Four Amazing Guided Tours in Ottawa’s Original Downtown

Ottawa’s Original Downtown is best experienced from more than one perspective. We were lucky enough to experience all four of these tours, which gave us the chance to compare them from different perspectives and share our best recommendations. Whether you love sightseeing from a great height, getting out on the water, or looking for a truly unique land and water experience, there is a tour for you.

Hop-On/Hop-Off Gray Line Ottawa

The Hop-On/Hop-Off Gray Line Ottawa tour starts at 44 Sparks Street, on the corner of Sparks and Elgin. If you like being up high, seeing lots of sights at once, and having the freedom to explore at your own pace, this tour might be the perfect choice for you. The Ottawa Gray Line specializes in guided tours of the Ottawa and Gatineau region, allowing visitors to experience the city’s historic scenery from a completely different perspective. The double-decker bus takes you past some of Ottawa’s most popular attractions, including Parliament Hill, embassies, parks, museums, the ByWard Market, and the Rideau Canal.

One of our favourite parts was sitting on the second floor of the bus. The breeze feels wonderful as you travel through the city, and being up high gives you an excellent view of Ottawa’s Original Downtown.

The hop-on/hop-off format also makes it easy to customize your day and go at your pace. You can get off at the sites you want to explore, spend some time there, and then hop back on to continue your adventure. A 1-Day Pass gives you 8 hours, while a 2-Day Pass gives you 16 hours to explore. The tour is narrated in English and French, with multilingual audio available through the app in French, English, Portuguese, Spanish, German, Mandarin, Japanese, and Russian.

Our recommendation

If you want to see a lot of Ottawa in a short amount of time and love the feeling of sitting up high with an open view of the city, this is the tour for you.

Lady Dive Amphibus Tour

The Lady Dive Amphibus Tour also starts at 44 Sparks Street, at the corner of Sparks and Elgin, but this experience is unlike anything else on our list. Get your family and friends ready for a truly unique adventure on the Amphibus, this is a vehicle that starts out as a bus and transforms into a boat!

The tour takes you through Ottawa and Gatineau by both land and water, giving you the opportunity to see Ottawa’s Original Downtown from two completely different perspectives. Along the way, bilingual guides introduce you to more than 75 important sites, while sharing history, stories, and humorous anecdotes.

The tour lasts approximately one hour and is entertaining, educational, and easy to enjoy with the whole family and don’t worry… you do not get splashed! You won’t have to bring your waterproof clothing or dress differently for the tour. You can simply sit back and enjoy the experience as the Amphibus makes its transition from the streets to the water.

Our recommendation

If you want something incredibly unique and want to experience both land and water in a single tour, The Lady Dive is hard to beat.

Double Decker River Cruise

If being on the water is your idea of a perfect sightseeing experience, the Double Decker River Cruise is a great option. This tour departs at the Ottawa Dock, giving you the opportunity to see Ottawa’s Original Downtown and more from the Ottawa River. The cruise lasts approximately 75–90 minutes and offers spectacular views of the city’s skyline and historic landmarks. One of the biggest highlights is the view. From the water, you get a completely different perspective of Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and Rideau Falls. The spacious open decks make it easy to sit back, relax, and take photos, bilingual commentary is in English and French and multilingual audio guides are also available in German, Mandarin, Russian, Spanish, Italian, Korean, and Japanese. There is even an onboard cash bar where you can purchase a refreshing drink while enjoying the cruise.

Our recommendation

If you love boats, water views, and taking photos from a completely different angle, this cruise is for you. It is relaxing, scenic, and a wonderful way to see Ottawa’s skyline.

100% Electric Ekeau Rideau Canal Cruise

The 100% Electric Rideau Canal Cruise departs from 1 Elgin Street in Ottawa and offers yet another way to experience the capital. The Rideau Canal is one of Canada’s most remarkable waterways, stretching 202 kilometres from Kingston to Ottawa. Cruising along it gives you the opportunity to experience the canal’s scenery while learning about the history and heritage behind this incredible waterway. The story of the Rideau Canal takes us back to 1812, when plans for its construction were introduced. Today, the canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains one of Ottawa’s most iconic landmarks. The cruise travels through the canal system from Dow’s Lake toward the Ottawa River, offering views of historic landmarks and beautiful scenery along the way.

Our recommendation

If you love boats but want a different experience from a traditional river cruise, this is a great choice. The Rideau Canal has so much history, and seeing it from an electric passenger vessel makes the experience feel especially memorable.

Final Thoughts

Ottawa’s Original Downtown is full of history, beautiful architecture, waterways, and incredible landmarks, and experiencing it from just one perspective doesn’t really do it justice. After trying all four of these tours, we loved that each one showed us a completely different side of the city. Whether you’re visiting Ottawa for the first time or you’re a local looking for a new way to explore, we highly recommend getting out and seeing the capital from the bus, the land, the river, and the Rideau Canal. Our biggest recommendation? If you have the time, try more than one because each tour offers an experience you simply can’t get from the others.