Rideau canal, Ottawa, Ontario

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Rideau Canal is a familiar part of the Ottawa landscape, but the scenic waterway in the heart of the city is only part of the picture, as it is a chain of beautiful lakes, rivers and canals stretching 202 kilometers to Kingston, a route rich in heritage and recreational appeal.

Aremarkable engineering achievement, the canal can be enjoyed by boat or by car, cycling or hiking, and there are guided tours of the lockstations.

The natural beauty of much of the area through which the canal passes, along with the promise of excellent sports fishing, hunting and recreational boating, stimulated the development of the tourism industry in the area and, by the end of the 19th century, hotels and private cottages made their appearance along the canal. The years since then have seen a massive expansion of the recreational use of the Rideau.

SOURCE: Ottawa Tourism, courtesy of Canadian Tourism Commission.

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