Celebrate winter in Canada’s Capital

Ottawa, Canada’s capital city, is famous for its picturesque winter landscapes. So, it’s no surprise that in a place known as a longstanding capital of winter fun, Ottawans know how to enjoy the season.

Welcome to Ottawa in winter from an insider’s perspective! We’ll take you beyond the most popular cold-weather activities in the city, like skating on the canal, marveling at ice sculptures, and warming up with a Beavertail, to discover everyday winter adventures that locals just adore.

Minutes from downtown you can be tearing up the snow on fat bikes, cross country skiing, or seeing how traditional maple syrup is made. So, join us in Canada’s original winter wonderland.

The greenbelt around Ottawa is gorgeous when dusted in snow © Jana Kriz / Getty Images

Enjoy the Greenbelt

Ottawa is surrounded and crisscrossed by 203.5-square-kilometer (78.6 square miles) of pristine, protected greenbelt, comprised of wetlands, forests, farms, and green space. In the colder months, it’s covered in a blanket of snow and transforms into a magical winter woodland.

Visit Mer Bleue Bog, a 7,700-year-old scientific wonder and the one of the most studied bogs in the world. Boardwalks allow you to walk right into the habitat of many wild animals including rare spotted turtles, muskrats, and beavers, while interpretive panels give you some background knowledge on the unique features of this northern boreal landscape. The trails are accessible year-round and if you want to pop on some snowshoes or cross-country skis you can connect from the Dewberry trails – a 1km beginner’s path – to numerous other routes that link and extend across the area.

Pack some sunflower seeds in your pocket when you walk through Jack Pine Trail on Moodie Drive and, if you stand quite still with your hand extended, you might be visited by some friendly chickadees who are all too keen to relieve you of those seeds. Keep an eye out for children’s handmade bird feeders hanging from the trees. You can cross country ski, snowshoe, or walk the 1.5km (0.9 miles) trail all winter long.

Skating on the Rideau Canal in downtown Ottawa © Bob Hilscher / Shutterstock

Skate in Ottawa

You can’t come to Ottawa in winter without skating on the Rideau Canal Skateway – the largest ice skating rink in the world – which celebrated its 50th skating season in 2020. As temperatures drop, the historic canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a favorite spot with locals to walk, cycle, and jog beside, freezes over. Skate the 7.8km (4.8 miles) length which winds into downtown and gives you stunning views of the city including the castle-like Fairmont Château Laurier.

The Skateway’s season is of course dependant on the weather but usually runs from January to March. Treat yourself to a Beavertail pastry, an Ottawa invention, after your skate, which has been available on the Skateway since 1981.

You can skate at lots of other spots in the city including The Rink of Dreams in front of City Hall, which is free to use and looks magical lit up at night.

A woman enjoys her first cross-country ski of the season in Ottawa © Murray McComb / Getty Images

Get active in the snow

Ottawans don’t let frigid temperatures keep them indoors and neither should you. Dress warm and get out and active in the snow. If you have your own snowshoes, simply head out to any of the many trails across the city which feature snowshoe routes throughout winter. Bilberry Creek Ravine is an easy and picturesque 1.9km (1.1 miles) trail that crosses a river and pretty bridges. Check mountain equipment stores to rent snowshoes for the day or the week.

For cross-country skiing right in the heart of the city, head to the Mooney’s Bay Ski Centre where you’ll find 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) of groomed trails and can head out alone or take part in an organized lesson. You can also rent equipment here.

If you are already feeling confident on your skis, enjoy a day on the SJAM Trail. The Sir John A. Macdonald Winter Trail is a popular 16km (9.9 miles) trail used by a range of different winter sports enthusiasts and walkers. The trail takes you through busy, trendy neighborhoods and offers lots of spots to take a detour and stop for a drink or a bite to eat.

Fat bikes are often allowed on multi-use trails like the SJAM, but you should yield to cross-country skiers and snowshoers and respect trail etiquette. Try the South March Highlands in Kanata which has lots of trails to test out those hardwearing tires.

The Canadian Parliament building is illumnated against softly falling snow in winter © Bist / Shutterstock

See the sights

All the best-known Ottawa sights including the Parliament buildings, the famous Fairmont Château Laurier, the Rideau Canal, and the ByWard Market just seem more beautiful when covered in a frosty dusting of snow. 

Visit during December and see the city alight at night during the Christmas Lights Across Canada event. Thousands of lights twinkle along Confederation Boulevard and include the National War Memorial, the Garden of Provinces and Territories, and across to the Alexandra Bridge. This year there will also be a virtual IllumiNATION show, featuring Canadian artists, that anyone can access from home. Timing is limited on both events – they will only run until Jan 7 in 2021. And be sure to check local updates on COVID-19 safety precautions often.

Maple syrup is a sweet treat around Ottawa at the tail end of winter © kipgodi / Shutterstock

Taste the Season

At the tail end of winter in late February and early March, when daytime temperatures start to warm up a little, but the nights are still very cold, it’s the perfect time for the maple sap to flow and that’s when you should visit a sugar bush.

Check out Fulton’s Pancake House and Sugar Bush, and other locations just a short drive from the city. You can try maple taffy poured directly on the snow, go on a wagon ride, learn about maple syrup production, and enjoy a traditional hearty breakfast with lots of yummy maple products! Now, that’s the perfect way to enjoy a winter day in Ottawa.