City: Ottawa
Top Things to do in Ottawa
Top Restaurants in Ottawa
10 Historical & Heritage Tours in Ottawa That You Shouldn't Miss
Canada's capital is a compact, clean, cleverly planned center of culture and politics and a destination for every season. Start downtown at the architecturally stunning National Gallery of Canada, and don't miss the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canada Aviation and Space Museum. Rideau Canal offers boating in the summer and turns into the world’s largest skating rink when frozen in the winter. Gatineau Park attracts cyclists and walkers, while Byward Market blends old and new Ottawa.
Restaurants in Ottawa
1. Ottawa Bike Tour: Hoods & Hidden Gems
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
Get on a bike and explore with us the local hangouts and lifestyle of Ottawa! This ride is all about the nature & neighbourhoods beyond the Downtown Ottawa core, and the whole experience feels like you are on a casual ride with a local friend that loves telling stories. We keep the groups sizes small for a more intimate, personalized experience. This very off-the-beaten-path tour covers hip neighbourhoods, a canal-side bike route, a beautiful Arboretum, two waterfalls, an experimental farm in the city, and more! Everyone has been loving our included Norco Scene bikes - they are super comfortable and so much fun to ride - we both now use these as our personal bikes! If you've never taken a bike tour before, you are more than welcome. We stop every 10-15 min or so to hear local stories & info, check out public art, or snap photos. Join us and our team to see more of Ottawa in less time - by bike!
Inclusions: A craft beer OR another non alcoholic beverage, Bicycle - We use very comfortable, high-quality Norco Scene bikes, Helmet (recommended but not required by law), Basket - front or rear basket for your belongings
Exclusions: Please bring your own re-fillable bottle of water, Gratuities
Reviewed By jeta2020
Leisurely way to see the city and get some fresh air after my long flight. Ottawa has great bike paths and a number of scenic locations. Tour guide (I forgot her name) was great - sharing quirky stories about the city and its history, helping with photos, managing the pace of the ride and route with regular stops. Good to wear comfortable clothes and shoes for riding and check the weather, which was a bit variable between sunny and cloudy on the day for me. Also I had a bottle of water to stay hydrated, and there are places to re-fill and have bathroom breaks too as well as a coffee/ice-cream break, but just check the frequency of these as it's a few hours long, but the bikes are very easy to ride.
2. Ottawa Bike Tour: The Essentials
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3 reviews
See the best of Ottawa by bike! Picturesque neighbourhoods, waterways, and scenic nature right in the city. We'll explore by using Ottawa's extremely impressive bike lane network! This introductory ride shows you the essential sights of Ottawa's core, and the whole experience feels like you are on a casual ride with a local friend that loves telling stories. We even keep the groups sizes small for a more intimate, personalized experience. This intro tour covers the must-see spots, shares the history, offers stunning views, and sets you up with ideas of things to do for the rest of your stay. Everyone has been loving our included Norco Scene bikes - they are super comfortable and so much fun to ride - we both now use these as our personal bikes! If you've never taken a bike tour before, you are more than welcome. We stop every 10-15 min or so to hear local stories & info, check out public art, or snap photos. Join us and our team to see more of Ottawa in less time - by bike!
Inclusions: Your guide will choose a delicious seasonal snack!, Bicycle - We use very comfortable, high-quality Norco Scene bikes, Helmet (recommended but not required by law), Basket - front or rear basket for your belongings
Exclusions: Please bring your own re-fillable bottle of water, Gratuities
Reviewed By Mhuma
James is the best guide ever. You get to see places you wouldn't know of unless you're a local. Some of those paths were well-hidden away, especially the tunnel graffiti. You also get to see some nice parks, waterfalls and nature surrounding Ottawa. There are about two/three steep paths though :D My bike chain came off but James had his bike toolkit to save the day. Excellent tour, great way to see parts of Ottawa that are easy to miss otherwise. I had a great time. Highly recommended.
3. Self-Guided Biking in Ottawa-Gatineau
Overall Ratings
4.9 based on 30 reviews
We will give you a lightweight hybrid city bike, helmet, lock and map and send you off to a fun journey to explore Ottawa-Gatineau region all on safe and scenic bicycle paths away from traffic. Our maps are full cusotmizable to your interests.
Inclusions: Use of bicycle, Use of helmet, Lock, Map, All taxes, fees and handling charges
Exclusions: Transportation to/from attractions
Reviewed By jamesmX6900CW
Our bike tour with Escape Bicycle Tours was the highlight of our family Ottawa getaway! Our friendly and knowledgeable tour guide shared many memorable historical facts and fun anecdotes about the capital. Our party included two kids, aged 10 and 12, and our guide made sure we felt safe in the traffic. (Most of the tour was on bike paths.) We rode 14 kilometers, crossing three bridges, rode over a waterfall and enjoyed many great views of the city. The Escape headquarters is on a car-free street (situated a stone's throw from Parliament Hill), which made fitting the bikes stress-free. The bikes were top notch, and we enjoyed exceptional customer service. Our family thoroughly enjoyed the experience - I highly recommend it!
4. Ghosts and the Gallows Haunted Carleton County Jail in Ottawa
Overall Ratings
4.7 based on 156 reviews
Choose from two departure times to begin your 60 to 75-minute tour experience that takes you inside the old Carleton County Jail, now the HI Ottawa Jail Hostel, one of the most haunted buildings in North America! Is the jail haunted today? Your guided jail experience will allow you to decide for yourself. Your tour begins and ends at the old Carleton County Jail.
Inclusions: Local guide, Professional guide
Exclusions: Gratuities, Hotel pickup and drop-off
Reviewed By michaela_caps
Ally was our tour guide. Very friendly and enthusiastic and I appreciated how she spoke very clearly. Great activity for a family or just wanting to get out a bit with some fun ghost history of Ottawa.
5. Ottawa Tourist Scavenger Hunt
Overall Ratings
4.7 based on 3 reviews
Are you planning a visit to Ottawa? Our tourist treasure hunt will take you from Chateau Laurier to the Supreme Court and the Byward Market, passing by the Parliament Hill of course! You will have to solve challenges at every step to discover your next destination and earn points. At each step, you will learn a little history as well as interesting facts about what surrounds you. t takes 2-3 hours to complete, do it whenever you wish - you select your own date and start time, no scheduling or reservation needed. 20+ challenges, games and enigmas to solve as you walk through this historic neighborhood.
Inclusions: Urban scavenger hunt with 30+ challenges, Historical and architectural walking tour
Exclusions: Wifi - This activity requires internet access on your smartphone - a data plan.
Reviewed By 654wpw
Overall fun, hampered by some errors in navigation, lots of questions are basic. Nice info on history
6. Ottawa River Tour
Overall Ratings
4.3 based on 133 reviews
Our Ottawa River tour offers the finest views along the Ottawa River. This 1 1/2 hour tour is the most thorough tour available on the water. Departures from the Hull Marina in Jacques Cartier Park, and the Ottawa Dock at the foot of the Ottawa Locks. Both tours have live bilingual commentaries.
Inclusions: Bilingual commentaries
Exclusions: Hotel pick up & drop-off
Reviewed By girllikespie
The tour guide we had (Brennan), was a very fun guide who provided the information about the tour in a fun and entertaining way. His love for history is very evident and much appreciated during the tour. The other staff present were also very friendly. This is a good activity for during COVID-19 as it is outdoors and the chairs were spaced out well. The staff wore masks the whole time and reminded customers to wear masks at the beginning of the tour. Some people took their masks off partway through the tour and there was no reminder for them to put their mask back on. I'm not sure if this is good or bad or not but depending on your comfort level, it's something to note. Thanks for the entertaining afternoon!
7. Ottawa Private Day Tour from Montreal
Overall Ratings
4.3 based on 4 reviews
While visiting Montreal, you have to take a private day trip to Ottawa - capital city of Canada. A 2 hour drive will get your group to one of the most peaceful and beautiful city in our country.
Inclusions: Air-conditioned vehicle, Bottled water, Private transportation
Exclusions: Lunch, Gratuities
Reviewed By 938artg
I enjoyed All the animalals but I must admit watching the fish, trout I believe was interesting. My daughter, son I law and grandson tome.
8. Rideau Canal Cruise
Overall Ratings
4.2 based on 165 reviews
The most unique way to discover Ottawa is on board the world's-largest, certified, 100%-electric, passenger vessel. You will sail for 90 minutes on the iconic Rideau Canal and have a novel view of downtown Ottawa! The National Arts Centre, Lansdowne Park, Dow’s Lake, and many more scenic views await you! You will discover more with the live bilingual commentary and the free audio guide application. Come to 2 Rideau Street for your tickets, just across the street from Parliament Hill. The schedule is mid-May to mid-October, 6 departures per day, 7 days a week.
Inclusions: Guide
Exclusions: Hotel pickup and drop-off
Reviewed By parads42
Awesome, I think her name was Kaila she was awesome too. Very knowledgeable, Will do it again for sure
9. Explore Canada Through Ottawa's Eyes with Walking Tours Through The City
This tour begins at the mouth of the historic Rideau Canal and explores the waterway's role in both early Canada and Bytown, and the unique factors that made Ottawa the first choice for the capital. Then, we cross the Rideau River and stop for a brief moment of reflection at the National War Memorial and the role Canada played in World War I. From there, we wander down the sidewalk gardens and patios of Sparks Street to explore Ottawa's adolescence and troubled growth into a capital. Finally, the tour ends at Parliament Hill where we take in the breathtaking views of the Ottawa River and surrounding cityscape and delve into Canada's slow and careful separation from Britain, the paranoia and icy tensions of the Cold War, and finally, the difficulties of unifying and governing a country with two national languages, dozens of cultural and religious groups, and a geographic size second only to Russia.
Inclusions: Self Guided Walking Tour
Exclusions:
Reviewed By D2863VCkarenm
Beautiful park, very nice sunset walks and bike rides when there are no cars, very relaxing . LOVE LOVE LOVE
10. The Best of Ottawa Walking Tour
Together with the professional guide, you will visit the most charming places in the city. You will have a chance to explore the city, while hearing fascinating facts and legends. Did you know that Ottawa is the capital of Canada? A multilingual city? Ottawa! You will be surprised how many stories are hidden in the streets, buildings and corners of Ottawa. Your charming guide will tell you what is special and unique about living in this city. Perfect for those who are visiting the city for the first time and want to get the most of it!
Inclusions: Professional Local Guide Services
Exclusions:
