Ottawa is a very active city year round! No matter whether it is 30C or -30C there are always active things to do inside and outside!
Parks and trails
Gatineau Park (Le Parc De La Gatineau) is beautiful and easily accessible from Ottawa within 15 minutes from Parliament Hill!
- Winter: snowshoeing, cross country skiing/skate skiing, fat biking, hiking
- Winter park and trails map
- Spring/summer/fall: hiking, cycling (closed to road traffic on Sundays for cyclists), camping, open water swimming, canoeing, kayaking. Be sure to bring bug repellent!
- Summer parks and trails map
Algonquin Provincial Park is only 3 hours away for excellent camping, hiking, canoeing adventures!
- Check it out at Friends of Algonquin Park and Ontario Parks
Some of the best-known parks and green spaces in Ottawa are:
- Andrew Haydon Park
- Confederation Park
- Major’s Hill Park
- Vincent Massey Park
- Lansdowne Park
The City of Ottawa is surrounded by the Greenbelt (protected land) and farmland. Walking and hiking is possible in the greenbelt areas. Link to Ottawa parks and sports fields
Cross Country Skiing
In wintertime, there are lots of Cross Country ski trails in and around Ottawa
- XCSkiing.ca is a local resource by locals for trail conditions in and around Ottawa including Gatineau Park. There is also a discussion forum for tips/tricks
- XCOttawa.ca is a comparable and excellent resource
- Kanata Nordic has events and training
- Mooney’s Bay Park and Athletic Facility has rentals and lessons and easy trails
- For equipment rental and purchases, there are many stores in and around Ottawa/Gatineau including: MEC Ottawa, Fresh Air Experience, Bushtukah, Trailhead, Kunstadt, Play it Again Sports
Bike paths
Ottawa/Gatineau has an extensive network of paved bike paths. Check them out! Ottawa is filled with year-round cyclists including in the dead of winter! You can enjoy car free cycling most sundays either downtown along designated routes through downtown and Gatineau park through Nokia Sunday Bikedays.
Water and watersports
- Canal, Rivers: Check out the Rideau Canal, Rideau River, Ottawa River, and more
- There is whitewater rafting!
- Rent canoes, kayaks, stand up paddleboards (SUP) from Dow’s Lake Pavilion for the Rideau Canal
- Rent canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, and SUP in Gatineau Park
- Beaches: Tons of Beaches across the city
- Outdoor Pools: Fancy a non-sandy dip? Check out one of Ottawa’s many Outdoor pools
Yoga Studios
A list of some of the many studios…we do not endorse one in particular, try out to see if one is a good fit for you! There is also free yoga on Parliament Hill every Wednesday at lunch during the summer.
Vanier/New Edinburgh
Byward Market/Lowertown
Centretown/Chinatown
Glebe/Old Ottawa
Mechanicsville/Hintonburg/Westboro
Sports Clubs
General sports
- Ottawa Sports and Social Club (OSSC): Organizes/coordinates intramural adult social sports leagues as well as social activities
Running Clubs
- Ottawa Running Room Clubs: All ages/abilities. Throughout Ottawa
- Ottawa Running Club (ORC): All ages/abilities. Westboro/Hintonburg. Affiliated with Ottawa Triathlon Club (OTC)
- Ottawa Frontrunners: All ages/abilities. LGBTQ run club in Centretown.
- K2JFitness: All ages/ abilities. Based in Barrhaven
- Ottawa Lions: All ages/abilities. Track &Field
Cycling
- Ottawa Bicycle Club (OBC): Hosts outdoor group rides, workshops, cyclotourism, competitive, open to all ages and abilities. Hosts annual Rideau Lakes Tour (Ottawa-Kingston ride). Membership approx $60/yr
- Almonte Bicyle Club (ABC): like OBC, located in Almonte, ON and serving west Lanark county. Membership approx $60/yr
Masters swimming
- Technosport: Masters and triathletes, Canada and Ottawa’s largest Masters swim club. Swims at University of Ottawa +- Lowertown Pool
- Rideau Speedos: LGBTQ masters swim team, swims at University of Ottawa
- Carleton University Masters: based at the Carleton University Pool.
Rowing
- Ottawa Rowing Club: Located off Sussex Drive, has boathouse space, rowing team, learn to row and more.
- Ottawa New Edinburgh Club: Located in Rockcliffe Park, has tennis club, rowing club, sailing club, lessons and more.
Ottawa Resiliency 