CANADA · REGION
The Canadian classics.
The 15 most popular ottawa tours, with what each one actually includes, who runs it, and what you will pay.
Amphibious bus in Ottawa: bilingual 1-hour tour with Parliament sights on land and an Ottawa River cruise toward Gatineau.
“Our guide Sarah was amazing! Very informative (even for someone like me who is from Ottawa) with the perfect touch of humour! I would highly recommend the amphibus for tourists and locals!”
A 90-minute Ottawa River cruise with live bilingual narration, iconic sights from the water, and great photo angles for $39.
“I loved how our guide Andy was cheerful and provided us with so much insightful information on the landmarks. She was the highlight of the trip as well as the sightseeing itself.”
A 90-minute electric Rideau Canal cruise from downtown Ottawa, with bilingual live commentary on 30+ historic sites and landmarks.
“I believe our guides name was Caleb although (if it’s a bad review my name is Greg) stuck in my head lol so I had trouble remembering if his real name was Caleb or Craig or something else. Hopefully if he reads this he knows it’s him! He was a lot of fun and very…”
Ottawa hop-on hop-off bus pass from Sparks St. See Parliament and ByWard Market with bilingual live narration, flexible stops, 1 or 2 days.
“Our guide was both engaging and entertaining. The trip was smooth and relaxing with no faults at all. Highly recommend the tour as a fast way to see the highlights of Ottawa.”
Electric, guided 90-minute Rideau Canal cruise from Ottawa’s National Arts Centre with UNESCO views of Dow’s Lake, Château Laurier and locks.
“Great way to get background info on Ottawa, on the canal that brought it into existence. Restful as well.”
Bilingual Ottawa boat cruise with deck views of Parliament, Supreme Court, Mint, and Rideau Falls, plus onboard drinks and snacks.
“Great way to end the day in Ottawa. We took the 7pm tour and it was great to catch sunset and learn about Ottawa.”
An hour-long land-and-water Amphibus tour linking Ottawa and Gatineau. See key sights from land and river with a bilingual guide.
“It was a fun and educational tour. We enjoyed. It was well arranged and easy to access. If you like history and fun stories it is awesome to go this tour. Tour lady Kristine helped a lot”
Hop on an open-top bus or trolley for Ottawa’s top sights, photo stops, and easy hop-on hop-off flexibility from Gray Line.
“Emile was an excellent tour guide with a wealth of knowledge about the city & a nice, relaxed way of relating stories. Myself, my sister & my 2 friends & really enjoyed the tour. We even got over to Gatineau, so my friends could say they’ve been to Québec!”
Lantern-lit haunted night walk in Ottawa’s downtown. 75 minutes of cloaked storytelling about Grant House, Château Laurier, and secrets.
“Véronique was a great guide! Her stories were interesting and well narrated. Merci!”
Pedal Ottawa in 2 hours on an Express city bike tour. Bike, helmet, and water included, plus Rideau Canal, War Memorial, Parliament views.
“Great tour of the city! Got to see many places I wouldn't have seen otherwise and learnt a lot of history. Would definitely recommend!”
Lantern-lit haunted walk in downtown Ottawa with a storyteller guide, visiting Château Laurier, Rideau Canal, Bytown landmarks, and Lisgar.
“Tour was enjoyable and well guided, and the guide was clearly experienced in doing that. Stories were interesting and our guide always found stairs or benches so we could sit during the tour, which was greatly appreciated. However, this tour is more about the stories (ghost, paranormal) than anything fact-based about the buildings or monuments.”
Ottawa River rafting from Foresters Falls. Small-group rapids, included gear, BBQ lunch, and video footage in about 8 hours.
“Just an all around great day , the trail mix was a little stale though lol 😂 but seriously the entire team was just fantastic. I’ll do it again but I will do the smaller raft and get the full experience now that I know what to expect.”
Skip the guessing game with a self-paced day at Ottawa’s Canadian War Museum, from Moriyama’s regeneration design to Memorial Hall.
“Very well organized, good flow of the exhibition. Very clean.”
Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa: historic castle, blue whale skeleton, Arctic gallery, live bugs and tide pools, plus Butterflies in Flight.
“Beautiful building and all of the exhibits were excellent!”
Fly 120 feet over Ottawa River, crossing Ontario to Quebec near downtown. 30 minutes, safety gear, video option.
“Great! I’m 68 and was treating my grandson and was a little apprehensive. However once we took off, it was great! Will go again.”
