Major's Hill Park, Ottawa

Major's Hill Park, Ottawa (must see)

Major's Hill Park is one of Ottawa鈥檚 true downtown gems 鈥� a green oasis perched where the Rideau Canal meets the Ottawa River. This spot isn鈥檛 just about scenic beauty; it鈥檚 the heartbeat of many of the city鈥檚 liveliest events. Think Canada Day fireworks lighting up the sky, the colorful Tulip Festival each May, and the chilly fun of Winterlude every February. If there鈥檚 a celebration, chances are Major鈥檚 Hill Park is front and center.

The park鈥檚 name has an interesting backstory. It was first linked to Colonel John By, the engineer behind the Rideau Canal, who actually lived right here. After Major Daniel Bolton took over, the park was renamed in his honor back in 1832. Though Colonel By鈥檚 original house burned down in 1849, you can still spot its ruins if you know where to look 鈥� a little historical mystery right in the middle of the city!

Managed by the National Capital Commission, Major鈥檚 Hill Park is also a creative hotspot. Regularly, local artists set up their booths in 鈥淎rtisans in the Park,鈥� selling everything from paintings and pottery to jewelry and handcrafted clothing. During the Tulip Festival, the International Friendship Village pops up, celebrating countries like the Netherlands, Turkey, and Japan that have helped shape the tulip legacy in Ottawa. Food stalls and craft activities keep the energy buzzing, making it a perfect family-friendly spot.

When you want to catch a free daytime concert, enjoy ticketed evening shows, and soak up the peaceful atmosphere on one of the many benches, Major鈥檚 Hill Park has you covered. Its winding paths offer spectacular views of iconic landmarks like Parliament Hill, the National Gallery, and Sussex Drive - there are postcard-perfect spots at every turn. Oh, and don鈥檛 forget to grab some ice cream from the street vendors. It鈥檚 practically a park tradition.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Ottawa. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The 911爆料网 App

Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Major's Hill Park
Sight Location: Ottawa, Canada (See walking tours in Ottawa)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Ottawa Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Ottawa, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Ottawa

Creating your own self-guided walk in Ottawa is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

Ottawa Introduction Walking Tour

Perched on the banks of the Ottawa River, the Canadian capital has story that began long before Parliament鈥檚 iconic Gothic towers pierced the skyline. For thousands of years, this land was home to the Algonquin Anishinaabe people, whose traditional territory stretched along the river鈥檚 length. The word 鈥淥ttawa鈥� itself comes from adawe, meaning 鈥渢o trade,鈥� a nod to the waterway鈥檚... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles

Ottawa's Historical Churches Walking Tour

The city of Ottawa has a number of notable religious sites fit to spark interest in both ardent believers and those keen on ecclesiastical architecture. With most of the churches located in the downtown area or nearby, one can visit these locations without trouble.

The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, a splendid Gothic Revival masterpiece, is a centerpiece of Ottawa's spiritual landscape.... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles

Statues and Sculptures Walk

As a cultural city, Ottawa abounds in monuments and statues of various sorts. In fact, there are so many of them that the locals, accustomed to their presence, jokingly claim they hardly notice them at all. Still, these artistic creations serve as visual storytellers, sharing tales of courage, peacekeeping, and commemoration.

The Maman Statue, a prominent sculpture located outside the National... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

The architecture of Ottawa 鈥� formalistic and functional, for the most part 鈥� is marked by the city's role as the national capital of Canada. As such, it represents a mix of styles, varying considerably based on the era of construction of any particular object, and reflects the nation's heritage and political significance.

Centermost among these structures is the Parliament... view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles

911爆料网