Fun Winter Activities to Enjoy in Ottawa

Ah, Ottawa. It’s the capital of the great nation of Canada, and its metropolitan area is home to more than 1.4 million people.

While people love living there for the city’s diversity, size, and job market, they sometimes shy away from its cold winter climates. Lows in the single digits are just too much for a lot of people to handle, but there’s always a catch.

The thing is, Ottawa has plenty to do in the winter, and the city residents have decided they can live with the cold if it means they have access to all the family fun and games that winter brings with it.

It’s worth noting all this if you’ve been looking at Ottawa homes for sale and want to know what all there is to do when the cold starts showing up.

We’ve put together this guide for you to check out some of the most fun winter activities to enjoy in Ottawa. Let’s get into them!
Ice Skating
When you think of winter, you probably think immediately of ice skating. Even if you’ve never done it before, it’s an activity that has been around during the winter for a long time, and Ottawa residents are so stranger to it.

Within the city, you have your choice of skating rinks. There’s Rideau Canal Skateway (the longest of its kind in the world), the SENS Rink of Dreams, and the Skating Court at Lansdowne Pavilion.

These spots are extremely popular during the end-of-year holiday season, so be sure to check them out if you’d like to ice skate by the lights on the trees!
Skiing
Yes, the urban hub that is the nation’s capital is also home to winter skiing. You can check this out at the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail and Rideau Winter Trail within Ottawa. These areas are maintained for skiers, snowboarders, and others, but you should have no trouble enjoying them for all the skiing you want.

Outside of the city, you can find the well-loved Greenbelt region. It’s protected land that has become a go-to for cross-country skiers for a long time. You will find plenty of skiing trails, as well, across the provincial border in Quebec’s Gatineau Park. Best of all, it’s only 15 minutes from downtown Ottawa.
Winterlude
Finally, we’d be remiss not to mention the famous Ottawa-area winter activity known as Winterlude. It’s actually hosted within the larger Ottawa-Gatineau region on the border of Ontario and Quebec.

Winterlude is a giant winter festival held annually for three weekends in February. There, adults and children of all ages can have fun with ice carving challenges, snow playgrounds, and so much more, including activities on the Rideau Canal Skateway.

Ottawa is obviously one of the places to be if you’re looking for a mix of urban and rural winter activities, as it’s all located pretty close together. So, don’t let those winter temps scare you away. Have some fun in the cold, because it lasts only so long!