Places to Visit in Ottawa

The Capital of Canada is rich in history, beautiful architecture, culture, and much more. Ottawa welcomes all visitors with open arms and provides a wide variety of activities, attractions, and landmarks to check out while you are in the city. Here are just a few of the many must-see places to visit in Ottawa.

Parliament Hill

Likely the most obvious location you must stop by while in Ottawa is Parliament Hill . The history filled Neo-Gothic style government buildings do not disappoint. Take a tour of Ottawa that provides you with the opportunity to walk through the grounds of Parliament Hill and take in the stunning 50-metre-tall Parliament Buildings as you learn all about the history within their walls. For another educational - and visually stimulating - opportunity to view the Parliament Buildings, book a night tour that includes the Parliament Sound and Light Show. This beautiful show projects incredible visuals onto the face of the Parliament Building while you learn all about Canadian history!

Canadian Museum of Nature

(Photo via @museumofnature / Instagram)

The Canadian Museum of Nature (Musée Canadien de la Nature) is a national natural history museum that allows visitors to travel through time as they learn all about nature through history, beginning as early as when dinosaurs roamed earth all the way to the present day. The museum also contains temporary exhibits, such as the current “Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Ages” exhibit, which provides visitors with the opportunity to explore the ways in which ice and cold shaped the world we live in today through a mult-media exhibition including over 120 real specimens, models, and artifacts. This museum is a must-visit location in Ottawa for educational fun.

Fairmont Château Laurier

(Photo via @fairmontlaurier / Instagram)

The Fairmont Château Laurier is an incredible, castle-like hotel in the downtown core of Ottawa that is a must-see landmark in the nation’s Capital. The magnificent building is a French Gothic Revival Châteauesque style that overlooks the Ottawa River, and is within a very short walking distance of Parliament Hill. The hotel is a staggering 660,000-square-foot building, containing 429 guest rooms! Even if you do not have the opportunity to book a stay in this luxurious hotel, it is absolutely worth it to take a walk past the building to admire the grandeur of the exterior.

ByWard Market

(Photo via @bywardmarket / Instagram)

Located in Ottawa’s Lower Town is one of the oldest and largest farmers’ markets in Canada - ByWard Market. The market, which goes by the name of its surrounding neighbourhood, has been around since 1846 and is filled with summer fruit, flower, and vegetable stands. Wander around the four square blocks and check out the fresh food, maple syrup and craft vendors, as well as the eateries, pubs, cafés, boutiques, and galleries in the ByWard neighbourhood. This area has everything you need to enjoy a stroll through the city.

Rideau Canal

The Rideau Canal is 200km long, 1.6 metres deep, and connects Ottawa with Kingston on Lake Ontario. Originally, this waterway was intended to be a strategic route between Montréal and Lake Ontario, and now the canal and locks are an active waterway with plenty of opportunity for fun and sightseeing as well. A fantastic way to see the canal and its surrounding area is to sign up for the Rideau Canal Cruise, which allows you to take in the views of the downtown Ottawa area. Another option is to explore the canal on your own by renting a kayak, paddle board, canoe, or paddle boat. During the winter the canal remains a magical attraction. As the water freezes over, the canal is transformed into a recreational area for festivals and public skating, allowing the canal to be a spot for year-round fun.

National Gallery of Canada

The National Gallery of Canada (Musée des Beaux-Arts du Canada) is one of the largest art museums in North America, which exhibits Aboriginal art, Canadian art from religious works to pieces by the Group of Seven, European Impressionism, as well as contemporary exhibitions. The building itself was designed by Moshe Safdie, and has notable glass towers that are inspired by the lines of the Parliament Buildings.

It is also very hard to miss the towering spider sculpture that stands just outside of the museum, which is a very intriguing landmark to observe while in Ottawa. The statue is named Maman and was created by renowned Franco-American artist Louise Bourgeois. While quite ominous-looking, the statue holds a lovely meaning. The spider is the last of six statues, the rest of which are located elsewhere, and is a tribute to Bourgeois’ mother. The spider can be seen carrying giant eggs, representing each of Bourgeois’ siblings, and while the sculpture has no direct ties to Ottawa, it stands as a nurturing and protective symbol of fertility, shelter, and home. This unsettling yet meaningful statue is a must-see - and hard to miss - attraction in Ottawa.

National War Memorial

The National War Memorial, also known as The Response, is a large, touching sculpture featuring World War I soldiers walking through a granite arch. The years of battles in which Canadian forces fought can be seen carved around the base of the statue. At the foot of the sculpture also sits Canada’s Tomb of the Unknown Soldier where you may observe and pay respects.
On Remembrance Day, a brief Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place at the National War Memorial. The ceremony is led by a single bagpiper, and the activities are centered around the monument. If you happen to be in Ottawa during Remembrance Day, it is tradition to leave poppies on the tomb as a sign of respect.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica

The Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is a beautiful sight to see, from its remarkable exterior to its captivating interior. Consecrated in 1846, this is the largest and oldest standing church in Ottawa. The interior of the church presents stunning Canadian religious art, including mahogany carvings by Philippe Parizeau, figures of the fours evangelists, prophets, and apostles by Louis-Philippe Hébert, as well as seventeen windows of stained glass that display scenes of Jesus’ life and the Virgin Mary, created by Montréal artist Guido Nincheri. Book a tour that takes you to this amazing church, or if you’d prefer to stop by on your own, the Cathedral is typically open for visits Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Canadian War Museum

(Photo via @canwarmuseum / Instagram)

Located along the Ottawa River is the Canadian War Museum. This museum contains exhibitions that walk you through Canada’s involvement in conflicts throughout history, including the fighting between French and Iroqois people in the 16th century, the Canadian contribution to WWI and WWII, the War of 1812, as well as displays that cover the role of modern peacekeepers. There is a large collection of military vehicles, equipment, and weapons, as well as over 330 works of art! The museum includes interactive exhibits that will keep you engaged while you learn, as well as a café and gift shop for all of your nourishment and souvenir needs.

Canadian Tulip Festival

(Photo via @cdntulipfest / Instagram)

As winter ends and spring begins in Ottawa, tulips start to bloom all over the city. The Canadian Tulip Festival is a gorgeous display of tulips - given by Queen Juliana of the Netherlands as a sign of gratitude for Ottawa’s hospitality during WWII - and the main areas of festivities take place along the canal banks and Commissioners Park. There are several million tulips in bloom throughout the city during this event, and attractions include a Veterans Day ceremony, professionally guided tours through Commissioners Park, a night time display of tulips with lit flower beds and a backlight boardwalk, tulip bingo, as well as a Canadian war brides exhibit.

Canadian Aviation and Space Museum

(Photo via @cdntraveltography / Instagram)

The Canadian Aviation and Space Museum is located at the Rockcliffe Airport and is home to a large variety of military and civilian aircraft, beginning in the pioneer era and spanning all the way to present day. Exhibits include a replica of the Silver Dart, which made the first flight in Canada in 1909, as well as fighter planes from WWI and WWII. The most popular attraction is the exhibit on the remaining pieces of the Avro Arrow interceptor, but every display of aircraft is equally as intriguing. The museum provides guided tours, interactive exhibits, demonstrations, and more for a fun and educational experience that you don’t want to miss!