Ottawa

Here are a few notes for those thinking of doing the Rideau Canal.

The photo above looks north and the Parliament buildings are to your left. The Chateau Laurier is to the right. The Byward Market, home to Ottawa’s longest standing farmers market, is just past the Chateau off Sussex Avenue. The market is also home to a large number of restaurants and bars. Three to four blocks further along Sussex is the National Gallery and a block or so past that is the Royal Canadian Mint. On your way check out Tavern on The Hill, a fun outdoor bar.

Landsdowne Park is further south on the canal. There are no docks but it is home to the Ottawa Red Blacks (the local /CFL franchise), a farmers market that sells only locally grown or produced goods, bars, restaurants, a Wholefoods, shops and a movie theatre.

Continue passed Landsdowne to Dows Lake. The north end of the lake has a marina with some transient slips. Little Italy is straight up Preston Street from the lake. An arboretum is located on the west side and is great of walking or running.

Timing your visit

The Rideau Canal opens the May long weekend – the Monday of the week containing the 24th. 

Hardy souls arriving in Ottawa that weekend will catch the end of the Tulip Festival. This festival is not only Ottawa flagship festival, it is Canada’s most colourful festival with over a million tulips in bloom across the Capital. It is a celebration of friendship inspired by the Dutch gift of tulips to Canadians in 1945 as a thank you for providing sanctuary to the Dutch royal family during the war. Almost all activities are free and the main display beds line the canal.

For anyone looking to stretch their legs, Ottawa has at least 2 race weekends that fall within the boating season. Ottawa Race Weekend generally falls on the fourth weekend in May. Registration fills up fairly quickly as this is a well know and respected race. Many of the race routes follow the canal within the city so even if you don’t wish to participate, you can cheer runners and walkers on from your boat. The Army Run is another possibility. It takes place on the fourth weekend in September.

There are also a number of other festivals during the summer which I will leave you to explore on your own with the warning that RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest tickets go fast. The concert lineup is announced mid-February for this concert that runs the second week of July. If you look at the lineup, you will see there is something for almost everyone.

The Rideau Canal closes after Canadian Thanksgiving – the second Monday in October. The fall colours can be spectacular but make sure you exit the canal in Kingston by Monday afternoon.