Don’t Miss These Must-See Family-Friendly Attractions in Ottawa

Ottawa just may be one of the most fascinating places to visit in Canada. Although it is the country’s capital and government seat, the city has a laid-back vibe without the overcrowding. The fact Ottawa is surrounded by natural beauty and filled with friendly locals is just part of the draw — there are also plenty of affordable ways to entertain the whole family.

Start off your visit with a stop at Canadian Museum of Nature, where you’ll find impressive exhibits taking you on a journey through Canada’s natural and cultural history. The museum is currently featuring an incredible interactive exhibit called The Man Who Planted Trees: An Immersive Tale, which takes you on a guided audiovisual journey that shows you how a single person can make a huge impact on the environment. State-of-the-art technologies are paired seamlessly with beautiful storytelling and artistry as you walk through this journey.

Ottawa is situated next to the confluence of the Ottawa and Rideau rivers, so there is plenty of waterfront offering beautiful views around town. You can stroll along the walkway leading up to Kiweki Point, a massive overlook not only fully accessible and open year-round, but also providing one of the most impressive views of the river and neighboring Quebec across the water.

You can get a much different view of things from the water itself by taking a sightseeing river cruise with Ottawa Boat Cruises. These 1.5-hour guided boat tours take you along the river while giving you a history lesson of the region, pointing out all the important sites, including the Rideau Canal Locks, which feed out into the Ottawa River. The guides are not only fun and entertaining, but they also provide tours in both French and English, so you can also sneak in a little language lesson while you are at it.

Build time into your schedule either before or after your cruise to spend time exploring the Rideau Canal Locks on foot. The locks are used daily and still operated by hand — it is an incredible experience, especially for little ones, to get to see the process up close and in person.

National Gallery of Canada, not far from the canal and right across the street from Kiweki Point, is worth spending a few hours to experience the works of Canada’s finest artists. The museum takes a unique approach to displaying art — rather than labeling artists as “unknown” if there is no artist information available on artifacts and artwork, they are labeled as “once known” to honor each and every person whose handicraft is on display.

The museum is open late on Thursday nights, when you can enjoy food, a live deejay, free activities and free tours — ideal for families. It is a great time to see unique displays like the building-sized spider named Mamman who resides outside the front entrance, and the 1884 chapel in the heart of the museum with a last-of-its-kind fan-vaulted ceiling made entirely of wood. Within the chapel is a recording playing through speakers featuring 40 separate voices, one in each speaker, singing a beautiful “sound sculpture” written by Janet Cardiff.