OTTAWA'S WINTER CHILL ITINERARY

Canada’s capital city of Ottawa heats up for winter, with endless outdoor adventures, festivals and fun times to really put you in the Christmas spirit. Read on for a four-day Ottawa itinerary that’s guaranteed to whet your winter appetite.

Day 1 – Winter wonderland
Enjoy a breath-taking drive up to Gatineau Park and pick up a pair of snowshoes from the Gatineau Park Visitor’s Centre. Snowshoe trails are available throughout the park so grab a trail map and get ready to spend a magical day in a truly serene setting only 20 minutes from Ottawa’s bustling downtown core.

Day 2 – Mush!
Experience the thrill of the outdoors like never before: dogsledding with Escapade Eskimo! Just 75 minutes from downtown Ottawa, Escapade Eskimo is situated in rural Otter Lake and offers other fun activities, such as snowshoeing, hiking, sliding and geocaching.

Later - soak away your cares at Nordik Spa-Nature, the largest spa of its kind on the continent, with baths, whirlpools and relaxing therapies and treatments both outdoors and in.

Day 3 – Skates, syrup and shots
Start the day in downtown Ottawa on the largest outdoor skating rink in the world, the frozen Rideau Canal Skateway. The Canal is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site on which you can skate, and wind 7.8 kilometres through the heart of Ottawa. Skating the canal is free of charge and you can hire your skates from Capital Skates or Dows Lake Pavilion.

TIP: Ottawa’s famous annual Winterlude festival is the first three weekends of February, with skating, ice sculptures, a giant snow playground and activities for everyone. Beavertails stands can also be found at the various sites and in the ByWard Market. Warm up with a hot chocolate and this delicious one-of-a-kind pastry.

The National Hockey League Ottawa Senators’ season is underway in winter and they might just be in town when you are. Check out the Sens schedule.

Day 4 – Cross country & downhill
For a day of cross-country skiing, head just north to Gatineau Park and explore the network of nearly 200 kilometres of trails. Daily passes are available at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre and at the 16 parking lots with direct access to the trails.

Prefer downhill skiing or snowboarding? Camp Fortune is located within the boundaries of Gatineau Park and offers 23 trails, 7 lifts, 3 separate ski areas and 1 Terrain Park, as well as equipment rentals and lessons.

Destination Canada https://www.destinationcanada.com/en