29 Things to Do in Ottawa with Kids (2026)

Ottawa is truly an amazing place to visit with kids.

Not only is Ottawa one of the prettiest cities in Canada, but it has a TON for families with kids of all ages to do together. It has some of the best museums in the country, gorgeous historic buildings, scenic views over the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal – its amazing and so worth spending time in with kids. Its downtown is also very compact and walkable. Whether you’re a local or a tourist in Ottawa, you’ll find that Ottawa is extremely family-friendly, and has lots of things that are fun and interesting for kids and adults.

As an Ontario mom, I’ve been to Ottawa a number of times over the course of my life, and just recently brought my kids to Ottawa for a 3-day trip in summer 2026 to see the Parliament buildings and other amazing things that the city has to offer. To be honest, three days wasn’t enough and now I hope that we can go back soon to see and do more. Not only is the city gorgeous, but it has so many things that a whole family can enjoy together.

I’ve rounded up the things to do in the city, and just outside of it, so you can plan an amazing trip there with your family, OR explore the city more in depth if you’re a local. So, let’s jump in – the best things to do in Ottawa with kids!

Amazing Things to Do with Kids in Ottawa

Whether you’re looking for indoor toddler activities in Ottawa, or the weather just isn’t cooperating, there’s still lots of things to do. Here are the best things to do with kids indoors in Ottawa

1. Visit the iconic Parliament Hill, and take a free tour

If your family is new to Ottawa, then visiting Parliament Hill is a must. Everyone should get family photos in front of the iconic Parliament buildings, and young kids can be told that this is where the prime minister works, where the laws are made, and where world leaders meet to make decisions. Sadly though, the Parliament buildings are under construction – you can still visit them, and see the famos eternal flame in front of them, but you can also see the construction work being done on them too.

It’s very easy (and completely free of charge) to visit the outside of Parliament Hill, and enjoy the views of the surrounding buildings. Despite the construction, its still a popular spot where you’ll see many people taking selfies and family photos. Honestly, the construction is a bit of an eyesore – but its needed! It’s apparently the largest Canadian reconstruction in history. It’ll be interesting to see what it looks like when its done.

If you have older kids and want to get some deeper knowledge of Parliament, there are free tours at the House of Commons, that last 45 minutes. We did the 45-minute tour of West Block, where laws are currently passed in Canada (normally it happens at Centre Block, but due to construction they’ve moved to the building beside it.) West Block is a beautiful historic building, and there’s an area just beyond it where you can get a lookout of the Ottawa River and Gatineau.

While I’d be lying if I said that the tour was the most interesting part of Ottawa for my kids, it was interesting for my 13 year old to see the place where decisions are being made at the federal level in Canada. These tours can be booked online. A few important things to know are that you need to arrive 30 minutes before your tour to go through security, and you need to bring ID for all adults (a photo of it was accepted).

2. Visit the Canadian Museum of Nature

The Canadian Museum of Nature is one of the best places to visit as a family. My close friend lives in Ottawa, and this is one of their family’s favourites they’ve been to multiple times. I also brought my kids and friends’ kids here (age range 5 to 13) and this was one of our highlights of Ottawa. I’d put this close to the top of your list if you have kids who love animals or dinosaurs.

The museum looks like a castle from the outside, and is almost worth visiting just for the heritage building itself. There are 4 floors, and each of them have soo much to look at. We had about 2 hours at this museum, and it wasn’t enough to see all four floors. We focused on the dinousar exhibit, and saw the colour exhibit, the birds, and the arctic – I definitely wish we had more time. You’ll need to carve out at least a half day if you want to see it all.

Useful to Know:

• The Museum of Nature is located a bit outside of the downtown core, about a 15-20 minute walk depending on where you’re staying. They have parking in case you want to drive, and we were able to get a spot on a Sunday afternoon – but it does get pretty full on weekends.
• You can bring a lunch or snacks to the museum if visiting with kids, but there’s also a Nature Café onsite that serves healthy food. We didn’t eat there, but the food actually looks pretty decent
• There’s an amazing gift shop with nature and animal based souvenirs, it would make great gifts, or souvenirs of Canada or Ottawa

3. Stroll through the ByWard Market, and see the OTTAWA sign

Recommended age group: All ages

The ByWard Market is a large farmer’s market and neighbourhood. It’s a heritage district in the city, and its pretty close to everytthing else in downtown Ottawa. Most first-timer visitors should definitely make sure its on their Ottawa itinerary. The huge OTTAWA sign is located in this area, and is very popular for photos!

The OTTAWA sign is popular for photos during the day, and its always lit up at night. If there are any festivals or events going on, they’re often held in this area. There are tons of restaurants and hole-in-the-wall cafes in the market area too – pho, Japanese, Indian and more. We had dinner in the ByWard Market at a Korean restaurant called Daldongnae Korean BBQ, and it was a great experience for both families. We then grabbed ice cream and headed back to the main area of Ottawa (15 minute walk) where we were staying

Just west of here is Major Hill’s Park, where you can get photos of the iconic skyline of Ottawa from across the river. It’s also fairly close to the National Gallery where you can go see the giant spider in front of it.

Good to Know: The ByWard Market area is touristy during the day, but turns into a bit of a club/partying scene at night. Parking here can also be a challenge during the day, so I’d recommend walking if possible. It’s a short walk if you’re staying in downtown Ottawa

4. Go see the Spider in front of the National Gallery of Canada

The National Gallery is a gorgeous building on the outside, and it holds some famous pieces of Canadian and Indigenous art. When you go to the National Gallery, you’ll see a huge spider-like statue out front. This is called the Maman, and its owned by the gallery. It makes for some memorable, unique photos, and it may remind older kids of Stranger Things (although the statue has nothing to do with the show.)

I would have been interested in bringing out kids to the National Gallery, but they weren’t super interested in it for this trip. So, we just went to see the spider in front, which you can still do of course without going inside.

They really want to encourage families to walk through here, so they offer free admission to anyone 11 and under, and discounts for youth (12-17.) The gallery occasionally has special events, some which are geared at kids. You can get free family passes for the whole family by visiting an Ottawa library, or you can book on their website.

5. Go see the Rideau Canal locks

It’s definitely worth it to walk down the Rideau Canal Locks. We were there in the morning, when they first start opening the locks so that boats can move out into the Ottawa River, and it temporarily turns into a series of mini waterfalls! My husband was showing our youngest child, and she was so intrigued watching them.

You can also get very unique views here, of the Fairmont Chateau Laurier in the background, as well as the Ottawa River and Gatineau in the other direction. On a hot day, its nice here with lots of shade. This is also the area where you can take a water taxi across the Ottawa River to Gatineau. In addition, the ByWard Museum is here which is a small and great museum to visit with kids.

6. Visit the ByWard Museum

Right by the Rideau Canal Locks is a small historic building that houses the ByWard Museum. It’s definitely worth visiting with kids, they have a scavender hunt for kids to do where the collect a sticker for each section and get a toy as a prize in the end for completing it.

The ByWard Museum is small, but worth it. I didn’t go inside but my friend went with her kids and they found it very worth it. If you’re already at the locks area and its open, popping inside there is an option.

7. Cross the Ottawa River to the Canadian Children’s Museum in Gatineau

The Canadian Children’s Museum is located inside of the Canadian Museum of History, and you have access to both museums when you buy a ticket. They’re located just across the river from mainland Ottawa, in Gatineau Quebec. You walk over a huge bridge to get to the museums, and it takes about 30 minutes to walk. You can also take a water taxi, depending on the season, or drive there in 10 minutes.)

The Children’s Museum is very extensive, and kids can literally spend hours there. It’s very elaborately put together, with art areas, play areas, visual areas, and lots of little hiding spots to climb into. We visited both the History Museum and the Children’s Museum, and both are worth it. But obviously, the ladder would be more interesting for young kids.

The building that both museums are located in is a really pretty piece of architecuture, and you can walk around it getting all kids of photos. There are lookout areas of the Ottawa River and the city of Ottawa on the other side of the river. There’s also a kid’s playground on the opposite side from the street too! Grab tickets to Children’s Museum + History Museum here.

8. Walk along Sparks street

A visit to Ottawa isn’t complete without walking along Sparks street. It’s a pedestrian only street, and has lots of restaurants, shops. There are Canadian icon statues too, like Terry Fox and a bear eating a fish.

We ate at some of the restaurants along Sparks street with our kids – the one I’d definitey recommend is 3 Brasseurs, its a brewery with great food and they have a kids menu. They also provide colouring and crayons for kids, which is always nice to have in a restaurant with your kids.

Occasionally, there are festivals held on Sparks street – we just happened to be in Ottawa during the International Buskers Festival, which meant there were a bunch of shows to watch along the street. It’s a great street to hang out, regardless of the time of year. It’s also very close to the Parliament buildings, just one block south from them.

9. Make a quick stop at the War Memorial

The War Memorial in Ottawa is close to everything else – Sparks street, and the Parliament buildings. You cross a busy street to get to this island in the middle, which has the War Memorial. It’s worth checking out, even for just a short time. There are guards in front of it at certain times (between 9 and 5 I believe.)

The significance of this war memorial is that it honours the sacrifices that Canadians have made throughout the wars, and throughout all of our history to keep our country and the world safe. It also houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (remains from an unidentified Canadian soldier from WW1.) You don’t see the soldier, or the remains or anything – the main focus is the elaborate black statue of a bunch of soldiers.

10. Do a free tour of the Supreme Court

Similar to the Parliament Buildings, the Supreme Court of Canada offers free tours to the public as well. They’re 30 minutes long, and offered in English or French. We went with our kids (5 and 13), obviously it wasn’t our 5 year old’s favourite part of Ottawa, but our older child was able to learn about why the Supreme Court exists, and its relevance to Canada.

Tours at the Supreme Court are not as popular as at the Parliament Buildings -we were the only ones on our tour, so we got a private tour for our family! I would recommend coming here for tours if you or your kids are interested in the law, court systems, and how legislation in Canada works. We’re really glad we did this during our trip to Ottawa.

As of September 2026, the Supreme Court is at a new location where it will stay for the next decade or so. We creeped in just before they moved, so our tour is at the permanant location, which is a beautiful building that is undergoing construction. However, you can still do tours at their new temporary location, and they recommended to us that we come back to see where they will be spending the next 10 years. Tours from what we saw, don’t need to be reserved ahead of time – you just show up at the time you want to do the tour, and even if it’s just you, they’ll still bring you!

11. Enjoy nature at the Dominion Arboretum

If you’re willing to travel outside of the downtown core, there’s a gorgeous, beautifully landscaped greenspacev across the river from Carlton University. It’s called the Dominion Arboretum and a peaceful oasis with a pond, paved trails, lots of gardens, weeping willow trees, and wildlife. It’s so large, green and lush that is surprising that this place is located in the middle of a major city!

The Dominion Arboteum is well kept, peaceful, and can be visited in any season. It’s completely free to enter, and its open all day, every day. You can walk, or if you have a bike, there are plenty of paved trails. If you’re looking to escape the city and spend some time outdoors, then this is a good option.

12. Explore Canada’s Underground Bunker (30 minutes from Ottawa)

We visited the Diefenbunker, Canada’s Cold War Museum on our way to Ottawa, while my friend’s family visited on the way out. Either way, its worth a visit. There are a few of these underground tunnels which were built during the Cold War, and there’s a whole underground complex with hospitals, cafeteria, offices, and many rooms to look through.

It was one of the coolest museums I’ve ever been to, and it was interesting for our kids as well, because its very visual. It really felt like we were walking through the 1960s, looking at the old radios, TVs and other technology. The hospital beds, surgery theatre, offices, and other rooms were interesting to walk through.

As usual, we didn’t have time to get through all of it. After seeing the top floor, we headed down to the 100 level (the lowest level) which is the deepest underground. There, they have the Bank of Canada Vault, which was never actually used, but was made to store thousands of tonnes of gold in case they ever needed it to.

13. Learn about science at the Canada Science and Technology Museum

At Canada’s Science and Technology Museum, you can learn about Canada’s science and technological heritage through visual displays and interactive exhibits. Its very popular with families with kids. There are lots of efforts to engage young visitors here, including a Zoom room which is a hands-on interactive play area for young children to explore their curiosity. It’s perfect for if you’re traveling with a toddler or if you live in Ottawa and are looking for things to do with young kids.

The Science and Technology Museum is in the Sheffield Glen neighbourhood, about a 15-20 minute drive from downtown Ottawa (so either a car, or public transit would be needed to get here.)

14. Ride the very first inter-provincial zip line (seasonal)

For kids or adults who weigh 70 lbs +

InterZip is a 1,400 foot zip-line starting in Gatineau, Quebec and allows you to sail over the Ottawa River into the city of Ottawa. There is no age requirement for the zip-line, so kids of any age can try it – but the weight requirement is 70 lbs. A parent will need to sign a release form for the participation of any children under 18.

Its the first zip-line located between two Canadian provinces, and gives you incredible views as you sail across. You sail at 50 km (31 miles) per hour at 50 feet high, and it takes a total of about 40 seconds to get to the other side. InterZip only runs during the summer months, from June to September. It’s highly recommended to book InterZip in advance, especially if you’re planning for a Friday or Saturday in the summer as it can fill up!

15. Try Ottawa’s Private Investigator Exploration Game

There’s a Private Investigator Exploration Game offered where you get to explore Ottawa’s historical landmarks while solving puzzles. During the game, you’re given a story with clues, and as you solve challenges, you’re brought from different locations around Ottawa. The PI Exploration Game is supposed to be perfect for families to work together on a project. It takes hours to complete though (sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less.) After you book, you receive a link to download the game onto your phone. If you’re not super interested in booking this, then there’s also the option of making your own scavenger hunt (Ottawa-related or not) as a fun challenge to keep the kids busy. Book the Private Investigator Exploration Game in Ottawa here (Cost is $13 CDN)

16. Burn off some energy at an indoor playground

Ottawa has a number of indoor playgrounds where kids can run around, burning off energy and having a blast. It makes a great indoor toddler activity in Ottawa, or perfect for a rainy day for kids of all ages up to 12. One important thing to know about most indoor playgrounds in Ottawa is that most of them are located in the outskirts of the city – they’re more used by locals rather than tourists, and you’ll need a car in order to get to most of them. Here are some of the indoor playground options in Ottawa:

• Little Monkeys – open every day, in the Blossom Park suburb
• Cosmic Adventures – east of the Vanier neighbourhood, completely cashless so you’ll need card
• Bubblesea Adventures (although its indoor, it looks like you’re in a swimming pool!)

17. Canadian Aviation and Space Museum

If you have older children interested in space, then the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in downtown Ottawa would be a real treat. It’s a wide, open area with a lot of visuals to look at, so its perfect for any age – even if your kids are too young to understand space.

You can see full-sized airplanes and even a space shuttle up close. The museum is located at 11 Aviation Pkwy, Ottawa which is just a 15-minute drive from the downtown core. The cost is $12.43 for youth (3-17 years of age), and $18.46 for adults. Tickets can be booked online in advance here.

18. Do a free tour of Rideau Hall

Rideau Hall is the Canadian residence of the governor-general of Canada. The Governer General is the person who represents the Royal Family since Canada is a commonwealth nation, that’s why we have this position. Similar to the Parliament Buildings and the Supreme Court, Rideau Hall also offers free guided tours for all ages, and there are also family-friendly events happening throughout the year. The inside of Rideau Hall is like a castle, full of art and Canadian history.

Before or after your visit to Rideau Hall, you can take a leisurely stroll or sit outside in the landscaped gardens outside. There are different trees planted that are gifts from different leaders around the world. There’s also a playground on-site that the kids can play on. Guided tours to Rideau Hall need to be booked online in advance (but are free of charge.) However, you can drop by to enjoy the gardens and playground anytime without a booking. There’s free street parking nearby.

19. Play games at Funhaven

Funhaven is the ultimate one-stop shop for things to do with kids in Ottawa. Perfect for a rainy day, or special celebration (it’s very popular for families in Ottawa to host kid’s birthday parties.) It has arcades, laser tag, escape rooms, and even bumper cars. It’s located southwest of downtown, and a car would be the easiest way to get here. Funhaven has a restaurant on site, which makes it easy to spend hours there.

20. Go mini-golfing

Mini Golf Gardens is a great place to teach kids how to golf in an outdoor setting. There are 18-hole mini-golf courses, and suitable for all ages and ability levels. Mini Golf Gardens is a nice place to spend the day. Along the golf course there are gardens, streams and waterfalls, and plenty of benches in case you want to take a break. There are washrooms and a place to get refreshments and snacks on-site.

Their hours differ depending on the season, but during the summer holidays (June through August) they’re open 7 days a week from 10am to midnight. Kids from 5-12 are $13.50, and adults are $16.50. Reservations aren’t required; simply show up.

21. Step into the past at the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum (25 mins from Ottawa)

Cumberland Heritage Village Museum is located in Cumberland, which is a 25 minute drive from downtown Ottawa. It’s worth considering if you have access to a car. Kids and adults can explore what life in Ottawa was like in the early 1900s. There’s a train station, a general store, old school house, and homes as they looked in that day in age.

It’s a great place to walk through with kids, getting a feel for what the past was like. There are animals outside in the summer, and you can go inside some of the buildings to check them out. Both kids and adults will learn, and have a great time.

While the Cumberland Heritage Museum is usually closed in the cold months, they host the Vintage Village of Lights on weekends leading up to Christmas. It’s a great way to experience a vintage holiday season with family. Be sure to give yourself at least 2-3 hours to walk through this heritage museum. Children 5 and under are free of charge.

22. See animals at the Valleyview Little Animal Farm

Valleyview Little Animal Farm is one of the best things to do in Ottawa with kids. It has train rides, puppet shows, and a barn where you can see animals up close. There are alpacas, geese, sheep, goats, and pigs. You can also visit an old farm museum to learn about agriculture in the past.

While all ages will appreciate seeing animals somewhat, I’d recommend Valleyview especially for younger children under 8. Valleyview Little Animal Farm is located near Napean, just a 20 minute drive from downtown Ottawa.

23. Hit the Beach (seasonal)

With its location right on the Ottawa River, Ottawa is surrounded by beaches. The beaches in Ottawa are sandy, and most of them have plenty of shade, and good amenities for a day out during the summer months.

If you have young children, some of the most family-friendly beaches are the Petrie Island Beaches. There are three beaches in total on Petrie Island, which is 21 minutes from downtown Ottawa. They life lifeguards, a play area for small children. Parking is $2.

Aside from Petrie island, the City of Ottawa also has three other beaches:

• Brittania Park and Beach (15-minute drive from Ottawa, free parking, lots of amenities)
• Mooney’s Bay Park and Beach (15-minute drive, paid parking )
• Westboro Beach (10-minute drive, no lifeguard)

For updates to the City of Ottawa beaches, including water quality and openings, click here.

24. Learn about maple syrup at the Vanier Museopark

Best time to go: March and April for sugar shack season

The Vanier Museopark is located near the Vanier neighbourhood in east Ottawa. Its the only francophone museum in the Ottawa area, so it might be a good way to get exposure to learning a new language. (But you absolutely don’t need to speak French in order to visit Vanier Park) You can learn all about the history of maple syrup production. There’s a sugar shack, and a sugar festival held in March, as well as other special events throughout the year.

Sugar shacks are very popular throughout Ontario, but its unusual to find one in a city centre, such as this one. Vanier Museopark is a piece of nature in the middle of the city. Best of all? Children under 17 are free of charge to the museum and adults are only $6.50. On Thursdays, admission is free for everyone.

25. Celebrate the holidays at Saunders Farm

Best time to go: During special events only

Saunders Farm is a family-owned, 100-acre farm that has been open since 1976, and locate 35 mins from downtown Ottawa. You can grab food at the Cider House and shop in the Farm Shop, and enjoy their special seasonal events that run throughout the year. They have Pumpkin Fest during the Thanksgiving season, and Fright Fest close to Halloween. Visit during weekends from June to August for summer maze days. Check out your visiting options on their website here.

26. Enjoy winter activities (seasonal)

Ottawa is one of the best places in Ontario for a winter vacation. There are ski hills nearby, toboggan hills within the city, and skating in nearby forest trails. When the Rideau Canal is open, you can skate for free on the world’s largest outdoor skating rink.

In addition, the parliament and heritage buildings downtown are extra pretty covered in snow. One particularly special time to visit in winter is during Winterlude, Ottawa’s winter festival where you can play games, eat delicious comforting snacks and see ice sculptures.

For ways to have a blast in Ottawa with kids in winter, read my guide on Ottawa in Winter.

27. See Ottawa covered in tulips for the Tulip Festival (seasonal)

Best time to go: May

Ottawa’s tulip festival is the largest tulip festival in the world. It has historic roots coming from the tradition of the Netherlands giving tulips to Canada as a thank-you for liberating Holland. It has been running for over 70 years. You can simply walk around, getting beautiful family photos among the tulips. There are over 100 different varieties of tulips and other flowers. There are also food trucks and vendors, and some special events like moves in the park, a sound and light show, and tulips after dark.

The festival takes place in several different places around the city. The vast majority of the tulip gardens are in Commissioner’s Park on Dow’s Lake, but there is also some on the Hill and Major Hill’s Park. The flowers differ each day depending on the weather and how ‘bloomed’ they are. You can use the tulip metre to determine the best time to go.

Ottawa is a popular spot to visit, and weekends, the festival can get very crowded with thousands of people wanting to get their photo with the tulips. Get there early if possible.

28. Do a haunted walk

The haunted walk of Ottawa might be a fun thing to do with older kids (minimum age is 10 years old.) Ottawa has a lot of historic, Victorian buildings which go well with a ghost tour and spooky stories. We were planning to do it, but found that we were usually too tired from all the things there were to do during the day in Ottawa. However, if you have more time or energy, I’ve heard its really good. You get to see the downtown area of Ottawa at night, and learn about darker stories from its past – some of the mysteries, crimes and accounts of paranormal activity.

Book your haunted walk in Ottawa here ($34 per person, 1 hour and 15 minutes)

29. Put your brain to the test at an escape room

Escape rooms have been growing in popularity in popping up in many Canadian cities, and Ottawa is no exception. Escape rooms are good for all ages, but a lot of the puzzles can be pretty challenging to figure out (even for adults who aren’t used to escape rooms). That being said, I’ve brought my pre-teen daughter to an escape room and she enjoyed it. Here are your options for escape rooms in Ottawa:

• Room Escape Ottawa –open daily until 10pm
• Escape Manor – three different Ottawa locations

30. (Bonus) Learn an old-fashioned skill at the Heritage Museum

The Heritage Museum is about 30 minutes from Ottawa, and its a good place to learn vintage skills, like knitting, leather working, and quilting. Although the museum is closed during the colder months, they still offer these special classes offered year round that you sign up for in advance. Its a great way to learn some old-fashioned skills and lost arts. Check the heritage museum special classes page here to see upcoming workshops and events.

Where to Stay in Ottawa with Kids

• Budget: Byward Inn -offers a 2 bedroom suite and delicious free breakfast, located in the Byward Market area
• Mid-range: Capital’s Retreat – cozy home with lots of space
• Upper Scale Mid-Range: Lord Elgin – our family and my friend’s family both stayed in the Lord Elgin during our trip to Ottawa, and it was a fantastic place to stay with kids because of how close it was to everything. It also had a pool.
• Luxury: Homewood Suites by Hilton Downtown – indoor swimming pool, free breakfast and on-site restaurant right downtown

Pro Tip: If you’re looking for somewhere kid-friendly to stay in Ottawa that is super budget and don’t mind a few downsides (being far from the downtown, and living in someone’s basement) then I stayed at this Airbnb with my daughter during a trip to Ottawa and felt comfortable and enjoyed our time

3 Amazing Things to Do NEAR Ottawa with Kids (1-2+ hours of driving)

There are a lot of fun things to do in Eastern Ontario, and many charming small towns to visit, and other amazing cities like Kingston (which used to be Ottawa’ capital.) If you’re willing to drive up to an hour or two, you’ll find lots of family friendly things to do. I’ve put these things in a separate category, because not everyone visiting or living in Ottawa has a car.

1. Drive through Parc Omega

Distance from Ottawa: 1 hour

Parc Omega in Quebec is a 12 km (7.5-mile) safari where you get to drive through a nature reserve to spot Canadian wildlife from your car. You have the chance to see animals like wolves, bears, beavers, and lots of birds that live in the area.

If you’ve ever been to the African Lion Safari near Toronto, Parc Omega is very similar, except the wildlife here is all Canadian native animals. Theres also a 1 km (0.6-mile) trail on-site where you can hike in the warm months, or snowshoe in the cold months. You can do this before or after your drive through the park.

2. See aquatic life at the Brockville Aquatarium

Distance from Ottawa: 1 hour, 10 minutes

My friend in Ottawa swars by the Brockville Aquatarium – they’ve brought their kids there a number of times. The Brockville Aquarium has fish, otters, turtles and other marine life that are native to the St. Lawrence River. Its designed to be a fun, educational way for kids to learn about local aquatic life to this part of Ontario.

There are also places for kids to play, such as an interactive water table. The Brockville Aquatarium is open from 10am -4pm from Fridays to Mondays only. You can book online, or simply buy your tickets at reception upon arrival.

3. Visit Mountain Orchards

Distance from Ottawa: 1 hour

4. Go hiking in Algonquin Provincial Park

Distance from Ottawa: 2 hours, 45 minutes

Algonquin Park is the 3rd largest provincial park in Ontario, and also the oldest; having opened in 1883. Its very large, at over 7,000 km sq feet.

It’s a great place to get out and experience incredible nature – most of the lakes are free of motorized boats. You can go canoeing, hiking, and even camping. Algonquin is especially beautiful (and popular) in the fall season, when the leaves change colour. Algonquin Provincial Park is a scenic drive from Ottawa. This can be done in a day trip, or you can stay in the park or nearby overnight.

Things to Do in Ottawa with a Baby

There are a number of things to do in Ottawa with a baby, or even young toddlers. There are parks, playgrounds, beaches, splash pads, indoor playgrounds and family-friendly museums. So, depending what season you’re visiting Ottawa, there are lots of ways to get you out exploring the city with your baby in tow, whether they’re a newborn or toddler age.

• Go on a stroller-friendly walk outside. If St-Laurent by the mall, head west to the Rideau River paths. If near Manor Park, head to the Ottawa River pathways. If South, head to Lynda Lane Park.
• Visit one of the indoor playgrounds
• Visit one of the city splashpads, beaches or swimming pools. Info on the city website here
• Walk through a museum. The Museum of Aviation or the Canadian Nature Museum are both be eye-catching and interesting for kids and babies even if they don’t understand the material behind it

Ottawa with Kids: FAQs

Here are the most commonly asked questions about visiting Ottawa with kids

Does Ottawa have an aquarium?

Ottawa does not have its own aquarium like the Ripley’s in Toronto or the Aquarium du Quebec in Quebec City. However, there is the Brockville Aquatarium which is just over an hour from Ottawa.

Is Ottawa kid friendly?

Ottawa is definitely a kid-friendly city. The downtown core is very safe and walkable, and compact. Regardless of the season you visit, there’s a good mix of interactive museums, outdoor activities, and heritage landmarks to explore and learn about as a family. Its a gorgeous city with so much to do with kids.

Does Ottawa have a zoo?

Ottawa doesn’t have a zoo with exotic animals, but there is a farm which operates as a petting zoo just outside the city, as well as an aquarium just 1 hour away. There’s also Parc Omega, which is a drive-through safari where you can see native Canadian animals in their natural habitat.

Final Thoughts: What do Do in Ottawa with Kids

By now, you know of some of the best things to do in Ottawa with kids of all ages. Whether you’re in Ottawa with a toddler, or teenager, there’s a lot of family friendly things to do in the Canada’s capital. This is part of what makes it one of the best places to live, and visit in our province.

I’ve crafted a good Ottawa itinerary that can be done with or without kids. While Toronto has the largest museum in Canada, Ottawa has the most variety, and kid-friendly museums. It has more family-friendly museums with interactive exhibits that interest children than anywhere else in Canada, and it has great outdoor activities for kids of all ages, year round.