Season guide · Ottawa · Canada
Ottawa in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Ajadams94, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Long, snowy and very cold, but with canal skating, Winterlude and cross-country skiing minutes from downtown. Expect highs up to -3°C (27°F) and lows around -15°C (5°F), with about 35 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -15°C (5°F) to -3°C (27°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 35
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | -6°C (21°F) | -15°C (5°F) | 12 | 9.1 h | 2/5 |
| February | -4°C (25°F) | -13°C (9°F) | 10 | 10.3 h | 3/5 |
| December | -3°C (27°F) | -10°C (14°F) | 13 | 8.7 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of -4°C (25°F) against a yearly 11°C (52°F), and 35 of the year's roughly 141 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Rideau Canal Skateway season usually begins (January, ice permitting)
- February: Winterlude — winter festival in Ottawa and Gatineau (usually the first three weekends of February)
- December: Holiday lights along Confederation Boulevard (usually December)
Good choices for winter
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
Historic site · Carp
Diefenbunker
About 35 km west of downtown, this four-storey underground Cold War bunker was built to shelter the Canadian government in a nuclear war.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
![– Wladyslaw [Disk.]](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ottawa_-_ON_-_National_Gallery_of_Canada.jpg){kind=link}
Gallery · ByWard Market and Lowertown
National Gallery of Canada
Look for the Rideau Street Chapel, a complete chapel interior rebuilt inside the gallery; it is easy to miss.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Museum · Old Hull, Gatineau
Canadian Museum of History
Douglas Cardinal's curving, wave-like building on the Gatineau riverbank holds one of Canada's most-visited museums.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- Iconic
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
Day trips in winter
- Parc Oméga (About 1 hour by car) — 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.
- Wakefield, Quebec (About 30 minutes by car) — A small riverside village in the Gatineau Hills with a red covered bridge, cafés, galleries and a historic mill.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Ottawa?
It is a trade-off: Long, snowy and very cold, but with canal skating, Winterlude and cross-country skiing minutes from downtown. The best months overall are May–June and September–October.
+What is the weather like in Ottawa in winter?
Highs of up to -3°C (27°F) and lows around -15°C (5°F), with about 35 rainy days over the season.