Top 10 Things to do in Ottawa 2025 | Canada Travel Guide
Discover Ottawa, Canada's capital, with this guide to its top attractions in 2025. From the historical grandeur of Parliament Hill and the solemnity of the National War Memorial to the artistic wonders of the National Gallery and the natural beauty of the Rideau Canal, this collection offers a rich tapestry of experiences for every traveler.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
The Canada Aviation and Space Museum details the story of Canadian civil and military aviation, featuring aircraft like a replica of the Silver Dart and fighter planes.
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is a beautiful Catholic basilica noted for its interior mahogany carvings and stained glass windows depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary.
Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum
Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum, is located in a large underground facility constructed in the early 1960s to protect the Canadian government in the event of a nuclear war and now houses a museum dedicated to the Cold War era.
National War Memorial
The National War Memorial features a bronze sculpture of World War One soldiers emerging from a granite arch and serves as the center of activities on Remembrance Day.
Canadian Museum of Nature
The Canadian Museum of Nature takes visitors through the world of dinosaurs to today's animal population and is housed in a castle-like building completed in 1910.
Peace Tower
The Peace Tower offers a panoramic view of Ottawa and the surrounding area, with a memorial room to Canadians who died in World War One.
National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada is an architectural masterpiece displaying aboriginal and Canadian art, European impressionism, and temporary exhibitions.
Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum explores Canada's military past, with exhibits covering conflicts from the 16th century to modern peacekeeping roles, and includes a collection of military vehicles.
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal connects Ottawa with Kingston on Lake Ontario and is used for boat tours in the summer and ice skating in the winter.
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill features Victorian Gothic sandstone buildings and offers guided tours, public question periods, and a changing of the guard ceremony in the summer.
Bywood Market
Bywood Market is a lively location in Ottawa's Lower Town.
Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada building, designed by Arthur Erickson, is a striking structure with a plant and fountain-filled atrium in Ottawa's Upper Town.
Rockcliff Airport
Rockcliff Airport is the location of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.
Chateau Laurier
Chateau Laurier, built in 1912, is a grand hotel on the Rideau Canal banks and an example of the grand hotels added by Canadian railroad companies.
Major's Hill Park
Major's Hill Park is near other Lower Town tourist attractions including Notre Dame and the Canadian War Museum.
Parliamentary Library
The Parliamentary Library is a wonderfully furnished octagon that was untouched in the 1916 fire.