Things to Do in Ottawa Canada

Fun Things to Do in Ottawa on Your Vacation! The Major Attractions, Plus Tips for Travellers Who Want to Go Beyond the Usual Tourist Trail

Entertainment – Enjoy an evening of live music or theatre at the National Arts Centre. Take in live bands at the clubs and bars. Laugh it up at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club.

Festivals – You could plan your trip around the Ottawa Tulip Festival, Ottawa International Chamber Music Festival, Ottawa International Jazz Festival, Ottawa Bluesfest, Winterlude, The Ottawa Fringe Festival (theatre), the Carnival of Cultures, the Ottawa Busker Festival, The Ottawa International Writers Festival and many more.

Explore Neighbourhoods - Visit Parliament Hill. Stroll around the Byward Market, a popular, historic food market, dining and shopping district. Visit Sparks Street Mall, a pedestrian-only street lined with heritage buildings, stores and restaurants. Cruise along Sussex Drive, home to mansions, embassies, museums and monuments.

Outdoor Activities - This surprisingly green city boasts miles of walking and biking trails, many winding along a scenic river or canal. During the winter, you can go skating on the world's longest skating rink (the Rideau Canal) or cross country skiing on the Rideau Trail connecting Ottawa and Kingston.

Sports - Why not take in an NHL game if the Ottawa Senators (those are the hockey players, NOT the politicians) are at home? Or take in a game of golf?

Take a tour – It’s your choice. There are all kinds of Ottawa tours: bus tours, trolley tour, amphibus, boat tours, walking tours, even hot-air balloon tours. Visit the creepy former Ottawa Jail on Ottawa’s Haunted Walk and find out who still haunts this prison-turned-youth-hostel.

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