What’s so interesting about a canal? Well, this one—which snakes over 200 km. from Ottawa to the city of Kingston on Lake Ontario—is a UNESCO World Heritage site. When it was hacked out of forest and rock in the early-1800s, its 52 dams and 47 locks—all built by hand—made it an engineering marvel. Today, you can rent a houseboat, canoe or kayak to travel its entire length, but most visitors to Ottawa content themselves with a quick bike ride along its banks or a paddleboat ride on Dows Lake. For a uniquely Ottawan winter experience, rent skates and glide along the 7.8 km. of groomed ice from the National Arts Centre to Carleton University. The Bytown Museum at the Entrance Locks—between Parliament Hill and the Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel—provides a good introduction to the canal’s history.
- Type:
Beaches/Bodies of Water
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