My husband and I recently enjoyed a road trip to beautiful Ottawa as a four night couples getaway. It’s a distance of approximately 450 kilometres (280 miles) from our home near Toronto so is a great destination for a short getaway.
The primary reason for visiting the week we did was the Canadian Tulip Festival. I attended with our younger daughter more than 10 years ago but was disappointed that the tulips were well past their prime when we arrived and I have wanted to go back ever since. I also just really love visiting the city because it has everything – culture, politics and history, outdoor activities, and great food – perfect for a couples getaway!
This is our itinerary for a four night couples getaway to Ottawa – where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more. It’s not possible to do everything in Ottawa in one visit so just pick what appeals to you most and know that you will more than likely be back. I think this was my 7th trip to the Canadian capital region and I would happily head back again – the sooner the better!
Read Celebrate Spring at the Canadian Tulip Festival
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Day 1 – Arrive in Ottawa
Following a 4.5 hour drive from our home, we arrived in mid-afternoon and checked in at our centrally-located hotel (The Metcalfe Hotel) which is just a short walk from Parliament Hill.
Parliament Hill Walk
After settling in to our hotel room, we headed out for a walk to see the tulips around Parliament Hill. Even when it’s not tulip season, taking a walk around Parliament Hill is a must – it’s just so beautiful with the historic buildings and all of the monuments.
Rideau Canal
From Parliament Hill, we walked over to see the locks of the Rideau Canal by Château Laurier and then went for a short walk along the canal. The Rideau Canal is both a National Historic Site of Canada and a UNESCO World Heritage Site as North America’s best-preserved “slackwater” canal, and the only one from the great 19th century canal-building era that still operates along its original route with most of its original structures intact.
I had hoped to visit the small Bytown Museum which is located alongside the locks but it was closing when we arrived and we were too short on time to return on another day.
We had intended to enjoy an extended walk along the canal but the weather was unseasonably hot and we decided to cut it short and have an early-ish dinner instead.
Byward Market
From the canal we walked to Byward Market (with a few stops to take more photos of tulips and the Women Are Persons! monument ) and enjoyed a delicious dinner in the courtyard of Social.
Byward Market is a must for any visit to Ottawa – great shops, restaurants and cafés – and you have to be sure to take a photo with the OTTAWA sign!
On the way back to our hotel after dinner, we walked through Major’s Hill Park to see the beds of tulips and stopped to take photos of the canal at dusk.
Day 2 – Canadian Tulip Festival
The focus of our second day in Ottawa was tulips – it promised to be a beautiful day and I wanted to get as many photos as possible!
We drove to Commissioner’s Park (a distance of approximately 4 km or 2.5 miles from downtown) to see the beds of tulips there. We arrived late morning and spent about an hour and a half wandering around to view all of the beds of tulips.
Mackenzie King Estate
After leaving Commissioner’s Park, we drove to Gatineau Park where the Mackenzie King Estate is located. Unfortunately, we were only able to walk the grounds as the buildings had not yet opened for the season.
The Mackenzie King Estate is the legacy of former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King who owned the property as a summer home for close to 50 years and willed it to the country after his death.
Located within Gatineau Park and administered by the National Capital Commission, visitors are welcomed to stroll the gardens, explore the forest trails around the estate and admire the architectural ruins collected by the Prime Minister year-round. From late spring until mid-fall, visitors may also explore two 1940s cottages and see exhibits about Prime Minister Mackenzie King’s life and times.
The Mackenzie King Estate is located a 20 minute drive from downtown Ottawa. The grounds are open year-round and admission is free.
After our visit to the Mackenzie King Estate, we returned downtown to our hotel and enjoyed a delicious dinner at the on-site restaurant – Cocotte Bistro. Cocotte serves modern authentic French cuisine and is known for using locally sourced fresh ingredients served in a chic setting.
Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.
Day 3 – Museums – Exploring Our Past
On day 3 of our getaway, our focus was on Canadian history with plans to visit two museums. First up was the Diefenbunker Museum which we were visiting for the first time and later in the afternoon we headed to the Canadian Museum of History which is one of my all-time favourite museums so we visit every time we are in Ottawa.
Read 7 Awesome Museums to Visit in Ottawa
The Diefenbunker
First thing in the morning we headed out to Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum which is located outside the city of Ottawa. The Diefenbunker (as it’s known) is an impressive four story underground structure that was a communications headquarters during the Cold War and is now a National Historic Site and a museum.
This is a fascinating museum to visit! There are four levels of exhibits that provide a great deal of information about the Cold War period and how this facility factored into the Canadian government’s continuity plans in the event of a nuclear attack on Canada by the Soviet Union. If you’re interested in history at all then this museum is a must for your visit to Ottawa – it’s definitely worth the drive out of the city!
We did the self-guided tour and spent a little less than 2 hours although you will need more time than that if you like to read everything on each exhibit. Apparently the average visitor spends 2-3 hours at the museum.
Located at 3929 Carp Road approximately 40 kilometres from downtown Ottawa. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. General Admission (Adult 18+): $19.50. Buying tickets online in advance is highly recommended. Parking is free. Self-guided tours with an Audio Guide or guided tours available for an additional fee.
The Canadian Museum of History
We finished our visit to the Diefenbunker early afternoon and headed back downtown to visit the Canadian Museum of History which is located across the river in Gatineau, Québec.
This is one of my all-time favourite museums – I have visited it every time that I have been in Ottawa except for the first and I’ll never tire of it. Previously known as the Canadian Museum of Civilization, it was renamed in 2013 to better reflect its focus on Canadian history.
Exhibits include the Grand Hall where you can explore Indigenous cultures, the Indian Residential School Memorial Monument, First Peoples Hall, the Canadian History Hall, and the Canadian Stamp Collection as well as temporary exhibitions. There’s also a cinema and an excellent Children’s Museum which our daughters loved when they were young.
Located at 100 Laurier Street. Hours may vary – check website for details. General admission Age 18+: $24+tax. Free Admission every Thursday from 5 pm-7 pm, Canada Day (July 1), National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30) and Remembrance Day (November 11). Paid parking in garage. Accessible by public transit.
After a visit of close to three hours at the museum, we headed back to our hotel and went out for dinner at Johnny Farina which was nearby (216 Elgin Street at the corner of Lisgar Avenue). This casual Italian eatery also has an outdoor patio and we opted to dine al fresco and enjoy the lovely weather.
Day 4 – Historic Sites and Art
On our 4th and final day in Ottawa, we were able to fit in visits to a couple of historic sites as well as the National Gallery of Canada.
Laurier House National Historic Site
My husband was keen to visit the Laurier House National Historic Site but it wasn’t looking like we had time to fit it in until a change in plans on our last morning allowed us the opportunity for a quick visit before heading to Rideau Hall.
Formerly the residence of two of Canada’s longest-serving Prime Ministers – Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King, Laurier House is now a National Historic Site operated by Parks Canada. Located in the Sandy Hill area of Ottawa east of Parliament, the Visitor Centre and historic mansion are open to visitors during the spring and summer months.
There are some interesting exhibits in the Visitor Centre and the historic house has three stories with unique artifacts from the time period and relating to PMs Laurier and King. Tours are self-guided with costumed interpreters available to answer questions or you can choose to book a guided tour for an additional fee. There’s also a High Tea served on the veranda three times a day – reservations recommended.
We browsed the exhibits for about 45 minutes and then called an UBER to transport us to Rideau Hall in time for our tour.
Located at 335 Laurier Ave. E. Open spring and summer (May 1 – September 1). Admission Fee Adult (18-64): $4.50. Street parking nearby.
Rideau Hall
It had been more than 15 years since we had last toured Rideau Hall so it was high on my list of priorities for this trip and I almost completely messed it up! I knew that I needed to make a reservation for a guided tour in the off-season but hadn’t realized that a request had to be made 72 hours in advance for a weekday visit at that time of year. I sent in a request anyway and, fortunately, we received a confirmation the morning of our last day that there was an afternoon tour available.
Rideau Hall is a National Historic site set on a 79 acre urban oasis a short distance from Parliament Hill and has been the official residence of every Governor General of Canada since 1867.
The grounds to Rideau Hall are open daily and can be explored at your leisure, however, the residence is only accessible via guided tour. 45 minute guided tours of the state rooms of the residence are also available year-round but reservations are often required to be made in advance apart from the summer season of July and August.
We strolled the grounds prior to our tour with more than enough time to spare and were asked to join an earlier tour that wasn’t full. We enjoyed the tour of the beautiful residence and learning about the history of the building, the role of the Governor General and the art on display particularly the beautiful Indigenous artwork.
After the tour of the residence we walked back along Sussex Drive to the National Gallery – it was a hot day but still a lovely walk!
Located at 1 Sussex Drive (3.5 km from Parliament Hill). The Visitor Centre is open from May – September. Grounds are open from 8 am until one hour before sunset year-round. Check website for details regarding residence tours as reservations are required at times during the off-season. In July and August no reservations are required.
National Gallery of Canada
Our final stop of the day was the National Gallery of Canada – Canada’s national art museum which is home to one of the finest collections of Indigenous and Canadian art in the world. Along with the Canadian Museum of History, this is the other museum that I visit every time that I’m in Ottawa – I love the artwork, I love the architecture and I love Maman (the spider sculpture outside the museum) – it’s a place that just makes me happy!
This is a big gallery so we generally choose a couple of areas that we want to focus on rather than trying to see everything (an almost impossible feat anyway!). There are a number of works by the Group of Seven and by Emily Carr that I love to see and there is an impressive collection of works by Indigenous artists as well. Be sure to visit the Rideau Chapel, the Michael and Sonja Koerner Family Atrium which features a glass-bottomed pool and soaring skylights and the Fred and Elizabeth Fountain Garden Court.
Located at 380 Sussex Drive. Check website for hours – may be closed Mondays in off-season. Adult admission: $22 (get $3 off if you book tickets online). Free admission on Thursday evenings.
After leaving the National Gallery, we spent time taking more photos of tulips in Major’s Hill Park and around Byward Market before grabbing a quick dinner at Milestone’s (700 Sussex Drive).
Additional Things To Do in Ottawa
We have visited Ottawa many times and it’s impossible to do everything each visit. These are some of the other activities and attractions in Ottawa that we enjoy the most.
Parliament of Canada Tours
We have enjoyed Parliament of Canada tours several times – it’s always worthwhile to have a better understanding of how our government functions – and it’s free! Separate guide tours of the Senate, the House of Commons and the East Block (summer only) can now be booked online.
Due to the ongoing construction work on Centre Block, the Peace Tower is not currently included in a tour. There is, however, an innovative exhibition and multimedia show that takes visitors on a virtual tour of Centre Block.
We also had an opportunity to attend Question Period in the House of Commons in March 2020 on the day that legislators were discussing the possibility of a shutdown – it was quite interesting! You need to contact your Member of Parliament if you wish to attend Question Period. Ours is the Honourable Anita Anand and she took the time to meet with us for a few minutes after Question Period as well.
Supreme Court of Canada Tours
Tours of the Supreme Court of Canada – we have also enjoyed the free tour of Canada’s highest court where visitors learn about the architecture of the building, the Canadian judicial system and how the Supreme Court deals with important legal issues.
Additional Museums
As the capital, Ottawa is home to seven of Canada’s nine national museums as well as several smaller museums. In addition to the National Gallery, the Canadian Museum of History and the Diefenbunker, we also have enjoyed visiting the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum and the Canada Science and Technology Museum.
Read 7 Awesome Museums to Visit in Ottawa
Land and Water Tour
If you’re looking for a fun sightseeing tour, we enjoyed the Lady Dive Splash and Land Tours which is an “amphibus” that takes visitors on an hour long tour around Ottawa and out on the Ottawa River.
Where To Stay
We stayed at The Metcalfe Hotel on this trip and loved it – the hotel is stylish and the location is unbeatable! The Metcalfe is housed in a century-old building that was built as a YMCA in 1909 and converted to a hotel in the 1960s. I loved the combination of historic charm with modern sophistication and the main level of the hotel just made me smile – an atrium with hanging plants, a lounge with bookshelves and a chic bistro with black and white tiles – I wanted to hang out there all day!
We had a spacious Executive King on the 6th floor with a view of the city. The rooms are modern with hardwood floors, a Tivoli Bluetooth speaker and a gorgeous bath with a huge double shower. I would definitely choose to stay here again!
On previous visits to Ottawa, we have enjoyed stays at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, the Lord Elgin Hotel and the Westin Ottawa – all of which are centrally located and good choices for a couples getaway.
Related Reading
Celebrate Spring With a Visit to the Canadian Tulip Festival
10 Fantastic Free Things To Do in Ottawa
7 Awesome Museums To Visit in Ottawa
Things To Do in Ontario: The Ultimate Ontario Bucket List
10 of the Best Summer Vacations in Canada
11 of Canada’s Best Winter Festivals to Celebrate the Season
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