Canada’s capital city often gets overlooked, but after spending a weekend in Ottawa, I’m convinced more people should visit! The city feels strangely quiet on weekends, but there is still plenty to do. Here you’ll find a two-to-three-day itinerary for Ottawa, along with some restaurant suggestions and general tips for visiting O-Town.

You should know:

• Some businesses and restaurants will be closed on weekends, since they cater to the business crowd
• ByWard Market and Downtown Ottawa are two of the best neighbourhoods for tourists to stay in
• Many of the things to do in Ottawa are within walking distance of each other, so you may not need to rent a car

Ottawa Day 1 Itinerary (Partial Day)

Whether you fly or drive into the city, you’ll likely only have a partial day when you arrive (however, if you have a full day, consider skipping right to day 2). I think this is the perfect chance to get the lay of the land! Ottawa is a pretty walkable city and generally pretty easy to navigate. 

Now is a great time to check out the grounds around Parliament Hill and the free Bank of Canada Museum. 

Bank of Canada Museum

• Cost: Free
• Tickets: Visit the welcome desk when you arrive

If you’re interested in money (I am a personal finance writer, after all), the Bank of Canada Museum is a great stop! The museum is super interactive, and I enjoyed learning about the history of money and Canadian economics. 

Haunted Walk of Ottawa

• Cost: $29.99 per adult, $21.99 for youth up to age 14 (discounts apply on tours from Monday to Wednesday)
• Tickets: Book your spot online or at the office located at 46 ½ Sparks Street, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5A8

If you’re as into ghost tours as I am, Ottawa has a wonderful ghost tour through The Haunted Walk. This tour takes approximately an hour and 15 minutes and will take you to several locations throughout the city, highlighting important Ottawa history and its haunting stories.

I’ve personally taken a lot of ghost tours, and this one was a highlight of my Ottawa trip. The tour guide was knowledgeable, and I learned a lot about Ottawa’s history.

If you’re searching for more spooky or historic tours, Haunted Walk also offers a hotel tour of the Fairmont Château Laurier, a Ghosts of Bytown Museum tour, and even an opportunity to explore the Billings Estate National Historic Site for a paranormal experiment! 

Ottawa Day 2 Itinerary (Museum Day)

Ottawa is full of great museums; feel free to mix and match the museums you visit depending on your interests!

House of Commons at West Block

• Cost: Free
• Tickets: Book online in advance and arrive 45 minutes in advance for security screening

While the main Parliament Building, Centre Block, is currently closed for renovations (and isn’t estimated to reopen until 2032!), you can still visit the House of Commons, currently located in West Block.

On the guided tour, you’ll see the House of Commons and a committee room while learning how the Canadian Parliamentary system works and the building’s history. The tour takes approximately 40 minutes, and you’ll start and finish in the Visitor Welcome Centre, which includes a gift shop, washrooms, coat racks and water fountains. 

I personally really enjoyed the tour. As a Canadian, it’s important to me to understand how Parliament works, and seeing where it all takes place was worthwhile!

Senate of Canada

• Cost: Free
• Tickets: Book online in advance and arrive 25 minutes in advance for security screening

The Senate of Canada is also in a temporary home in the former Ottawa Train Station, just across the street from the Fairmont Château Laurier. The Senate tour includes a visit to the Upper Chamber Room and a committee room, while learning how the Senate operates and the history of the Ottawa Train Station building. 

I enjoyed this tour as well. The tour locations for the Senate and House of Commons are close together, so you could schedule them back-to-back.

Explore Rideau Canal

• Cost: Free (paid canal boat tours available)

After exploring Parliament, you’ll definitely want to spend some time exploring outside. The Rideau Canal National Historic Site is an important landmark in Ottawa and is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America. You can walk along the canal and read the plaques near canal locks 1 through 8. 

A canal boat tour is another great way to see the Rideau Canal and learn more about its history. While I can’t personally recommend a company from personal experience, Ottawa Boat Cruises comes highly recommended! Their boats are 100% electric, and they have been in operation for over 40 years. Ticket rates fluctuate by day but start at $48 per adult and $36 per child for ages 3 to 11.

If you happen to be visiting in the winter, the Rideau Canal turns into a giant ice-skating rink when the weather allows. If you didn’t pack skates, no worries! You can rent skates, helmets, and even sleighs and kicksleds. 

Evening Activity: Show at the National Arts Centre

If you’re searching for an evening activity in Ottawa, check out what’s playing at the National Arts Centre! They have numerous events throughout the year, including concerts, plays, orchestra performances, comedy shows, and workshops. 

We travelled to Ottawa to see Beetlejuice the Musical, which was a travelling Broadway production, and it was fantastic! 

Other Ottawa Museum Options

There are so many museum options in Ottawa. Feel free to mix and match museums to your interests!

• National Gallery
• Bytown Museum
• Canadian Museum of Nature
• Canada Science and Technology Museum
• Canadian War Museum
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum
• Canada Agriculture and Food Museum
• Billings Estate National Historic Site
• Ottawa Art Gallery
• Museum of Classical Antiquities

Ottawa Day 3 Itinerary (Food & More Museums)

Welcome to your last day in Ottawa! Yes, more museums, but today is balanced with a lot of walking and some great food!

Major’s Hill Park

• Cost: Free

Hopefully it’s a nice day to wander through the park! Major’s Hill Park in downtown Ottawa was the first park in the city, and we enjoyed strolling through on our way to the ByWard Market area. Don’t miss visiting in the spring when the tulips are in bloom!

The northern end of the park is home to Header House, which used to be part of the Major’s Hill Park greenhouse complex, but today you’ll find the popular Tavern on the Hill. We didn’t stop by (since we were on our way to a food tour), but it is on my list for my next visit! The Tavern offers a great seasonal patio with views of Parliament and other Ottawa landmarks.

Behind the National Gallery and near the Alexandra Bridge Lookout at the far end of Major’s Hill Park is Kìwekì Point, which was newly opened when we visited. Situated on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabeg Nation, this spot offers some great views and the chance to learn more about the area through interpretive panels. 

Ottawa Food Tour/ ByWard Market

• Cost: $120 per person
• Tickets: Book online in advance

I’m a massive fan of food tours, but it can be challenging to find a food tour that can accommodate food allergies and a vegetarian diet. Luckily, we found an amazing company.

We booked the Taste of the ByWard Market Tour with C’est Bon Ottawa and had the best experience. Our tour took us to six different food stops around the ByWard Market District. I won’t spoil exactly where we went on our tour (but if you want to know, send me an email or DM me on Instagram!) 

Want to make your own food tour? The ByWard Market District has so many restaurants, it will be difficult to choose! Scroll below to see some of my Ottawa restaurant suggestions.

Royal Canadian Mint Tour

• Cost: $12 per adult, $8 for children, free for Indigenous Peoples and active and retired Canadian military members
• Tickets: Request online in advance or book at the boutique

Another money experience! Are you getting a sense of my interests? The Royal Canadian Mint Tour is a great way to learn about the creation of our Canadian coins, and you may even see some coins in production on your tour. You’ll walk along the hallways, which give you a bird’s-eye view of the production floor. As our financial world becomes more digitized every day, it’s fun to learn about actual physical money!

Ottawa Restaurant Suggestions

There are so many great restaurants in Ottawa that I couldn’t possibly list them all. However, here are a few of the places where we personally ate and enjoyed:

• Deccan Delights – South Indian food, everything we had was delicious, and the portions were great! 
• Bier Markt – A great place to grab a drink with some friends
• SconeWitch – I love a good cup of tea! Drop in for a scone or have a “SconeWitch” – a sandwich made with a scone
• Cocotte Bistro – This French bistro had such lovely vibes, and our dinner was delicious, although it is on the pricier side
• Zak’s Diner – There are four Zak’s Diner locations in Ottawa, and we actually ate here twice. The servings are huge, and we really enjoyed the classic diner atmosphere. On Friday and Saturday, the ByWard Market location is open 24 hours for late-night food!
• Shafali Bazaar – Inside the ByWard market, there are many food spots to choose from, but in my experience, Shafali Bazaar is the best. The Tikka wrap is one of the best things I’ve ever eaten!
• Piccolo Grande – Now, for dessert, the gelato is authentic and delicious. Unfortunately, I do have to say that my husband didn’t feel safe enough to eat here with his nut allergy, but we’re used to that at ice-cream or gelato places!
• BeaverTails – Last, but not least, when in Ottawa, you must have a BeaverTail. Of course, now there are many BeaverTail locations across Canada; the original can be found in the Byward Market. Locals told us that their favourite time to have a BeaverTail is from the hut on the frozen Rideau Canal in the winter. Although there are many, many flavours to choose from, my favourite will always be the Killaloe Sunrise: cinnamon, sugar, and a slice of lemon to squeeze over the top

Other Things to Do in Ottawa

If you haven’t noticed from my itinerary, Ottawa is heavy on museums, and there were a few we didn’t get to visit on this trip. But, if museums aren’t your jam, there are plenty of other things to do in Ottawa! So many things that I can’t wait to plan my next trip.

• Escape from The Diefenbunker – About 30 minutes from downtown Ottawa, you’ll find the Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum. The museum itself looks interesting; however, what caught our attention is that this museum turns into an escape room on certain evenings and weekends. 
• Stay at the Ottawa Jail Hostel – Although I’m not usually a hostel person, I may make an exception for the Ottawa Jail Hostel! Staying here includes breakfast, organized activities and a free jail tour. Not staying overnight? You can still book a jail tour!
• Tour the Château Laurier – Although staying at the Château Laurier might be slightly outside of my budget, it is possible to tour the hotel! Secrets of the Château Laurier tours take place twice daily, and you’ll get to learn about the hotel, people who have stayed here, and a few secrets and hidden gems. Plus, you can always book an afternoon tea or eat at one of the restaurants. 
• CF Rideau Centre – If you need to do any shopping in Ottawa, head to the CF Rideau Centre, a three-storey mall just one block away from Parliament Hill. 

Final Thoughts on Ottawa

Ottawa doesn’t always get much love from travellers. Still, I have to say that Ottawa has everything I want when travelling: history, walkability, great food options, and a ghost tour (kidding-not-kidding on that last one). 

I hope you find this two (and a half) day itinerary in Ottawa helpful! Feel free to make it your own by swapping museums, adding different experiences, or getting out of the downtown area for a more complete view of Ottawa.

Ottawa FAQs

How many days are enough to visit Ottawa?

There are plenty of things to do in Ottawa, but a two-day trip is enough to see many of Ottawa’s landmarks and museums. If you want to explore more outside of the downtown and ByWard market area, stay for four or five days.

What is the best month to visit Ottawa?

In general, May to September is the best time to visit, but keep in mind that summer can be hot and crowded. To visit during the tulip festival, plan your Ottawa trip in early to mid-May.

What to do in Ottawa for free?

Free attractions in Ottawa include visiting Parliament (House of Commons at West Block and the Senate of Canada tours), the Bank of Canada Museum, the Rideau Canal National Historic Site, and Major’s Hill Park. Some museums, such as the National Gallery and the Canadian Museum of Nature, offer free admission on specific dates and at certain times.