Feel like skating in the fresh air, straight ahead, in a bucolic setting? Here are the five best places to ice skate near Ottawa.

Forget about the neighborhood rinks and arenas where you can only go in circles. The ones we've chosen for you stretch for kilometers and all offer an enchanting and unique setting that will delight you. Rediscover outdoor skating and live a unique experience. A good way to fall in love with winter again!

On your skates, everyone!

Located in La Pêche (Wakefield), the Éco-Odyssée Nature Park is one of the five best places to ice skate thanks to its labyrinth of frozen trails that normally extends over 5 km and crosses marshes, forests and fields.

The Éco-Odyssée park welcomes visitors from Thursday to Sunday. Evening skating is possible thanks to 1 km of illuminated trails or headlamps, available for rent. On Thursdays, skate to music with a different theme each week.

Hours of operation:

• Thursday and Friday 1-10 p.m.
• Saturday 10 am to 10 pm
• Sunday 10 am to 8 pm

Admission fees: yes

• adult $20
• children 14 and under $15
• children 3 years old and under free

Reservation: mandatory, online

Parking: free

Services: snack bar, washroom facilities, skate sharpening

Equipment rental: no

Other activities on site: walking, snowshoeing

Vaccination passport required: no

About 30 km from Chelsea and 44 km from downtown Ottawa

Located in Lac-des-Loups, the Skating Through the Forest site is one of the five best places to ice skate thanks to its three-kilometre long ice trail. Let yourself be charmed by the peaceful calm of nature under the canopy of snow-covered trees that keep you sheltered from the wind, and skate straight ahead!

The Skating Through the Forest site welcomes visitors every day. Evening skating is possible on Fridays and you must reserve your place online. Torches, lights, music, everything is thought to make you live a memorable experience.

Hours of operation:

• daily from 9 a.m. to dusk
• Friday evenings from 6:00 pm to 9:30 pm

Admission fees: yes

• adults $18
• children 6 to 17 $14
• walking/snowshoeing $10

Reservation: mandatory for Friday nights

Parking: free

Services: snack bar, outdoor rest areas with campfires, sanitary block, skate sharpening

Equipment rental: skates, helmets, snowshoes, sled

Other activities on site: walking, snowshoeing

Vaccination passport required: yes

About 30 km from Chelsea and 45 km from downtown Ottawa

Located on the enchanting site of the Touraine Golf Club in Gatineau, the Little Penguin Trail is one of the five best places to ice skate thanks to its icy trail that winds its way around the golf course for just over five kilometers.

The Little Penguin Trail welcomes visitors daily. Evening skating is available on Saturdays and headlamps are highly recommended.

Opening hours:

• daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday evenings from 6 to 9 pm

Admission fees: yes

• 13 years and older $20
• 6 to 12 years old $15

Packages and season passes: yes

Reservations: yes, online

Parking: free

Services: snack bar, outdoor rest areas, campfire at the reception, heated sanitary block

Equipment rental: headlamps

Other on-site activities: hiking, snowshoeing

Vaccination passport required: no

13 km from Chelsea and 25 km from downtown Ottawa

Located on the Brewery Creek in the heart of downtown Gatineau, the Brewery Creek skating rink is one of the five best places to ice skate thanks to an ice surface that extends from the Théâtre de l'Île to the bridge of Les Brasseurs du Temps Brewery.

The charm of this site is its location as well as the sports and cultural activities and the animation deployed during special events. Between these events, the proximity of the Brasseurs du Temps Brewery, the famous wine bar Soif, the Italian restaurant La Squadra, the Théâtre de l'Île, as well as other restaurants, bars and cafés make it a skating destination of choice.

The Brewery Creek ice rink welcomes visitors every day, 24 hours a day.

Hours of operation for the heated trailer:

• Monday to Friday from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 10 pm

Admission fee: free

Reservations: no

Parking: fee required

Services: heated trailer with washroom facilities, skate sharpening

Equipment loan: for Accès Gatineau card holders only

Other on-site activities: entertainment and occasional sports and cultural activities (see with the City of Gatineau)

Vaccination passport required: no for access to the ice, yes for the trailer

14 km from Chelsea and less than 4 km from downtown Ottawa

A UNESCO Heritage Site and one of the five best places to ice skate, the Rideau Canal has the distinction of being the world's largest naturally frozen skating rink, running 7.8 kilometers through the center of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. Featuring rest areas along its length, surrounded by magnificent homes and famous buildings, and blessed with a lake at one end, this massive skating rink is a must-see destination for all skating enthusiasts, whether they are beginners or experts.

The Rideau Canal welcomes visitors 24 hours a day, every day.

Hours of operation for restrooms:

• Sunday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm

Hours of operation for food service:

• Monday to Thursday 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. or later
• Friday 12:00 pm to 11:00 pm
• Saturday from 10 am to 11 pm
• Sunday 10 am to 10 pm

Hours of operation for changing rooms:

• closed during COVID

Admission fee: free

Reservations: no

Parking: Paid at various locations, free on surrounding streets with time limit

Services: heated trailers with washroom facilities, food service, skate sharpening, outdoor relaxation areas with fireplaces

Equipment rental: skates, sleds, ice bikes

Other activities on site: entertainment and occasional sports and cultural activities, especially during Winterlude

Vaccination passport required: no

17 km from Chelsea and right in downtown Ottawa

Need help exploring these most beautiful skating rinks? Send me an email and I will be pleased to guide you on your next visit planning.