Overview
Ottawa is a mid-sized government city with an outsized collection of national institutions: Parliament, five national museums within easy reach of downtown, a 19th-century canal that becomes the world's longest skating rink in winter, and a big wild park 15 minutes away across the river. It is compact, safe by big-city standards, bilingual and easy to cover on foot.
The city sits on the south bank of the Ottawa River, which is also the Ontario–Quebec border. Across the bridges is Gatineau, Quebec, home to the Canadian Museum of History and Gatineau Park. Ottawa stands on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe people, who call the river Kichi Sibi (Kichi Zibi on some local signs); you will see Algonquin names and art around the city. See Indigenous Canada.
From upstate New York, Ottawa is closer than Toronto or Montreal, and it pairs well with either city by train. Two days covers Parliament and a couple of museums; three lets you add the canal, Gatineau Park or a market morning.
Parliament Hill
The Gothic Revival Parliament buildings above the river are the reason most people come. The Centre Block, with the Peace Tower and the Library of Parliament, has been closed since the end of 2018 for a top-to-bottom rehabilitation that is expected to last into the 2030s. You can walk the grounds and see the scaffolding, but you cannot go inside. Parliament meets in two temporary homes, and that is where the tours happen now.
House of Commons in the West Block
The West Block, beside the Centre Block, was rebuilt with a glass-roofed courtyard that now holds the House of Commons chamber. Tours start at the underground Visitor Welcome Centre, entered between the West Block and the Centre Block. Since April 2025, every visitor must show government-issued photo ID on arrival, so bring your passport.
Senate of Canada Building
The Senate sits in Ottawa's former Union Station, a Beaux-Arts railway terminal one block east of the Hill, between the Château Laurier and the National Arts Centre. The temporary chamber was built inside the old waiting room, and the tour covers both the building's railway past and how the Senate works.
East Block
In summer, tours of the East Block show restored 1870s offices, including the one used by Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister. Check the visit site for this year's dates.
How to book
- Reserve free timed tickets on the official Visit Parliament site. Tours run in English and French. In peak summer and around school-trip season in spring, popular slots go days in advance.
- If you did not book, go early: a limited number of same-day tickets are given out at each site on a first-come basis.
- Arrive 25 minutes before your tour for airport-style security screening. Each visitor may bring only one bag no larger than 14 x 12 x 7.5 inches (35.5 x 30.5 x 19 cm), and there is no bag check, so leave larger bags at your hotel.
- Expect changes when the House or Senate is sitting: tours can be altered or unavailable during sittings. Tours do not run on December 25, January 1 or July 1.
Insider tip
When the House is sitting, you can also watch debates, including the daily Question Period, from the public galleries. It is free, but places are limited and the rules differ from tours; check the Parliament visit site for how gallery passes work on the day.
Free things on the Hill
In summer, the Ceremonial Guard's Changing of the Guard parade takes place on the front lawn most mornings from late June to late August, and a free evening sound-and-light show has been projected onto the buildings in recent summers. Walk behind the West Block for the river view and the statues along the path. In front, the Centennial Flame burns at the gate. Wellington Street in front of the Hill has been largely closed to cars since 2022, which makes the area pleasant on foot.
Different from home
Canada is a parliamentary democracy with King Charles III as head of state, represented by the Governor General. The prime minister sits in the House of Commons with the other MPs and answers questions there every sitting day. Senators are appointed by the Governor General on the prime minister's advice, so a visit to both chambers makes a useful contrast with Congress. The Governor General's residence, Rideau Hall, has grounds open to the public; check its site for tour times.
The ByWard Market
Just east of Parliament, past the Château Laurier, the ByWard Market has been a market district since the 1820s. Today it is a grid of streets with a market building, seasonal outdoor stalls for produce and flowers from spring to fall, cafés, bars and many of the city's restaurants. Come in the morning for the stalls and a coffee, and in the evening for dinner and patios.
The BeaverTails stand on George Street sells the hot, stretched-dough pastry that became a national snack. Nearby, Sussex Drive leads past the National Gallery to the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica and on toward Rideau Hall.
Watch out
Like many downtown districts in North America, the Market has visible homelessness and drug use, and late at night on weekends the bar crowd can get rowdy. Police and city outreach have increased their presence in recent years. Daytime and early evening are generally fine; keep normal city awareness late at night, and see Safety for more.
National museums
Ottawa and Gatineau hold most of Canada's national museums. Prices below are for adults before tax; several offer free admission on Thursday evenings, which is the best bargain in town. Check each site for current hours, since many close one day a week in the off-season.
National Gallery of Canada
Moshe Safdie's glass-and-granite building holds a vast collection of Canadian and Indigenous art, including the Group of Seven, plus European masters and a reconstructed 19th-century convent chapel. Louise Bourgeois's giant spider sculpture, Maman, stands outside. Buying online takes C$3 off, and admission is free on Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m., though you still need a free ticket, online or at the box office.
Canadian Museum of History
Douglas Cardinal's curving building across the river, Canada's national history museum, has the best view of Parliament. The Grand Hall holds a row of Northwest Coast totem poles and house fronts, and the Canadian History Hall tells the country's story from Indigenous origins to today. The Canadian Children's Museum is inside. Booking online saves 10%, admission is free on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m., and special exhibitions cost extra. Garage parking is C$2 per half hour, up to C$18 (about $13) a day.
Canadian War Museum
A powerful, modern museum covering conflict from Indigenous warfare and the colonial wars to Afghanistan, with tanks, artillery and a large art collection. Memorial Hall is designed so sunlight falls on a single headstone at 11 a.m. on November 11. Free on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and on Remembrance Day.
Canadian Museum of Nature
In a castle-like 1912 building, with a blue whale skeleton, dinosaur and fossil galleries, a mammal gallery with classic dioramas, and a strong Arctic gallery. A good choice with kids. Check the museum's site for prices and free hours.
Ingenium: science, aviation and agriculture
Ingenium runs three museums: the Canada Science and Technology Museum (steam locomotives, hands-on exhibits and the tilted Crazy Kitchen), the Canada Aviation and Space Museum near Rockcliffe Park, and the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum on the Central Experimental Farm. All are a drive or bus ride from downtown, and all are good for families.
Save money
Plan museum time around Thursday evenings: the Museum of History and the War Museum are free from 5 to 7 p.m., and the National Gallery from 5 to 8 p.m., so you can see one and then have dinner. On July 1 (Canada Day), September 30 (National Day for Truth and Reconciliation) and November 11 (Remembrance Day), both are also free, though busy.
The Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal runs 125 miles (202 km) from Ottawa to Kingston on Lake Ontario, through lakes, rivers and dozens of hand-operated locks. Built in the 1820s and 1830s as a military supply route after the War of 1812, it is the oldest continuously operated canal in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, run by Parks Canada.
In the city, the canal starts with a flight of eight stone locks dropping to the Ottawa River between the Château Laurier and Parliament Hill. Watch boats lock through in summer, then follow the canal-side paths south through the city to Dow's Lake for an easy walk or bike ride.
On the water in summer
From late spring to early fall, sightseeing cruises run on the canal and on the Ottawa River, and you can rent canoes, kayaks and paddleboats at Dow's Lake. A small water taxi crosses the river between the Ottawa side and the Museum of History. Lock-through season and boat tour dates vary; check Parks Canada's Rideau Canal page and operators' sites for this year's schedules.
The Rideau Canal Skateway
In winter, the National Capital Commission (NCC) floods and grooms 4.8 miles (7.8 km) of the frozen canal from downtown to Dow's Lake into a free skating rink, open 24 hours a day when conditions allow. People skate to work with briefcases; you can rent skates, stop at on-ice change huts and buy hot chocolate and BeaverTails along the way. A packed-snow walking lane runs alongside on some sections.
The season usually falls somewhere between January and early March, but it depends entirely on the weather. In the 2022–2023 winter the Skateway did not open at all for the first time in its history. The last two winters were better: 52 skating days in 2025, and in 2026 it opened on December 31 and closed on March 4 after 56 days and more than a million visits. Thaws can still close it for days at a time mid-season. Check the NCC's Skateway page for daily ice conditions before you plan a trip around it.
Insider tip
If the Skateway is closed, the outdoor rink at Lansdowne Park and the many neighborhood rinks usually still run, and Gatineau Park's ski trails are often in good shape. Pack skates or rent; either way, dress in layers, since Ottawa in January often sits around 5°F (-15°C) with wind chill below that.
Winterlude and the Tulip Festival
Winterlude (Bal de Neige)
Ottawa's winter festival runs over three weekends; the 2027 edition is scheduled for January 29 to February 15, 2027. Most of it is free: ice sculptures downtown, a large snow playground with slides in Jacques-Cartier Park on the Gatineau side, events on the Skateway, and outdoor concerts. Weekends are crowded and hotels fill up, so book early. More festivals on our festivals page.
Canadian Tulip Festival
Each May, Ottawa blooms with hundreds of thousands of tulips, a tradition rooted in the Netherlands' gift of bulbs after the Second World War. Canadian troops helped liberate the Netherlands, and Princess Margriet was born in Ottawa while the Dutch royal family was in exile here. The festival centers on Commissioners Park at Dow's Lake, and the main grounds are free; a few extras, such as a guided Tulip Trail, cost a few dollars. The 2026 festival ran May 8–18, and the festival is billing 2027 as its diamond jubilee year; check tulipfestival.ca for dates. Peak bloom depends on spring weather and is usually mid-May.
Different from home
November 11, Veterans Day at home, is Remembrance Day in Canada, marked with solemn ceremonies and red poppies on lapels. The national ceremony takes place at the National War Memorial in Confederation Square, with two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. If you visit in early November, expect crowds downtown that morning and many people wearing poppies all month.
Gatineau Park
About 15 minutes' drive north of downtown, Gatineau Park covers roughly 140 square miles (361 km²) of forest, lakes and ridges in Quebec, managed by the NCC. It is Ottawa's playground for hiking, swimming and cycling in summer, and for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter, with a large groomed ski trail network.
- Champlain Lookout: a drive up the parkway to a wide view over the Ottawa Valley, best in fall color, usually from late September to mid-October.
- Pink Lake: a short boardwalk loop around a small, unusually green lake.
- Mackenzie King Estate: the summer home and gardens of Canada's longest-serving prime minister, with a tearoom in season.
- Lusk Cave and Philippe, Meech and La Pêche lakes: beaches, swimming and a marble cave you can wade through in summer.
Some parkways close to cars in winter, when they become ski trails, and on certain summer mornings for cyclists. Fees may apply for parking at some lots and for winter trail use. The village of Chelsea, at the park's edge, has restaurants and a large Nordic spa, and Wakefield, a little farther up the Gatineau River, is a pleasant stop with cafés and a covered bridge. A car is the easiest way to get there; check the NCC's Gatineau Park pages for trail conditions and closures.
Watch out
Black bears live in Gatineau Park, and blacklegged ticks that can carry Lyme disease are common in the Ottawa region from spring to fall. Stay on trails, check yourself for ticks after hikes, and store food properly. See Outdoors and Health.
Getting there
By train
VIA Rail runs frequent trains on the Montreal–Ottawa–Toronto corridor: about 2 hours from Montreal and about 4 to 4.5 hours from Toronto, depending on the train. Ottawa's station is on Tremblay Road, east of downtown, with a direct O-Train connection at Tremblay station; it takes about 10 minutes to reach the downtown core. Book on viarail.ca, where cheaper Escape fares sell out first. From New York, take Amtrak to Montreal and connect (see Montreal).
By car from upstate New York
Two crossings serve Ottawa from New York State:
- Thousand Islands Bridge: take I-81 north from Syracuse to the bridge, cross at Hill Island, then follow Highway 401 east and Highway 416 north. The bridge to Ottawa is about 90 miles (145 km), roughly 1.5 hours. The route crosses the scenic Thousand Islands; see Ontario.
- Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge: the most direct route from northern New York. From Prescott, Highway 416 runs straight to Ottawa, about 60 miles (95 km), or a little over an hour. It is often quieter than the Thousand Islands crossing on summer weekends.
From New York City, the drive is about 7 hours; from Syracuse, about 3.5 hours. Most Ontario freeways are posted at 100 km/h (62 mph), with some stretches at 110 km/h (68 mph). Check border wait times before you leave and see our border and driving guides.
By air
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) has nonstop flights from several US hubs and US preclearance for flights home. Since early 2025, O-Train Line 4 has linked the airport to the north–south Line 2, which meets Line 1 for downtown; expect two transfers. Taxis and rideshares take about 20–25 minutes. See Flights.
Getting around Ottawa
Downtown, the ByWard Market, Parliament, the National Gallery and the canal are all within a 20-minute walk of each other, and the Museum of History is a 20–25 minute walk across the Alexandra Bridge (check for closures, since the bridge is due to be replaced). OC Transpo's O-Train Line 1 runs east–west under downtown, with stations at Lyon, Parliament and Rideau, and buses cover the rest. Gatineau has its own transit system, the STO, with separate fares and some transfer arrangements on cross-river routes. You will not need a car unless you are heading to Gatineau Park or beyond.
Where to stay
Ottawa's hotels cluster downtown and around the ByWard Market. Rates are per night for two, before Ontario's 13% HST and a municipal accommodation tax added to hotel bills. Prices jump during Winterlude weekends, the Tulip Festival, Canada Day and big conventions; weekends are often cheaper than weekdays when Parliament is sitting.
Fairmont Château Laurier
The 1912 railway château next to the canal locks, with the best location in the city and a grand lobby. Book a room facing Parliament or the canal.
Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market
A modern high-rise on the edge of the Market with a rooftop bar overlooking Parliament and the river.
Lord Elgin Hotel
A classic 1940s hotel facing Confederation Park, within a few minutes' walk of the Hill, the canal and the National Arts Centre. Reliable value.
ARC The.Hotel
A quiet boutique hotel a few blocks from Parliament, good for couples who want something smaller than a chain.
Ottawa Jail Hostel
Dorms and private rooms in the former Carleton County jail, a 19th-century stone building on Nicholas Street with some of the old cells preserved. Cheap and central.
Gatineau and the Glebe
Gatineau has hotels near the Museum of History and the Lac-Leamy casino resort, sometimes cheaper than Ottawa on busy weekends (note Quebec's higher sales tax and lodging tax). The Glebe, along the canal near Lansdowne Park, has B&Bs on leafy streets and a good shopping and restaurant strip on Bank Street.
Different from home
The legal drinking age is 19 in Ontario and 18 in Quebec, so some 18-year-olds cross to Gatineau for a night out. For groups with college students, check which side of the river you are on. More on Drinks.
Itinerary for 2 to 3 days
- Day 1
Parliament and the Market
Book a morning tour of the West Block (House of Commons) and an early afternoon tour of the Senate of Canada Building, a short walk apart. In between, walk behind the Hill for the river view, then down the Rideau Canal locks. Spend late afternoon at the National Gallery, and have dinner and drinks in the ByWard Market. In summer, stay for the evening show on the Hill.
- Day 2
Museums on both sides of the river
Walk across the Alexandra Bridge to the Canadian Museum of History and give it most of the morning; the view of Parliament from its terrace is the classic photo. Return for lunch, then choose the War Museum on LeBreton Flats or the Museum of Nature. If it is a Thursday, save one museum for the free 5–7 p.m. window. Evening walk along the canal or a show at the National Arts Centre.
- Day 3
Canal or Gatineau Park
In summer, bike or walk the canal path to Dow's Lake and rent a canoe, or drive into Gatineau Park for the Champlain Lookout, Pink Lake and lunch in Chelsea. In winter, skate the canal end to end if it is open, then warm up at a Nordic spa. In May, spend the morning among the tulips at Commissioners Park before you leave.
Practical tips
- Bring your passport book or card for both the border and the West Block ID check. See Entering Canada.
- Ottawa is one of the coldest national capitals in the world. January highs average around 21°F (-6°C); pack for real cold from December to March. See When to go.
- Many Ottawa services are fully bilingual; in Gatineau, French is the default. A "Bonjour" is always appreciated. See French for travelers.
- Americans are not covered by Ontario's or Quebec's health plans; carry travel medical insurance. See Health.
- Canada Day (July 1) brings huge crowds downtown, with the main celebrations held at LeBreton Flats Park in recent years. Book rooms months ahead.
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