Discover the Best Rideau Canal Tours

Linking the Ontario cities of Ottawa and Kingston, this picturesque 126-mile waterway's name is French for "curtain" for the two waterfalls where the Rideau River joins the Ottawa River as it looked to Samuel de Champlain when he explored it in 1613. Rideau Canal has been the longest continuously operated waterway in North America and was established in 1832. It is a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization World Heritage Site and National Historic Site of Canada. During the winter, a portion of the Rideau Canal in Ottawa turns into the largest ice skating rink in the world.

Rideau Canal Overview