One of the things I love about winter is the unique winter activities in Ottawa, from skating on the world’s largest outdoor skating rink to special winter festivals and magical winter trails and sights. Here are some amazing Ottawa winter activities to enjoy this season:
Bundle Up Before your Ottawa Winter Adventure
Before you head out on any adventures Ottawa winter, make sure you’re dressed properly. You can read all cold weather tips and apparel suggestions here so that you’re ready for Ottawa winter. My favourite items inside the guide is a list of the items that have kept me warm on all my winter adventures!
Go For A Magical Skate for Winter in Ottawa
This is one of my favourite things to do in Ottawa winter. From a beautiful winding forest to beside a brewery to the world’s largest skating rink, here are all the wonderful spots to skate for your Ottawa winter bucket list:
- Skate Through A Forest Trail (Outaouais) and learn about their torch light trail
- Skate Through an Apple Orchard (Metcalfe)
- Skate Beside A Brewery at Brasseur de Temps (Gatineau)
- Rideau Canal – The World’s Largest
- Lansdowne Park (Behind Aberdeen Pavilion)
- Rideau Hall (In Front of a historic building)
- Rink of Dreams (City Hall)
Enjoy A Winter Getaway
Stay in a stunning dome only 1.5 hours from Ottawa. Hillhaus Domes is the perfect winter staycation. Stay in your own private dome with 24/7 nature views! This would be the perfect getaway in any season, but you’ll feel like you’re in a snow globe watching the snow fall in winter. Soak up the views in your private hot tub and then cozy up by the fire inside. Each dome comes with a kitchenette with local coffee and a fully functioning bathroom. You’ll have everything you need inside. You can also borrow snowshoes and explore the grounds. Each dome fits up to 4 people. Book your stay here.
Go For An Ottawa Winter Hike
Explore new trails with snowy scenes in Ottawa this winter. Check out my guide of 20+ winter hikes to enjoy in Ottawa. From towering pine trees covered in snow to ruins tucked away in the forest, there are plenty of unique hiking trails to enjoy during Ottawa winter.
Cheer On The Ottawa Senators
Cheer on the Ottawa Senators live at a hockey game. There’s nothing like the in-game atmosphere from the themed games to cool bars to check out between periods. Make sure you visit the fan deck on level 2 where there’s a DJ and more. Grab your crew and head out for a fun night.
Go Dogsledding and Visit an Icy Waterfall
Join Aventure on their dogsledding day trip. This adventure is in the beautiful Petite-Nation region full of valleys and mountains. They’ll bring you to an amazing family-run dog sledding company that takes amazing care of their dogs, even the retired ones.
Not only does it include dogsledding but also a wintery waterfall (my favourite nearby waterfall) and wood-fired pizza. They
I went on an Aventure Outaouais Pontiac Wine & Cider Tour this summer and had an amazing time. Make sure to book in advance here. Your ticket includes everything from pickup/dropoff in downtown Gatineau/Ottawa, activities, and food.
Enjoy An Ottawa Winter Adventure Through A Cave, Zipline Trail and Forest
Head to Abraska in Outaouais for their snow adventure package. Start the adventure by exploring Laflèche Cave with a guide. You’ll find bats, ice stalactites and a consistent 4 degrees within the cave. This is followed by their giant zipline and snowshoeing through the forest. End the adventure by the fire with hot chocolate.
Relax at North America’s Largest Spa
Relax and unwind at Nordik Spa. I’ll admit, I’m not very good at relaxing, but I always feel so refreshed after leaving Nordik Spa. Spend the day cruising around their pools and saunas. I haven’t been when it’s snowing yet, but I’m sure it would be a magical experience to be in the pools as snowflakes fall down. It’s only a 10-minute drive from downtown Ottawa so catch an uber and enjoy some bites and beverages while you’re there. Their biërgarden has a wonderful variety of beers that you can enjoy in the panorama section that gives you a stunning view of the region.
Experience Canadian Wildlife at Parc Omega
Parc Omega is an activity I love in all seasons but I suggest going in winter to see the park covered in snow and spend some time with Canadian animals. As soon as you drive up you’re greeted by friendly deer. Drive through the parc and you’ll see arctic foxes, wolves, bison, deer, goats, coyotes, bears and more! Make sure to bring lots of apples and carrots to feed the animals. They’re super friendly and will stick their heads right in your car to say hello and get a treat. You’ll be guaranteed to be smiling the whole time (I know I was)!
Hit the Slopes at these Ski-Hills Near Ottawa
Looking for more things to do this winter in Ottawa? Below are some spots nearby you can go skiing or snowboarding. If you don’t have gear, not to worry, you can get rentals on location. Fun fact, I learned how to snowboard at Pakenham!
- Camp Fortune – You’ll find Camp Fortune 30 minutes north of downtown Ottawa inside Gatineau Park
- Mont Cascade – 48 minutes from downtown Ottawa in Cantley, Quebec
- Mount Pakenham – This is where I learned to snowboard. It’s perfect for beginners! You’ll find Mount Pakenham an hour west of downtown Ottawa.
- Sommet Edelweiss or Ski Vorlage – You’ll find these ski hills nestled into the charming Wakefield, 30 minutes from downtown Ottawa.
- Mont Tremblant – head here for a weekend getaway. These hills are the best around, and they have options for all levels. Enjoy the European-Esque ski village, chalets and all-around beautiful views. You’ll find Mont Tremblant, 2 hours east of downtown Ottawa.
Try Kiteboarding
I recently learned that Ottawa has a kiteboarding community full of enthusiasts who head out on a windy day to kiteboard! We did an intro lesson with Stanley of Pure Kiteboarding. This was my first time trying anything like this and I’ll be honest I was a bit nervous! We were in good hands with Stanley. He is very knowledgeable and made sure to explain all the safety measures and techniques of kiteboarding. He was patient as we learned and it was fun learning how to work with the wind and control the kite. The intro and first few lessons are on land so you can get the hang of the kite before you head out. It was fun watching the kiteboarders in the distance seeing how this sport could develop as you improve.
This activity is open to all skill levels! Suprisingly, it doesn’t take much upper body strength. Light pulls on the kite make a big difference, and it’s more about technique than strength. Stanley has taught people in their 70s how to kiteboard and I thought that was pretty inspiring!
You can book a lesson with Stanley here. He will also be speaking at the Nepean Sailing Club on Jan 20th or you can check out the Snow Squall Competition to see a glimpse of the excitement of kiteboarding.
Winter at an Ottawa Winery
Domaine Perrault needs to be on your radar! This Ottawa winery is always hosting fun events. Not only do they have a wonderful selection of wine and a beautiful vineyard, but their team is lovely and they have the cutest dogs on site too! Upcoming this season:
- Winter Snowshoe and Mulled Wine Tours: Join them on weekends for a snowshoe tour through the vines with their winemaker then warm up by the fire with a glass of mulled wine. Email or DM them on Instagram to book this experience.
- Valentine’s Day Themed:
- February 14th: Valentine’s Date at the Vineyard with wine, charcuterie, and live music
- February 15th: Galentine’s Brunch & Candle Painting: enjoy a delicious Valentine’s Day Board Brunch while getting creative painting candles
Winter Day Trips
Enjoy a magical winter day near Ottawa with these day trips:
Dine In A Dome Near Ottawa
Head to Arbru Brewery to enjoy beer and wood-fired pizza in your own private dome. They need to be reserved in advance. Check out my guide to 1000 Islands for ideas of more activities to add to this adventure.
Almonte Winter Day Trip
Almonte is a quaint town only 40 minutes from downtown Ottawa. Enjoy their scenic winter walks, main street and unique finds like the region’s best hot chocolate. Check out my full guide to Almonte before going.
Perth Winter Day Trip
Feel like you’re on a mini-trip to Europe with Perth’s picturesque parks and heritage buildings. There are over 100 shops and restaurants to explore, including a hidden alleyway cafe! Check out my full guide to Perth here.
Calabogie Winter Day Trip
Enjoy epic views all day long with a winter day trip in Calabogie. Hike to Eaglesnest Lookout for a stunning view of the valley below. Grab a cup of coffee at Oh-el-la Cafe. If you’re a skier or snowboarder check out Calabogie Ski Hill. End the day with sunset at Calabogie on the Rocks.
Snowshoe Through The Trees
Gatineau Park
Snowshoeing is on my Ottawa winter bucket list. There are some great options for trails in the capital in Gatineau Park has over 60 km of trails ranging from easy to difficult. It’s $8 to access the trails and they have snowshoe rentals on location. Find more details on rentals here: Gatineau Park, Relais Plein Air. Find some trail recommendations in my winter hike blog.
Snowshoe Under The Stars with Aventure Outaouais
Choose from one of these magical tours and snowshoe in Gatineau Park under the stars:
Join Aventure Outaouais on a Tour of Gatineau Park under the stars as their experienced and knowledgeable guides take you on an epic nocturnal snowshoeing trip in Gatineau Park with only headlamps as our source of light.
You’ll snowshoe through the trees to a cozy cabin for dinner. Warm up in the cabin with a delicious warm soup with grilled cheeses and dessert. You’ll be with an experienced guide, and all equipment will be provided. The journey is 5km roundtrip and around 3 hours total. Pickup/dropoff is in downtown Gatineau/Ottawa. Book your adventure in advance here.
Snowshoe at the Green Belt
The Green Belt has multiple locations where you can snowshoe for free, including Mer Blue and Stony Swamp conservation areas. Find which trails to do in my winter trails blog.
Spend An Afternoon Cross Country Skiing
Gatineau Park has one of the largest networks of cross-country ski trails in North America. There are over 50 trails with different difficulty levels. The Green Belt has over 150km of cross-country ski trails. There are multiple locations that can all be accessed for free.
Go Winter Camping
Love camping? Don’t wait until summer and try out Ottawa winter camping. Spend your day snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in Gatineau Park and then spend your night winter camping. Gatineau Park has four season yurt’s, cabins and tents available.
Toboggan Down A Hill
Feel like a kid again or bring your kids tobogganing. Bundle up, grab your sled and head to one of these toboggan hills during Ottawa winter.
Tubing Around Ottawa
Feel like a kid again as you slide down snowy slides at these tubing spots around Ottawa:
Tubing at Winterlude
During Winterlude, head to Snowflake Kingdon in Jacques Cartier Parc for tons of outdoor fun including snowslides and more.
Sommet Edelweiss
This tubing spot is closest to Ottawa. Enjoy 4 tubing slides at Sommet Edelweiss. Afterwards, spend some time exploring the cute town of Wakeifeld with this guide.
Domaine de l’Ange-Gardien
This spot is 2 hours from Ottawa but if you’re looking to go tubing its worth it because they have x
Domaine de L’Ange Gardien has 8 different tubing slides you can enjoy. While you’re there you can also enjoy sleigh rides, a sugar shack, nature trails and more. You’ll find it 37 minutes east of downtown Ottawa.
Parc Des Montagnes Noires de Ripon
Enjoy lots of different activities including tubing at Parc des Montagnes Noires de Ripon. The park has three lanes for tubing and two lanes for sledding. You can bring your own or rent on location. While you’re there you can also enjoy fatbiking, cross country skiing, a lookout tower for a panoramic view and more. I visited the tower once in summer and you’ll get a stunning panoramic view from the top.
Enjoy Winterlude in Ottawa
Winterlude is a three-week celebration of winter that takes place in Ottawa every February. From ice sculpting to ice skating parties, Winterlude turns Ottawa into a winter playground full of cool activities. Check out the calendar and head to some events whether its browsing the ice sculptures on Sparks Street, light installations in ByWard Market, Aurora Festive Winter Experience and more.
Enjoy Maple Syrup At A Maple Farm
From February 15th to April 19th, get your maple syrup fix at Fulton’s Pancake House & Sugar Bush. Nestled in Pakenham, head out for the day and learn about how maple syrup is made, its discovery and Fulton’s history. Check out my full guide of everything you can’t miss there including sleigh rides, delicious maple treats and more. It’s a fun Ottawa winter activity that I try and do every year.
Go on a Winter Road Trip
Check out my road trip guide to find a destination close by that’s perfect for a road trip. Whether it’s a ski trip to Tremblant, romantic Quebec City, winter winery tours or historic Boston, there’s plenty of cool spots to head to. Destinations in my guide range from 40 mins to 7 hours away.
Julia started Little Miss Ottawa as a way to explore her hometown as a traveller would. She’s always planning her next adventure, whether it’s local or abroad. You’ll find her exploring with her camera in hand. She hopes Little Miss Ottawa helps bring you on new and fun adventures. Happy exploring :)
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I’ve always wanted to go dogsledding, and a visit to a maple farm is a yearly must!