Ottawa Tulip Festival (Train Tour)

Itinerary

• * The historical ByWard Market, where we can also have a bite to eat.
  
• * Notre-Dame Cathedral
• * Visiting the amazing tulip beds in Major's Hill Park in downtown Ottawa. Major's Hill Park stands above the Rideau Canal at the point where it enters the Ottawa River. With a spectacular view of Parliament Hill as your backdrop, the tulip gardens throughout Major's Hill Park are not to be missed. Major’s Hill Park is located behind the Fairmont Château Laurier, and is home to several impressive flower beds with scenic views of the Ottawa River. This is a great spot to take photos of tulips with landmarks in the background like Parliament Hill, the National Gallery of Canada or the Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica.

Price & Inclusions

**All seats are in standard class. No individual arrangement/upgrade/change is available. VIA Rail does not provide the seat number, but the group is assigned seats together within the same car (train wagon).

Pickup

Tour Attractions

Ottawa
Ottawa is Canada’s capital, a dynamic showcase city of more than one million people. Located in Ontario at the Quebec border, it’s a place where you’ll hear English and French spoken in the streets; where you can discover Canada’s proud heritage at impressive national sites and famous landmarks, including the Rideau Canal (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). It’s a city steeped in culture, with world-class museums and galleries displaying stunning national collections and special exhibitions from Canada and around the world.

Tulip Festival
The Godmother of all Ottawa Festivals, since 1953 the Canadian Tulip Festival has been the iconic Canadian brand synonymous with the arrival of spring in the nation's Capital. Drawing over 600,000 Canadian and International visitors to the outdoor festival of the warm weather season and one of Ottawa’s largest and longest-running signature celebrations. Millions of Tulips set the stage for a celebration of authentic art, cultural, historic, culinary, and family tulip experiences.


Commissioners Park
In summer, the tulips are replaced by thousands of annual flowers, which create beautiful scenic views with Dows Lake in the background. Located at the corner of Preston Street and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Commissioners Park extends over 8.95 hectares. It was built from the 1920s to the 1950s on the site of a former lumberyard owned by J.R. Booth.


Major's Hill Park
Major’s Hill Park is the Capital’s first park, used as such since 1826, when the building of the Rideau Canal began. In 1867, fireworks and bonfires in the park marked the Capital’s first Canada Day celebrations. It was formally established as a park in 1875. Major’s Hill Park is an exceptional site to see tulips blooming in the spring. 

Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill, colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Its Gothic revival suite of buildings, and their architectural elements of national symbolic importance, is the home of the Parliament of Canada.

Rideau Hall

Rideau Hall (officially Government House) is the official residence in Ottawa of both the Canadian monarch and his or her representative, the governor-general of Canada. It stands in Canada's capital on a 36-hectare (88-acre) estate at 1 Sussex Drive, with the main building consisting of approximately 175 rooms across 9,500 square meters (102,000 sq ft), and 27 outbuildings around the grounds. Rideau Hall's site lies outside the centre of Ottawa. It is one of two official royal residences maintained by the federal Crown, the other being the Citadelle of Quebec.

The grounds of Rideau Hall represent one of the finest historic landscapes in Canada. In 1998, they were designated as a cultural landscape of national historic significance by the Minister of Canadian Heritage. This park is at the governor general's home, with 10,000 trees, a seasonal ice skating rink & a totem pole.

 

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica
Welcome to Notre-Dame Cathedral, the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop of Ottawa and the mother church of the archdiocese of Ottawa. This historic building, begun in 1841, is the largest and oldest standing church in the nation's capital. NOTE: currently, Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica is only open for mass (religious services). The doors are open 30 minutes before each mass to let people in. It is during the 30-minute period before masses that you would have time to light a candle and pray. It is no longer required to wear a mask in the cathedral. We are also at full capacity. So approximately 1500 people can be in the church. SATURDAY MASS: 5:00 PM: (BILINGUAL) ---- SUNDAY MASSES: 10:00 AM (FRENCH), 12:00 PM (ENGLISH), 5:00 PM (BILINGUAL)

ByWard Market
Since 1846, when nearby farmers traded their produce here, this has been the popular centre of town. Only one of the stalls dates back to 1867, but the market retains much of its 19th-century atmosphere. With its colorful stalls of fruit and vegetables, along with artsy shops, trendy restaurants and nightclubs, it’s a lively spot to visit – day and night.

Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal is a long and historically significant waterway that twists through the downtown core of Ottawa. The canal connects the city to major nearby bodies of water, including the Ottawa River and Lake Ontario. The canal itself dates back to 1832 when it was used as a military defense system, but today the canal serves as a year-round recreational attraction. In warmer months, people walk, bike, or ride on the walkways that line the canal, or boat and paddle through the water itself. In the colder seasons, the river freezes over and transforms into an expansive public ice-skating rink that weaves through the city.

Jacques-Cartier Park
As one of the Capital’s major parks, it is located on Laurier Street in Gatineau, extends over 22.68 hectares, and offers breathtaking views of the Ottawa River and Parliament Hill.
It is at the base of the Alexandra Bridge, facing the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. It is named for French explorer Jacques Cartier, who arrived at the mouth of the Ottawa River while he was looking for the Northwest Passage.

Ottawa Marriott Hotel-4 star
Experience modern style and sincere service at Ottawa Marriott Hotel, set in the lively downtown district of Ottawa. Our hotel is two stops away from the Rideau Shopping Centre, Shaw Centre and ByWard Market. Explore Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal and the National Gallery of Canada, all within walking distance from our hotel. Begin your day with a coffee at our on-site Starbucks® and end it with delicious American fare and a cocktail at "Spin" Kitchen & Bar. Additional hotel perks include our health club with an indoor pool and gym. Make yourself at home in our smartly designed rooms and suites, featuring complimentary Wi-Fi, plush bedding, a Keurig™ coffee maker, and downtown Ottawa views. 

 

Note

• ** Our tours are in the ENGLISH language only.
• ** We STILL require all passengers 12 & older to be fully vaccinated. Because still, many suppliers require proof of vaccination (minimum of 2 shots) to let us enter their facility. Please bring your proof of vaccination (print or digital) + a valid Photo ID (e.g., health card, driver’s license). Please make sure you study this page before making any booking: Traveling during COVID-19 page
• ** Please dress based on the weather. Comfortable walking shoes are always recommended. If it's rainy, please bring your umbrella/rain jacket.
• ** This tour is considered an easy-medium activity
• ** Itinerary Changes: We reserve the right to make time or itinerary changes, if necessary.