A Self Guided Audio Tour of Ottawa's Hidden History

Service animals welcome

Are you looking for a way to explore Ottawa at your own pace? On this self-guided audio tour, you will relive Ottawa‘s turbulent early history when rioters and rogues ran rampant.

Ottawa‘s significance extends beyond its Houses of Parliament and famous museums. Before becoming Canada‘s capital, it was a rough, lawless place in the wilderness. On this walking tour through old Bytown, you’ll trace the city’s evolution from a small lumber town to Queen Victoria‘s choice as Canada‘s capital and discover Ottawa‘s hidden backstory.

You'll stroll down York Street and learn about the early days of the iconic Byward Market. Ottawa‘s past will come to life in the serene Jeanne d‘Arc Courtyard, where you‘ll hear about the religious and spatial divisions that fueled the feuding Bytown residents. On Sussex Drive, you‘ll explore popular sites from new perspectives and travel back to when rogues, rioters, and disease made the streets unsafe.

What's included

  • Get unlimited, lifetime use of this tour, before your booking date and after it
  • The virtual playback option, so you can listen to this tour like an audiobook from anywhere
  • Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
  • Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
  • Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start

What's Not Included

    What's not included
    • Smartphone and headphones

    Additional information

    Wheelchair accessible

    Service animals allowed

    Public transportation options are available nearby

    Suitable for all physical fitness levels

    Please bring your own smartphone and headphones

    Itinerary information

    Location

    Departure point
    Major's Hill Park, Mackenzie Ave, Byward Market - Parliament Hill, Ottawa, K1N 1G8
    The tour begins at the entrance to Major's Hill Park on Mackenzie Avenue, just behind the Chateau Laurier Hotel. It starts directly opposite 555 Mackenzie Avenue, the Connaught Building.
    End point
    Rideau Canal, Locks 1 - 8 - Ottawa, Byward Market - Parliament Hill, Ottawa, K1A 0A4
    The tour ends at Sapper's Bridge.

    User ratings

    Good value
    4.5
    Facilities
    4.5
    Quality of service
    4.5
    Ease of access
    4.5

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