Top Things to Do in Ottawa: A Complete Guide on What to Do in Ottawa

Wondering what to do on a trip to Ottawa? Canada’s charming capital city is a great year-round tourist destination for visitors of all ages boasting historic architecture, breathtaking nature, delicious food and a stunning riverside location. With its unique blend of urban and rural beauty, year-round outdoor activities and an outstanding list of cultural attractions, you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to things to do on your Ottawa holiday.

What to do on your Ottawa visit

Ottawa is one of Canada’s most beautiful cities. It offers an exciting mix of culture, art, history, museums, delicious food and a myriad of outdoor adventure experiences. Ottawa’s vibrant culture is influenced by indigenous heritage and French and English language and traditions. Some of the sites not to be missed include the Rideau Canal and the ByWard market. You can discover these on the unique Lady Dive Amphibus tour. Read on to discover eight of the best things to do on your Ottawa visit.

World-Class Ottawa Museums

The National Gallery of Canada

If you want to visit a Canadian museum – Ottawa is the place to go. Ottawa is home to seven of Canada’s nine national museums, as well as some note-worthy smaller offerings, but one museum that can’t be missed is the National Gallery of Canada. Founded in 1880, the Gallery boasts one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art in the world, as well as masterpieces of European, Asian and American art, sculpture, prints and photography.

Other Canadian Museums

If art doesn’t tickle your fancy, visit one of Ottawa’s other impressive museums, including the Science and Technology Museum, the Aviation and Space Museum, the War Museum. Or give one of these a try:

The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

The Canadian Agriculture and Food Museum is a great place for families – children will get to meet farm animals and baby animals like cows, horses, alpacas, goats and rabbits.

The Canadian Museum of History

The Canadian Museum of History is Canada’s most visited museum with the world’s largest indoor collection of totem poles. You will also find the Children’s Museum here, which transports young minds on a fun journey through different global cultures.

Ottawa Museums Pass

With so many museums and galleries to visit in Ottawa – you can make the most of your visit with a three day pass. Discover more about Ottawa Museum Passes.

Ottawa Outdoor Adventures at Rideau Canal

The oldest continuously operated canal system in North America, Ottawa’s impressive Rideau Canal – also a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site – offers outdoor fun year round. Come winter, the Canal turns into the world’s largest naturally frozen ice skating rink, clocking in at 7.8 kilometres when frozen; while in summer it’s enjoyed by locals for kayaking, picnicking and even scenic cycling as the Rideau Canal connects to the pathways along the Ottawa River.

Ottawa is a great place to connect with Indigenous Culture

The Ottawa region is home to over 40,000 Indigenous peoples, and just southwest of downtown Ottawa, in the National Capital Greenbelt, Mādahòkì Farm is a great place to connect with – and learn about – Indigenous culture in Canada. Its name means “to share the land” in the Anishinaabe language, a reflection of the farm’s agricultural and community focus which promotes both traditional farming practices and local Indigenous culture through various workshops and programmes.

Those looking for even more insight will find an in-depth look at Canada’s wide-ranging Indigenous cultures in the First Peoples Hall at the comprehensive Canadian Museum of History.

Visit Historic Sites

No trip to Canada’s capital is complete without a look at the seat of Canadian democracy. Discover Canada’s government at Parliament Hill –  an intriguing blend of both British and American architecture where the House of Commons, Senate and Peace Tower, which evokes Big Ben, are well worth a visit.

Equally interesting is Rideau Hall, the official residence of the Governor General – Canada’s representative of King Charles II – and a national historic site set in an idyllic, 79-acre urban oasis. Come to explore its beautifully landscaped grounds, and striking interiors.

Take time for Wellbeing

Just 10 minutes north of downtown Ottawa right next to Quebec’s famed Gatineau Park – where you can stretch your legs among woodlands and waterfalls – you can indulge in the ultimate indoor-outdoor relaxation experience at North America’s largest spa. Open year round and offering both dining options and overnight accommodations, the Nordik Spa Village focuses on the benefits of thermotherapy from saunas and baths to hot and cold pools. Traditional spa treatments like massages and facials are also on offer as well as unique experiences like Källa (a salt-water floating pool) or Aufguss (the German ritual of enriched vaporization).

Enjoy a Festival

If you’re visiting in winter, don’t miss Ottawa’s most famous annual festival: Winterlude. Taking place over three consecutive weekends every February, this winter wonderland attracts hundreds of thousands of people every year for winter fun and both cultural and culinary delights – from spectacular ice carvings and playgrounds made of snow to ice skating on the world’s largest ice rink and indulging in the city’s iconic Beaver Tails pastries with a hot chocolate.

Or, if you prefer to visit later in the year, welcome the start of spring at the world’s largest tulip festival. The Canadian Tulip Festival takes place over 11 days each May to celebrate the seasonal flower’s beauty and its historic ties to Canada’s capital with free entry to all who attend.

Sample Food & Drink at ByWard Market

If culinary delights tend to be highlights of your holidays, then you will find yourself delighted with a visit to ByWard Market. Buzzing with some of the city’s finest restaurants, coffee shops, food stalls and bars, the district also blends the city’s historical architecture with modern flair – and you’ll find boutique galleries and local artisan shops aplenty. Taste your way through the historic ByWard neighbourhood on the Ottawa Market Food Tour.

Maple Syrup – no visit is complete without it

Enjoy some maple syrup fun at Ottawa’s sugar shacks – you can learn about the maple syrup making process and enjoy delicious treats like maple taffy and pancakes. For those interested in trying Canada’s famous maple syrup, visitors during the months of February to April can sample this local nectar just a 6-minute drive outside of the capital at Fulton’s Farm.

Explore Ottawa on the Gems of Eastern Canada by Rail Tour with Journeyscape.