Ottawa Experiences

Ottawa is Canada’s capital, a dynamic showcase city of more than one million people. Located in Ontario at the Quebec border, it’s a place where you’ll hear English and French spoken in the streets; where you can discover Canada’s proud heritage at impressive national sites and famous landmarks, including the Rideau Canal (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). It’s a city steeped in culture, its main attraction is the vast assortment of state-of-the-art museums.

Below is a small selection of the tours we can organise for you when you have booked your Canada holiday with us and are visiting Ottawa.

Ottawa River Cruise

Duration: 1.5 hours (from Ottawa Locks) or 2 hours (from Hull Marina)

Aboard the Paula D, you will discover the region from the Ottawa River. An exceptional view of Parliament Hill awaits you! The cruise comes with bilingual commentary.

Historic Sites: Parliament Buildings, Rideau Canal, Life of the Chateau Laurie, Lady Aberdeen Bridge, Canadian Museum of History, Research Council, 24 Sussex Drive, The Prime Minister's Residence, and many more fun facts!

Ottawa River Cruise Highlights

Departs from a choice of two departure points
Multiple Historical Sights
Bilingual Commentary throughout the cruise

ByWard Market Food Tour

Taste your way through Ottawa's most historic neighbourhood. This guided, walking tour features 6 food tastings, enough for a meal, including the iconic Beaver Tail. One alcoholic beverage included (if desired). An exploration of the ByWard Market's key sights is also included.

Historical City Highlights Walking Tour with Private Guide

Canada’s capital is best explored on foot! Join your private knowledgeable guide for a leisurely walk around Ottawa’s most famous monuments and locations that explain the city’s colourful history, its larger than life political characters and graceful architecture. During the tour you will discover the grounds of Parliament Hill, the National War Memorial, Sparks Street, Major's Hill Park, The UNESCO Rideau Canal, The Prime Minister's Offices, The ByWard Market and other areas visitor's often miss in Ottawa ’s downtown core. The perfect opportunity to get to know Ottawa’s past, present and future with an entertaining and educational experience.

Canadian Museum of Nature

No trip to Ottawa is complete without a visit to the Canadian Museum of Nature where you will discover Canada's diverse nature under one roof. Five floors of galleries include dinosaurs, a blue whale skeleton, iconic Canadian mammals, dazzling minerals and gemstones, Canadian birds and much more! The new Canada Goose Arctic Gallery is an Ontario Signature Experience, it offers a unique window to the Arctic’s geography, climate, people and wildlife. Visit our new exhibit of live owls.

Photos credited to Canadian Museum of Nature

Canadian Museum of History

The Canadian Museum of History welcomes over 1.2 million visitors each year to its celebrated complex in the heart of the National Capital Region, making it the country’s most-visited museum. With roots stretching back to 1856, it is one of Canada’s oldest public institutions and a respected centre of museological excellence, sharing its expertise in history, archaeology, ethnology and cultural studies both within Canada and abroad.

In addition to its ongoing exhibitions, including the spectacular Grand Hall and First Peoples Hall, each year the Museum presents a number of outstanding exhibitions focusing on Canadian and world history and civilizations. These exhibitions include those developed by the Museum as well as many produced by other Canadian or international institutions. The Museum is also home to the Canadian Children’s Museum, a 500-seat theatre and the CINÉ+, a 295-seat movie theatre equipped with a giant 3D screen and a giant dome. The Canadian Museum of History presents a rich variety of online content, including the exhibition Morning Star/Gambeh Then’ and the Virtual Museum of New France.

Ottawa War Museum

The Canadian War Museum is Canada's national museum of military history and one of the world's most respected museums for the study and understanding of armed conflict. The Museum's collections are among the finest military holdings in the world, including rare vehicles, artillery, uniforms, medals, personal memoirs and 14,000 works in the Beaverbrook Collection of War Art. In total, the collection comprises more than 3 million artifacts, specimens, works of art, written documents and sound and visual recordings.

Ottawa Haunted Walk

Duration: 1.5 hours

The outdoor tour that started it all! We will share some of our favourite ghost stories from the area and lead you by lantern light to some of our favourite haunted spots, including: the Bytown Museum, the Fairmont Chateau Laurier and Ottawa's haunted high school. You'll never look at the city and these buildings the same again!

Ottawa Express Bike Tour

Duration: 2 hours

Join this leisurely relaxed 2-hour bike tour of Ottawa which is about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) and explores many of downtown Ottawa's major attractions on its beautiful and safe bicycle paths. You will breathe fresh air and experience much more of Ottawa than you would by walking or taking a bus tour. This tour is ideal for newer or easy-going bicyclists or those travelling with friends, family members and children who want to see and learn about Ottawa's downtown core.

Discover the Capital City Tour

Duration: 1 Hour

Experience Ottawa's original and most comprehensive Hop-on-Hop-off City Tour aboard one of our London Style open top Double Deckers or turn of the century Trolleys. Tour officially starts on the corner of Sparks and Elgin Streets, however one can hop on at any of over 12 stops located throughout the National Capital Region. Your ticket is valid for 24 hours, which allows you to tour our Nation's Capital at your own pace, or join us for a two hour fully narrated tour.

Discover the Capital City Tour Highlights

Canadian Museum of Civilization
Notre Dame Basilica
Parliament Hill
Byward Market

Our team of experts is on hand to help tailor-make your Canada holiday

Vicki

Speak to one of our experts on 0800 021 7732

We are open today between 9am and 5pm

Make an enquiry

We don't just know Canada, we love it!

Tailor Made for You

We tailor make every holiday made around you.
Tell us what you'd like to see, what type of accommodation you prefer and how you'd like to travel.
We'll plan your perfect holiday, helping you to get the most from your time and budget.

Expert Advice

We don't just know Canada, we love it!
Our Canada Experts have travelled throughout Canada. They'll answer your questions with facts not guesses.
You'll have a dedicated Travel Expert to look after each stage of your booking.

100% Protected

We've been helping people explore Canada for more than 30 years.
Every trip is 100% ATOL protected.
We're only ever a phone call away.