Things to Do in Ottawa
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Ottawa, Canada, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Ottawa. Quiet capital, Toronto and Montreal both bigger, oddly, a deliberately neutral choice sitting right on the border between English and French Canada, home to a canal that transforms into the world's largest skating rink each winter. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Ottawa: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the skate. Three main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
Why Ottawa Became the Capital
Ottawa was chosen as capital partly for its location straddling Ontario and Quebec, a deliberately neutral choice between English and French Canada, a genuinely thoughtful piece of political compromise, Queen Victoria herself made the final decision in 1857, partly to avoid favouring either Toronto or Montreal, the country's two larger, competing cities, worth knowing this history as context for why Canada's capital isn't its largest or most internationally famous city.
This bilingual character is genuinely still visible throughout the city today, worth appreciating this deliberate, considered choice as you explore, Ottawa functions as a real meeting point between the country's two major linguistic communities.
The Rideau Canal Skateway
Ottawa's Rideau Canal transforms into the world's largest skating rink during winter, a remarkable piece of civic infrastructure, the frozen canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in its own right, stretches for kilometres through the city centre, complete with warming huts and stalls selling BeaverTails (a genuine Canadian fried pastry treat) along the route.
It's worth timing a winter visit specifically around this if the season allows, genuinely one of the more charming, distinctly Canadian things to do anywhere in the country, ice thickness is monitored carefully and the skateway only opens once conditions are properly safe.
Hours Seasonal, typically late December through February, conditions dependent
Best time January and February, once the ice is fully established
Parliament Hill & the Peace Tower
Ottawa's Parliament Hill has a famous clock tower called the Peace Tower, a genuinely striking building, especially lit up at night, worth a visit both for the exterior views and, when tours are running, the interior itself, the Peace Tower's observation deck offers sweeping views over the city and the Ottawa River.
The nightly summer sound and light show projected onto the Parliament buildings is genuinely worth timing a visit around if the season aligns, and the daily Changing of the Guard ceremony (summer months) adds a proper bit of civic pageantry.
Hours Grounds always accessible; tour times vary seasonally
Address Parliament Hill, Ottawa
Best time to visit Ottawa
May through September gives the most comfortable weather for the amount of walking this list involves, mild without winter's genuine, serious cold.
Winter brings the genuine highlight of the Rideau Canal Skateway, worth considering specifically for this if you don't mind the cold, a completely different, distinctly Ottawa experience.
Getting around Ottawa
Central Ottawa, including Parliament Hill and the canal, is genuinely walkable. Buses cover destinations further out.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Ottawa worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for the genuinely unique Rideau Canal Skateway in winter, and Parliament Hill's architecture and ceremonies offer real civic character year-round.
- How many days do you need in Ottawa?
- Two days covers Parliament Hill and a canal walk (or skate) comfortably.
- Is Ottawa expensive?
- Moderate, generally cheaper than Toronto or Vancouver for accommodation and dining, and Parliament Hill remains free to visit.
- What is Ottawa famous for?
- Being Canada's capital, deliberately chosen for its neutral position between Ontario and Quebec, the Rideau Canal, which becomes the world's largest skating rink each winter, and Parliament Hill's Peace Tower.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
