Boat Tours in Ottawa: Book These 9 First

1.Sightseeing River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 1,585 reviews · 1h 30m · from $39Our pick

Spend 90 minutes aboard the Paula D on a bilingual Ottawa River cruise between Ottawa and Gatineau. Your guide, often praised guides such as Andy or Elodie, points out Parliament, the Rideau Canal Locks, Rideau Falls, embassies, and sights best seen from the water. An open-air upper deck and onboard bar make it an easy addition to a day in the capital.

“Our guide, Andy, was excellent and perfect in both languages. She was warm and friendly. The information was topical, interesting, and informative. A good trip on a lovely day.”

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2.Rideau Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 1,303 reviews · 1h 30m · from $41

Board a 100% electric passenger vessel behind Ottawa’s National Arts Centre for a 90-minute cruise from Château Laurier to Dow’s Lake. A live guide speaks English and French, covering about 30 landmarks, including the Canadian Museum of Nature, Lansdowne Park, Bank Street Bridge, and Commissioners Park. Expect smooth sailing, city views, and optional snacks or drinks.

“Very informative & interesting trip, guide was witty & super welcoming. Lovely relaxing 90 minutes.”

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3.Ottawa Boat Cruise – Rideau Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,127 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $42

Spend about 90 minutes cruising Ottawa’s Rideau Canal aboard the world’s largest certified 100% electric passenger vessel. Guides such as Lily, Wendy, Ellen, and Theo bring the route to life with stories about Dow’s Lake, Château Laurier, embassies, bridges, Lansdowne Park, and the Canadian Museum of Nature. The ride starts near the National Arts Centre and returns nearby.

“We had a great time and Lily the tour guide was awesome!!!! The captain Tyler and the bartender, which I forgot her name were the best!!!”

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4.Ottawa Boat Cruise – Paul’s Boat Line

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 918 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $40

See Ottawa from the water aboard the Paula D on a roughly 90-minute cruise. A bilingual guide, including hosts such as Andy, Wendy, and Elodie, points out Parliament Hill, the National Gallery, museums, embassies, Rideau Falls, and more. You’ll find upper-deck seating, a lower-deck bar and canteen, and a bathroom onboard.

“What they don’t tell you is how difficult it is to find parking and that the walk is about 20 minutes. You needed to be near the location at least an hour early. They did switch us to a later cruise easily. The cruise was very low key.”

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5.Floating Tiki Bar Cruise on the Ottawa River

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 164 reviews · 1h 30m · from $62

Board the floating Palapa at Ottawa’s Canal Lane dock for a 90-minute cruise along the Ottawa River. You’ll see Parliament Hill and the Ottawa Locks from the water, order drinks from the licensed cashless bar, and enjoy music or karaoke with a certified captain. Hosts have included Miya, Luca, Kim, and Jerome.

“Amazing! Owners daughter and captain did a great job! I’ll go again”

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6.Ottawa Premium Small Group Tour with Canal Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 134 reviews · 4 hours · from $116

Explore Ottawa with a local English-speaking guide and no more than five other people. You’ll ride through Rockcliffe Park, stop at the lookout, pass Parliament and the Supreme Court, and take a seasonal Rideau Canal cruise. Guides such as Gabriel, Catherine, Andrew, and Dennis have led past tours.

“The tour was group was small and intimate. This made the tour less formal and rushed and it was a great way to enjoy the day. The tour guide was very knowledgeable and friendly. Loved the stops and got to know a lot more of the city than I would ever have learned on my own.”

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7.Small Group Night Tour With River Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 54 reviews · 2h 30m · from $80

Spend 150 minutes seeing Ottawa by river and road in a group of about six. Your English-speaking guide collects you downtown, leads a sunset Ottawa River cruise, then drives past Parliament, the Supreme Court, Nepean Point, and the Canadian Museum of History, with photo stops and dessert. Guides such as Andrew, Carly, and Carwyn have earned especially warm praise.

“Actually, our trip was canceled due to bad weather. My rating is based on the exceptional communications we received and timely follow up. We were offered a chance to reschedule, take the tour around the city and hot spot anyway and receive a refund for the sunset cruise portion or a refund for the entire package. We were only in town for that particular evening, so we ended up requesting a full refund. Customer Service was amazing and provided a refund confirmation the next day. I would definitely recommend this group for any of their offerings. Service was top notch!”

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8.Downtown Yacht Cruise – Wed-Sun @ 6PM – 75 Minutes

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 8 reviews · from $90

Join Ottawa Yacht Tours for a 75-minute, 6 PM cruise from Pirate Marina. You will pass Parliament, the Rideau Locks, and the Alexandra Bridge aboard a licensed yacht for up to 12 people. There is no narration, but there is music, a sundeck, onboard service, a washroom, and time to enjoy drinks as the evening light fades.

“The yacht was clean, beautiful and comfortable and the staff was amazing! 10/10 would recommend and would do it again!”

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9.Small-Group Walking Tour with Boat Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.8 · 5 reviews · 3h 30m · from $72

Spend 210 minutes with an English-speaking guide and a group of no more than 10. Begin at Louise Bourgeois’s Maman, pass the Royal Mint, Notre Dame Basilica, ByWard Market, Fairmont Château Laurier, and the Centennial Flame, then finish with a seasonal Rideau Canal cruise. In the off-season, National Gallery admission replaces the boat.

“Well a pleasant young women, our guide had a shockingly lack of basic knowledge about Ottawa, our history, government, key figures and buildings and locations. We had to Google things that she did not know. On the other hand, Ellen, the guide on the Ekeau boat was great. We learned so much from her vs getting "I don't know" as an answer.”

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