Things to Do in Ottawa

Rideau Hall is the residence of the Governor General of Canada, and because of the country’s status as a member of the Commonwealth, is also where the monarch stays when visiting Ottawa. Rideau Hall was built in 1838 by the lumber baron Thomas MacKay and eventually became the official residence for the Canadian head of state in 1867. Most of the 175 rooms in the federal heritage building are used for state business, formal ceremonies and functions, with only a small space being dedicated to living quarters. 

The grounds are just as historical as the stately mansion and represent Canada’s character and cultural diversity to the core. During the summer months the hourly changing of guard ceremony can be observed at the main gate. A characteristically colorful totem pole with a thunderbird gracing the top and a fisherman holding a salmon stands in the garden as a gift from the Kwakwaka´wakw people in the Pacific Northwest. The estate also houses an Inukshuk, an impressive Inuit stone marker originating in the Arctic, that is supposed to guide travellers and mark important spots. It is the work of Kananginak Pootoogook, a well-known Inuk sculptor from Nunavut, and was added in 1997. Among the beautiful gardens made up of flowerbeds, rose gardens and lawns, over 10,000 trees can be found, many of which have been planted by foreign dignitaries. Try to find the Red Oak planted by Jacqueline Kennedy, Nelson Mandela’s Sugar Maple or the Canadian Hemlock chosen by William and Kate to symbolize their love and marriage. If you visit in winter, make sure to not forget your skates, as an outdoor skating rink is accessible to the public on weekends.

Previously known as the Canadian Museum of Civilization, this cutting-edge museum—just five minutes from downtown Ottawa—underwent a name change and a significant overhaul between 2013 and 2017. The museum’s high-tech exhibitions now tell the history of Canada and its peoples, from the earliest human inhabitants to the present day. 

The Canadian Museum of History is one of Canada’s largest museums, attracting millions of tourists every year. Museum tickets, which you can book in advance, provide access to all the museum’s galleries, including the Canadian History Hall; the First Peoples Hall; the Grand Hall, which focuses on the First Peoples of Canada’s Pacific Coast; and the on-site Canadian Children’s Museum. Tickets also allow entry to select educational shows at the museum’s 295-seat CINÉ+ movie theater.

The museum is a common stop on hop-on hop-off bus tours of Ottawa and during Ottawa day tours from Montreal. If you plan on museum-hopping, you may want to purchase Canada’s National Museums Passport, which including admission to any three of the six participating national museums over three consecutive days. 

The Canadian Museum of History is in Hull, Gatineau, just across the Ottawa River from downtown Ottawa. During the summer, the Aqua Taxi ferry travels between the Ottawa Locks and the far side of the river. Walking from Parliament Hill takes around 30 minutes. 

The Canadian Museum of History is busiest on weekends, with tourist crowds peaking during the summer months. Come around 9am (opening) to get a head start on the crowds. 

As impressive as the collections and exhibits of the museum are, the building that houses them is perhaps equally so. Designed by architect Douglas Cardinal, the curving stone structure symbolizes abstract representations of parts of the Canadian landscape, including the Canadian Shield, glaciers, glacial streams, and the Great Plains. From the museum complex, visitors are treated to excellent views of Parliament Hill across the way. 

Designed by renowned architect Moshe Safdie, Ottawa’s glass-and-granite National Gallery of Canada showcases an exquisite art collection. As well as an extensive display of European and Canadian art including an assortment of indigenous artworks, the museum also houses the reconstructed 19th-century Rideau Street Convent Chapel. 

The National Gallery of Canada is one of the country’s premier cultural institutions and a hugely popular Ottawa visitor attraction. Bike tours and amphibus tours (over land and water) often take participants past the museum to see Louise Bourgeois’ huge bronze spider sculpture, Maman, which stands outside.

To explore inside the museum, purchase an admission ticket over the phone, online, or at the box office. Opt to explore independently or with the aid of an audio guide. Special talks (including a daily 10-minute docent-led talk on a single artwork), lectures, and family-oriented arts and crafts workshops also take place here. 

The National Gallery of Canada is located near the intersection of St. Patrick Street and Sussex Drive in Ottawa. Walking, it is fewer than 15 minutes from Parliament Hill and fewer than 10 minutes from ByWard Market. You can also bike there via the Capital Pathway network. Underground parking is available.

The museum is open daily from May through September; October through April, it is closed on Mondays. The National Gallery is busiest during the peak summer tourist months of July and August. Year-round, weekdays are quieter than weekends. On Thursday evenings from 5pm to 8pm, access to the national collection is free. 

Inside the National Gallery, thousands of pieces from the museum’s 65,000-strong collection are on show, including works by renowned Canadian artists such as the Group of Seven and the Montreal-born, early–20th-century landscape artist James Wilson Morrice. Also strongly represented are influential European artists, such as Marcel Duchamp, the avant-garde French conceptual artist who shook up the art world with his 1917 work Fountain, which consisted simply of an upside-down urinal signed “R. Mutt, 1917.” 

A concentrated cluster of grand government buildings overlooking the Ottawa River, Parliament Hill is the centerpiece of Downtown Ottawa. At the heart of the complex is Centre Block, a neo-Gothic riot of greening copper turrets, stone-carved gargoyles, and pointed arches built around a soaring central campanile (bell tower) known as the Peace Tower. Parliament Hill is not just a pretty sight; it’s also home to Canada’s most important democratic institutions, including the Library of Parliament and the chambers of the House of Commons and the Senate.

Parliament Hill is an essential sight for anyone interested in the history and politics of Canada. Visitors can see the complex via city bike tours, hop-on hop-off bus tours, and amphibus tours (over land and water), as well as on guided day trips from Montreal. Access to all Parliament buildings is ticketed, with same-day-only tickets issued on a first-come, first-served basis at the ticket office at 90 Wellington Street, across from Parliament Hill. Tours of Centre Block are offered year-round, while tours of East Block, the historic hub of the 19th-century Canadian government, run from July until early September. Visitors can also embark on a self-guided ascent up the Peace Tower or an independent visit to the Memorial Chamber.

 

As there is no parking on Parliament Hill, it’s best to use public transport. Buses 6, 7, 9, 11, and 12 stop nearby.

 

Arrive early in the morning and head straight to the ticket center of Wellington Street to ensure access. Tours regularly fill to capacity, particularly in summer.

 

During summer, visit the front lawn at 10am to witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony. On summer nights, Parliament Hill hosts the Northern Lights Sound and Light Show, which tells the story of Canada through images projected onto the Gothic exterior of Centre Block. From early December to January, Parliament Hill hosts a festive Christmas light spectacle. The complex is also a focal point for Canada Day celebrations on July 1.

Ottawa’s historic food-focused ByWard Market houses hundreds of vendors hawking farm-raised meat, fresh produce, and arts and crafts. Hungry visitors and locals alike flock to this social and shopping hub, where takeout vendors sell ready-to-eat goodies and sit-down eateries offer prime seats for patrons to take in all the market action.

 

ByWard Market has served as a key gathering place and shopping market in Canada’s capital since 1849. Today the historic buildings and open-air marketplace are home to over 260 stands and 600 businesses comprising food stalls, specialty boutiques, eateries, and more. While you can see the market in passing during some sightseeing tours—along with other Ottawa attractions such as the Rideau Canal and Parliament Hill—to experience it at its best, you need to go inside and explore properly. Take a food or wine tour of the city, during which tour guides show you around the market and introduce you to some of the best bites, food purveyors, and local restaurants in the city.

 

  

ByWard Market encompasses an area of around four blocks, bordered by Rideau Street to the south, Cathcart Street to the north, Cumberland Street to the east, and Sussex Drive to the west. The main brick market building stands between George and York Streets. Numerous local bus routes stop on Rideau Street. On-street parking as well as parking garages are available nearby.

 

To see the market at its biggest and busiest, go on a summer weekend. It expands during warmer weather, as stalls spill out onto the surrounding streets. Go early to nab the best produce. Opening hours vary from business to business, with most shops opening from early morning to late afternoon, while bars stay open later.

 

Perhaps the most famous snack to be served at ByWard are BeaverTails. This Canadian pastry—which consists of fried dough shaped like a beaver’s tail, topped with cinnamon and sugar—originated here in Ontario and is a much-loved local specialty. Even former US President Barack Obama stopped to buy one during an Ottawa visit in 2009.

Established in 1893, Algonquin is the oldest provincial park in Canada. Spreading across 2,955 square miles (7,650 square kilometers), this vast wilderness encompasses maple-carpeted hills, thick pine forest, and thousands upon thousands of lakes. The abundant wildlife here includes black bears, moose, and packs of Algonquin wolves.

Though Algonquin presents many opportunities for day trips, including hikes along trailheads just off Highway 60, you’ll need several days to explore more remote parts of the park’s interior. The park offers countless opportunities for swimming, wildlife-viewing, fishing, stargazing, and relaxing in nature. 

Much of the interior is accessible only via the vast Algonquin Park canoe routes network, which can be explored as part of multi-day tours. Visitors can get an introduction to wilderness camping on guided multi-day canoe trips that include canoe rentals, meals, permits, and equipment. For a more comfortable park tour option, choose a multi-day adventure tour that includes accommodation in a lodge or forest cabin. 

Algonquin Provincial Park is situated between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in central Ontario, about 185 miles (300 kilometers) north of Toronto. The park is accessible via Highway 60, which cuts through part of the southern section.

Algonquin offers different activities in different seasons. Spring is good for birding, lake trout fishing, and moose watching; mid-September to mid-October is best for fall colors; and winter offers snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and dog-sledding opportunities. Watch out for black flies and mosquitoes, which are out in full force between late May and late June. 

Algonquin Provincial Park is known for its abundance of wildlife. While black bears, white-tailed deer, and moose are all commonly spotted, the most famous inhabitants of the park are the Algonquin wolves. About 35 wolf packs are believed to roam the park, and public wolf howls are held at the park every August. During these events, naturalist staff intimate the calls of wolves, encouraging them to respond. Those camping in Algonquin are bound to hear the distinctive call of the loon, which is most vocal during May and June.

Dating back to the 1840s, Ottawa Notre Dame Basilica (Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame) is the oldest church in Canada’s capital. The Gothic Revival structure is full of eye-catching design details, from its two shimmering, silver tin-covered steeples to the interior’s soaring vaults and star-studded blue ceiling.

Many visitors get a glimpse of Ottawa’s Notre Dame Basilica during sightseeing tours of the city, whether on foot, by bus, or even by amphibious vehicles that travel on both dry land and water. You can tour the cathedral independently year-round. Guided tours, lasting 45 to 60 minutes, are available from mid-May to mid-October, and must be booked in advance. You can also attend a mass in the cathedral; English- and French-language services are hosted here.

Notre Dame Basilica is located on Sussex Drive, just opposite the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Walk here from Parliament Hill in under 15 minutes, or from ByWard Market in around five minutes. Alternatively, ride the 1 or 9 bus to Dalhousie Street, which is just two blocks from the cathedral. 

The best time to visit the church is outside of mass times, as you may not explore while services are taking place. From May through October, consider coming for opening (9am) or in the afternoon (1pm to 3pm) Tuesday to Saturday, to avoid clashing with services. From November through April, opening hours are more restrictive; try coming around 10am Tuesday through Friday or 2pm on Saturdays. 

The Ottawa cathedral is loaded with architectural and decorative adornments, including ribbed vaults and stained glass windows. Among the standout features are the the intricately carved sculptures of apostles, saints, and prophets visible in the sanctuary’s niches, as well as the carved wooden altars, which are interspersed with gold leaf and gems. Liturgical objects, including precious stone-embedded chalices and gold cloth vestments, are also on display in the basilica. 

Built between 1826 and 1832 to offer secure passage for British ships from Montreal, the Rideau Canal—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is an engineering masterpiece. It extends for 126 miles (202 kilometers) between Ottawa and Kingston. Ottawa’s most visited stretch lures boaters, cyclists, and strollers in summer, and ice skaters in winter.

 

Ottawa visitors will almost certainly encounter the Rideau Canal at some point during their trip, as the waterway cuts right through the heart of Canada’s capital city and is visible from Parliament Hill. Bike tours of the city often follow the Rideau Canal Pathways, which extend along both sides of the canal, and many walking tours include a visit to the canal’s edge. You can also embark on Rideau Canal sightseeing cruises, or join a kayak or canoe excursion. In winter, rent skates and glide around the vast, well-maintained Rideau Canal Skateway, formed by a cordoned-off part of the canal.

 

 

If you’re staying in downtown Ottawa, the best way to reach the canal is on foot. From Ottawa’s main train station, ride the 61 bus. Alternatively, a taxi from the station will take 15 to 20 minutes.

 

Ottawa’s peak visiting periods are January, February, and June to August. Even during its busiest times, the canal rarely feels crowded. If you want to see it at its most peaceful, go early in the morning.

 

Every winter, a 4.8-mile (7.8-kilometer) stretch of the frozen Rideau Canal transforms into an open-air ice-skating rink. Designated the world’s largest naturally frozen skate rink by the Guinness World Records, the hugely popular Rideau Canal Skateway attracts an average of 20,000 visitors per day. The skating season’s length and dates vary according to weather conditions, but typically the rink is open from January to the end of February or early March. You can rent skates from canal-side huts, some of which also sell hot chocolate, hot apple cider, and BeaverTails, a fried-dough pastry topped with cinnamon and sugar.

Gatineau is a city of about 300,000 right across from Ottawa on the northern shores of the Ottawa River. While Gatineau belongs to Quebec and Ottawa to Ontario, together they form Canada’s National Capital Region. Gatineau is a popular place to live, especially for young families and professionals and is actually the most bilingual city in Canada with over 60% of inhabitants speaking both English and French. The city is also known for its cultural value and is home to a variety of events and venues, such as one of the largest hot air balloon festivals in the world, filling the sky with hundreds of passenger balloons in every shape and color and the Casino du Lac-Leamy. The casino isn’t only a posh gambling hall though. Each year in August, the location hosts an international firework competition called the Sound of Light, where countries demonstrate their pyro-musical skills in the sky.

At the Canadian Museum of History, visitors can get a detailed look into the origins and human history of Canada and walk through whole recreated townscapes, including pre-European settlements. Although there is quite some culture and history to be discovered, the city of Gatineau is also associated with its many parks, as there are plenty of green areas ranging from wild nature to playgrounds and recreational parks. The biggest and most well-known of these parks is Gatineau Park, a massive conservation area north of the city. Apart from having a rich biodiversity, including black bears, beavers and wolves, the park is also an outdoor paradise, where anything from hiking, camping, biking to cross country skiing, horseback riding and snowshoeing is possible.

Just across the river from downtown Ottawa, Gatineau Park—a 139-square-mile (361-square-kilometer) swath of lake and wood-dotted parkland—offers nature escapes near the city. With a vast network of hiking, cycling, and cross-country ski trails, as well as lakes, waterfalls, and swimming beaches, it’s a veritable outdoor playground. 

Though locals take advantage of Gatineau Park, many visitors to Canada’s national capital are unaware of the natural beauty that lies on its doorstep. Some visitors get to glimpse the park from the Ottawa River during cruise or amphibious vehicle tours of Ottawa, which travel both on water and dry land. Other travelers see the park during guided bike tours.

You can also camp, canoe, and snowshoe in the park, and take part in interpreter-led natural walks, which take place on select dates. Camp Fortune offers downhill skiing and snowboarding runs in winter, and ziplining in summer. The old summer estate of former Canadian prime minister William Lyon Mackenzie King also sits within the park, and now serves as a museum and tea room.

Gatineau Park is located on the north side of the Ottawa River, which serves as the border between the provinces of Quebec and Ontario. The Gatineau Park Visitor Center, on Scott Road in Chelsea, is just a 15-minute drive from Parliament Hill, Ottawa. If you are renting a bike, cross over the Chaudière or Portage bridge before joining up with the Gatineau Parkway.

Gatineau Park is fun to visit any time of the year. Note that certain roads are closed during the winter. In fall, the park hosts the popular Fall Rhapsody festival, and leaf-peepers flock here to admire the autumnal foliage. Go midweek to avoid the crowds. 

Among the park’s most visited and most photogenic spots is the so-called Pink Lake. The waters in this pristine lake are not actually pink—that name is derived from the Pink family who settled here in the early 19th century—but rather a distinctive green, caused by the build-up of microscopic algae. A 1.5-mile (2.5-kilometer) trail curves around the lake, offering scenic views. The trail can usually be walked in around an hour. 

Housed in a castle-like structure, Canada’s original mint no longer produces currency for circulation—that now happens at Winnipeg’s Royal Canadian Mint. However the Ottawa facility is still functioning, churning out special-edition collector coins and precious metal bullion. Tours of the facility reveal the processes of coin-making.

With its towers, turrets, and crenellations, Ottawa’s Royal Canadian Mint looks a little like a fortress. And indeed, security is tight. Visitors can access the mint only as part of a guided tour, which lasts 45 minutes and focuses on the minting process. Tour guides explain how the coins are made and show participants examples of commemorative coins. During weekday tours, you can watch workers craft coins.

Some city tours of Ottawa, including day tours from Montreal, include a stop at the Royal Canadian Mint and other Ottawa highlights such as Parliament Hill, the Canadian Museum of History, and Rideau Hall.

The Royal Canadian Mint is located on the Ontario side of the Ottawa River, near the National Gallery of Canada. If you’re in Ottawa, the best way to get here is on foot, as parking can be scarce. Walking, Parliament Hill is about a 15-minute away, while ByWard Market is fewer than 10.

The best time to take a tour is during the week, when the facility is in use. Tour prices are discounted on weekends and during holidays, as the factory floor is not in operation at these times.

Among the unique creations to have been issued by the mint are the medals from the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The wavy surface of these medals was inspired by the Vancouver-Whistler area’s mountains-meet-ocean landscape. They also feature First Nations symbols of orcas and ravens.

The Canadian War Museum tells the story of Canada’s past conflicts, how the country and its people were affected, and remembers the sacrifices made by those that served the country in wartimes. Among an ever-changing display of new exhibitions and themes, there are several permanent exhibitions. The Legion Hall of Honour, for example, commemorates the past through personal stories, photographs and artifacts and explores common burial practices throughout history. The Military Technology Collection on the other hand is more scientific and documents the technological progress through both personal stories and a collection of different artillery and vehicles, such as fighter jets. 

Four Canadian Experience Galleries called “Wars on our Soil, For Crown and Country, Forged in Fire and A Violent Peace” delve into separate conflicts and battles. These range from early aboriginal warfare and the wars of the First Nations, to the conflicts with the British and the French that shaped early Canada to the later overseas wars, such as the Boer War and the World Wars and goes on to explore veterans coming home, the Cold War as well as more recent conflicts. The extensive exhibition is located in a modern, unique building which opened in 2005 and has the theme “Regeneration” strongly attached to it, hoping for a better future and a recovery from the devastations of the past. The angular look and all the concrete might give off a very bunker-like feeling, but the building is very ecofriendly, using recycled materials, river water for cooling and a glass covered roof.