With the recent exciting announcement that Air Canada will resume flying direct to Ottawa from London Heathrow from 31 March 2025, operating four times a week, we thought we’d use the opportunity to remind you of some of the myriad year-round attractions that await upon arrival in Canada’s culture-rich capital.
Settle in…From classic accommodation offerings such as the Fairmont Château Laurier, The Grand Hotel and Lord Elgin Hotel to the ever-popular Le Germain Hotel Ottawa and The Metcalfe Hotel, there’s lots of choice across the price points. New openings coming soon include a 222-room Moxy Hotel in the ByWard Market District.
Get around…Cycling tours are a great way to get around and see the iconic sights such as Parliament Hill. Ottawa has lots of easy rolling trails, including the canal-side paths by the Rideau Canal – particularly attractive in the autumn when the leaves change colour. On their 10th anniversary, top-rated Ottawa Bike Tours & Rentals company, Escape Tours, have recently introduced new Accessible Cargo Bikes.
Hop-on/hop-off bus tours, available through the likes of Cobblestone Tours, which also offers Amphibus tours mixing land and water, make a nice option for families, with the ViaRail train network opening up the easy option of scenic multi-centres featuring nearby cities such as Toronto and Montreal.
Enjoy some culture… why not visit some of Ottawa’s seven national museums and galleries? Better still, save money on entry fees by getting a one-day or three-day Visit Ottawa Pass. Big draws include the National Gallery of Canada and Canadian Museum of History, where standout experiences include visiting the world’s largest collection of totem poles.
Speaking of indigenous culture, located southwest of downtown, in the National Capital Greenbelt, visiting Mādahòkì Farm is a must, with experiences aplenty and seasonal events such as the Summer Solstice Festival – not to mention the chance to see its rare Ojibwe Spirit Horses.
Whet your appetite…Foodies are particularly well catered for in the ByWard Market District – a hotspot of local and international culinary talent. Join one of the food tours and cooking classes by C’est Bon Ottawa in ByWard, along with neighbourhoods such as Westboro and the Glebe, while the likes of Brew Donkey and Thursty Pedaler appeal to craft ale fans.
Events such as May’s PoutineFest and November’s Crave also make appetising hooks for trips, while the sweet of tooth should definitely sample Ottawa’s maple syrup offering, as at nearby Fulton’s – or, failing that, they could always just grab a signature BeaverTail pastry.
Make it an event…BeaverTail pastries are an energising staple during Winterlude. One of the centrepieces of Ottawa’s festival calendar, it’s typically spread over three weekends in February, although the 2025 instalment will start on January 31. Winterlude features many activities, many with free admission. One undoubted highlight is skating on the frozen Rideau Canal Skateway, the world’s largest skating rink, but there’s much to savour, from ByWard Market ice carving demonstrations to a Winterlude Triathlon.
Other major annual events include May’s Canadian Tulip Festival, centred on Commissioners Park; Canada Day, held on July 1, featuring lots of fun, free events; and Ottawans sure celebrate Christmas in style, from vibrant Christmas Markets to the spectacular illuminations of Winter Lights Across Canada, not to mention all manner of sporting and music events throughout the year, including Ottawa Jazz Festival.
Active adventures… With its ample waterways and green spaces, Ottawa is a paradise for those seeking outdoors adventures and experiences. Indeed, the capital is notable for having a river rafting offering near its Downtown area, as featured by operators such as Ottawa City Rafting and Wilderness Tours, and new Turbo Tubing, while the Rideau Canal offers everything from SUP and kayaking tours to scenic cycling, walking and running paths in the warmer months, alongside the aforementioned skating opportunities come late winter. Electric boat tours remain popular, as do the local boat charter opportunities offered by Le Boat.
Noteworthy thrills include Interzip, an exhilarating interprovincial zipline ride over the Ottawa River dividing Ottawa, Ontario and Gatineau, Quebec. Alternatively, over at Peak to Peak Ziplines you can cap your adventure with a 50-foot freefall jump. And if all that sounds too hectic, the nearby Nordik Spa-Nature, reportedly North America’s largest outdoor spa complex, comes highly recommended.
For more information visit: https://ottawatourism.ca/en