Day trips from Ottawa
Explore sites just two hours from downtown Ottawa. Cycle through 7,000 years of history, try on a Voyageur sash or learn about the fur trade. The fun starts here with plenty of must-see places to visit!
Historic shipping route constructed after the war of 1812.
- Cycling: Walk or bike!
Rideau Canal National Historic Site
How to get there
- Walk or bike! The canal flows right through the heart of downtown and runs from Ottawa to Kingston, Ontario.
What to do
- Head to Dow Lake with your rod, outdoors card and fishing permit. Don’t forget your barbecue so you can grill your catch along the canal. Did you know that the river is full of freshwater fish, from Lake Trout and Yellow Perch to Walleye and Smallmouth Bass?
- Enjoy a scenic 12km paddle along the winding river between Perth and Beveridge Locks.
Stay overnight
Sleep soundly under the stars when you pitch your tent at one of the twenty-two lockstations that offer camping. Upgrade to a cozy oTENTik for a cabin experience.
Historic fort dating back to the war of 1812.
- Driving: 1 hour
Fort Wellington National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: In Prescott ON, just a little over an hour’s drive via highway ON-416 south.
What to do
- Get hands-on training as a Royal Artilleryman and learn to fire our 19th century cannon.
- Calling all Xplorers! Grab a copy of the Parks Canada Xplorers booklet and complete three challenges to score a souvenir! Super-fun way to explore the fort and get the inside track on its mysteries and history!
Travel back in time
Costumed interpreters are here to give you an authentic taste of life in the 1840s. Stop by the visitor centre to see the wreck of a 19th century gunboat!
A park protecting several scenic mainland properties and over 20 islands on the St. Lawrence River.
- Driving: 1.5 hours
Thousand Islands National Park
How to get there
- Drive: In Mallorytown, ON, just 1.5 hours on highway ON-416 south and ON-401 west.
What to do
- No boat? No problem! There are so many ways to explore this gorgeous park, from renting a kayak or taking a guided canoe tour, to hopping aboard a cruise boat or just enjoying the mainland at Mallorytown Landing.
- Whether you’re a hiking newbie or ruler of the trails, you’ll find somewhere perfect to hike at Jones Creek. Make it an easy 20-minute stroll or link several paths in the network for a serious workout.
Download the app!
Download the Parks Canada app and explore the park with self-guided tours. You will discover the most popular hiking trails and the species at risk.
North America’s only 200-tonne Guillotine gate.
- Driving: 1.5 hours
Carillon Canal National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: In Saint-Andre-d’Argenteuil, QC, around 1.5 hours from Ottawa via Highway 50 E.
What to do
- Be amazed by 1833 engineering ingenuity. A 200-tonne guillotine gate allows vessels to navigate a 20-meter drop in the river in just 40-minutes.
- Discover the secrets of the canal as you hike along its banks, from its military past through to its commercial days.
Fort remains and Canada’s first lock canal at the most turbulent rapids on the St Lawrence River.
- Driving: 1.5 hours
Coteau-du-Lac National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: Just 1.5 hours on highway ON-417 east.
What to do
- Discover the archeological remains that tell the story of more than 7,000 years of history from First Nations to Voyageurs, merchants and soldiers and observe the scale model of the site at the interpretation centre.
- Challenge the family to ‘beat the clock’ and explore the site through your smartphone, snapping photos in a historical race against time!
- Discover the unique archaeology of the Soulanges Canal by taking part in the ArchéoTour by kayak or paddleboard, or by bike on a 45 km guided or self-guided route.
Connect with nature
With a trail map and a pair of binoculars, see what you can spy along the canal and the creeks, from herons to blue-winged teals.
The gateway canal which links the Atlantic Ocean to the heart of the continent.
- Driving: under 2 hours
- Transit: 2.5 hours
Lachine Canal National Historic Site
How to get there
- Drive: In Montreal, QC, just under two hours on the Trans-Canada highway ON-417 east.
- Transit: Just over two hours by VIA Rail train or coach to downtown Montreal. Grab a Bixi bike or take the bus or metro to the Lachine Canal.
What to do
- Buy picnic supplies at Atwater Market and rent a bike to cycle one of the world’s most beautiful urban routes. Cycle through green spaces and past centuries-old buildings along the flat canal path of the Lachine.
- Set sail on a voyage 150 years into the past on an ultra-modern electrically-powered vessel, the Petit Navire, which silently takes you back to the time of the merchants who sailed these waters and helped found modern Canada.
- Rent a canoe or a kayak and paddle along these historic waters that helped turn Montreal into a major port city after the canal opened in 1825.
Two for one
Put on your traditional sash and scarlet toque, and step into the beaver pelt-scented world of the trappers and traders at The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site next door!
Home to 2 of Canada's longest serving prime ministers.
- Cycling: Walk or bike!
Laurier House National Historic Site
How to get there
- Walk or bike! The historic site is in the heart of downtown Ottawa.
What to do
- Discover plenty of artifacts as you step back into the past with a visit to Laurier House, where it is forever 1950. This former home of Sir Wilfrid Laurier and later William Lyon Mackenzie King remains as it was when King passed away.
- Treat yourself to a guided tour and learn about both Laurier’s and King’s private lives, careers, and political legacies across Canada.
Related links
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