Ottawa, Ontario — Activities
Ottawa Culture
Ottawa is the nation's cultural capital and has evolved into a major center for the visual and performing arts, with strong French influence. Cultural venues and events range from outdoor festivals, and local theater, to native Canadian dancers, operas or symphony concerts.
Check Ottawa's online arts and entertainment guide at The Humm (www.thehumm.com).
Theater
National Arts Center
Catch Canada's top performing art talent on stage at the National Arts Center, including The Ottawa opera company, Opera Lyra.
53 Elgin Street at Confederation Square
Tel: (613) 947 7000.
Website: www.nac-can.ca
Ottawa Little Theater
There are a number of theaters in Ottawa. Local theater productions can be found in English at the Ottawa Little Theater.
400 King Edward Street
Tel: (613) 233 8948.
Website: www.ottawalittletheater.com
Odyssey Theater
During the summer the Odyssey Theater performs professional outdoor theater at Strathcona Park.
West bank of the River Rideau.
Tel: (613) 232 8407.
Website: www.odysseytheater.ca
Dance
Turtle Island Tourism Company
See native Aboriginal dancers perform at the Turtle Island Tourism Company's summer village on Victoria Island.
Portage Bridge.
Tel: (613) 564 9494.
Website: www.aboriginalexperiences.com
Ottawa Tours
Walking tours
Explore hundreds of kilometers of pathways by bike, inline skates or on foot through the picturesque city or along the riverbank and Rideau Canal. Take a walking tour of historic landmarks and tourist sites with Ottawa Walking Tours. Gatineau Park, 15 minutes north of downtown Ottawa, also offers extensive trails for hiking and snowshoeing.
Tel: (613) 799 1774.
Website: www.ottawawalkingtours.com
Boat tours
Enjoy a cruise along the Rideau Canal or River Ottawa with Paul's Boat Lines.
Ttel: (613) 225 6781.
Website: www.paulsboatcruises.com
Train tours
A vintage steam train chugs through the Gatineau Hills to the quaint riverside village of Wakefield.
Tel: 1 800 871 7246.
Website: www.steamtrain.ca
Rickshaw tours
Alternatively, try something a little different on a historical rickshaw tour around town or the ByWard Market area. Sit back while a runner pulls the rickshaw up and down the hills with frequent stops to tell local stories, or get involved personally in a teambuilding challenge where rickshaw teams compete against one another.
Tel: (613) 816 7558.
Website: www.rickshaws.ca
