Discover the Capital 1 Day Hop-On Hop-Off or a 2 Day Hop On Hop Off. Exciting daily departures from 10 am to 4 pm during low season.
Experience Ottawa like never before with guided tours that bring Canada’s capital to life. Whether you prefer a hop-on hop-off bus, a walking tour through historic neighbourhoods, a bike ride along the waterfront, or a scenic cruise on the Rideau Canal, Ottawa has options for every pace and interest.
Ottawa Bus Tours
See more of Ottawa in less time with a guided bus tour. Hop-on hop-off options let you explore major landmarks at your own pace, while knowledgeable guides share stories about Parliament Hill, Confederation Boulevard, Sussex Drive, and more. Whether you want a one-day loop or a two-day pass, bus tours are a flexible way to sightsee without worrying about parking or navigation.
Book a bus tour in Ottawa
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Lady Dive Tours
AmphibusLady Dive: bilingual one hour city tours on both land and water. A spectacular way to visit Ottawa and view more than 75 different attractions sites.
Ottawa Walking Tours
Walking tours offer an up-close look at Ottawa’s history, culture, and hidden corners. Stroll through Parliament Hill’s surroundings, explore the ByWard Market, or join themed tours on food, art, and social history. These tours are perfect for travelers who want a more personal connection to the city and plenty of time to snap photos along the way.
Book a walking tour in Ottawa
Ottawa Free Tours
Ottawa Free Tours offer one of the best walking tours of downtown Ottawa.
Ottawa Walking Tours
Ottawa Walking Tours is dedicated to letting our experienced, professional multilingual guides acquaint you with the history and charm of our beautiful city.
The Haunted Walk
Take a lantern-lit walking tour of some of Ottawa's most haunted locations and learn their ghostly stories, or enjoy paranormal adventures and tales at home.
Peoples' History Walking Tours
Our tours provide participants with an unforgettable learning experience that focuses on the lives and experiences of the people who actually built Ottawa (and Canada) but who are usually overlooked by official history.
ToursByLocals.com
Connecting visitors with local guides, worldwide. ToursByLocals is a Canadian company that provides private, personalized tours in 159 countries around the world.
Ottawa Food & Drink Tours
Taste your way through Ottawa with a food and drink tour. Guided and self-guided experiences are available from select operators. Ottawa’s food tours combine storytelling, neighbourhood exploration, and delicious stops at local restaurants, bakeries, and markets. To spice up your itinerary, check out a brewery or bar crawl to explore the capital’s top watering holes.
Book a food or drink tour in Ottawa
C'est Bon Ottawa
Join food tours and cooking classes to experience the many flavours of Canada’s capital region and learn about local food producers and artisans.
Brew Donkey Tours
Meet brewers and sample lots of craft beers on a full-day or half-day tour of Ottawa-area breweries, brewpubs and bars with Brew Donkey Tours.
Ottawa's Most Unique
A vibrant foodie community dedicated to exploring and celebrating the diverse culinary offerings in Ottawa through tours, reviews and interviews.
Thursty Pedaler
Help pedal a 15-person bike to three pubs and craft breweries in Ottawa’s vibrant Glebe neighbourhood on a one-of-a-kind tour. Get your heart pumping and enjoy a tasty beverage at each stop!
Ottawa Palapa Tours
Looking for a tropical way to experience the Ottawa River? Float on a Hawaiian-style hut while enjoying great scenery and drinks with friends.
Ottawa Bike Tours
Explore Ottawa’s extensive network of cycling paths with a guided bike tour. You’ll cover more ground than on foot while still enjoying a relaxed pace, with stops at scenic lookouts, historic sites, and riverside pathways. Local guides share insider tips and fascinating stories that bring the city to life.
Book a bicycle tour in Ottawa
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Escape Bicycle Tours & Rentals
Join scheduled daily bike tours led by Ottawa locals or rent a bike, e-bike, scooter or boat and create your own adventure. -
RentABike
Over 200 bicycles and accessories to choose from for all ages, sizes and routes. -
ToursByLocals.com
Connecting visitors with local guides, worldwide. ToursByLocals is a Canadian company that provides private, personalized tours in 159 countries around the world.
Ottawa Boat Tours
See Ottawa from a new perspective with a guided boat cruise. Ride an electric vessel along the Rideau Canal, take a scenic Ottawa River tour, or enjoy an amphibious bus that splashes from land into water. Ottawa boat tours run primarily during warmer months and are a great way to experience the city’s architecture and waterfront views.
Book a boat tour in Ottawa
Lady Dive Tours
AmphibusLady Dive: bilingual one hour city tours on both land and water. A spectacular way to visit Ottawa and view more than 75 different attractions sites.
Ottawa Boat Cruise – Rideau Canal Cruise
Enjoy a cruise through Ottawa on the Rideau Canal and learn about the waterway’s unique history and heritage while aboard a fully electric vessel.
Ottawa Boat Cruise – Paul’s Boat Line
Our Ottawa River tour offers the finest views along the Ottawa River.
Water Taxi Eh
Hop on an eco-friendly and quiet water taxi for a quick and picturesque ride on the Ottawa River between downtown Ottawa and Gatineau.
Ottawa Yacht Tours
Escape the crowds and see Ottawa's sights from a new perspective on a leisurely yacht tour on the Ottawa River. Each boat fits up to a dozen passengers!
Le Boat
Explore the entire length or a section of the scenic Rideau Canal between Kingston and Ottawa from the comfort of a private, self-drive luxury houseboat.
1000 Islands Cruises Rockport
Discover exhilarating panoramic views and the rugged nature of the Thousand Islands.
Ontario Waterway Cruises
Ontario Waterway Cruises Inc. operates the Kawartha Voyageur cruise ship which provides 5 day voyages on the Rideau Canal.
Ottawa Self-Guided Walking Tours
Explore Ottawa on your own schedule with curated self-guided tours and interactive adventures. Use your phone to follow art walks, heritage trails, or technology-driven scavenger hunts that blend Ottawa’s history with augmented reality. Perfect for independent travelers or repeat visitors.
Self-Guided Tours Ottawa
YOW Adventure Tours
Engage in interactive, technology-driven adventures that blend Ottawa's rich history with augmented reality and immersive treasure hunts.
National Holocaust Monument IWalk
The National Holocaust Monument (NHM) IWalk app is a professionally curated, interactive bilingual app that offers a remarkable way to enhance visits…
Unexpected Journeys
One day, self-guided road trips that explore the areas in and around Ottawa.
Ottawa Aerial Tours
Get a bird’s-eye view of Ottawa with a thrilling helicopter or sightseeing flight. Aerial tours offer a unique perspective on Parliament Hill, the Ottawa River, and Gatineau Park, with breathtaking photo opportunities you can’t get from the ground. Some operators also offer flights over the nearby Thousand Islands for an unforgettable day trip.
Book an aerial tour in Ottawa
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1000 Islands Helicopter Tours
Feel the anticipation, freedom and excitement as you are lifted high above lush greenery, sandy beaches and rocky cliffs. -
Ottawa Aviation Adventures
Enjoy a thrilling and unique experience by flying over the Ottawa region in a vintage biplane or a small airplane!
Ottawa Museum Tours
Many of Ottawa’s museums offer guided or self-guided tours to help you get the most out of your visit. Learn from knowledgeable docents, follow audio guides, or take part in interactive experiences that bring history, art, and science to life.
Canadian Museum of History
Discover the events, people and objects that have shaped Canada at the Canadian Museum of History, across the Ottawa River from Parliament Hill.
National Gallery of Canada
Discover contemporary and historical artworks - including paintings, sculptures, photographs and multimedia installations - in this landmark site located near the vibrant ByWard Market area.
Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum
Ponder the Cold War as you tour this four-storey underground bunker in rural Ottawa.
Canadian Museum of Nature
Explore the fascinating science related to fossils, mammals, minerals, birds, plate tectonics, Arctic discovery and more in a historic building minutes from Parliament Hill.
Canadian War Museum
Discover Canada’s rich military history at Ottawa’s Canadian War Museum through artifacts, personal stories, artwork, photos and interactive presentations.
Canada Aviation and Space Museum
Take your sense of adventure to new heights at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.
Canada Science and Technology Museum
Get ready for hands-on fun and discovery at the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
Free Tours in Ottawa
Some of Ottawa’s best tours are completely free. Tour the official residences at Rideau Hall, explore Parliament Hill’s historic buildings, or plan your trip during Doors Open Ottawa, when embassies, archives, and architectural gems open their doors to the public.
Embark on a free tour in Ottawa
Parliament of Canada – Guided Tours
Discover Parliament, the centre of Canadian democracy, with four free visitor experiences!
Rideau Hall
At the Ottawa residence and workplace of Canada’s governor general, you can tour the mansion and explore the landscaped grounds for free.
Supreme Court of Canada
This year marks the Supreme Court of Canada’s 150th anniversary.
Doors Open Ottawa
Summer 2026, dates to be announced
During this early June event, you can visit more than 100 significant buildings across Ottawa—including many that normally charge admission or are…
Hidden Gem Tours
There are several one-of-a-kind tours that allow visitors and locals alike to explore places seldom get to see. These tours are for the curious explorers who want to have unique experiences during their time in the capital.
Parc Omega
Less than an hour’s drive east of Ottawa at Parc Omega, you can see bears, deer, elk, bison, caribou, wolves and other Canadian wildlife on a self-drive safari, all year round.
Mādahòkì Farm
Experience authentic Indigenous culture, including seasonal events, a year-round marketplace and other programming at this rural site within the city of Ottawa.
Arbraska Laflèche
Come explore one of the largest cave in the Canadian Shield with our Discovery Tour or our Explorers Tour.
Aventure Outaouais
Guided tour operator offering over 20 different all-inclusive experiences in the Outaouais region.
Ottawa Whitewater Rafting Tours
Ottawa’s world-class rapids make it one of the few major cities where you can experience whitewater rafting right downtown. These tours are a thrilling, immersive way to explore the Ottawa River while learning about the city’s history, culture, and natural environment from a unique vantage point. Perfect for solo adventurers or groups, rafting tours combine the excitement of riding the rapids with plenty of moments to relax and take in the views.
Learn more ways to explore the rapids with a guide in this blog of epic whitewater adventures.
Book a whitewater rafting tour in Ottawa
Ottawa City Rafting
Wilderness Tours' new family-friendly Urban Whitewater Rafting Adventure Ottawa City Rafting is a great way to get out on the river and see the spectacular sights.
OWL Rafting
Paddle through crashing waves and foaming rapids in a rubber raft on the Ottawa River, 90 minutes northwest of Ottawa, then relax at a riverfront resort.
Wilderness Tours
Wilderness Tours has been Canada's leader in whitewater rafting and kayaking since 1975.
Rafting Momentum
Rafting Momentum offers you the ultimate white water rafting experience on the most beautiful river in Quebec/Ontario.
Ottawa Turbo Tubing
Take an exhilarating tubing adventure down the Ottawa River, filled with rapids, cliff jumping and breathtaking scenery.
Ottawa Tour Tips
Make the most of your experience
- Book ahead for popular tours, especially in summer
- Double-check start times, tour length, and languages offered
- Dress for the season — many tours run rain or shine
