We came to Ottawa for the weekend to discover the wonderful Canadian Tulip Festival. If you’re looking for things to do in Ottawa this weekend, join us as we explore Canada’s capital city and its many attractions during a beautiful spring weekend.

The Rideau Canal and Its Locks

Starting at Commissioners Park, home to the wonderful Canadian Tulip Festival, we follow the Rideau Canal for 7 kilometres towards downtown. As we get closer to the heart of the city, the pretty houses with their flower-filled gardens gradually give way to more official-looking buildings. At the end of the Rideau Canal, we reach Major’s Hill Park. This is where you’ll find the old, decommissioned locks that allow the canal to flow into the Ottawa River. In fact, this is where the Rideau Canal begins. It stretches 202 kilometres all the way to the city of Kingston, where it flows into Lake Ontario.

Major’s Hill Park

Major’s Hill Park leads us to a viewpoint overlooking the vast Ottawa River. Across the river, beyond the bridge, we’re no longer in Ottawa, Ontario, but in Gatineau, Quebec, where French is spoken. We also get a breathtaking view of Parliament Hill, rising above the river.

The Parliament of Canada

From there, we make our way downtown to Parliament Hill. We discover Canada’s Parliament, unfortunately right in the middle of renovations and covered in scaffolding. It is flanked by the House of Commons, the Senate and the Prime Minister’s Office.

Downtown Ottawa

Like every North American city, downtown Ottawa is dotted with skyscrapers, each seemingly taller than the last. During this first weekend of the Canadian Tulip Festival, the city is buzzing with activity and welcoming plenty of visitors. Without a doubt, it’s the perfect time to visit Ottawa. You’ll also find the National Gallery of Canada and the National Arts Centre, with numerous statues scattered around their grounds. And of course, as Canada’s national capital, Ottawa is expected to set an example when it comes to bilingualism. After all, Canada’s official languages are both English and French. We quickly notice just how present French is in this predominantly English-speaking city, whether on signs, street signs or posters.

ByWard Market

During our visit to Ottawa, we obviously made sure to eat at ByWard Market. It’s one of the liveliest neighbourhoods in the city, with restaurants, cafés, bars, a public market and even a great ice cream shop for an afternoon treat. We went for Indian food in the evening, followed by Turkish food for lunch the next day.

Chinatown

Chinatown is about a 20-minute walk from downtown. On our way back to the Jeep, which we had left near Commissioners Park for the Canadian Tulip Festival, we took a little detour to check out the beautiful arch marking the entrance to the neighbourhood. The street is lined with Asian restaurants: Chinese, of course, but also Japanese, Thai and Vietnamese.

The Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa

Sunday morning turned out to be rainy, making it the perfect time to visit a museum. We wanted to check out a museum in Ottawa, and the Canadian Museum of History caught our eye. We spent three hours exploring the museum’s four floors, which trace Canada’s history, from the First Nations and their traditional way of life to the arrival of Europeans, the history of colonization and coexistence, right through to modern-day Canada.

The Canadian Museum of History is the most visited museum in Canada, and for good reason. It houses the world’s largest indoor collection of totem poles, the largest exhibition on Canadian history, and highlights the achievements of Indigenous peoples in the First Peoples Hall.

Six years after moving to Canada, and having literally travelled the length of the Americas, from the North all the way to the South, it was about time we finally visited the national capital! Just a 2.5-hour drive from Montreal, Ottawa is an easy destination for a weekend getaway. And there’s no better time to visit than during the wonderful Canadian Tulip Festival, which we absolutely loved!

L’article Canada, Ontario – A Weekend in Ottawa, Canada’s National Capital est apparu en premier sur Un pneu plus loin.

Is there anything better in Canada than watching the harsh winter finally loosen its grip and give way to a bright, beautiful spring? By May, we’re practically glued to the window, eagerly waiting for the first buds to appear on the trees, with an almost childlike excitement. Day after day, we watch them emerge, bloom, grow, and turn green, and there’s something truly magical about knowing that warmer, sunnier days are finally here. And in Ottawa, Canada’s capital, the arrival of spring means the return of a beloved and colourful tradition: the Canadian Tulip Festival. Every year, the city comes alive with millions of blooming tulips, transforming Ottawa into a spectacular celebration of spring and colour. Join us for a wonderful weekend in Ottawa as we explore the Canadian Tulip Festival, admire the beautiful tulips, and discover some of the highlights of Canada’s capital city.

What is the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa?

Every May, more than one million tulips representing over 100 different varieties bloom throughout Canada’s capital. You’ll find them everywhere: in the city’s parks, along roadsides and the Rideau Canal, in downtown planters, and even in private gardens. Together, they transform Ottawa into a colourful celebration of spring and make the Canadian Tulip Festival one of the city’s most beautiful annual traditions.

The Canadian Tulip Festival celebrates a deep historical connection and lasting friendship between Canada and the Netherlands. It commemorates the sacrifice of more than 7,500 Canadian soldiers who lost their lives during the liberation of the Netherlands and Europe during the Second World War. The festival also celebrates the birth of Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, who was born in Ottawa during the war. She remains the only member of the Dutch royal family to have been born in Canada.

More than just a celebration of beautiful flowers, the Canadian Tulip Festival is a tribute to beauty, renewal, friendship, and history. Its roots go back to the end of the Second World War, when the Dutch royal family gifted thousands of tulip bulbs to Canada as a gesture of gratitude. Today, the festival has grown into the world’s largest public display of tulips, bringing millions of colourful blooms to Ottawa every spring.

When is the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa?

The Canadian Tulip Festival takes place every year in Ottawa over ten days in mid-May. It’s one of the most colourful signs that spring has arrived in Canada’s capital, with tulips in bloom throughout the city and festival events taking place across Ottawa.

In 2026, the Canadian Tulip Festival took place from May 8 to 18.

Where does the Canadian Tulip Festival take place?

Although you can find tulips blooming all across the city, the heart of the Canadian Tulip Festival is Commissioners Park. Located along the shores of Dow’s Lake in Ottawa, the park is home to around 300,000 tulips, filling the pathways with spectacular colours throughout the festival. There’s plenty happening on site, too. Visitors can enjoy the Tulip Shuttle, browse the Tulip Market, grab a bite from the food vendors, or simply wander through the colourful displays. Ceremonies and commemorative events are also held throughout the weekend, adding a meaningful historical dimension to the festivities.

Visiting the Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa: Our Experience in the Heart of Canada’s Capital

A cloudless blue sky. Warm May sunshine leaving our cheeks delightfully rosy (we hadn’t thought to pack sunscreen!). Temperatures reaching 25°C in the sun. We couldn’t have asked for a more beautiful spring weekend in Ottawa!

We could hardly believe we were finally able to walk around in T-shirts. The city was buzzing with life, with people everywhere. Squirrels darted around the trees, birds sang overhead, and Canada geese lounged on the lawns. A sure sign that summer is just around the corner! People were out walking, cycling, rollerblading, and riding scooters. And above all, there were tulips. So many tulips. Thousands upon thousands of them, in every colour and every shape imaginable.

Thousands of Tulips at Commissioners Park

Located along the shores of Dow’s Lake, Commissioners Park is in the heart of Ottawa. It hosts the largest tulip displays and most Canadian Tulip Festival activities. During the festival, the park is simply spectacular. Everywhere you look, colourful tulips fill the flowerbeds and line the pathways, creating a vibrant and beautiful springtime display.

Things to Do at the Canadian Tulip Festival in Commissioners Park

During the Canadian Tulip Festival, you’ll find tulips in all shapes and forms. There are the real ones, of course: beautiful, delicate, and blooming everywhere you look. But you’ll also find glass, crocheted, and wooden tulips. There are plenty of other creative takes on the festival’s iconic flower!

The Canadian Tulip Festival is also a time for ceremonies and remembrance. After a military parade, with fighter jets flying overhead, several cannon shots echoed across the park. Princess Margriet of the Netherlands was also there to deliver a speech in both English and French, celebrating the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

Walking Along the Rideau Canal

The Canadian Tulip Festival continues along the scenic pathway beside the Rideau Canal. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ottawa’s Rideau Canal stretches for 202 kilometres. Built between 1826 and 1832, it winds its way through the heart of the nation’s capital.

The paths along the canal are incredibly popular in summer, whether you’re out for a stroll, going for a run, or cycling through the city. In winter, they become cross-country ski trails. The Rideau Canal is also navigable. In summer, you can explore it by canoe, kayak, or pedal boat. And when winter arrives, the canal transforms into one of Ottawa’s most iconic attractions: the Rideau Canal Skateway. In fact, it holds the Guinness World Record for the largest naturally frozen skating rink. It stretches an impressive 7.8 kilometres!

As for us, we’re covering those kilometres on foot, making our way toward downtown Ottawa.

We follow the pathway under the warm spring sunshine as we make our way toward downtown Ottawa. Gardens, parks, charming neighbourhoods, and, of course, hundreds of tulips line the route.

Along the canal, Canada geese (or outardes, as we call them here in Quebec) are busy grazing on the lawns. We absolutely love these big wild geese that spend the summer in Canada. Their arrival in April and May is an unofficial sign that winter is finally over. On the other side, their departure in the fall marks the end of summer.

The Rideau Canal takes us straight into downtown Ottawa, which we’ll be sharing with you in a future article. For now, we can say that we absolutely loved the Canadian Tulip Festival. It was the perfect way to kick off our many summer adventures in Quebec, just after returning from our incredible family trip to Bali.

L’article Canada, Ontario – Weekend in Ottawa for the Canadian Tulip Festival est apparu en premier sur Un pneu plus loin.