One day in Ottawa

Day by day

1. Day 1: Parliament Hill and Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks

   Parliament Hill, Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks, National War Memorial and Confederation Square and Rideau Canal Skateway, then ByWard Market in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Parliament Hill

      Choose the West Block tour to see the temporary House of Commons chamber built inside the building's glass-roofed former courtyard. Allow 1.5–2 hours with a tour.

   2. Late morning

      Rideau Canal and the Ottawa Locks

      Watch boats being lifted through the eight locks by hand on a summer afternoon; Parks Canada staff operate them. Allow 1–2 hours.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: BeaverTails

      The George Street stand in the ByWard Market and kiosks along the Rideau Canal Skateway in winter.

   4. Afternoon

      National War Memorial and Confederation Square

      Watch the sentry change on the hour in summer, a short walk from the Changing of the Guard on Parliament Hill. Allow 20–30 minutes.

   5. Late afternoon

      Rideau Canal Skateway

      Check the National Capital Commission's ice status before you plan around it; the best conditions are usually from mid-January to mid-February. Allow 1–3 hours.

   6. Evening

      ByWard Market

      Come in the morning for the outdoor vendors, and return in the evening for patios and bars.

Before you go

• Parliament Hill: Free tour tickets are limited; reserve online or collect them early in the day in summer.

If it rains

• Swap in National Gallery of Canada (ByWard Market and Lowertown): Look for the Rideau Street Chapel, a complete chapel interior rebuilt inside the gallery; it is easy to miss.
• Swap in Canadian Museum of History (Old Hull, Gatineau): Walk across the Alexandra Bridge from the National Gallery; the view of Parliament from the bridge is one of the city's best.
• Swap in Canadian War Museum (LeBreton Flats): Allow time for the First World War gallery, which is the most powerful section, and the LeBreton Gallery of large vehicles.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 5–11 hours of visiting over one day, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.7 hours in December to 15.6 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. Parliament Hill, the ByWard Market, the National Gallery, the canal locks and Confederation Square are all close together; the Museum of History is a 20-minute walk across the Alexandra Bridge.

More or fewer days

• 2 days in Ottawa
• 3 days in Ottawa

Questions travellers ask