6 Fun Winter Activities in Ottawa

Embrace the northern spirit and appreciate winter. Keep warm with these six fun winter activities in Ottawa.

No need to get down about the season—celebrate the frosty air with the annual Winterlude celebration. Skate on the canal, marvel at the ice sculptures and play in the largest snow playground. You might even forget that it's cold.

If you haven't tried tubing, now is the time to get your boots on and jump on. Plunk yourself down into a large, bouncy inner tube, with your legs and arms draped over its sides. Scoot forward until you start to slide. Enjoy the ride! Visit a number of hills for the ultimate winter ride.

It's one of those winter activities that everyone can enjoy, from Dad right on down to tweens and wee ones. How about inviting friends with same-aged children and making it an outdoor play date? Good to Know: The City of Ottawa maintains a very good listing of toboggan hills on their website, ready and waiting to be discovered. Use it as your starting point to find a new hill.

Cross-country skiing may seem like a lot of work (for you and the kids, frankly). But those in the know say it all depends on how you approach it. The key to raising enthusiastic Nordic skiers is to keep the outings relatively short and play up the fun. Kids will get a kick out of fast hills, quick stops, funny stunts, high-speed chases, treasure hunts and I Spy.

All you need to enjoy a sleigh ride is warm winter clothes, a sense of humour and a big tall thermos of hot chocolate to share—no equipment (or skills) required. There are several farms around rural Ottawa that offer winter sleigh rides (sometimes also called wagon rides) and they're all sure to brighten your spirits.

Not only is dogsledding a unique part of our national history, it is the quintessential Canadian winter activity. At The Fairmont Le Ch'teau Montebello (near Parc Oméga) in Quebec, you can enjoy a unique dog sledding experience whether you are a guest of the hotel or not.