Can’t-Miss Winter Activities in Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa is a great place to immerse family travelers in the Canadian vibe. It is just the right amount of big city to offer every convenience you need mixed with a laid-back vibe to make it relaxing and fun to explore, especially during the winter when the cold weather can be a bit intimidating.

As temperatures drop and the landscape is blanketed in snow, Ottawa offers a pretty unique way to experience the city, known for the Rideau Canal, which winds through, and, when the temperature drops below freezing, the city drains the canal enough to allow it to freeze over. This makes for a very different way to have fun and get around than most cities can offer; locals and visitors take advantage of the frozen canal by donning their skates and experiencing the longest natural ice-skating rink in the world.

Local hotels lnear the canal anticipate this and encourage it, such as Lord Elgin Hotel. Not only is this historic property centrally located near the major sites, but each room is also equipped with a closet specially designed to accommodate ice skates and cold weather gear. Weather permitting, Rideau Canal Skateway is open all day, every day, free to use, January through March.

Ottawa may be the country’s bustling capital city, but it is surrounded by nature, which means winter sports like snowshoeing are a must if you like to explore the outdoors. A great place to take part in this winter sport is along Shirleys Bay Trails. There are around 12 miles of hiking trails to explore along the Ottawa River. Another great spot is one of the city’s newest trails, Rideau Winter Trail. More than 5 miles long, this path takes you along the Rideau River through the Overbrook neighborhood, just east of downtown Ottawa.

You don’t have to bring your own snowshoes to participate in snowshoeing during your stay. You certainly can, but you can also rent them from plenty of places around the city like Kanata Nordic. And you certainly won’t feel like a tourist trekking around town in snowshoes or on ice skates, since locals use these methods not just for recreation, but to get around town during the cold winters.