The tour was amazing!…read more Easy to find... we took a $9 water taxi from the locks in Ottawa behind the Chateau Laurier and later we just walked back over the bridge. You want to get off at the Museum on the Gatineau side. The staff were incredible. Super friendly. Young/fun. Laid back. Music was high energy, fantastic. For your $1 donation on their end to CHEO, we could request a song. We were not crowded at all. Very tropical feel with leis, fun sunglasses and that tiki vibe. Sunset was spectator. Any day for me on water is a good day. I saw things/places in the Ottawa area I didn't even know existed! The waterfalls were cool! 5 stars all the way. Of course we tipped extra (18% already gets added to your on board bill) Book from them and not through a 3rd party. My friend booked through Trip advisor that added $20 EACH to our bill! Have fun!!! Aloha!

Very well organized and on time. We were a full boat (wedding party). Captain Mike and Gabi were…read morefun and knowledgeable. The weather could have been slightly warmer, but the drinks tasted great.

Relaxing boat cruise & tour, beautiful view of the Rideau canal, locks & some history of Ottawa…read morefrom a wonderful guide! Overall great experience!

Staff were great, however not really worth the $60 price tag. Only minimal views from the canal and…read morelimited visibility. Tour information was nice, but would be better to save the money and take a bike ride or kayak instead

Great cruise ' from the moment i was solliciated on the road to buy cruise tickets i had a feeling…read morethe experience would be great ' we took a cruise on the Ottawa river - dont get fooled some sell tours on the canal ! We were able to see all 3 parlement buildings from behind, the different museums, the different embassadors house and the house of the Prime Minister Justin Trudeau , our tour guide Katherine was very eloquent and smart she knew exactly how to explain the history of Canada and did it in a very Dynamic way, i understand both french and english and she didnt neglect any of the language ! This boat goes very close to the Rideau falls its too nice ! Brian gave us a great deal! On the tickets The boat is in a good condition for a one hour tour There is 3 floors, and third floor is all open, we got some rain during the tour but all went well ! It reminded of my canadian history classes in high school

We took the sunset cruise…read more Thought it would be a fun and relaxing activity on a family vacation. The sunset and scenery sure was beautiful. The boat boarded on time and passed some scenic sights of Gatineau and Ottawa, including the Parliament building, Rideau falls, Rideau canal, and the residence of the Prime Minister. It was lovely to see all of the Ottawa sights from the different vantage point of being on the boat. Unfortunately, I didn't find it as relaxing as I expected it to be (given that it was a sunset cruise). About 5-10 minutes after departing from Gatineau, music from singer and guitarist Danny Richard blared the whole rest of the ride. The music was loud on both the top and middle levels of the boat, and it was so loud on the middle level that it was difficult to have any conversation. When I questioned the workers at the concession stand about the volume of the music and about the excursion being a "sunset cruise," I was told that this is the way the sunset cruises are on Saturday/Sunday always are. To be clear, the description on their website for the sunset cruise tour said "The Sunday Sunset Cocktail Cruise is perfect for any occasion. Come relax and watch the sunset while you cruise the Ottawa River aboard the spacious Empress of Ottawa. Light live music provides the soundtrack to your evening as the sunset transforms the water into a brilliant, shimmering gold." Wish the music hadn't been so loud. (It certainly wasn't what I would describe as "light.") It seemed to be more of a party boat atmosphere than that of a relaxing sunset cruise. . .

Generally it's a good tour. They can make it better by renovating their buses. The bus was too old.read more

Visiting a capital city is a special opportunity and Ottawa is no exception. I chose Lady Dive…read moreTours, an operator with standard and amphibious tour packages among others, to get my visit started. In about 90 minutes, the tour shuttled me past some of the city's relevant historic, cultural and government sights including through the adjoining town of Gatineau just across the Ottawa River in the province of Quebec. My tour guide was skilled in her presentation of local sights and their history. She had an amicable style with a pleasant voice and kept things light-hearted. Given the bilingual nature of this capital region and its environs, she provided fluent narration in English and French. The most common European languages are also available via headset. The bus driver safely managed the big bus through congested streets. I chose a 90-minute round-trip tour ticket for $25.25 CAD (does not include tax) per adult without the hop-off option. The all-day hop on, hop off ticket runs $34 CAD (does not include tax). The double-decker open-top bus was clean and provided great views. The brochure advertises 14 hop-on, hop-off sightseeing stops. The ticket office is centrally located and slightly kitty-corner from Parliament Hill. Public restrooms are located at the Capital Information Kiosk about a five-minute walk from the bus departure. Restaurants are nearby and plentiful. I parked my vehicle for $10 at an all-day lot where St. Patrick and Murray streets merge across from the National Gallery of Canada with an easy walk to the Lady Dive ticket office.

I went on both the canal and river cruise, and I would say this one isn't worth it. From the time…read morewe left the dock and returned, it was only about an hour ride. The scenery wasn't anything special and I felt like our guide, Paulina, kind of ran out of things to talk about, which really wasn't her fault.

It was great. We got to see many sites on the tour, as well as the views from the river. The guide…read moreexplained every site along the way. We got on from the Gatineau side of the harbour, which was only an 8-minute drive from our accommodation in Ottawa.

Our family rented 11 bikes. We called ahead and let them know we were coming. They had all the…read morebikes ready and it took about 15 minutes to get us all ready to go. The group was friendly. We asked for two hours but we returned them in 1.5 hrs. They only charged us for the 1.5 hours we used the bikes, not the two hours we indicated we would use the bikes. The scenery is beautiful and I would recommend riding bikes around the waters edge. It was fun and safe. It was one of my favorite activities.

Did one of their tours recently and had a blast! The guide was great, the trail was amazing, and I…read morethoroughly enjoyed myself! Some things to note to make it a 5-star experience: I would recommend walking through some basic safety rules at the start. Things to cover include how and where you should park yourself if you have to briefly stop on the trail, how to deal with someone who is stopped in front of you on the trail, or how to pass pedestrians safely, where should you do when you stop as a group if you have multiple people, etc. Given that Ottawa can be busy, a little overview of these rules/guidelines would go a very long way. I also felt that we ended up stopping a little more frequently than I would have liked on the latter half of the tour - mostly buildings I don't really even remember! Nevertheless, had a blast and would recommend it anyway!

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride! We rented a couple of e bikes, which really allow you to go…read morelong distance without getting too tired, and had a wonderful day on the canal. There were waterfalls, picnic sites and some cool bars overlooking Dow's lake. It was easy to rent online and they were very accommodating and really helped with directions. I might go again tomorrow!

We rented two bikes and rode down to Dow's lake. Somehow in my genius manner, I lost the key to the…read morelock at Landsdowne Park after I locked up the bikes. My wife called the bike shop. The owner was beyond accommodating. He drove down and brought us another key. Since they were closed, he told us to just put the bikes with the concierge at our hotel. He was super nice and very professional. We drove back at our leisure and put the bikes away. My wife got food poisoning that night, so I was unable to return the bikes until after noon the next day, as I was caring for her. They didn't mind at all. I would recommend renting from them to anyone wanting good bikes and good customer service. Well done y'all! Eric

Dow's Lake is a man-made lake on the Rideau Canal. It's the site of many fun activities and there…read moreare several restaurants there with beautiful views of the water. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats/paddle boats in the summer. In May there's the Tulip Festival which is technically in Commissioner's Park, but this park surrounds Dow's Lake. In the winter when the lake freezes over, you can skate on it, and it's connected to the Rideau Canal, so you can skate for a pretty good distance. There are 3 restaurants at Dow's Lake. Over the years they have changed, but currently the restaurants are Lago, Umbrella Bar, and Mexi's (aka Mexicali Rosa's). There's a paid parking lot nearby ($3.50 per 30 minutes up to a maximum of $14), or street parking ($0.25 per 6 minutes) a bit further away, or free parking on residential streets in neighbouring Little Italy (3 hour limit as per by-laws).

Dow's Lake Pavilion is a short distance away from the airport and Ottawa's downtown core. I like…read morethat you can escape from your daily routine to this picturesque area without doing a road trip. There are canoes and pedal boats that you can rent. You are required to sign a waiver, wear a life jacket, and put down a $20 deposit. You can use cash, and debit and credit cards, except for American Express. Sadly, Amex doesn't seem to be as widely accepted as it used to be. There are lockers where you can store your belongings when you are on the water. I recommend coming with what you truly need. I parked in the lot across from the Pavilion. Parking is $3.50 for 30 minutes, to a maximum of $14. I paid by credit card, which was great. I didn't risk parking on the street, but I know that I can now. It's cheaper that way, but you do have to be cognizant of the time. You can also dine here after a fun time out on the water. We ate at Mexi's. You have the option of dining in the restaurant or sitting out on the patio. I missed the tulip festival. Perhaps I'll plan my vacation and take them in next time. (254)

It is a unique experience to take a half-day round-trip on one of Canada's last operational steam…read morelocomotives. My fiancé and I were able to do the Fall Colours tour, which made for beautiful scenery. Being on a 103 year old train was interesting and enjoyable to say the least, but the slow speed and pronounced swaying motion could be problematic for those prone to motion sickness. If possible, book early to get a spot on the high class Club Riviera car, or book in groups of 4 to avoid awkward old couples. The 90-minute stop in Wakefield is enjoyable, with lots of shops and restaurants, too many to see at any sort of leisurely pace in fact. The man-powered turn-table used to turn around the locomotive is the highlight of the stop, so be sure to stick around for that before you go exploring.

An amazing walking tour! I had some distant relatives visiting from Spain and they wanted to see a…read morebunch of historic sites around downtown Ottawa, so I came across SeeOttawa and it did not disappoint. Our tour guide, Julian, was very knowledgable and even customized our tour to what we wanted to see the most. 5/5 stars and would highly recommend to anyone, local or visiting!

From the owner: See Ottawa offers an enriching exploration of Canada's capital, blending history, culture, and…read moreadventure into unforgettable walking tours. Led by passionate local guides, our tours provide a deep dive into Ottawa's essence, revealing hidden gems and iconic landmarks alike. Whether you're wandering the bustling streets of ByWard Market or admiring the architectural splendor of Parliament Hill, each step with See Ottawa is a journey through the heart of the city. With a commitment to small group sizes, we ensure personalized attention and meaningful interactions, fostering connections and creating lasting memories. Whether you're a history buff, a foodie, or a nature lover, there's something for everyone with See Ottawa. Our tours are carefully crafted to cater to diverse interests, offering unique insights and perspectives on this vibrant metropolis. Join us as we uncover the sights, sounds, and stories that make Ottawa truly special. From first-time visitors to seasoned locals, See Ottawa promises an immersive and unforgettable experience for all.