Skating On The Rideau Canal In Ottawa: Complete Guide

In the winter, the Rideau Canal in Ottawa completely freezes over becoming the longest natural skateway in the world, at 7.8 km long!

You can skate straight through the middle of Ottawa in the winter, and it’s incredible!

The only problem? It can be quite the journey to actually skate on the canal, and you might want to get a few things before you do!

So here’s the ultimate planning guide and tips for skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa.

Psst! This blog post contains affiliate links in it which sends me a bit of extra money if you use them… at no extra cost to you!

Before Skating On The Rideau Canal: Check The Conditions

The conditions of the Rideau Canal ice skating can change drastically… overnight!

And every year it’s been getting worse and worse.

Since 1970, it’s opened between mid December and latest mid January and close around early to mid March.

But in 2023 it didn’t open AT ALL (the first year ever to happen), and in 2024 it opened for only one weekend in mid February.

Is It Open? (Changes Every Year – Weather Dependant)

So before making your way to the canal, you have to find out if it’s even open for skating yet.

You can check their website to see if it’s open, what’s open along the route, AND what the ice skating conditions are…

a top down view of a woman's figure skates on ice. The ice has a bunch of lines crossing it, clearly been skated on before. She's wearing navy corduroys, and you can see the bottom of her thick black winter jacket.

How Much Of The Canal Is Skate-able – The Condition

Checking the actual skating conditions of the canal are just as important as checking if the Rideau canal skateway is open at all.

Just because the canal is open, doesn’t mean the conditions are good. The conditions can range from very good, to poor, to closed, and even snow covered.

So the Rideau Canal skateway can be open, but have such poor skating conditions that it’s recommended to walk on the canal instead of skate on it (as was the case in 2024).

a woman stands on ice, wearing skates and full winter gear, she's looking back at the camera with a serious look on her face but giving two thumbs up. It's a very sunny day, the ice is white with a bit of snow covering, and there isn't a cloud in the sky.

On top of that, it’s very common for only a part of the Rideau Canal Skateway to open at a time.

It’s very rare for the entire 7.8 km skateway to be open at once. This way, they can focus on making sure one part is safe and in the best conditions possible for skating.

So it’s possible to have only one to two kilometres open at a time, and it might not be the main section either. In 2024, they only opened the skateway between Pretoria and Lansdowne (and it was only for one day the entire season!).

You can see all the individual sections, and if they’re open.

the rideau canal skate way view of it trailing all the way into the distance. But in the front is a yellow and black diagonal striped pillar in the middl of the ice.

It says caution, and you can see the difference in the ice conditions. It's already melted underneath the sign. There's a pool of water and slush surrounding it.

Across the ice to the left, is another of the same sign.

But there are a few hundred people still skating on the ice, just around them.

Never Expect Perfect Ice Conditions

Even if the conditions say that they’re good for skating, this is still an outdoor skating rink afterall!

So you can never expect it to be as good as your indoor skating rink. There will be bumps, and dips, and ice completely carved out (there’s no zamboni every hour here!).

DON’T Plan A Trip Around Skating In Ottawa Rideau Canal

If you’re visiting Ottawa in the winter with the sole intention of skating on the Rideau Canal, DON’T!

In the last five years, I’ve now attempted to plan two overnight trips to Ottawa in hopes to skate on the canal. Both times, it wasn’t open by the time our trip came around and had to go on separate day trips from Montreal just to skate.

The canal is just so unpredictable, especially in the last few years, that’s it’s not worth planning a trip just for Rideau Canal ice skating.

ottawa view of parliament and the rideau canal in front of it in winter. The sky is overcast, but the light is trying to peak through the clouds. There's a nice layer of snow covering the grass, trees, and buildings, and the canal in the middle - not ready for skating.

Equipment: What Do You Need For Rideau Canal Ice Skating

There are a few things to pack if you’re planning on skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa…

Appropriate Winter Gear

Of course, skating on the canal only happens in the winter, so you’re going to need some good winter gear.

Depending on the temperature, I recommend wearing a bit of a lighter jacket with some warm thin layers underneath. You heat up quickly when skating, and you want to be able to remove layers if you get too hot.

I love my North Face Jacket for winter activities, it’s light, and the double zipper is very convenient for staying cooler as you overheat from moving.

someone wearing knit gloves is holding up a to go coffee cup in the foreground. Out of focus on the background is a winter scene of people on ice with skates, food stalls, and evergreen trees

I pair my jacket with my thin merino wool sweater underneath, like this one on Amazon. You can also wear some leg warmers, like these on Amazon, over your pants for extra warmth.

I also recommend wearing some thicker wool socks, your feet will get COLD in the skates outside. I like Darn Tough merino wool socks (they have the cutest designs!).

And I also recommend wearing lighter boots than maybe you normally would in the winter for skating on the Rideau Canal. For example, winterized Doc Martens or Blundstones rather than your large Pajar boots, and you’ll see why in a bit!

And of course, you don’t want to forget to bring a nice warm hat, some gloves, and a scarf.

montreal winter skating dressed appropriately in full winter gear getting ready to go out on an outdoor skating rink.

A woman is sitting on a bench tying up her figure skates. She's wearing leg warmers, a long down jacket, a red scarf wrapped around her neck and chin, a mustard yellow knit hat, and her gloves sit on the bench beside her.

What To Do With Your Boots When Skating?

Typically, when you change from boots to skates, you leave your boots on the side of the rink. This isn’t such a problem when the rinks are small rectangles.

But when skating on the Rideau Canal, you can be skating one, two, even three kilometres away from where took off your boots.

So although you can leave your belongings at the entrance, and people do, you have to remember that you’ll need to come back here. That means not skating too far that you’re too exhausted to skate back.

a man in a winter jacket photographed from behind. He takes up most of the photo, with the open backpack on his back. Inside the backpack you can see a white plastic bag lining the bag, and inside, a the bottom of a pair of winter boots.

Instead of leaving your boots at the entrance, take your boots with you.

You can either put them in a backpack you don’t care about, a bag, or I’ve even seen people drag their belongings behind them on a sled. See why you should wear smaller boots now… they’re easier to pack away and lighter to carry!).

This way, you can go as far as you want along the canal, and stop skating whenever you like! Plus you don’t risk losing your boots.

P.S. Do You Need To Rent Skates?

If you don’t have skates, there are three rental locations along the canal: Rideau, Fifth, and Dows.

They rent skates, but also sleighs, and tricycles. You can see all the opening hours on their website.

You might have to leave your boots at the shop, but I would ask if you can take them with you. This way you have the option to walk back if you need to.

P.S. these locations will also sharpen skates!

a child is skating on the rideau canal, wearing a full snow suit and a full faced caged helmet for safety. The child is about 10 years old. They are facing forward, stopped, looking at their toboggan that would be pulled behind them if they skated forward. On the toboggan are two reusable bags, most likely filled with their winter boots and gear

Accessing The Rideau Canal Skateway

There are several entry points throughout the canal, on either side. So you should never have to venture far before finding an entry point.

Some entry points will only have benches, while others will have bathrooms, indoor changing stations, and even food options (like Beavertails!).

You can find the most convenient entry point on their interactive map online.

Where To Park In Ottawa For Skating On The Canal?

If you’re driving to the Rideau Canal, you can find parking lots (both paid and free) on the interactive map online.

a closeup of an information sign along the rideau canal in ottawa for skating. It's highlighting where you are, at Lansdowne, and you can see every entry point along the canal by small green dots on both sides of the ice.

We’ve had luck with free street parking off of Queen Elizabeth Driveway on Patterson Ave or Strathcona Ave, to access the canal on Pretoria.

But we also like parking at Ottawa City Hall, I’ve never seen cheaper parking than this in a downtown area.

Best Areas To Skate On The Canal

You might not have a choice for where to skate along the Rideau Canal, but if by some miracle you do, the canal is pretty long (7.8 km total!). So here’s a guide for where to skate!

Most Scenic (And Busiest): Rideau Section

The most classic Rideau Canal Ottawa skating experience is at the start, KM 0, in the Rideau section.

You’ll be able to see Parliament, the Chateau Laurier.

skating on the rideau canal skateway ottawa. A couple poses for a picture in the middle of the skates way, with other skaters passing them in each direction. The man is just in a McGill University sweater with his hood over his head, with a backpack. the woman is in a fall jacket, a light beanie, and a scarf. Behind them, the canal continues into the distance, but you can see in the middle of the bare trees lining the canal, Chateau Laurier poking through in the distance.

If you’re only planning on skating one way, I recommend starting further down the canal and skating back towards KM 0. This way, you skate towards Parliament with a view of it the entire time you’re skating, instead of away from it.

And you’ll also end your journey in the heart of downtown Ottawa, where you can check out some of the other top Ottawa attractions.

The downside to skating in this section is that it will be by far the busiest! But if it’s your first time skating on the Rideau Canal, then you have to skate this section, it’s worth it for the view alone!

ottawa winterlude festivals near montreal. The view of the rideau canal in winter when it's open for skating. Rideau section, so you can see both parliament and the edge of the chateau laurier fairmont hotel. The rideau canal is open, and it's packed. You can barely see individual people it's so densely packed, especially near the stairs leading off the ice.

Classic Lake Skating: Dows Lake

Dow’s Lake is on the opposite side of the canal from Rideau, at KM 6 and 7. It’s a good starting point, because the ice is usually a bit better here being a small lake off the main canal.

Least Tourists: Fifth Rest Area

Around the Fifth Rest Area will most likely have the least people. It’s in the middle of Rideau and Dow’s Lake, which are the popular starting points as they are on either end.

It’s perfect if you just want to experience skating on the middle of a canal in the middle of the city. It’s still just as incredible to experience!

a couple from behind holding hands while skating on a sunny day on the rideau canal in ottawa in the winter. Their shadows are elongated behind them.

Amenities On The Canal

As I mentioned, you aren’t stuck on the canal without any amenities to use. This is in part what makes skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa such a unique experience.

At the start of every season, they build little cabins on the canal to use as warming stations, bathrooms and even food stalls!

Food options include Beavertails, hot chocolate, and hot dogs and poutines!

On top of that, they have picnic tables, and benches to sit on along the route.

You can see all the amenities offered on the canal on the interactive map online.

a sneak attack photo taken from behind an evergreen bush, the tree branches with prickly leaves are popping up at the bottom of the image slightly out of focus. Above that, in the background, are people standing in line, and sitting at picnic benches. They are all dressed in full winter gear and wearing skates. Behind the crowds, above everyonw is a small cabin with the sign for beaver tails. Behind the food stall are some tall evergreen trees above them on land. This is all on ice.

Night Skating On The Canal (No Amenities, But Also No Tourists!)

Another option, if you want to skate on the canal with less people, is to skate on the canal at night.

The Canal is open until 10:00 P.M. during the week, and 11:00 P.M. on weekends, so there’s nothing stopping you from skating at night.

There are still lights on the canal, and the amenities are even still open at this hour.

See all the opening hours for the amenities online.

It will be colder to skate at night as the temperature drops and there’s no sun warming you up. But it might make up for the lack of tourists taking up the skateway!

I’ve never actually skated on the canal at night, but my friend lived down the street and would always go at night instead of during the day.

view outside the Chateau Laurier at night of parliament across the rideau canal in the winter

Where Else Can You Skate In Ottawa?

Although skating on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa is an experience, there are a lot of other skating options in Ottawa, both outdoors and indoors, if the canal isn’t open yet or it’s just too busy for you.

Outdoor Skating Rinks In Ottawa

There are tons of outdoor skating rinks throughout Ottawa. Even if the Rideau Canal skateway isn’t open, these other rinks will be.

They’re smaller, sometimes a refrigerated ice surface, and a lot easier to maintain.

Downtown Ottawa Ice Rinks (Rink of Dreams & Lansdowne)

The most convenient location to skate outside in Ottawa is actually on the Rink of Dreams in Downtown Ottawa (near Ottawa City Hall). You can see the canal, Parliament, and Chateau Laurier.

It is a manmade skating rink though (a refrigerated ice surface), so it’s not a natural lake.

Although it’s not as authentic as skating on a lake, it also means the ice is practically perfect all the time, and it’s not weather dependant.

skaters skating on the rideau canal in ottawa. Part of the rideau canal is ice and skateable, the edges are still snow covered.

This is a perfect option if you’re looking for a similar vibe to the location of the Rideau Canal.

Another option is the Landsdowne Park Skating rink, closer to Dow’s Lake at the end of the Canal.

Rideau Skating Rink – Governor General’s House

If you’re interested in a more “authentic” outdoor skating experience, head a bit further to the Governor’s General house to the Rideau Skating Rink.

It’s one of the most romantic outdoor skating rinks I’ve ever seen.

It’s free, and it’s usually open, even when the canal isn’t, so it’s a good back up option as well.

And p.s. while you’re here, you should get a tour of the Governor General house… it’s very interesting (and beautiful!).

Indoor Skating Rinks In Ottawa

If the weather is not cooperating this year, there are indoor skating rinks throughout Ottawa offering free public skating.

an almost birds eye view of an almost empty outdoor skating rink. Below a slight hill is a large outdoor skating rink with a chalet next to it. There are a line of trees behind it. It's snowing, adding a romantic nature to the photo.

Need A Place To Stay In Ottawa?

I’ve stayed in Ottawa a few times now, each time at a different hotel, so I have a few recommendations for every budget. You can’t go wrong with any of these hotels, they’re all centrally located downtown and just a walk away from everything you’ll need.

The place to stay in Ottawa is none other than the Fairmont The Chateau Laurier – but it is also the most expensive option. You can even upgrade to have a view of the river and Parliament. See options on Fairmont.com or Booking.com.

A more reasonable place to stay (and my favourite) is the Westin Ottawa, especially if you’re visiting in the winter. Modern, updated rooms, you really can’t go wrong. But the best part about the Westin is that it’s directly connected to the Rideau Mall. So you can get all your shopping done without ever stepping foot outside! See room rates & availability on Booking.com.

For a more budget friendly option, stay at the Business Inn and Suites. Let’s just say the rooms don’t have the most modern look, but it’s very practical – giving you a large space for longer stays, breakfast included, and it’s in an even better location downtown (just off of Bank street). See room rates & availability on Booking.com.

See more accommodation options on Booking.com.

Fairmont chateau laurier outside in the winter at night. The sky is grey, but you can see white whispy dots floating around - snow!
The photo is taken of a castle across the street - the chateau laurier. The stone building is lit up with yellow lights outside, and there are yellow lights in the windows. The roof is sharp triangles, it's mostly covered in snow, but there's one tower that has a light and the roof is green.

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