Rideau Canal Skateway
Categories: Local Flavour Active Life Skating Rinks Local Flavour, Skating Rinks [Edit]
Rideau To Dow's LakeOttawa, ON K1N 6N5
(613) 239-5000
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 6 am - 6 am
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
12 reviews for Rideau Canal Skateway
12 reviews in English
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Review from Marcia P.
4/20/2012
As the only non-Canadian here so far, I feel privileged to say the 8-hour drive from NYC has been well worth it. In fact, I would have happily paid $100+ in gas to go again this year... if we even had a WINTER!!! No, we missed it this year, since we were stuck having to try and go during (American) President's Week. Warm, rainy and careening toward springtime it was during the last weeks of Feb. Waaah!
Well, 2010 and 2011 were fantastic and we skated the whole canal over and over. And scarfed down beaver tails and maple taffy and (later) poutine and elk and all kindsa things we don't have in NY. Love it!!! -
Review from Jana D.
Ottawa, ON
4/5/2012
We went with family this year, in the middle weekend of Winterlude. It turned out to be the best weekend to go there this year, with global warming shutting down the rink after just 28 days, the shortest canal season since we've lived in Ottawa. But it was a "balmy" minus 16º on both days of that weekend (February 11 and 12). The ice surface was really crappy - very cracked and hard to skate on. My hockey player grandson got his skate stuck in one of those cracks and went flying. I am so glad he did not hurt himself! I heard that this year there were some 50 calls out to the ice to help injured skaters!
However, that shouldn't even slow you down from getting out there to experience skating on the canal! This is a national treasure!
I thoroughly appreciated the new huts, and after our "workout", we got beaver tails and hot chocolates, and since the sap was already running - thanks again to global warming -the kids had something new to them: "tire sur neige" - maple syrup on a stick! Yum!! My dentist will love this! But seriously, this is a must-do when you come to Ottawa in the wintertime.
We also went to Jacques Cartier park, which was the first time for me. Very impressed! And lots of fun in spite of the cold. -
Review from Deanna S.
3/30/2012
I lived in Ottawa for 10 years, and some of my fondest memories of the city involve skating on the canal!
It's a fun activity to get outiside and enjoy the winter. If you've never had one, you NEED to have a Beavertail! Mmm! -
Review from Craig M.
Ottawa, ON
1/22/2012
Skating on the Rideau Canal is something everyone who lives in Ottawa should do, heck everyone who visits Ottawa in winter should try to make time to get on the ice. There is something wonderful about going out on a (relatively) warm winter day and watching everyone skating whether it be the parents skating while pushing their kids in strollers, groups of teenagers trying to skate in conga lines or people just learning who spend more time with their butt on the ice than their skates.
The 2011-2012 skating season brought new warming huts that are a huge step up from the old ones. They are warm, spacious and plentiful along the skate way. If you don't have skates you can still rent them at a few locations including Dows Lake and near the locks. When you go out don't forget to bring some cash for a beaver tail and coffee/hot chocolate. The Beavertails stands are always crowded but the lines move quickly and it is worth the wait. -
Review from Coy W.
1/22/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This is a fun Ottawa thing to do when it's cold out. It's available for a couple of months a year. Your time is limited to enjoy this fun event, so make the most out of it!
Some information on skating the canal
http://www.canadascapi...
A map for 2012
http://www.canadascapi...
There's not much more I can say that others haven't so here are a few tips. The closer you get towards parliament the larger the crowds are. There are multiple entrances onto the canal so if you want to avoid the crowds you may want to enter elsewhere, but there will still be crowds. Take your time and enjoy the day. The ice isn't fantastic but they try their best to maintain it and keep it in the best condition they can.
Keep your skates sharp and try to skate the whole canal! -
Review from Dawn M.
1/18/2012
Other reviewers have already said it - but it bears repeating. This is a must-do item for anyone visiting Ottawa when the canal skating is open. (Check http://www.canadascapi... - search on skating - to get updates on skateway status.)
As the longest outdoor skating rink in the world, it's a site to see. If you are a visitor, you can rent skates. A few thoughts: Check the weather and dress appropriately - that means insulated skates, long underwear, layers on your body, scarf, hat, ski mitts. Bring a knapsack and as you warm up, start stripping down. Better to overdress than under-dress. Bring money - you can buy hot drinks etc., along the way. Plan to enjoy the horribly expensive ice huts on the canal - your tax dollars paid for them, so get your money's worth! (Not saying they were a bad purchase, just that it was expensive.) Don't let cold weather stop you - embrace winter.
I was told (but haven't verified myself) that the best time to skate is on a relatively warm winter evening, around 9 p.m, which is just after they flood it. I'm gonna check out that time slot for myself soon. :-)
Would I return: yes
Would I recommend: yes -
Review from Jason K.
2/5/2012
- nothing better in the winter than skating along the canal, grabbing a beavertail (HAS to be a killaloe sunrise (cinnamon + sugar + lemon)) and a hot chocolate.
- over 7km of skating?! come on. rinks are for suckers. :) -
Review from Darren M.
Ottawa, ON
11/12/2010 4 photos
When people think of Ottawa winters they think really of one thing -- skating the Rideau Canal -- OK, maybe two things -- freezing their butt off while skating the Rideau Canal.
Even if you get crappy weather you'll still never regret this experience. It is what you make of it and if you don't like the cold or ice then you're not going to enjoy this but the views should make up for it.
A tip for the experienced skater is to go out in the evening. Bring a headlamp though as the conditions change hourly and parts of the canal may be perfect but other parts may end up causing blood to drip if you can't see where you're going. It's less busy at night and the conditions are typically better. Not to mention the flickering lights look way better.
For new skaters you can rent skates near the Rideau kiosks and in the south end near Dow's Lake.
Check out the little inlet just south of the 417 bridge and whatever you do, bring cash to get a Beavertail. You can skate right up to the vendor huts.
Do watch yourself near the huts. I suspect most falls and accidents happen there as the ice sucks -- probably from all of the spilled hot chocolate.
This is a must. If you're visiting or living here for a short time you WILL leave Ottawa and be asked by people if you did this and you best be able to brag that you did.Listed in: Ottawa Date Ideas, 24 Winter Hours in Ottawa
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Review from Amanda B.
Ottawa, ON
12/4/2010
This is just one of those things you HAVE to do at least ONCE in your life!
Skating on the Rideau Canal is widely-known across Canada to be one of the most popular things to do in the Nation's Capital. Ottawa residents love it, as do visitors and tourists. It's especially fun during Winterlude when there are activities on the Canal, but it can get incredibly packed. People will skate to work or school, skate with their families, go on dates.. everything!
Being able to rent skates is great, but being able to skate up to a Beavertail stand is absolutely fantastic - it's fun, tasty, and convenient. Skating on the Rideau Canal, eating Beavertails and drinking hot chocolate or hot apple cider, is so romantic! -
Review from Cheri D.
2/3/2011
This is something everyone should do. Skate on the longest natural rink in the world! Bundle up for some fun!
You can rent there, but it's kind of a pain in the ass. If you have your own skates you can lace up on a bench outside or in one of the chalets and avoid the lines. I've skated during the day and at night. Both awesome!! It's much less busy late at night. Don't expect perfect ice conditions, it's an outdoor surface, so beware of the ruts!! I've had some pretty spectacular falls. All worth it though ;)
For me the best part about skating down the Canal is that you don't have to skate around and around and around like you do at a normal rink! You can skate in straight lines! Shocking, i know. The next best thing about the Canal is the rest areas. When you're skating along for a few kilometres it's nice to be able to sit for a few minutes and grab a hot chocolate, or better yet, Beaver Tails. Oh man. SOOO delicious. If you've never had a Beaver Tail... look it up. It's another necessity of any trip to Ottawa.Listed in: Get Outside!, I Get Around
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Review from Devan R.
2/13/2009
Ottawa's Rideau Canal Skateway
I would consider it a travesty to not visit this skateway during a winter visit to Ottawa.
The Rideau Canal Skateway holds the Guinness World Record as the world's largest naturally frozen ice rink at a wopping 7.8km!! WORLD'S LARGEST!! One could only imagine how mammoth this frozen landscape is. It is also designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, big!
I'll never forget my first experience with the skateway. When I walked down the rubber covered steps from the main road down to the canal, I wasn't sure where exactly where the ice started. This was until 2 skaters zipped right by me. It was then that I realized how massive the canal really was as I had been standing on it. Half way through this foreign landscape of ice is overpass with 8 paintings displayed on the walls, a neat addition for the skater by.
Every couple kilometres you will find hot chocolate, snack and Beaver Tail stands. A beaver tail is a fried dough pastry, of course resembling a beaver tail. You can have it topped with cinnamon & sugar, hazelnut and chocolate, nutella, lemon, maple, and other delicious toppings, an absolute must!
*A red flag flying over the canal means it is closed to skating; a yellow flag means the conditions are fair to good and a green flag means very good to excellent. Skate rentals available near Mackenzie King Bridge, 5th Avenue, and Dows Lake Pavilion. -
Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
11/24/2008 1 photo
Skating on the Rideau Canal is a rite of passage for all Ottawa residents and a must-do for tourists in the winter. The canal's ice conditions are often frustratingly inadequate throughout the season, leaving many sections or the entire waterway closed for days at a time, but going on a really nice night with few people skating is a great experience.
When it's fully open, the canal stretches from Rideau Street to Dow's Lake. There are a number of concession stands and skate rental shops along the way. During Winterlude, there are also some attractions on the ice, including teepees with Smudging ceremonies and historical sessions.
Even if you're a terrible and sometimes grumpy skater like me, I'd still recommend going, even for just an hour. It's a really simple and pleasant experience. Plus it's free! (if you have skates).
It's also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the World's Largest (no longer Longest) skating rink.
