Having a holiday in the winter is something that you can enjoy a lot, but many of you are afraid of cold also. However, no matter how scary the thought seems, you can always enjoy playing in the snow and have thousands of pictures taken in the activity. Also, when are going for winter in Ottawa, you will find so many places to visit with your other half. So, this winter get your warm jacket on and spend some days in Ottawa.
Winter In Ottawa: 11 Places To Visit
Here are some of the places to visit in Ottawa in winter if you want to enjoy the charm of this winter wonderland in Canada.
1. Parc Omega
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This is a wild park situated just one hour from Ottawa. This is one of the best places to visit in Ottawa in winter. Here, you face nature and that too in the winter season. You can visit this place with your family, set for a hiking trail, set up a picnic, anything you want.
As for the wildlife, you will get to see elk, wolves, bison, and get a close look at the Bears. All of the animals are roaming in the natural environment. Also, you must not miss the birds of prey show, the canoe building, daily wolves presentation, pony rides and so on.
Address: 399 QC-323, Montebello, QC J0V 1L0, Canada
Timing: Monday To Sunday (10 am to 5 pm)
How to reach: The best way to get to Parc Omega is by taxi and it will cost you $11.
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2. Gatineau Park
When you are looking for Ottawa winter activities, you can always visit Gatineau Park. This park is 361 square kilometers, and the main entryway is situated 4 km downtown Ottawa. However, the entire green place turns white in the winter, but you can visit it for fun in the snow. You can go biking on several trails, skiing, and snowshoeing. All of these activities can be done in this park in Ottawa.
Address: Gatineau / Les Collines-de-l’Outaouais Regional County Municipality, Quebec, Canada
Timing: Monday to Friday (9 am to 2:30 pm )
How to reach: The affordable way to reach this park is by cab, which will take $6.
3. Nordik Spa-Nature
All-day snow activities and no rest! That can’t happen. When you are visiting Ottawa in winter with your better half, you need some time of peace and comfort. The Nordik spa falls among the best romantic things to do in Ottawa in winter. The spa is just 10 minutes away from Downtown Ottawa.
It is also the largest North American spa which includes outdoor saunas, eateries, outdoor and indoor relaxation places, a beer garden with a terrace. You will get numerous pampering activities here, and by the sauna, the jet lag of yours and your partner’s will wash away immediately.
Address: 16 Nordic Road, Chelsea, QC J9B 2P7
Timing: Sunday to Thursday (9 am to 11 pm), Friday and Saturday (9 am to midnight)
How to reach: The spa is a 10-minute walk on downtown Ottawa, and 20-minutes drive down to the place.
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4. Rideau Canal
The canal is one of the main attractions in Ottawa. This connects Lake Ontario with Saint Lawrence river. The water of the canal freezes and turns into the largest skating rink in the winter season. If you love to skate, you can always visit this place, or just watch people enjoying the fun activity. You can enjoy fried doughnut at the bank of Rideau canal, and sip on the hot beverage.
Address: Ottawa, ON, Canada
Timing: Everyday (10 am to 4 pm)
How to reach the canal you can get a car or a bus from Toronto.
5. The Canadian Museum of Nature
Museums are one of the best places to visit when you are in Canada. Here, you will get to see the four displays of Botany, zoology, paleontology, and geology. The museum has eight galleries and includes earth, fossil, mammal, Canadian goose arctic, Canadian garden, stone wall, bird, water and nature live galleries. The highlights of the museum are the 3D movies, dinosaur fossils, blue whale skeleton. If you are visiting with your kid, they will be thrilled by the displays.
Address: 240 McLeod St, Ottawa, ON K2P 2R1
Timing: every day (9 am to 6 pm)
How to reach: The museum is a 20-minute walk from Parliament Hill. You can take bus routes 5, 6, 14, or 7.
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6. National Gallery of Canada
This gallery has the best collection in Canada. It contains American, Canadian, and European artists’ paintings, sculptures, drawings, and photographs. If you love art, you will be mesmerized by the collection of renowned artists like Emily Carr, Tom Thomson, and so on. Lorenzo Lotto’s ‘Madonna and Child with Saint Rich and Saint Sebastian’ will also be seen.
Address: 380 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 9N4, Canada
Timing: Monday to Wednesday and Friday (10 am to 6 pm), Thursday (10 am to 8 pm)
How to reach: You can easily walk to the gallery from the Byward market.
7. Canadian Museum of History
History is the part that entices all, and the Canadian Museum of History is no exception. This place is near the Gatineau, just across the Ottawa River. The museum collection mainly deals with the cultural history of the people of Canada. You will get expert staff and guides inside the place who will tell you about the things displayed in the museum. You will see the history of folk culture, archaeology, and ethnology. Here, you will get some nice exhibition halls, such as the Grand Hall, the First People’s Hall, the Canadian History Hall and so on. The Grand Hall is filled with architectural wonders, mainly featured on the panoramic windows and walls, giving a view of the river and Parliament Hill.
Address: 100 Laurier St, Gatineau, QC K1A 0M8
Timing: Monday to Wednesday and Friday (9 am to 6 pm), Thursdays (9 am to 8 pm)
How to reach: You can reach the museum by bus: 105, 44, 85
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8. Ottawa Little Theatre
This is the oldest community playhouse in Canada. The foundation of this place was in 1913, and then it was known as the Ottawa Drama League. The place is a representation of classic plays theatre. You will watch the nine-play season, which shows mystery, farce, drama, and comedy. Here, you will find several paintings displayed. You can always find your way into the theatre with your better half and enjoy the evening in a classy way.
Address: 400 King Edward Ave, Ottawa, ON K1N 7M7
Timing: Every day (11 am to 8 pm)
How to reach: The place is walking from the Byward market.
9. Byward Market
This is one of the famous markets in Ottawa, and even in the winter season, you will find yourself strolling around the place and buying things. This market is situated in downtown Ottawa and has 600 businesses flourishing there. You will find many bars, eateries, retail stores, and boutiques to visit. In the wintertime, the place is decorated with Christmas lights, and you will get tired of taking pictures here. All the restaurants and sweet shops stay open the whole night, and you can enjoy various hot drinks from the warm cafes. You can visit a restaurant in the Byward market and have a delicious Italian dinner.
Address: Ottawa, ON, Canada
Timing: Every day (6 am to 6 pm)
How to reach: The nearest railway station to Byward is Rideau, and you can walk from there to the market. It will just take 3 minutes. If you are coming from Rideau Sussex, then it will only take 5 minutes.
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10. Mayfair Theater
What’s a visit to Ottawa without visiting the Mayfair theatre? This is the oldest place, since 1932. If you are here, you will get to watch cult classics as Rocky Horror Pictures each Halloween. Also, there are independent movies and family matinees. You will undoubtedly feel nostalgic for the movie shows in Mayfair. So, grab a bucket of popcorn and enjoy the film at Mayfair Theatre.
Address: 1074 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3X3, Canada
Timing: Every day (10 pm to 1 pm)
How to reach: You can get to the theatre by taking the number-135 bus.
11. Notre Dame
Founded in 1345, Notre Dame is a national historic site of Canada. If you do not visit this place, your Ottawa tour in winter will be incomplete. Public ceremonies and masses are held here, and in the wintertime, the church is decorated during Christmas. You will see the fantastic beauty of Christmastime in Notre Dame.
Address: 385 Sussex Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 1J9, Canada
Timing: Every day (9 am to 6 pm)
How to reach: This place is located on Sussex Drive. If you are coming from the ByWard Market, it will take you just 5 minutes to walk there.
Ottawa Weather In Winter
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Winter in Ottawa begins as early as October and stay till late April. The first snowfall occurs in the month of November. Even during the months of May, one can see dumps of snow during their visit. The temperature in winter in Ottawa becomes cold and freezing. The sky stays mostly cloudy, and it drops down to -14 degrees Celsius to to 80°F. You need to gear up with all your warm clothes and be ready to face the chilled weather.
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Canada is not just maple leaves and Quebec. It’s more than that. Ottawa is another perfect place in this country where you can have so much fun on your vacation in Canada, whether it’s winter or summer. Visiting Ottawa in winter with your family or spouse will be the best decision of your life. Take lots of pictures and indulge in exciting experiences.
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Frequently asked questions about winter in Ottawa.
What is there to do in Ottawa in February?
You could go skiing on the Rideau Canal, attend the Ottawa Winter Brewfest and Winterlude Festival, or visit the Nordik Spa-nature.
What can you do in Ottawa for free?
You could hit the beach in Ottawa, take a stroll in Lansdowne Park, or visit the museums in Ottawa that have free entry. You could also check out local festivals that may not have an entry fee. Andrew Haydon Park is another place you could visit in Ottawa for free.
Where can I snowshoe in Ottawa?
If you want to enjoy snowshoeing in Ottawa, check out these places for fun:
1. Old Quarry and Stony Swamp Trail Loop
2. Stoney Creek South Loop
3. Rideau Trail through Monaghan Forest
4. Mer Bleue Conservation Area Loop Trail
5. Pine Grove Trail
6. Beaver Trail and Chipmunk Trail
7. Jack Pine Short Loop
8. Old Quarry Trail
Does it snow in Ottawa Canada?
You will get the first snow in November in Ottawa, but it starts to show up in October. Ottawa gets snow-free from June to August. Also, you might get a fleet of snow in September, but that melts away to quickly.
Is Ottawa colder than Toronto?
Ottawa stays colder by 5 degrees Celsius than Toronto in the winter months. However, the town stays 2 centigrade colder than Ottawa in summer. The lakes in this city freezes because Ottawa is 7 centigrade colder than other places in Canada. If you love the cold and the snow, you must first visit Ottawa in winter times and it will fulfill all your fun snow activities.
What is there to do indoors in Ottawa in winter?
If you are looking for some indoor fun in Ottawa in winter, then here are some ideas:
1. Paint Nite
2. Laser Quest
3. Aquatopia Conservatory
4. Level One
5. House of TARG
6. Feline Café
7. Hintonburg Pottery
8. OCR Academy
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