Best Time to Visit Ottawa

May and September: the sweet spots

If you want one rule, pick May or September. Both score Excellent. May brings highs around 19°C and the city turning green. The Canadian Tulip Festival runs through the month, with flowers along Dow's Lake and in Commissioners Park. Expect a few grey, drizzly days, since it rains on 13 of them.

September feels calmer. Highs reach 22°C, nights are cool, and the maples along the Rideau Canal and in Gatineau Park (just across the river in Quebec) start to turn. It's a good month for cycling the Capital pathways and for the ByWard Market without the summer crush.

Summer: warm, busy and a bit sticky

June to August is high season. Days are long and warm, and July is the warmest month, with highs of 26°C. It's also the wettest, tied with June in how often it rains (16 days each), though that often means a short storm rather than a washout. Humidity makes afternoons feel heavier than the number suggests.

Canada Day on 1 July is the big one. Crowds fill Parliament Hill and LeBreton Flats for music and fireworks, and hotels fill up too. Bluesfest in July brings big names to the same flats. Travelling with kids? Summer school holidays mean the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canada Science and Technology Museum get lively, so go early on weekdays or pick a rainy afternoon. If you hate crowds, aim for late August.

Autumn and winter: colour, then cold

October is Fair. Highs are 14°C and the sun shows up less, but the fall colours are good early in the month. By November the mood turns gloomy and the ratings drop to Poor. It's a quiet, cheap time for museums.

Winter is properly cold. January is the coldest month, with highs of -6°C and lows of -16°C. February is close behind. But this is when Ottawa is at its most fun. The Rideau Canal Skateway opens when the ice is thick enough, usually from January, and it's one of the world's largest natural skating rinks. Winterlude fills February with ice sculptures at Confederation Park and Jacques-Cartier Park. Stop for a hot BeaverTail (a flat fried pastry) when your fingers go numb.

March and April are the awkward months. Snow melts into slush, and you'll want waterproof boots. Skip them unless you're after low prices.