See

Confederation Park

Downtown park, designated as a National Historic Site of Canada, featuring a fountain, totem pole, statues.

Address: Elgin St
Getting there: at Albert St, west of the Rideau Canal
Website: ncc-ccn.gc.ca (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Ottawa, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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Do
Rideau Skateway
When the temperatures are at their coldest, go skating on the largest outdoor skating rink in the world, the Rideau Canal. Skates, sleighs and ice "tricycles" can be rented, and refreshments purchased from vendors right on the ice. This is also a great place to enjoy a "BeaverTail" (see the listing under "Eat"). Rest areas with heated changerooms, washrooms, firepits, picnic tables, snacks and warm drinks are on the ice at various points. At the end of the boating season, the canal is drained, stairs, chalets, and temporary structures lifed in, and the water level raised just enough to provide.3 m of ice thickness. The ice surface is at the bottom of the canal, so it can only be accessed where stairs or ramps have been installed. Professinonal crews plow snow, fill cracks, and maintain the ice surface around the clock as soon as the ice is thick enough. The "skateway" can stretch for 7.8 km from the locks next to Parliament Hill to Carleton University, though some sections may be closed if ice conditions are too poor. It's possible to walk along the skateway if you want to visit a fire pit or snack bar. The ice surface is open 24 hours every day, but the vendors and amenities close in the evening. The 2023 season was cancelled due to high temperatures.
24 hours daily (when frozen)
Drink
D'Arcy McGee's
Lively Irish pub. Beautiful architecture with impressive food selection.
Sun-Wed 11:30AM-10PM, Thu 11:30AM-11PM, Fri Sat 11:30-midnight
Buy
Rentabike
Well-equipped bike rental service. From this central location, pathways along the Rideau Canal are suitable for cycling south or north.
Mon-Fri 10AM-5PM, Sat Sun 10AM-6PM
Do
The National Arts Centre
Also provides a major venue for dance and orchestral performance.