Hello fellow adventurers! Are you ready to discover some amazing activities that will keep you engaged and excited regardless of whether you're in Ottawa for multiple days or only a few hours. Whether you're looking to spend some quality time with yourself or plan a fun-filled day with family and friends, our list of activities has got you covered. Discover the do's and don'ts of local activities with our trusty guide.
Interzip
Interzip is the world’s first interprovincial zip line allowing you to ride over the Ottawa River between Ontario and Quebec at a speed of 40km/h. We paid $39.99 per adult as well as an additional $19 for the souvenir video to book the zip line experience.
We decided to book the zip line experience for the day we were arriving in Ottawa, which was perhaps not the best idea. My train ended up being delayed, and so we were running late for the zip line. I think we ended up showing ten minutes past our reserved time, however, the staff were extremely kind and noted that this was not an issue. They began the experience by weighing us to ensure we were below the weight restrictions and providing us with the equipment. They also took our personal items, such as hats and phones to make sure that we wouldn’t lose them on the zip line. After we received our helmets and harness, we were told to walk over to the launch tower at the Ottawa River. The tower is about a ten-minute walk from where you pick up the harness. When we reached the launch tower, we were greeted by a staff who gave us some information about the experience and walked us through some key reminders on zip line safety. The hardest part is probably the climb up the launch tower, which is equivalent to 9 stories high. Please do note that the tower does not have elevators, so you definitely have to consider this when booking your experience.
Once we reached the top of the launch tower, we were greeted by two staff who buckled us into the equipment. The staff will then swap and do a peer review of each other’s work to make sure that you are properly secured.
Her take:
Overall, while I enjoyed Interzip, I will say that the experience was relatively short. That is, the walk over, the tutorial on putting on the equipment, and some other admin work were lengthy. However, the zip line ride in itself is under a minute long. The experience is beautiful, and it is a really unique way to see the beautiful Ottawa River, but given the length of the ride, I’m just not sure it’s really worth the price. Perhaps if it was $20 a person – I’d be more inclined to recommend it. The staff were extremely friendly and super accommodating, both of us being unfortunately late to the experience, as well as our worries about the zip line.
His take:
This was my first time zip lining, so I didn’t quite know what to expect. The ride was exhilarating but very short – perhaps 30 seconds long. I did really appreciate our view over Ottawa, but I felt this likely should have been a $10-15 activity.
I will say though, that the experience felt extremely safe with the two staff rotating to check each others’ work and verbally communicating each item they were checking. Although I may not know the ins and outs of zip lining, the fact that they listed the checks made me feel a bit more comfortable before the ride itself.
Nordik Spa-Nature
The Nordik spa boasts a range of saunas, steam rooms, hot and cold pools, and a variety of massage treatments designed to alleviate stress and promote overall well-being. In fact, there are a total of 10 outdoor baths, 9 distinct saunas, 4 different restaurants, a saltwater flotation pool, an infinity pool, and plenty of other additional facilities. One of the main things that is promoted by Nordik Spa is thermotherapy. This treatment alternates between hot and cold temperatures, followed by a rest period. Thermotherapy is claimed to improve sleep, physical health, and healing.
Looking to extend your relaxation? Nordik Spa also offers an unforgettable escape at their cottage rentals, offering a beautiful view of the hills of Gatineau Park & downtown Ottawa.
Her Take:
We ended up spending most of a Saturday here; honestly, I already miss it. The spa itself is a good size and has a variety of options and treatment options for everyone. For example, there are dark rooms where you can lie on a hot stone bed and relax. There are also outdoor hammocks and indoor spaces where you can put on large headphones and listen to calming nature sounds while lounging by mini water installations.
One of my absolute favourites was probably the Aufguss Ritual, where the Ritual Artisan places essential oil-infused snowballs onto a hot stone in the sauna room. As the snowballs melt, the Artisan moves around the sauna and distributes the steam and the amazing aroma throughout the sauna using their towel. The essential oils create a sensory experience that helps relax the body and alleviate stress. I will say that this definitely isn’t for everyone as the sauna itself is hot, and the experiences range from 8-16 minutes long. This doesn’t include the time spent in the sauna beforehand, as many people go in a bit earlier to get a good spot. Overall, Ryan and I probably spent about 15 minutes in the sauna room, and we were definitely getting close to when we needed to exit, given the heat.
Also, a good note – if you do this experience, look to sit on the bottom row. The higher you sit, the hotter it will be as the heat rises.
In terms of massages, the Nordik spa does not offer couples massages which is a bit of a letdown, however, we were still able to enjoy massages on our own. I have to say that this was probably one of the best massages I’ve received in my life as
The experience overall was a bit expensive. Access to the facilities is a separate fee ($90) from massages ($125+), the saltwater floatation pool ($53), and body care treatments ($120+), so the price does grow rather quickly as you start adding on additional experiences. You could easily walk away from the spa, having spent $400 for the day. At a value price point, I found this a bit high. If I was to return to Ottawa, I’d definitely visit the Nordik Spa again, but if I was a local, I don’t think I’d be going regularly, given the price.
His take:
Overall I really enjoyed the Nordik Spa. I thought the spa was very clean and everything was well taken care of. It did start to get relatively busy in the afternoon, so it would be best to come here either early in the morning (opening hour) or at the end of the day as people are clearing out.
The one negative I’d have to point out is that the silence rules were rarely enforced. I’m not going to lie – this is probably the most well-staffed organization I’ve ever seen. Staff were everywhere across the grounds to answer your questions or point you in the right direction. However, I rarely saw them point out the volume requirements to customers, although, the grounds are divided up by noise restriction rules. Specifically, there are three areas at Nordik Spa – the silence area, the social area, and the whispering only area. The lack of monitoring for noise was frustrating at times, as you would hear people giggling or chatting while you were trying to tune out and relax.
Bonus Scoop: The restaurants at Nordik
Her take:
We had lunch at Resto, which is intended to be more of a sit-down experience than some other locations such as the Mezz Café or Biergarden & Shack. We ordered bruschetta as an appetizer. I absolutely loved it – the tomatoes were fresh, the flatbread was fluffy, and the parmesan crisps on top were nice and crisp. It was a bit of a different take on bruschetta in that I’ve usually had it on a crispy baguette instead of a flatbread. However, I can’t say I’m against this take at all.
As for the main, I ordered Grilled Canadian AAA Beef Striploin served with sour cream whipped Yukon gold potatoes, market vegetables and chipotle chimichurri. I thought the meal as a whole was delicious, the beef was cooked properly, and the portion size was really good. I will say I probably could have stopped here, given the portion sizes – but of course, as I like to say – there is always room for dessert. We ordered a dark chocolate fondue served with banana, apples, pear, an assortment of berries and meringue kisses. This was also a large portion that could easily have served about 3 people. The chocolate was definitely high quality, and the fruits were nice and fresh – overall really enjoyed this lunch!
Aside from Resto – there are a couple of other locations where you can get food on the property.
Mezz Café – this a small café that sells herbal tea, hot chocolate, coffee, and a small selection of pastries like croissants and muffins. I ordered a herbal ginger tea here after my massage, which I thought was quite nice. It is important to note that there are water and tea stations spread out throughout the property (free stations) – however, the tea selection in particular, is limited. If you’re looking for a very particular flavour or herbal mix – the Mezz Café may be a good option.
Biergarden & Shack – this small shack is located by the infinity pool. It has a number of great snacks and beverages that you can enjoy either in the pool or on the beautiful terrace and beach located beside it. The shack offers options such as hand-pulled pizzas, burgers, tacos, and chips & salsa.
We noticed a lot (and I mean a lot) of people ordering the chips and salsa, so I have to say it seems like that was a clear winner. I got the Vegan Impossible burger with tomatoes, spicy bet preserve and a spicy mayo. The burger itself was delicious, and the staff at the restaurant were super accommodating. I noted that I was taking the burger with me for the drive back, and they were kind enough to double-wrap it for the road.
The final restaurant on site is the Panorama Lounge. We didn’t actually venture out to it ourselves, but they serve gourmet bites and signature Nordik cocktails.
His take:
As Daria pointed out, the bruschetta at Resto was delicious. It was a bit of a new take on bruschetta that I haven’t seen before but still with the same classic taste I enjoy. I would say I prefer a regular baguette bruschetta a bit more – but this was definitely a good take on it that I could enjoy again.
As for the main, I ordered the Vegan Soba Noodle Bowl, which has a number of veggies in it, including kale, baby spinach, snap peas, pickled carrots, roasted peppers, and finally red onion. However, I did find that perhaps there was a bit of an overwhelming amount of veggies when you considered the noodles ratio.
The sauce for the noodles was delicious and featured a lemon puree, however, it did feel like something was missing in the overall dish – whether that be a bit more meat or perhaps a bit more spice.
I ordered the Spicy Salumi pizza from the shack, which featured spicy nduja sausage, calabrese and cured ham. I thought this was actually a delicious pizza with a really good kick. I took this to our drive back and was very happy with my decision. Way – and I mean way better than any quick meal we could have gotten at McDonalds or Tim Hortons.
The Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint offers guided 45 minute tours with the guide walking you through the production process for coins, the unique coins made not only for Canada but also other countries around the world, as well as milestones achieved to date. These tours cost $12 per adult, and tickets can be purchased at the site or reserved ahead of time.
We reserved our spot for the tour in advance and were glad to do so, as our session was full. We noticed that quite a few people including families with younger kids, were attending the tour & a lot of the kids seemed to be really into the session.
The guide starts with a walkthrough of how the coins are made and the distinction between circulation and collector coins. You’re also shown unique coins that feature diamonds and glow in the dark. What is also really nice is that your guide passes around a few items during the guide, meaning that you get to see some items up close and feel their texture.
Her Take:
Overall, I actually really enjoyed the tour. Not being a big history buff, I wasn’t extremely thrilled about the idea of this tour myself, but I’m really happy we did it. I enjoyed getting a behind the scenes look at how the coins are made, including things like work desks, individual employee’s production targets, and other things produced by the Mint like the Olympic Medals.
I also really enjoyed the souvenir store we could visit at the end of the tour. The souvenir store allows you to purchase collector coins, a small selection of jewelry, and even books/toys. Some collector coins are absolutely stunning & the special occasion coins (e.g. birthday, wedding, anniversary, etc) make for a great gift for family and friends.
His Take:
I know Daria wasn’t initially very excited about this tour, but I genuinely enjoyed it and am glad we did it. Overall, the tour felt very informational and our guide was great and friendly. I’d note that although some of the machinery used by the Mint is proprietary, it does look very industrial. A lot of the tour felt like we were just walking through a warehouse which is perhaps not something I expected especially given how intricate and embroidered many of the coins actually are. One other thing worth noting here is that photos are not allowed during the tour as they have some patented and world-leading technology, and they insist on keeping it secret.
House of Commons Tour
The House of Commons offers 40-minute-long guided tours (free!) where you can learn about the work of Members of Parliament. While the central block is closed for renovations, the House of Commons is a great way to admire historical paintings, as well as the architecture and history of the building.
Her Take:
I was pleasantly surprised by how captivated I was with the tour and how much I learned during it. In particular, I learned a lot about the moderator role and why they put on a big display (if you don’t believe me – watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bnk348lNEg4 when appointed to their role. I also thought it was really fun to hear about some of the smaller details, such as the fact that one of the speakers of the house was a bit shorter. Because they weren’t able to see the whole of the group when standing, the chair had to have built-in mechanics allowing them to raise the chair upwards. Little things like that made the tour more relatable and engaging as opposed to focusing solely on politics.
His Take:
A visit to the Parliament is one of those typical things you must do when in Ottawa. However, I was very surprised at how much I enjoyed the tour. Our guide was really good at keeping it light and shared a number of great jokes and stories throughout the tour.
It was definitely a bit of a surreal experience because you always see the House of Commons on television. Standing right in the middle of it and experiencing it all firsthand felt a bit weird.
The one downside I have to point out is definitely the signage. When we were trying to find our way to the check-in and security, we had a bit of a hard time and had to stop and ask a few people around multiple times. We often just didn’t know if we missed a turn or not. Additionally, the information provided when we purchased the tickets was a bit scary. We were told that there were restrictions on bag size, for example. However, when we went in, we noticed many people had bags on them that were much larger than those permitted per the tickets. While this wasn’t a big deal – we wish we had known they were a bit looser on these requirements before going in, as we would have brought in our bags with water and sweaters rather than leaving them in the hotel room.
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