The Ultimate Guide to Ottawa’s Must-See Sights and Activities

From towering cathedrals to peaceful green spaces, Ottawa offers plenty of cultural and historic spots to visit.

Parliament Hill

The parliament buildings on Ottawa’s Parliament Hill look more like castles than government administration buildings. The three buildings, completed in 1859, are in a Gothic Revival style. Guests are welcome to tour the Senate, House of Commons, and the East Block as well as the central Peace Tower, which was built as a monument to Canadians who fought in WWI.

Rideau Hall

Formerly the governor's home, this enormous mansion is now open to the public and allows visitors to tour the opulent rooms and grounds. Visitors can take a guided tour through the home or enjoy the surrounding 79-acre grounds filled with trees and roses.

The Rideau Canal

The 125-mile long Rideau Canal is one of North America’s best-preserved examples of a slack water canal, earning it the title of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007. In the summer, you can boat, kayak, or paddleboard on the smooth waters. The canal’s series of locks and dams create large stretches of still water that freeze in the cold Canadian weather, allowing the canal to become the “world’s largest skating rink” in the winter months.

The Fairmont Chateau Laurier

The Chateau Laurier is also a National Historic Site of Canada. While it may look like the former home of royalty, the building has been a hotel since its construction in 1908 and took on the Fairmont brand in 1999. It has hosted famous names like Carrie Fisher and Nelson Mandela. In a Gothic Revival style reminiscent of Parliament Hill, the chateau's turrets, arches, and windows make it look like a castle. It's fitting then that you can attend an afternoon tea service at the Chateau’s restaurant.

ByWard Market

The ByWard Market arose in the center of old Bytown, a historic area of the city made up of the Upper and Lower villages. The market on George Street on the Rideau Canal served as the central meeting place for residents. Over time and many iterations, it became the popular dining and entertainment district it is today. Here, you'll find dozens of restaurants, music venues, and a concentration of the city's best nightlife spots.

Notre Dame Cathedral

Not to be confused with the one in Paris, the Ottawa Notre Dame Cathedral is a stunning 182-foot basilica in the heart of the city. The interior is made up of intricate, colorful arches interspersed with two levels of pews and stained glass windows. Visitors can take a guided tour to learn about the cathedral's history or visit alone to admire the architecture.

Pindigen Park

Pindigen Park was born of a collaboration between Canada’s National Capital Commission and the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg and Algonquins of Pikwakanagan communities. The gardens, statues, and art installations of this public green space are meant to emphasize the importance of harmony with nature, one of the core Ashinabe values on which the park was designed.

Ottawa has nearly thirty museums and art galleries across the city. The architecture of the building is a site alone, with its smooth swooping walls and floor-to-ceiling windows. While you won't be able to see them all, you can hit a few of the highlights.

Canadian Museum of History

While technically across the river in Gatineau, the Canadian Museum of History is a can’t-miss spot. The collections are extensive—the museum hosts a little over four million items—so history buffs should carve out a whole day to peruse the exhibitions.

National Gallery of Canada

Spend the day enjoying the arts at the National Gallery of Canada. The gallery features rotating exhibitions of contemporary and classic art, including pieces by Van Gogh, public sculptures and gardens, visiting collections, and a permanent installation of indigenous art from the First Nations, Métis, and Inuti communities.

Ottawa Art Gallery

The Ottawa Art Gallery is a more intimate experience, with just over one thousand works in its permanent collection. This smaller venue showcases the work of local artists in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. The ever-changing exhibits are vibrant and varied, and the gallery hosts a variety of events, talks, and workshops.

Bytown Museum

Brush up on your Ottawa history at the Bytown Museum, built into the oldest brick building in the city. This tiny institution houses all things Ottawa, from the history of the Rideau Canal to the city's modern culture.

Canadian War Museum

The Canadian War Museum is home to a vast collection of military paraphernalia, vehicles, and artillery. The museum aims to "emphasize the human experience of war," with many personal memoirs and artifacts featured among the collections.

Although Ottawa is an urban center, there are options around and even within the city to experience nature.

Hiking & Nature

The Capital Pathway is a network of hiking, walking, and biking trails in the Ottawa-Gatineau area. The color-coded routes of this recreation area usher visitors past many of the city's major attractions and scenic spots alongside the Rideau River. The yellow and purple pathways pass through the Morris Island Conservation Area, a 47 hectare stretch of wild wetlands along the Ottawa River where visitors are encouraged to kayak, hike, and snowshoe. Chapman Hill's Conservation Area is another popular natural escape, with its 1.5-mile boardwalk dotted with benches to rest and admire the Rideau River. Both places are crisscrossed with hiking trails. To admire nature while avoiding the hike, try the Dominion Arboretum or Fletcher Wildlife Garden. Both feature ponds, trees, native plants, local wildlife, and walking paths suited to leisurely strolls.

Adventure Travel

Adventure travelers feeling the itch for action while visiting the city have a few options nearby. Whitewater rafting tours of the Ottawa River are popular, as is mountain biking in nearby Gatineau Park. The Ottawa Valley is known for its skiing and many nearby resorts, like Calabogie Peaks Ski Resort, offer day passes. For an experience unique to the region, visitors can venture just under an hour outside the city to try their hand at dog sledding.

Depending on the timing of your trip, dozens of festivals and events are waiting to become the highlight of your Ottawa itinerary.

Ottawa International Animation Festival

This annual film festival, which happens in September, is the largest animated film festival in North America. Tickets are just $15 and can be purchased individually or in bundles to attend events like contestant screenings and artist talks at any of the six venues around the city.

The Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival

Every year in June, the Summer Solstice Indigenous Festival opens at Mādahòkì Farm, just twenty minutes outside downtown Ottawa. It includes educational programs, skilled artisan demonstrations, a market selling goods from indigenous-owned businesses, and a large celebration of National Indigenous People's Day with food, performances, games, and music.

Ottawa Fringe Festival

For those who love live theater, plan a trip in June for the Ottawa Fringe Festival. This ten-day event highlights independent theater, with 100% of the festival profits feeding back into the local arts scene. Venues are assigned by lottery with no central curating body, so you can find unique, independently produced works in unconventional spaces.

Canada Tulip Festival

The tulip festival is an annual celebration of spring in Ottawa's Commissioners Park, where visitors gather to see the flowers in full bloom. Events include movies in the park, guided audio tours of the flower gardens, an artists' tent, and a market where home gardeners can grab supplies and travelers can snag a tulip-themed souvenir.

Ottawa Christmas Market

You don't have to venture to Europe for the charm of a holiday market. Every year, from November through the end of the season, you can find Ottawa’s Christmas Market lighting up the streets. There are over fifty vendors along with musical performances across two stages, an ice rink, hockey tournaments, and special craft workshops for adults and kids.

Fairmont Chateau Laurier

If you were charmed by their tea service, spend the night at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. Aside from its rich history, this hotel also offers a gym, a swimming pool, three onsite restaurants, and a Health Center that offers massage treatments.

ARC The Hotel Ottawa

This mid-range hotel is just eight minutes from central Parliament Hill. The decor is trendy and modern with warm wood accents, and the onsite ARC Bar & Lounge serves up evening cocktails and three meals daily. Environmentally-conscious travelers will love their biodegradable amenities, local ingredients, and renewable energy.

Andaz Ottawa Byward Market

The luxurious Andaz Ottawa, with its 200 rooms and suites, 400-thread-count sheets, and rooftop dining, is located next to the historic Byward Market area, The property offers self and valet parking, a gym, a cafe, and two onsite restaurants.