The Sound of Blades on a Frozen River
The first thing you notice isn’t the cold — it’s the sound. Hundreds of skate blades scraping in unison across the Rideau Canal, a low collective hum that carries through Ottawa’s February air like something between a whisper and a machine. Someone ahead of you wobbles, grabs a friend’s arm, and they both laugh so hard they nearly go down together. Behind them, a kid in a snowsuit is moving faster than anyone else on the ice, completely fearless in the way only seven-year-olds can be.
That’s Winterlude. Not the brochure version — the real one.
7.8 Kilometres of Ice and Fried Dough
The Rideau Canal Skateway is the centrepiece, and for good reason. At 7.8 kilometres, it’s the world’s largest naturally frozen skating rink — though calling it a “rink” undersells the experience considerably. This is a commute route that happens to be frozen. Government workers actually skate to the office on it. During Winterlude (February 6–22, 2026), the canal becomes less highway and more festival corridor.
The skating itself is free. Bring your own skates or rent a pair from one of the huts along the route — last I checked it was around $20 CAD for a few hours, though I’d verify that before you go. The ice conditions vary day to day depending on temperature. Some mornings it’s glass-smooth; other days there are rough patches and wet spots near the access ramps. The NCC (National Capital Commission) posts daily conditions online, and it’s worth checking before you lace up.
The real draw, aside from the skating, is the food. BeaverTails — those flat, deep-fried pastry things dusted with cinnamon sugar — are the unofficial snack of the canal. They’re not health food, obviously, and they cool down fast in -15°C air, so eat them quickly. The lineups at the most popular stands can take 10–15 minutes during peak hours. There are also places selling hot chocolate, poutine, and maple taffy on snow, which is exactly what it sounds like: hot maple syrup poured onto a bed of fresh snow, then rolled onto a stick. It’s absurdly sweet.
Confederation Park After Dark
The Crystal Garden ice sculpture competition takes place in Confederation Park, and it’s one of those things that’s fine during the day but genuinely impressive at night. Artists from various countries carve large-scale works from blocks of ice — some realistic, some abstract, all of them slowly deteriorating over the course of the festival, which gives the whole exhibit a strange urgency.
I’ll be honest: during the day, ice sculptures can look a bit like oversized ice cubes with ambition. But when the coloured lights come on after sunset, the transparency of the ice catches light in ways that photographs don’t fully capture. Go at night if you can only go once.
The competition typically runs the full duration of the festival, but the sculptures themselves are at the mercy of the weather. A warm spell mid-February can soften details noticeably. If sharp, crisp sculptures matter to you, go in the first week.
The Kids’ Side (And the Slides)
Snowflake Kingdom is across the river in Jacques-Cartier Park, on the Gatineau (Quebec) side. It’s aimed at families, which means giant snow slides, snow obstacle courses, and what can only be described as a frozen playground. Kids love it. Adults tolerate the cold for longer than they expected because watching children hurl themselves down a 30-foot snow slide is genuinely entertaining.
Getting there from the Ottawa side takes about 10 minutes by car or a longer walk across the Alexandra Bridge. The park itself is free to enter. Weekday mornings are noticeably less chaotic than weekends — if you have flexibility, go on a Tuesday.
The Part Nobody Romanticises
Ottawa in February is properly cold. Not “oh, it’s chilly” cold — more like “my phone just shut itself off because the battery couldn’t handle the temperature” cold. On a bad day, you’re looking at -25°C before windchill. On a really bad day, -35°C with windchill is not unheard of.
This means preparation actually matters. Thermal base layers, a serious insulated jacket, waterproof boots with good traction (the sidewalks are icy), and something for your face. Hand warmers are not optional — they’re the difference between enjoying yourself and counting the minutes until you can get indoors. Budget 30–45 minutes outside before you’ll want a warming break.
The canal can close on short notice if the ice isn’t safe. This has happened in warmer winters, and with climate patterns being what they are, there’s no guarantee the full 7.8 km will be open every day. Check the NCC website the morning of your visit. It’s a small thing, but showing up to a closed canal in -20°C is genuinely demoralising.
Getting There and Staying Somewhere
Ottawa’s Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) connects to most major Canadian cities. It’s a small airport — you’ll be through baggage claim and into a taxi in 20 minutes on a good day. The ride downtown is about 20 minutes and will cost roughly $35–40 CAD by taxi, or you can take the OC Transpo bus for much less.
For accommodation, the ByWard Market neighbourhood puts you walking distance from the canal and Confederation Park. Centretown works too. Hotels fill up during Winterlude — not sold-out-months-ahead busy, but “the affordable options disappear by mid-January” busy. If you’re flexible on budget, you’ll be fine booking a few weeks out. If you’re looking for something under $150/night, book earlier.
Flights and hotels for Ottawa in February tend to be cheaper than summer, which is a small consolation for the weather. If you’re coming from outside Canada, Trip.com and CheapOAir sometimes have decent deals on Canada flights — worth checking, though I’d compare with the airlines directly too.
The Rest of Ottawa (When You Need to Thaw)
You will, at some point, need to go inside. Ottawa has good options for that.
The National Gallery of Canada is the obvious choice — the building itself, with its glass and granite towers, is worth seeing even if you’re not an art person. The Canadian and Indigenous art collections are the strongest sections. The Canadian Museum of History, across the river in Gatineau, is one of the better museums in the country. Allow two to three hours minimum.
If you want the full Canadian winter experience, catch an Ottawa Senators game at Canadian Tire Centre. The arena is out in Kanata (about 25 minutes from downtown), which is inconvenient, but NHL hockey in February in the capital city of Canada is hard to argue with. Tickets for non-premium games are usually available on GetYourGuide or the team’s own site.
For something less structured, just wander the ByWard Market. Good coffee shops, a few decent restaurants, and the kind of small independent stores that survive on tourist traffic and local loyalty in roughly equal measure.
A Small Thing
On the last night, I walked back to the hotel along the canal after the skating had stopped. The ice was empty except for the Zamboni smoothing it over for nobody. The BeaverTail stands were closed, chairs stacked. Just the sound of the machine and the orange lights reflecting off the ice. It’s not a profound moment — it’s a parking lot being cleaned. But something about an empty skating rink at night in a city that cold feels like it deserves a second look.
