Whether you are visiting Ottawa, planning to move here or already a resident of this great city, you’re going to want to explore the many family-friendly attractions found in the area! Ottawa is home to a wealth of world-class attractions that entice millions of visitors each year, making it a great AND educational place to live. Here are my favourite area attractions that are perfect for children that mom and dad will also love. You will likely never have a boring weekend again if you keep these Ottawa staples in mind when planning your family outings!
1. The Canadian Museum of Nature – Spending a day at this exciting museum is a memorable experience for children of all ages. There are tons of interactive exhibits including the RBC Blue Water Gallery where visitors can climb aboard an Artic research vessel and perform the tasks of a scientist! The Animalium exhibit attracts plenty of excitement with its live display of 25 different species of invertebrates and amphibians. Kids even have the chance to dress up as a bear or create their own puppet show in the Mammal Gallery. Believe me, there won’t be a dull moment when visiting this outstanding attraction. Learn more by clicking here.
2. The Canadian Museum of History – Located directly opposite Parliament Hill on the banks of the Ottawa River, this museum complex is actually in Gatineau, Quebec, but is easily accessible from downtown Ottawa. Home to unique hands-on exhibits tracing the history of our land, the Canadian Museum of History also houses the popular IMAX theatre and the Canadian Children’s Museum with over 30 themed permanent exhibits that keep children entertained for hours! You’ll definitely want to visit this museum time and again because there are always fantastic visiting exhibits as well! Learn more by clicking here.
3. Canada Agriculture and Food Museum – Learn all about the farming life while staying in the city! This fun and educational museum is the only working farm in a capital city in the world! Visitors can learn all about farm animals like beef cattle, chickens, goats, sheep and dairy breeds by visiting the live animals on the farm. Cow milking demonstrations take place twice daily and you can even see the power of the farm’s resident Clydesdale horses. The museum features a large selection of exciting exhibits that rotate throughout the year, making it a great place to visit time and again. Visit their website for more details.
4. Calypso – From June through September, the Calypso water park is the perfect place to go on a hot summer day. Conveniently located just 30 minutes east of Ottawa, Calypso is Canada’s largest theme waterpark and offers 35 waterslides, over 100 water games, Canada’s largest wave pool, the highest waterslide tower in North America and the Kongo Expedition, an African-themed river adventure. This attraction is perfect for the young and old and offers an impressive array of services including several restaurants and concessions and a Hawaiian beach bar. Learn more about this amazing attraction here.
5. Canada Aviation & Space Museum – This museum is a must for kids of all ages and aviation enthusiasts! Considered to be one of the best aviation museums in the world, visitors can take a stroll through the Walkway of Time exhibit where over 130 military and civilian aircraft are on display. There are plenty of interactive and educational exhibits like a full-motion flight simulator, and you’ll also learn about Canada’s many aviation personalities. To top it off, the museum offers several fascinating workshops for children and during the summer visitors can take an airplane tour of the Capital in an open cockpit Waco UPF-7 biplane circa 1939 for an additional charge. Click here for more information.
