Capital Sites & Canadian Heritage

As the country's Capital, Ottawa offers visitors a wealth of quintessentially Canadian experiences.

Capital Sites

Impressive national sites greet visitors around every corner in Ottawa. Most visitors include a trip to historic Parliament Hill, the seat of Canada's national government and the setting for pomp, ceremony and celebration, including the annual Canada Day celebrations July 1, dramatic Sound and Light shows, and the summertime Changing the Guard ceremony. Right next to Parliament, the Rideau Canal - Ontario's first UNESCO World Heritage Site - steps up through eight locks from the Ottawa River to wind its way through the city. Interested in Canadian history? Head to Library and Archives Canada. And while you're there, visit the Supreme Court of Canada right next door. And don't forget Rideau Hall - the stately home and gardens of the Governor General - the Laurier House National Historic Site, the National War Memorial, the Peacekeeping Monument and much more.

Canadian Heritage Experiences

Heritage experiences abound in Ottawa, giving visitors an authentic taste of Canadiana past and present. Begin where it all began, with Canada's first people at Aboriginal Experiences located on Victoria Island in the middle of the Ottawa River near Parliament Hill. Learn about the Mounties and their majestic Musical Ride on a Tour of the RCMP Stables. Take a day trip one hour south of Ottawa and over a century back in time at Upper Canada Village on the St. Lawrence River. Stop by for an afternoon tea at Mackenzie King Estate, the magnificent home and gardens of Canada's longest serving Prime Minister, located in the heart of Gatineau Park. Learn the importance of the mighty Ottawa River to early settlement in Canada on a gentle rafting ride with RiverRun Rafting. And for a taste of tradition, don't forget to try a BeaverTail - Ottawa's very own unique pastry treat - and sample maple syrup at Fulton's Pancake House and Sugar Bush and Stanley's Olde Maple Lane Farm.

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