So you’re braving the frigid Ottawa weather to cross off one of the ultimate Canadian bucket list items: skating on the Rideau Canal.
Not only is this 7.8km skating rink the longest in Canada, but also in the world. In 2005 the Guinness Book of World Record named the Rideau Canal the largest naturally frozen ice rink in the world and in 2007 it was named a World Heritage site.
Those who have been understand exactly how truly overwhelmingly gorgeous this spot is.
For those who haven’t, you need to get to Ottawa ASAP, because like I said, the Rideau Canal truly is a Canadian bucket list item and everyone needs to experience it at least once in your life.
Here is everything that you need to know about planning a trip to skate on Canada’s favourite skating rink.
Keep an eye on the temperatures
The skateway only opens when the ice gets thick enough. With that being said, it can be hard to plan your trip if you’ve got a tight schedule, because the weather is constantly changing, so that canal doesn’t actually have a fixed opening date. They typically try to open the skateway within the first week of January, but the ice needs to reach 12 inches of thickness beforehand. You can monitor their progress HERE.
You can rent skates
If you’re coming from far away and are worried about packing bulky skates in your suitcase, you can feel free to leave them at home. It will set you back $18 CAD to rent a pair of skates for two hours.
You’re going to need to dress warm
Use that extra space in your suitcase you saved from not packing skates to pack some extra sweaters. In the winter months temperatures in Ottawa can get as low as -40°C. Combine this with the wind nipping at your face as your cruising along the canal and you’ve got yourself a full-on Jack Frost situation. I recommend layering up your socks, wearing snow pants over your jeans, or just some sort of water-resistant outwear pants in case you do take a tumble, and mittens and a hat are absolute musts!
You can get on anywhere
You do not by any means need to start at the one end of the canal and skate an entire 7.8 kilometers (but if you’re up for it, you definitely should try!). There are about 9 different rest areas where you can access the rink from and there is plenty of parking around all these spots if you need it.
You can get on anytime
Most of the canal is also open 24/7 so you can literally skate whenever. Just be careful if you’re planning on skating at night as the maintenance crews are usually doing work during the night.
There is food!
At the rest areas that I mentioned above, there are vendors serving hot chocolate and warm beaver tails, as well as picnic tables and fire pits. It’s the perfect opportunity to take a break and fill up on some Canadian delicacies before jumping back into skating.
It’s completely safe
The website is constantly being updated about the ice conditions and will always let you know if certain areas are closed due to poor conditions. There is also a flag system on the ice to warm skaters of spots to stay away from. Red flags mean stay away and green flags mean you’re good to go.
