Final day on the water for Ottawa Boat Cruise on Rideau Canal

It was a banner year for tourism in the nation’s capital, as businesses now prepare to bid the busy travel season adieu. CTV’s Katelyn Wilson reports.

It may be mid-October, but it still feels like summer, as some tourist attractions wind down in Ottawa over the Thanksgiving weekend.

For Jason and Carla McCormick, it’s one last chance to see the capital from the water.

“It’s -3 C in Grand Prairie today, so no, we weren’t expecting 17 degrees plus on a Sunday afternoon in October, it’s beautiful,” said Jason.

• What’s happening in Ottawa this weekend: Oct. 10-13
• Here’s what’s open and closed in Ottawa for Thanksgiving

It’s the kind of weather that feels borrowed from summer, a fitting finale for the last day of the Ottawa Boat Cruise on the Rideau Canal.

“It’s been a great season overall,” said check-in supervisor, Kyra Wagner. “We’ve been really busy, and we’ve really lucked out with the weather this year. Last year I feel like we’ve had a lot more rain, even forest fires.”

That same unseasonable heat brought people out to the downtown core in droves for the Thanksgiving long weekend. Tavern on the Hill open for what could be one of its final weekends of the season.

“It’s been a very busy season with the new opening of the bridge and everything,” said assistant manager Cecily Whitla. “We’ve been getting a lot more through traffic than we ever have before, so definitely quite a busy season.”

As some tourist attractions wind down, in the ByWard Market where the smell of pumpkin spice lingers in the air, many are taking it all in.

“It’s the capital, so there are a lot of nice buildings to see… lots of people… we are just relaxing and enjoying,” said one tourist visiting from the Netherlands.

It’s the type of weather that blurs the seasons with Halloween decorations on full display, but t-shirts and sunshine all around.

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