7 best day trips from Ottawa

Day trips compared

The day trips

200 km · About 2 hours by train or car

1.Montreal

Montreal's cobbled Old Port, Notre-Dame Basilica, Mount Royal and its bagel and smoked-meat institutions make a full day out. It is a long day; many visitors prefer an overnight stay.

Getting there

VIA Rail from Ottawa station, or car via Highway 417

Best for

Food lovers, Culture, First-timers

195 km · About 2 hours by car

2.Kingston

Kingston, Canada's first capital, sits at the southern end of the Rideau Canal on Lake Ontario. Fort Henry, with its costumed garrison, overlooks the harbour, and the limestone downtown and Queen's University campus are walkable.

Getting there

Car via Highway 416 and Highway 401

Best for

Culture, Families, Couples

160 km · About 1 hour 45 minutes by car

3.Thousand Islands

Cruises from Gananoque weave between the granite islands of the St. Lawrence River, many topped with summer cottages, and some routes pass Boldt Castle on the US side. The Thousand Islands Parkway has cycling paths along the water.

Getting there

Car via Highway 416 and Highway 401 to Gananoque

Best for

Couples, Families, Quiet stays

80 km · About 1 hour by car

4.Parc Oméga

A drive-through wildlife park in the Quebec countryside where elk, deer and bison approach cars on a 12 km route, with walking trails to see wolves, bears and Arctic foxes. Montebello's grand log hotel, the Château Montebello, is nearby.

Getting there

Car via Highway 50 to Montebello, Quebec

Best for

Families

35 km · About 30 minutes by car

5.Wakefield, Quebec

A small riverside village in the Gatineau Hills with a red covered bridge, cafés, galleries and a historic mill. It is a pretty base for walks along the Gatineau River and pairs well with a drive through Gatineau Park.

Getting there

Car via Highway 5

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays

65 km · About 50 minutes by car

6.Merrickville

A 19th-century stone village on the Rideau Canal with working locks, a blockhouse museum built to defend the canal, and streets of antique shops, galleries and cafés.

Getting there

Car via Highway 416 and county roads

Best for

Couples, Quiet stays, Culture

150 km · About 1 hour 45 minutes by car

7.Mont-Tremblant

Quebec's best-known mountain resort has a car-free pedestrian village of colourful buildings at the base of the slopes, with skiing in winter and a gondola, hiking and lakes in summer and autumn.

Getting there

Car via Highway 50 and Route 323

Best for

Families, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• The O-Train's east–west Line 1 runs underground through downtown at Lyon, Parliament and Rideau stations, linking to the north–south Line 2 and the airport branch.
• Check the OC Transpo website for current fare options before you travel.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask