Skating down the Rideau Canal

by Nick & Kayley·27 July 2026

Tested by us· February 2026Half Day3 stops$$$

For a few short weeks every winter, the Rideau Canal freezes over and allows people of all ages to skate along a 7.8km stretch of it. If skating is not in the cards, there is a pedestrian walkway just off the ice for the full length as well.

The day, stop by stop

S
Start
CF Rideau Centre
50 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9J7
Walk · 10 min·To Zak's Diner
Breakfast
Zak's Diner
$60.64
We love Zak's Diner for any meal... they do fantastic omelettes, wraps, poutines, and milkshakes.
A old school 50's diner, with all-day breakfast.
14 Byward Market Square, Ottawa, ON K1N 7A1
Walk · 10 min·To Rideau Access Point
Morning
Rideau Canal - Rideau Access Point
The canal only opens when it is deemed safe. Always follow recommendations from the NCC and check the ice conditions before skating. Website: https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/skateway-ice-conditions
The entry to the canal located in downtown Ottawa. There are heated changing rooms, bathrooms, concessions, and rentals available here.
45°25'25.8"N 75°41'31.9"W
Skate · 1 hour·To KM 7.8
Midday
Any Rest Area on the Canal
$20
Rest areas along the Canal coming from KM 0.0 (Rideau): Concord: KM 1.4, Fifth: KM 3.0, Dow's: KM 6.0 (requires you to skate down the loop and get off the ice for food), Bronson: KM 7.0
The rest areas have bathrooms, food, drinks, fire-pits (on weekends), and benches to rest.
Fifth Rest Area has the most choices of food, treats, and drinks. It's at KM 3.0 into the 7.8km one-way stretch of ice.
Treat yourself to a BeaverTail! It's a Canadian right of passage to have one on the Canal... and don't worry, no actual beavers are harmed in the making of these. It's a deep fried pastry with your choice of topping.
The ice conditions can vary wildly from one day to the next. The colder the weather outside is, the better the ice will likely be. Make sure to bundle up and wear layers on cold days, or be prepared for cracks and melted ice on warmer days. The NCC does a fantastic job of updating ice conditions twice a day on their website.
Please note that one of us plays hockey and has been skating since they were 3. The other half is newer to skating but quite comfortable, so our time to skate the canal is probably much quicker than someone who is new to skating, skating with littles, or who decides to walk.
Enjoy a rest from your skating!
Skate · 1 hour·To KM 0.0
Walk · 5 min·To CF Rideau Centre
E
End
CF Rideau Centre
50 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 9J7