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All Canada Ontario Ottawa

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Ottawa

16 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Ottawa, Ontario

Updated June 14, 2023

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Unusual Attractions in Ottawa

Ottawa, Ontario

The Diefenbunker

Canada's subterranean Cold War museum has doubled as a movie set.
Maman

Ottawa, Ontario

'Maman'

Louise Bourgeois' 30-foot-tall steel spider sculpture.
Ottawa Jail Hostel. (Wikimedia Commons)

Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa Jail Hostel

This inexpensive lodging house was once a prison notorious for its inhumane practices.
Château Laurier, looking like a European castle.

Ottawa, Ontario

Château Laurier

The mastermind behind this palatial hotel perished on the Titanic weeks before its grand opening.
Sunset sky reflected in the water.

Ottawa, Ontario

Mer Bleue Bog

A boardwalk winds above this beautiful bog full of wildlife and a rare type of turtle.
Central Experimental Farm with the city of Ottawa in the background.

Ottawa, Ontario

Central Experimental Farm

A sprawling Victorian farm that has been surrounded by a capital city is one of Canada's greatest treasures.
Family of mammoth replicas.

Ottawa, Ontario

Dinosaur Crossing Signs and Statues

These prehistoric replicas were based on actual skeletal remains.
Tin House Court as seen from the Clarence Street entrance.

Ottawa, Ontario

Tin House

Now a public art piece, this curious metal feature originally advertised a tinsmith's services.
See All 16 Things To Do in Ottawa

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Ottawa

Equipment for making maple syrup.

Ottawa, Ontario

Vanier Sugar Shack

Watch maple syrup being made without ever leaving the city.
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Ottawa, Ontario

A
16
Architecture 4
Museums 2
Monuments 2
Memorials 2
Intriguing Environs 2
Ecosystems 2

Ottawa Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. KieferU
    5
  2. nbj914
    1
  3. MarkShainblum
    1
  4. meganbystricky
    1
  5. alystermahoney
    1
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Add an unusual place to Ottawa.

Places Edited

  1. KieferU
    7
  2. Andrew MacLean
    3
  3. 45rpm
    2
  4. linkogecko
    2
  5. nbj914
    2
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Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

  1. eightmeterband
    16
  2. pweir2005
    15
  3. jawicellphone
    14
  4. AndreaBitchard
    13
  5. michaelpoitras
    13

Recent Ottawa Activity

  • bernardybrielle

    wants to go to Ottawa Jail Hostel

    1 day ago
  • history247

    wants to go to Ottawa Jail Hostel

    1 day ago
  • krwhick

    wants to go to "Cottage" Gas Station

    about 18 hours ago
  • juliavoyage

    has been to Ottawa Jail Hostel

    about 17 hours ago
  • juliavoyage

    has been to 'Maman'

    about 17 hours ago

Stories About Ottawa

Because of their exoskeletons, insects can remain in a collection for hundreds of years if they’re well cared for.

A Massive Collection of Dead Insects Lives Inside Filing Cabinets in a Canadian Office

Growing since 1886, this taxonomic library is among the largest insect repositories in the world.
by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson
November 25, 2020
One of the courses at Atelier’s drive-through: tuna tataki.

This Restaurant Pivoted From Molecular Gastronomy to a 5-Course Drive-Through

A server squeegees the window, too.
by Darcy Rhyno
June 26, 2020

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