Anne-Charlotte PasseraThe town of Carp is located about 30 minutes outside Ottawa and is worth the short day trip.
Founded in 1844, the town retains some of its old charm with a farmer’s market and homes from that era.
As charming as the town is, tourists from Ottawa usually make the short day trip to visit one thing: The Bunker. It is THE main attraction. Designed in the 50s to withstand all but a direct hit by a nuclear weapon; the bunker was intended to shelter key political and military personnel during a nuclear attack. Luckily, the bunker was never used for that intent.
If you are going to make the short drive to Carp to visit the bunker, you might as well enjoy some of its surroundings.
From food to hiking, here are some other things you can visit or do in the area as part of your day trip from Ottawa.
Walk around the town of Carp
Since the bunker doesn’t open until 10am, on a Saturday, swing by the farmer’s market located on the main street that leads to the bunker.
You can buy local products from food to arts and crafts. If you’re hungry, you’ll find something to snack on. They even have a small band to entertain you while you walk around.
As you might be tempted to bring back some local meat or fresh produce with you, bring a cooler.
The Carp farmers market is open every Saturday morning until 1pm from April to October.
Also, dating back to 1863, is held every September a Carp Agricultural Faire with all kinds of family attractions.
If you walk along the main street, you’ll notice old homes and will find a popular restaurant for the locals and an ice cream parlour.
Cold War bunker
The Diefenbunker is a cold war bunker and a must see if you are a history buff or like things from the 50s.
While it was never used to that intent, it did function as a hub of a communication network and civil defence system until 1994.
The place is huge, built on 4 levels underground. From the outside it just looks like a small hangar, but looks can be deceiving.
Once you get inside, you’ll have to walk through a long tunnel before passing through thick doors leading you to the ticket booth. You can book your tickets online HERE.
Once that’s taken care of, you’ll go through the decontamination process without actually taking your clothes off.
Bring a sweater as it gets cold inside.
The Visit
The bunker was equipped with everything you would need to survive a nuclear attack for at least 2 weeks without outside help.
Throughout the visit, which can be a guided one (recommended), you’ll visit the different levels which include:
- Medical bay
- Cafeteria
- Storage room
- Communications room
- Convenience store
- Sleeping quarters
What makes this place so interesting to visit is that everything you’ll see is as it was when it was first built.
Some of the guides used to work in the bunker during its operational years.
In the convenience store you’ll notice the flash bulbs that were needed for a camera. In the food storage, you can admire “vintage” style labels.
Parking is Free.
It is not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. The visit takes about 1h30.
Interesting facts
- The whole bunker is built on springs in case of nuclear blast shocks.
- During the Cold War, about 1700 warning “bells”’ were erected across Canada. These alarms were loud enough to turn fog into rain.
- The medical bay was a state of the art facility and equipped with an operating room.
- The atmospheric pressure was kept low to prevent the spread of contagious diseases in sealed environment if the bunker was in lockdown.
- Teletype (teleprinters or teletypewriters) was the safest means of communication for the Forces. They were larger than typewriters. Between 1960-1980 they were the cornerstone of communications
The sizzle of these machines is one of the sounds of the past, much like the squeak of a dial-up internet connection.
the diefenbunker museum
- It has its own electrical system and own well and fresh water pump. All it would be missing nowadays would be a hydroponic garden.
- The local population was unhappy that private land had been expropriated for construction. But the secret was exposed in 1961 by Journalist George Brimmel. He rented a plane to photograph the construction site. It revealed 78 toilets ready to be installed; far too many for a few radio men.
Elk Ranch
About 15 minutes away from the bunker on your way back to Ottawa, you can stop by an Elk Ranch and buy some Elk meat. Unfortunately, when we stopped by, no Elks were to be seen and the shop was closed.
More information HERE.
South March Highlands Trail Network
If you are in need of fresh air, stop by South March Forest before heading back to Ottawa. It is open year round, is dog-friendly, and suitable for families. The park is only 10 minutes away from Carp.
There are different trails available. Some will provide beautiful views over beaver ponds, stone footbridges and rocky trails. The loopy trails range from 3.6 km (easy) to 10km (moderate).
This is a great way to end your little day trip from Ottawa.
Want another day trip idea from Ottawa? Check out the historical town of Wakefield.
