Season guide · Ottawa · Canada
Ottawa in summer
June–August: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Harleyd613, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Warm, humid days, patios, Canada Day and music festivals, with the Changing of the Guard on Parliament Hill; the busiest season. Expect highs up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 34 rainy days across June–August. June is among the best months of the year to visit.
Key facts
- Months
- June–August
- Temperatures
- 13°C (55°F) to 27°C (81°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 34
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in summer
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 24°C (75°F) | 13°C (55°F) | 12 | 15.6 h | 4/5 |
| July | 27°C (81°F) | 16°C (61°F) | 11 | 15.3 h | 5/5 |
| August | 25°C (77°F) | 14°C (57°F) | 11 | 14.1 h | 4/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 25°C (77°F) against a yearly 11°C (52°F), and 34 of the year's roughly 141 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 4/5 and hotel prices 4/5 on average.
What's on in summer
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- June: Ottawa Jazz Festival (usually late June)
- June: Changing of the Guard on Parliament Hill begins (usually late June)
- July: Canada Day celebrations (1 July)
- July: Ottawa Bluesfest (usually July)
- August: Capital Pride (usually August)
Good choices for summer
Museum · LeBreton Flats
Canadian War Museum
Allow time for the First World War gallery, which is the most powerful section, and the LeBreton Gallery of large vehicles.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Centretown
Canadian Museum of Nature
Housed in the turreted Victoria Memorial Museum Building — locals call it 'the castle' — the natural history museum has a full blue whale skeleton, a dinosaur gallery, a mineral hall and the Canada Goose Arctic Gallery.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Architecture
Museum · Rockcliffe
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Drive or take a rideshare; it is about 15 minutes from downtown and awkward by bus.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Alta Vista
Ingenium – Canada Science and Technology Museum
Rebuilt and reopened in 2017, the science museum has hands-on galleries on space, medicine and sound, a hall of steam locomotives and the Crazy Kitchen, a tilted room that plays tricks on your balance.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Historic site · ByWard Market and Lowertown
Royal Canadian Mint
Book a tour on a weekday to see the production floor in operation.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Kids
Day trips in summer
- Kingston (About 2 hours by car) — Kingston, Canada's first capital, sits at the southern end of the Rideau Canal on Lake Ontario.
- Thousand Islands (About 1 hour 45 minutes by car) — Cruises from Gananoque weave between the granite islands of the St.
What to pack
- Light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is summer a good time to visit Ottawa?
Yes: June is among the best months. Warm, humid days, patios, Canada Day and music festivals, with the Changing of the Guard on Parliament Hill; the busiest season.
+What is the weather like in Ottawa in summer?
Highs of up to 27°C (81°F) and lows around 13°C (55°F), with about 34 rainy days over the season.