour at Britannia Beach

Skip the seawall loop. Sit or walk Britannia Beach until you can point at five hulls, birds, logs, or buildings without checking your phone.

An hour at Britannia Watersport Beach

Britannia Watersport Beach is Ottawa's public water south-west of centre, Ottawa. One hour. Five things on the waterline. No private docks.

An hour at Mooney's Bay Beach

Mooney's Bay Beach is Ottawa's public water south-east of centre, Ottawa. One hour. Five things on the waterline. No private docks.

An hour at Westboro Beach

Skip the seawall loop. Sit or walk Westboro Beach until you can point at five hulls, birds, logs, or buildings without checking your phone.

Read the noticeboard at Carson Community House

At Carson Community House (on Carson's Road, north-east of centre, Ottawa), copy one public notice that is not an ad. That is the whole quest.

Read the noticeboard at Centre communautaire Saint-Jean-Bosco

At Centre communautaire Saint-Jean-Bosco (on Rue Scott, north-east of centre, Ottawa), copy one public notice that is not an ad. That is the whole quest.

Read the noticeboard at Centre récréatif Saint-Joseph

Cities still tape paper to walls. Centre récréatif Saint-Joseph is a working room: one notice, then out.

Read the noticeboard at Fisher Park Community Center

Cities still tape paper to walls. Fisher Park Community Center is a working room: one notice, then out.

Read the noticeboard at Foster Farm Community Centre

At Foster Farm Community Centre (south-west of centre, Ottawa), copy one public notice that is not an ad. That is the whole quest.

Read the noticeboard at Institut Canadien Français d'Ottawa

Cities still tape paper to walls. Institut Canadien Français d'Ottawa is a working room: one notice, then out.

Read the noticeboard at New Edinburgh Community and Arts Centre

Cities still tape paper to walls. New Edinburgh Community and Arts Centre is a working room: one notice, then out.

Read the noticeboard at Winthrop Court Community House

Cities still tape paper to walls. Winthrop Court Community House is a working room: one notice, then out.

Read the plaque at Brigadier Andrew Hamilton Gault

A two-minute stop at Brigadier Andrew Hamilton Gault. One date off the metal. Then back to the sidewalk.

Read the plaque at Homage à la communauté portugaise

A two-minute stop at Homage à la communauté portugaise. One date off the metal. Then back to the sidewalk.

Read the plaque at Hungarian Monument

Hungarian Monument (north-east of centre, Ottawa): read the plaque, copy one date and one name, leave. Not a war-tourism selfie.

Read the plaque at National Aboriginal Veterans Monument

National Aboriginal Veterans Monument (north-east of centre, Ottawa): read the plaque, copy one date and one name, leave. Not a war-tourism selfie.

Read the plaque at Saint Jean de Brebeuf

Saint Jean de Brebeuf (north-east of centre, Ottawa): read the plaque, copy one date and one name, leave. Not a war-tourism selfie.

Read the plaque at Statue de Maurice Richard

A two-minute stop at Statue de Maurice Richard. One date off the metal. Then back to the sidewalk.

Read the plaque at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

A two-minute stop at Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. One date off the metal. Then back to the sidewalk.

Read the plaque at Westboro cenotaph

A two-minute stop at Westboro cenotaph. One date off the metal. Then back to the sidewalk.

One loop of Annie Pootoogook Park

50 minutes in Annie Pootoogook Park (on Somerset Street East, north-east of centre, Ottawa): leave the parking lot behind, pick a bench, listen.

One loop of Arlington Woods Park

Walk a single loop of Arlington Woods Park. Sit until you can name two non-traffic sounds, then leave by the same gate.

One loop of Bateman Park

Bateman Park (on Bateman Drive, south of centre, Ottawa) is larger than the postcard. One loop, one un-famous bench, two sounds that are not traffic.

One loop of Ben Franklin Park East

Ben Franklin Park East (on Knoxdale Road, south of centre, Ottawa) is larger than the postcard. One loop, one un-famous bench, two sounds that are not traffic.

One loop of Ben Franklin Park West

50 minutes in Ben Franklin Park West (on Gibbard Avenue, south of centre, Ottawa): leave the parking lot behind, pick a bench, listen.

One loop of Borden Farm Park

50 minutes in Borden Farm Park (south-east of centre, Ottawa): leave the parking lot behind, pick a bench, listen.

One loop of Bruce Pit

Walk a single loop of Bruce Pit. Sit until you can name two non-traffic sounds, then leave by the same gate.

One loop of Cindy Mitchell Park

50 minutes in Cindy Mitchell Park (on Chapel Street, north-east of centre, Ottawa): leave the parking lot behind, pick a bench, listen.

One loop of Clarke Memorial Centre

50 minutes in Clarke Memorial Centre (east of centre, Ottawa): leave the parking lot behind, pick a bench, listen.

One loop of Craig Henry Park

Walk a single loop of Craig Henry Park. Sit until you can name two non-traffic sounds, then leave by the same gate.

One loop of Dominion Arboretum

Dominion Arboretum (east of centre, Ottawa) is larger than the postcard. One loop, one un-famous bench, two sounds that are not traffic.

One loop of Gilbey Park

50 minutes in Gilbey Park (on Gilbey Drive, south-east of centre, Ottawa): leave the parking lot behind, pick a bench, listen.

One loop of Inverness Park

Walk a single loop of Inverness Park. Sit until you can name two non-traffic sounds, then leave by the same gate.

One loop of Leslie Park

Walk a single loop of Leslie Park. Sit until you can name two non-traffic sounds, then leave by the same gate.

One loop of Nepean Creek Park

Nepean Creek Park (south-east of centre, Ottawa) is larger than the postcard. One loop, one un-famous bench, two sounds that are not traffic.

One loop of Pinecrest Recreation Complex and Park

Pinecrest Recreation Complex and Park (on Torquay Avenue, south of centre, Ottawa) is larger than the postcard. One loop, one un-famous bench, two sounds that are not traffic.

One loop of Raoul Wallenberg Park

Raoul Wallenberg Park (on Viewmount Drive, south-east of centre, Ottawa) is larger than the postcard. One loop, one un-famous bench, two sounds that are not traffic.

One loop of Redpine Park

Redpine Park (on Redpine Drive, south-east of centre, Ottawa) is larger than the postcard. One loop, one un-famous bench, two sounds that are not traffic.

Rain plan: Algonquin College Library

Rain plan at Algonquin College Library: one unfamiliar aisle, one sentence in a note, then back to the street.

Rain plan: Bibliothèque Aurélien-Doucet

Bibliothèque Aurélien-Doucet (on Boulevard du Mont-Bleu, north of centre, Ottawa) is a free indoor room. Pick one shelf you have never stood in front of. Leave with one sentence from a book you will not buy.

Rain plan: Bibliothèque Maison du Citoyen

Bibliothèque Maison du Citoyen (on Rue Laurier, north-east of centre, Ottawa) is a free indoor room. Pick one shelf you have never stood in front of. Leave with one sentence from a book you will not buy.

Rain plan: Brian Dickson Law Library

Rain plan at Brian Dickson Law Library: one unfamiliar aisle, one sentence in a note, then back to the street.

Rain plan: Christian Science Reading Room

Rain plan at Christian Science Reading Room: one unfamiliar aisle, one sentence in a note, then back to the street.

Rain plan: Greenberg Families Library

Rain plan at Greenberg Families Library: one unfamiliar aisle, one sentence in a note, then back to the street.

Rain plan: Morisset Library

Morisset Library (on Université Private, north-east of centre, Ottawa) is a free indoor room. Pick one shelf you have never stood in front of. Leave with one sentence from a book you will not buy.

Rain plan: Ottawa Public Library - Greenboro Branch

Ottawa Public Library - Greenboro Branch (on Lorry Greenberg Drive, south-east of centre, Ottawa) is a free indoor room. Pick one shelf you have never stood in front of. Leave with one sentence from a book you will not buy.

Rain plan: Ottawa Public Library - Main Branch

Rain plan at Ottawa Public Library - Main Branch: one unfamiliar aisle, one sentence in a note, then back to the street.

Rain plan: Ottawa Public Library - Nepean Centrepointe Branch

Ottawa Public Library - Nepean Centrepointe Branch (on Centrepointe Drive, south-east of centre, Ottawa) is a free indoor room. Pick one shelf you have never stood in front of. Leave with one sentence from a book you will not buy.

Rain plan: Ottawa Public Library - St-Laurent Branch

Ottawa Public Library - St-Laurent Branch (on Côté Street, north-east of centre, Ottawa) is a free indoor room. Pick one shelf you have never stood in front of. Leave with one sentence from a book you will not buy.

Rain plan: Ottawa Trans Library

Ottawa Trans Library (north-east of centre, Ottawa) is a free indoor room. Pick one shelf you have never stood in front of. Leave with one sentence from a book you will not buy.

Rain plan: one room at Bank of Canada Museum

Indoor weather plan at Bank of Canada Museum. One room. Three objects. Out the front door.

Rain plan: one room at Billings Estate Museum

Indoor weather plan at Billings Estate Museum. One room. Three objects. Out the front door.

Rain plan: one room at Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

Indoor weather plan at Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. One room. Three objects. Out the front door.

Rain plan: one room at Canada Aviation and Space Museum

Canada Aviation and Space Museum (on promenade de l'Aviation Parkway, north-east of centre, Ottawa): pick one room, stay until you can name three objects, leave. Not a gift-shop outing.

Rain plan: one room at Musée canadien de l'histoire

Indoor weather plan at Musée canadien de l'histoire. One room. Three objects. Out the front door.

Rain plan: one room at Museum of Classical Antiquities

Museum of Classical Antiquities (on Laurier Avenue East, north-east of centre, Ottawa): pick one room, stay until you can name three objects, leave. Not a gift-shop outing.

Rain plan: one room at Parliament: The Immersive Experience

Parliament: The Immersive Experience (north-east of centre, Ottawa): pick one room, stay until you can name three objects, leave. Not a gift-shop outing.

Rain plan: one room at Vanier Museopark

Indoor weather plan at Vanier Museopark. One room. Three objects. Out the front door.

Watch the sun drop from Chaudière Falls

Chaudière Falls faces the last light north-east of centre, Ottawa. The quest is standing still until three lights stay on after the sun.

Watch the sun drop from Deschênes Rapids Lookout

Deschênes Rapids Lookout faces the last light near the centre, Ottawa. The quest is standing still until three lights stay on after the sun.

Watch the sun drop from Kìwekì Point Lookout

Be at Kìwekì Point Lookout (north-east of centre, Ottawa) twenty minutes before the disk drops. Stay until it is gone. Leave with one colour that is not orange.

Watch the sun drop from Ottawa Locks

Skip the patio. Stand on public ground at Ottawa Locks for the end of the day, then walk out the way you came.

Watch the sun drop from Pink Lake viewpoint

Be at Pink Lake viewpoint (north-west of centre, Ottawa) twenty minutes before the disk drops. Stay until it is gone. Leave with one colour that is not orange.

Watch the sun drop from Rideau Falls

Rideau Falls faces the last light north-east of centre, Ottawa. The quest is standing still until three lights stay on after the sun.

Watch the sun drop from Rideau Falls

Skip the patio. Stand on public ground at Rideau Falls for the end of the day, then walk out the way you came.

Watch the sun drop from Sparks Street Lookout

Sparks Street Lookout faces the last light north-east of centre, Ottawa. The quest is standing still until three lights stay on after the sun.

Watch the sun drop from The Cliff

The Cliff faces the last light north-east of centre, Ottawa. The quest is standing still until three lights stay on after the sun.

Watch the sun drop from The Deschênes Rapids

Be at The Deschênes Rapids (west of centre, Ottawa) twenty minutes before the disk drops. Stay until it is gone. Leave with one colour that is not orange.

Watch the sun drop from View on the River

Be at View on the River (north-east of centre, Ottawa) twenty minutes before the disk drops. Stay until it is gone. Leave with one colour that is not orange.

Watch the sun drop from Wateridge

Skip the patio. Stand on public ground at Wateridge for the end of the day, then walk out the way you came.