Winter weekend in Ottawa — where do locals go?

Standouts right now: ByWard Market, Gatineau Park, Rideau Canal. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Ottawa and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.

Is this Ottawa winter weekend list updated?

Yes — we rotate picks as new spots open and old ones fade, and seasonal entries shift with the calendar. Last refreshed within the past few weeks.

Anything else worth doing in Ottawa this weekend?

Plenty — our weekend concierge cross-references food, live music, weather and the rest of Ottawa's open venues to build a full 2-day plan around any of these picks.

theme.winter-weekend.label · Ottawa

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Loved by 3.5k locals137 plans built this week

Top spots in Ottawa

ByWard Market
Food & Drink
ByWard
BeaverTails, farmers stalls and late-night patios.
Gatineau Park
Outdoors
Gatineau
Lakes, 165 km of trails, peak fall colour.
Rideau Canal
Family
Centretown
Pedal boats in summer, 7.8 km skate in winter.
National Gallery
Culture
ByWard
Giant spider out front, Group of Seven inside.
Westboro Beach
Family
Westboro
Sandy river beach with a great little café.
Commissioners Park Tulips
Outdoors
Dows Lake
300,000 tulips peak mid-May.
Winterlude BeaverTail crawl
Family
Canal
Skate, ice sculptures, hot chocolate — repeat.

Where to eat

Atelier
$$$$
Molecular tasting · Hintonburg
44 surprise courses — Ottawa's most experimental.
Riviera
$$$
Modern Canadian · Downtown
Old bank turned glittery brasserie.
El Camino
$$
Mexican street · Elgin
Tacos and mezcal, basement vibes.
Beckta
$$$$
Canadian tasting · Centretown
Wine country in a Victorian mansion.

Frequently asked

Standouts right now: ByWard Market, Gatineau Park, Rideau Canal. The shortlist is curated by people who live in Ottawa and refreshed regularly so it reflects what's actually open and worth your time.

Winter weekend in nearby cities

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Top spots in Ottawa

ByWard Market

Gatineau Park

Rideau Canal

National Gallery

Westboro Beach

Commissioners Park Tulips

Winterlude BeaverTail crawl

Where to eat

Atelier

Riviera

El Camino

Beckta

Frequently asked

Winter weekend in nearby cities

More Ottawa weekend ideas

theme.winter-weekend.label in other cities