It may be best known as Canada’s capital, but Ottawa also has a reputation as a place where you can kick back, have fun and enjoy all that nature has to offer. While its official count includes seven national museums, there is another side to this city, one that features more than 100 unofficial museums. These are restaurants, activities and festivals that will appeal to your senses, from adrenaline-filled fun to relaxing and restful afternoons. Here is your guide to a few of the official and unofficial adventures you can experience in Ottawa this summer.
Located in a castle-like building dating from the early 1900s, the Canadian Museum of Nature is both an educational and scientific institution. Inside, visitors will discover examples of plants and animals from across Canada — from coast to coast and from the past to the present — in six world-class gallery spaces. Its collection includes dinosaur replicas, whale skeletons, mammals, minerals, birds, insects and plants. Current exhibits include “Under the Canopy of Nature,” which explores the importance of rainforests and includes 15 live creatures, from snakes and geckos to a two-toed sloth.
Home to the most extensive flight-themed collection in the country, the Canada Aviation and Space Museum chronicles the story of aeronautics from its early days through the Avro and Canadair plane eras, along with our current role in exploring outer space. Spend your visit piloting one of its realistic flight simulators, sit in the cockpit of a fighter plane, or take a real flight in a helicopter or vintage biplane that lifts off from the museum’s tarmac with Ottawa Aviation Adventures.
You may be surprised to discover that the middle of Ottawa is home to a fully working farm, which is part of the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum. Meet the farm’s animals — from horses and alpacas to goats and rabbits — before visiting the dairy cows to learn all about milk production. Other museum exhibits include those dedicated to aquaculture and ocean life, as well as canola, that made-in-Canada crop.
Fulfill your need for adrenaline this summer by heading out on the Ottawa River on a jet ski. Jetski Ottawa makes it possible for you to rent one of its machines and head out on a guided tour of the river. For a less speedy option, you can also go on a rafting trip, taking you through the rapids that mark the stretch of the Ottawa river that passes through downtown, with Ottawa City Rafting.
To experience a human-powered water adventure, consider heading out on a stand-up paddleboard. Urban Ocean SUP offers lessons and excursions on waterways around the city, including the Ottawa and Rideau rivers, and the Rideau Canal — a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Options also include yoga and fitness themed classes.
To keep your energy levels up for exploring, be sure to stop by one of the four Pure Kitchen locations in the Ottawa region. This vegetarian restaurant’s menu is full of internationally inspired comfort food and health-conscious options. Try one of its bowls, like the transformed kale caesar, or opt for its cheesy Belle Poutine, with mushroom gravy. The eatery offers both sit-down and grab-and-go options.
Home to more than 800 kilometres of recreational pathways, Ottawa makes it easy to explore the city by bicycle. Escape Bicycle Tours & Rentals offers guided excursions where you can learn more about the city’s culture and nature, including visits to the historic Glebe neighbourhood and Chaudière Falls. If you prefer exploring on your own, you can also rent a two-wheeler for yourself or for your family from downtown’s RentABike.
Spend time lounging and enjoying the summer sun along the sandy shore of the Rideau River at Mooney's Bay Park and Beach. Popular with swimmers, the park is also a hotspot for beach volleyball. Players can be found spiking and diving each July when the beach hosts the HOPE Volleyball Summerfest. Mooney’s Bay is one of four supervised beaches within the city.
Soar across the Ottawa River along a more than 365-metre-long zip line spanning as high as 36 metres above the ground. The only interprovincial zipline in the world (it starts in Ontario and crosses into Quebec), Interzip Rogers offers thrilling views of the nation’s capital while you travel at up to 40 kilometres per hour.
Enjoy some rest and relaxation at Nordik Spa-Nature, North America's largest spa, located just 10-minute drive north of downtown Ottawa in Chelsea. The indoor-outdoor Scandinavian-style experience includes hot and cold pools, several different types of saunas and relaxation areas. It also offers several traditional treatments, including massages and facials. There are also four restaurants with terraces to enjoy during your spa visit.
A short drive from Nordik Spa-Nature, Gatineau Park spans more then 360 square kilometres comprised of lakes, rivers, waterfalls and woods — and several historic sites, like the Mackenzie King Estate, The Unofficial Museum of Garden Getaway. Summer recreational activities in the park include rock climbing, fishing, picnicking and swimming. It is also home to several trails perfect for horseback riding, hiking and biking.
Cool off by enjoying a treat of small-batch ice cream, bubble waffles and ice cream tacos at Moo Shu Ice Cream, a popular and sweet downtown spot located on Bank Street in Ottawa. The store serves many classic and international flavours, including Hong Kong Milk Tea, Lime Leaf & Fresh Mint and Honey Lavender & Earl Grey. There’s also a selection of tasty vegan options.
After an active day of exploring, flex your mental muscles at Ottawa’s Escape Manor. Using only your wits, see if you can find your way out of the world’s largest escape room, which is located at the Diefenbunker Museum, an underground bunker built during the Cold War to house the Canadian government in case of a nuclear attack. There are several other themed escape rooms throughout the city, including one set on Death Row and another about a doomed airplane flight.
