Ultimate Guide for Biking Tours in Ottawa 2023

Ultimate Guide for Biking Tours in Ottawa 2023

Calling all cycling enthusiasts! Are you ready for another new and exhilarating adventure in Canada’s capital city? 

With picturesque routes, lively neighborhoods, well-maintained biking paths, and impressive landmarks, Ottawa has much to offer to everyone on two wheels. We definitely recommend touring the Rideau Canal and Byward Market for its sights.

So grab your helmet, hop on your bike, and let’s cruise into the ultimate guide for biking tours in Ottawa!

Best Bike Tours in Ottawa

Best Places for Bike Tours in Ottawa

The best bike tours in Ottawa are provided by Escape Bicycle Tours & Rentals and RentABike Ottawa.

Both companies have several biking tours available, the difference between each tour being the amount of time it takes and the route & sights you’ll pass through and see. 

For a detailed look at the most popular biking tours, you may refer to the table below:

TourDurationStopsPricing (per adult)Address & Contact Details
2-Hour Ottawa Express City Bike Tour2hrs-National War Memorial

-Rideau Canal National Historic Site

-Ottawa Locks -Byward Market

-Rideau Hall

-Rideau Falls

-National Gallery of Canada

$52.65+65 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5A5, Canada

613 608 7407

https://escapebicycletours.ca/

Ottawa Highlights 3.5 Hour Bike Tour3hrs 30mins-Rideau Canal National Historic Site

-Ottawa Locks

-Lansdowne Park

-The Glebe

-Arboretum (Experimental Farm)

-Canadian War Museum

-Canadian Museum of History

-Rideau Hall

-Rideau Falls

-Byward Market

-Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals

$72.43+65 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5A5, Canada

613 608 7407

https://escapebicycletours.ca/

Best of Ottawa Neighbourhoods & Nature Bike Tour3hrs-The Glebe

-Lansdowne Park

-Fletcher Wildlife Garden

-Remic Rapids Park

-Canadian War Museum

$67.85+65 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5A5, Canada

613 608 7407

https://escapebicycletours.ca/

Ottawa Landmarks2hrs-Parliament Hill

-Ottawa River

-Chaudière Falls

-Little Italy

-Dow’s Lake

-Rideau Canal

$37.36+Under Rideau Street, beside Rideau Canal (West wall of Senate of Canada, 2 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8X5, Canada

613 241 4140

http://www.rentabike.ca/

Ottawa Spring Tulip Festival Bike Tour2 - 4hrs-Rideau Canal National Historic Site

-Ottawa River Pathway

$27.41+65 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5A5, Canada

613 608 7407

https://escapebicycletours.ca/

Ottawa-Gatineau Getaway1hr-Major’s Hill Park

-Alexandra Bridge

-Ottawa River (Quebec)

-Chaudiere Falls

-Ottawa River (Ontario)

-Rideau Canal

-RentABike

$37.36+Under Rideau Street, beside Rideau Canal (West wall of Senate of Canada, 2 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8X5, Canada

613 241 4140

http://www.rentabike.ca/

Best Bike Routes in Ottawa

Self-Guided Tours in Ottawa

The best self-guided biking tours in Ottawa are Big Ottawa Loop, Carp & Country Debunker, Kanata, Little Italy, Ottawa River, & Rideau Canal, Manotick South & West, Muster Mander, North Kanata to Stittsville, the Osgoode Ride, Ottawa River East & Farmland, Out a Way, Park to Park, Rail Trail, etc.

This type of tour is perfect for you if you’re not into following a tour guide or joining a random group. 

Not only is it up to you what time you’ll leave and how long you’ll stay at each site, but there also aren’t as many restrictions either. 

You may refer to the table below for a quick look at Ottawa’s available self-guided biking tours:

TourLengthStopsDifficulty
I Like to See the Water When I Ride38.2km-Rideau Canal

-Mooney’s Bay Park

Easy
Little Italy, Ottawa River, & Rideau Canal14.1km-Little Italy shops, cafés & bistros

-Dow’s Lake Pavilion

-Rideau Canal

-Mill Street Brew Pub

-The Glebe shops, cafés & bistros

Easy
North Kanata to Stittsville61km-Ottawa RiverEasy
Ottawa River East & Farmland31.1km-Ottawa RiverEasy
Rail Trail23.5km-Domaine Perrault Vineyard & WineryEasy - Intermediate
Manotick South & West56km-Watson’s Mill Intermediate
Park to Park45km-Morris Island Conservation AreaIntermediate
Big Ottawa Loop31km-Rideau Canal

-Parliament Hill

-Canadian War Museum

-Canada Agriculture and Food Museum

-Mill Street Brew Pub

-Westboro Village

Intermediate
Carp & Country Debunker45.9km-Alice’s Village Café

-The Swan at Carp

-Kin Vineyards

Intermediate - Difficult
Muster Mander50km-Goulbourn Museum

-Saunders Farm

Intermediate - Difficult
The Osgoode Ride59km-Red Dot Café

-Fairgrounds & Farmers’ Market

Difficult
Kanata38km-Shiela McKee Park

-Pinhey’s Point Historic Site

Difficult
Out a Way101km-Alice’s Village Café

-Carp Farmers’ Market

-Diefenbunker Museum

-South March Highlands Mountain Biking

Difficult

I Like to See the Water When I Ride

I Like to See the Water When I Ride

LENGTH: 38.2km

DIFFICULTY: Easy

If you’re a fan of waterfront views and scenery, this self-guided bike tour is perfect for you because it passes through Ottawa’s bodies of water throughout its entire length. 

What’s more, it’s an easy route, so even beginners can try it out!

Little Italy, Ottawa River, & Rideau Canal

Little Italy, Ottawa River, & Rideau Canal

LENGTH: 14.1km

DIFFICULTY: Easy

This route will guide you through beautiful parklands and an opportunity for a food trip when you pass through Little Italy. 

It’s a great route for those who want something easy and also has many stops where you can just get off your bike and have a snack.

Sample Little Italy’s culinary treats and rehydrate with cool refreshments before getting back on your tour.

North Kanata to Stittsville

North Kanata to Stittsville

LENGTH: 61km

DIFFICULTY: Easy

The North Kanata to Stittsville route is one of the easier routes despite its whopping length of 61km. 

Going down this route highlights the natural beauty of the National Capital Commission Greenbelt with its many open fields and woody pathways.

Ottawa River East & Farmland

Ottawa River East & Farmland

LENGTH: 31km

DIFFICULTY: Easy

The Ottawa River East & Farmland route offers stunning views of the Ottawa River, Rideau River, and the Greens Creek valley. 

This route leads to Just Food Farm, a place where you can learn about market gardening and buy fresh-picked veggies. 

It passes through some heavy traffic areas, so make sure to take care when passing along these areas.

Rail Trail

Rail Trail

LENGTH: 23.5km

DIFFICULTY: Easy – Intermediate

With its well-maintained trails that pass through the south of Navan village, the Rail Trail route offers natural views of the farmlands. However, it can also be an intermediate trail due to some unpaved country roads. 

It’s definitely well worth the difficulty, especially if you enjoy drinks since you’ll be passing through two wineries. 

And if you do decide to drop by and sample vintages at these wineries, remember to drink moderately.

Manotick South & West

Manotick South & West

LENGTH: 56km

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate

The self-guided biking tour of Manotick South & West is one of the longest routes available, taking you through the village of Manotick and its many restaurants. 

You’ll also pass through Baxter Conservation Area, a natural area with great hiking trails, plus a beach along the side of the Rideau River. 

If you’re not up to finishing the whole route in one sitting, you can even go camping at Rideau River Provincial Park.

Park to Park

Park to Park

LENGTH: 45km

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate

The Park to Park route features sights like the Fitzroy Provincial Park and Morris Island Conservation Area. 

It also passes through Penny’s Fudge Factory, a great place to grab a few snacks to take home or to eat along the way.

Big Ottawa Loop

Big Ottawa Loop

LENGTH: 31km

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate

The Big Ottawa Loop will take you through a tour of Ottawa in its entirety, passing through sites like the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum and Rideau Canal. You’ll also see the waterfront scenery along Dow’s Lake and the Ottawa River.

Along the way, this route will allow you a look at Ottawa’s premiere universities, such as the University of Ottawa and Carleton University. By the time you finish the tour, you might already feel like a native Ottawan!

Carp & Country Debunker

Carp & Country Debunker

LENGTH: 45.9km

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate – Difficult

The Carp & County Debunker tour is an intermediate to difficult bike tour that will lead you through the village of Carp. 

What makes it difficult is that the paved country roads have short unpaved segments along the length of the roads.

Muster Mander

Muster Mander

LENGTH: 50km

DIFFICULTY: Intermediate – Difficult

The Muster Mander self-guided biking tour is one of the longer routes and is classed as an intermediate up to a difficult path due to stone dust and unpaved roads. 

Additionally, it passes through high-traffic areas that can make any cyclist’s ride harder.

However, if you’re a fan of pub grub and drinks, this route is worth it since you’ll be passing through an English-style pub and a winery near the end.

The Osgoode Ride

The Osgoode Ride

LENGTH: 59km

DIFFICULTY: Difficult

The Osgoode right is one of several difficult self-guided biking tours, starting at Osgoode and reaching Metcalfe halfway through its entire length. 

If you time your visit right, you might catch the annual fall agricultural fair during your ride. This 2023, Navan Fair will take place on August 10-13, so make sure to mark your calendars.

Kanata

Kanata

LENGTH: 38km

DIFFICULTY: Difficult

The Kanata self-guided tour offers scenic waterfront views and even a look at the Gatineau Hills not far from it. 

What makes this route hard is that there are certain points where the roads are unpaved, such as Pinhey’s Point Road.

Take caution once you reach these portions of the tour, and feel free to take a break at some of the stops, like having a small picnic at Shiela McKee Park.

Out a Way

Out a Way

LENGTH: 101km

DIFFICULTY: Difficult

This 101km route is the longest of all the self-guided biking tours and highlights the beauty of northwestern Ottawan scenery. 

Due to its sheer length, make sure to take frequent breaks, pack lightly, and rehydrate often.

Top Bike Rentals Companies in Ottawa

Top Bike Rentals Companies in Ottawa

The best bike rental shops in Ottawa are Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals Ottawa, RentABike, and Cyco’s.

What’s great about Ottawa is that you don’t need to buy your own bike to join a biking tour when there are several great rental shops available.

You may refer to the table below for a list of Ottawa’s best bike rental shops and their details:

Bike Rental CompanyAddress & Contact DetailsTypes of Bikes AvailablePricingOther Available Services
Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals - Ottawa65 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5A5, Canada

613 608-7407

https://escapebicycletours.ca/

-Hybrid Performance (Marin Fairfax or Terra Linda 2022)

-Hybrid Comfort (Marin Stinson 2022)

-Electric Bike (Cube Town Sport)

-Kids’ Bikes (20, 24, & 26-inch Norco/Opus)

-Tag Along Bike (Adams/Evo)

-Child Bike Trailer (Co-pilot Model T)

-Road (Marin Gestalt)

-Mountain (Marin Bobcat, Wildcat, & Bolinas)

-Tandem (KHS Aero Duo & Sport)

-Electric Scooter (SmartKick X8 Plus)

-Tricycle (Evo Latitude 8 Trike)

-Car Rack (Thule Passage 2 or 3 bikes)

Hybrid Performance

1hr - $11

Hybrid Comfort

1hr - $11

Electric Bike

1hr - $20

Kid’s Bike

1hr - $10

Tag Along Bike

1hr - $8

Child Bike Trailer

1hr - $8

Road

1hr - $15

Mountain

1hr - $15

Tandem

1hr - $22

Electric Scooter

1hr - $20

Tricycle

2hrs - $29

Car Rack

1 Day - $25

-Scheduled bike tours

-Private & group tours

-Special tours & packages

RentABikeUnder Rideau Street, beside Rideau Canal (West wall of Senate of Canada, 2 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8X5, Canada

613 241 4140

http://www.rentabike.ca/

-Pathway Comfort Bikes

-Specialty Pathway & Electric Bikes

-Kids & Family

-Off-Road and Gravel Bikes

-Aluminum Road Bikes

-Carbon Road Bikes

Pathway Comfort

1hr - $11

Electric Bikes

1hr - $20

Children’s Bike

1hr - $8

Off-Road

1hr - $15

Full Suspension MTB

24hrs - $80

Aluminum Bikes

1hr - $15

Carbon Road Bikes

24hrs - $75

Tandem

1hr - $22

-Bike tours

-Youth tours

Cyco’s25 Hawthorne Ave, Ottawa, ON K1S 0A9, Canada

613 567 8180

http://www.cycosport.ca/

-Hybrid Bikes

-Mountain & Road

-Fat Bikes

-Tandem Bikes

Hybrid Bikes

1hr - $8

Mountain and Road

1hr - $13

Fat Bikes

1hr - $13

Tandem Bikes

1hr - $15

-Bike tune-ups & repairs

FAQs about Biking Tours in Ottawa