Ottawa Tourism Guide

Perhaps you're a tourist who wants to visit Ottawa's great museums, like the National Gallery or the Museum of Civilization. Or maybe you're the type who'd prefer to hike in the Gatineau Hills, or ride a bike along the Rideau Canal. Whether it's an itenerary for a day trip, or planning for an extended vacation, our Tourism Guide will get you started.

Featured Listings

Time Tripper
Travel isn’t just about going somewhere, it’s about experience. Why passively visit a place, taking in the sights but not really immersing in the culture? Time travel is changing the way we vacation! For just one month– as the time portal is limited – you can experience the wonders of life 200 years ago in Upper Canada.
Spencerville Mill Heritage Fair: June 21-23, 2013
A living history retreat with Regency ball, Guinness Record Attempt, workshops (Dying in Battle, Duelling, Period Cooking, and more) and Skirmish.
Sears Travel
Whether you’re looking for tours in Ottawa or resorts on a tropical island, let the travel experts help you find the best vacation deals.

Ottawa Hotels Guide
Make your reservation at one of dozens of hotels in the Ottawa area. Hotels in Downtown, Gatineau, Kanata and the surrounding area.

Make your business stand out from the rest for just $15/month..
Click here to add your Featured Listing...

Hotels and Accomodations

Please visit our Ottawa Hotels Guide...

Travel Info

Ottawa Tourism
The official Ottawa travel web site and guide to Canada's Capital Region.
Ottawa Convention Centre
Ottawa's new convention centre opens in 2011 and will be Canada's premier conference, trade show and event facility, in the middle of downtown Ottawa.
Ottawa Airport (includes arrival & departure information)
Park'nFly Airport Parking
ShuttleJetServices.com - Ottawa-Montreal Airport Shuttle
Via Rail
Greyhound Buses
Car rentals
Taxis & Limos
OC Transpo (public transit)
Driving Conditions (local & highway)
Accessible Ottawa
A great web site listing accessibility services for disabled travellers and those traveling with children in the Ottawa area.

Museums

Please visit our Museums Guide...

Attractions

See also: Ottawa Events Guide...
See also: Ottawa Festivals Guide...
See also: Ottawa Kids Guide...
Aboriginal Experiences
Agritourism Ottawa
Byward Market
Canada Day...
Cannamore Orchard (near Embrun)
Casino du Lac Leamy (Casino de Hull)
Casino du Lac-Leamy Sound of Light / (fireworks)
Changing of the Guard
Eastern Ontario Ghost Towns
Here's an idea for a weekend getaway: explore Eastern Ontario's ghost towns. This site features photos and information about dozens of abandoned towns in Ontario and across Canada.
Gatineau Park
Governor General's Rideau Hall
Greenbelt
A protected area of forest, rivers and greenspace surrounding the city with lots of recreation and nature activities.
Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train
Little Ray's Reptile Zoo
Mosaika - Sound & Light show on Parliament Hill
National Arts Centre
Ottawa's Countryside
Papanack Park Zoo (east of Orleans)
Parc Safari (Hemmingford, Quebec)
Parliament Hill
Prehistoric World (Morrisburg, Ontario)
Rideau Canal
Rideau Carleton Raceway Slots
Royal Canadian Mint
Saunders Farm
Scotiabank Place
Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm
StreetsmArt (PDF guide to public art)
St. Raphael's Ruins
In 1970 a fire consumed the church of St. Raphael's, one of the earliest Roman Catholic churches in English-speaking Canada. The outer walls were spared and today its impressive scale and fine masonry work make it a popular tourist attraction.
Supreme Court of Canada
Upper Canada Village (near Morrisburg, Ontario)
War Memorial
Watson's Mill
See also our Ottawa Museums Guide...
For more ideas for activities with kids, visit our Ottawa Kids Guide...

Tours

Surrounding Areas

Almonte, Ontario
Lanark County, Ontario
Ottawa's Countryside
Perth, Ontario
Petawawa, Ontario
Smith Falls, Ontario
Vankleek Hill "Gingerbread Capital of Ontario"
Wakefield, Quebec
Westport, Ontario
TDC's Farmgate (rural areas)

Hot air balloons

Travel Agents / Trip planning

Books & Guides

OttawaStart Blog: Tourism
Recent blog posts about attractions and tourism in Ottawa.
Ottawa: The Unknown City
by rob mclennan
Ottawa may be our capital city but it's also a place of contradictions—the official version offers numerous, beneficent historic sites, institutions, museums, and galleries, but there are other stories to be told. In this latest edition of Arsenal's Unknown City series of alternativecity guides for both locals and tourists, Ottawa comes alive as a diverse, quirky town that may look like a government city on the surface but boasts a small-town charm. The book charts a course through the city's hidden landmarks, shopping, dining, and nightlife hot spots, as well as secret histories that will come as a surprise even to life-long locals.
Secret Ottawa by Laura Byrne Paquet. Secret Ottawa reveals a side of the capital that most visitors-and many locals-never see. Find out where you can spot a blue heron at sunrise, eat Sri Lankan string hoppers, buy armour or angels, or work out at 3:00 a.m. From cycling to sundials, and waterfalls to wine, Secret Ottawa is your guide to the city's hidden treasures.
Frommer'sÂ® Ottawa by Louise Dearden. Covers everything Ottawa has to offer, including visual and performing arts, historic monuments, and world-class outdoor sports and recreation.
Capital Walks: Walking Tours of Ottawa by Katharine Fletcher.
Ottawa with Kids by James Hale. The complete family travel guide to attractions, sites and events in Ottawa.
The Lobster kids' guide to exploring Ottawa-Hull by John Symon. Whether you're a parent, an educator or a tourist, if you're caring for children between the ages of 1-12, this book is the perfect answer. More than 100 suggestions for fun-filled family activities in the National Capital Region.
Frommer's® Ottawa with Kids by Louise Dearden. Reveals the most fun and educational experiences for kids in Canada's capital. It's full of incredibly detailed tips - right down to which hotels offer cribs and rollaway beds and which restaurants offer high chairs.
The Hike It Bike It Walk It Drive It Guide: to Ottawa, the Gatineau, Kingston & Beyond by Ann Campbell. Features a variety of outdoor daytrips in Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. Contains maps, directions, up-to-date info and contact phone numbers.
Ottawa: A colourguide by Carol Martin. Museums, festivals, Parliament Hill, accomodation, heritage sites, dining, recreation, shopping, galleries.
More Ottawa travel books...