About
The Rideau Canal is a historic waterway in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It runs through the heart of the city and connects Ottawa to Kingston, so a visit here is as much about the water as about any single building.
What a visit is like
The canal serves two very different seasons. In summer it is used for boating, and walking or cycling along its banks is a relaxed way to see the city at its greenest. In winter, the frozen canal becomes a skating route, one of the things that gives Ottawa its distinctive character when the temperatures drop.
Because the canal is a working heritage route rather than a single monument, you can approach it in whatever way suits you: a stroll along the water, a look at the boats, or time spent watching the city go about its day beside it.
Planning your trip
- Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Best for: boating in summer, skating in winter
- Phone: +1-613-283-5170
Check conditions before you go, especially in winter, when skating depends on the ice. Ottawa's downtown is close by, so it is easy to combine a walk along the canal with time in the surrounding streets.
