2-Hour Ottawa Express City Bike Tour

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Ottawa, Canada

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

This small-group bike tour is perfect for families and those wanting a safe and leisurely way to see Ottawa. Most of the route is on designated bike paths or quaint backroads that take you to some of Ottawa’s cultural and natural highlights. See Rideau Hall, cycle the Rideau Canal path, plus see the War Memorial, Byward Market and more. Stop along the way to learn more about certain locations and get local tips from your guide.

Bike rental, helmet, and water are included
Learn about Canada’s capital city from your local guide
Suitable for all ages and skill levels
Choose from various departure times to suit your schedule

What's Included

Bicycle
Helmet
Local guide

Transportation to/from attractions
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

65 Sparks St., Ottawa, ON K1P 5A5, Canada
Arrive at Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals at 65 Sparks st. 20 minutes prior to the tour start time. Where to park: We recommend finding a private parking lot nearby or using the following underground parking lots: National Arts Centre (1 Elgin St.) City Hall (110 Laurier Ave W)

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.10:00 am

Itinerary

Escape Bicycle Tours and Rentals - Ottawa

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Rideau Canal National Historic Site

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Bytown Museum (Pass By)

National War Memorial

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

ByWard Market

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Rideau Hall

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Rideau Falls

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

National Gallery of Canada

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Parliament Hill and Buildings (Pass By)

Ottawa Locks

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Infant seats available
Guest must arrive to the tour starting location 20 minutes prior to the tour starting time for bike fitting and tour and safety review.
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation

Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Most travelers can participate
Where to park: We recommend finding a private parking lot nearby or using the following underground parking lots: National Arts Centre (1 Elgin St.) City Hall (110 Laurier Ave W)
We are located at 65 Sparks St. which is a pedestrian street between Elgin and Metcalfe. We are a few steps away from the Parliament Hills and the National War Memorial.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Aileen_G

Well organised trip Denis was great and so knowledgeable. Our weather wasn’t the best but it didn’t impact on the enjoyment of the small group cycle in a really interesting city. I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Ottawa

Reviews

5.0

based on 296 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Not a casual stroll

Lisa_D, Aug 2025

It was a great tour, but it is not a leisurely ride, so you should be in some kind of shape. The guide was great!

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Dear Lisa, Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re glad to hear you enjoyed the tour and that your guide made it such a great experience. We do have electric bikes available for guests who would like a little extra assist. Thank you so much for touring with us! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Great tour of the city

Aileen_G, Sep 2024

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Dear Aileen, Thank you so much for your very kind review! It is nice to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Denis despite the gloomy weather. We were thrilled that the rain stopped for a few hours for you to have the tour under more pleasant weather conditions. Thank you for choosing us! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Enjoyable Bike Ride around Ottawa

Robb_M, Sep 2024

David was an excellent guide for our small group. Very knowledgeable and he kept a good pace. Easy to follow. Learned a lot about Ottawa.

Response from Host, Sep 2024

Dear Robb, Many thnaks for taking a bike tour with us and your very kind review! It is wonderful to hear that you enjoyed your tour with our wonderful guide David! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

A Great Ride to Start you Visit

Heather_L, Aug 2024

Allison was a great tour guide. An easy, casual ride to many of Ottawa’s sites. A good way to see things up close. The bikes were excellent.

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Dear Heather, Many thanks for joining our Ottawa Express Bike Tour. We are pleased to hear that everything was to your satisfaction. We appreciate your visit and kind review! The Escape Team & Maria :)

Amazing bike tour @ Ottawa. Family Blast

Barbara_L, Aug 2024

It was a great experience! We only had one day to see Ottawa and this was fun and a great way to know more about the city .

Response from Host, Aug 2024

Dear Barbara, Thank you so much for joining one of our bike tours! We are so glad that the rain held back so your family and you could enjoy your tour even more on the only day you had in Ottawa! Many thanks for your recommendation happy travelling! The Escape Team & Maria :)

Awesome experience for families

jyoti_m, Jun 2024

Really great experience with our 7 and 9 year old kids. Mike was very informative and great with our kids. We would have never explored these areas in Ottawa if we didn’t do this guided tour. Had a lot of fun.

Response from Host, Jul 2024

Thank you so much! We love having families on our tour and it is so great to hear that you all enjoyed exploring the beautiful Ottawa with our wonderful Mike! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

A must do of Ottawa!

Donna_S, Aug 2023

Sparky was an excellent tour guide. It’s a great overview of the area on dedicated bike paths. We enjoyed every minute of it.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Dear Donna, Thank you so much for joining one of our bike tours and for your kind review! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Sparky on our well-established networks of bike paths which are safe and scenic! Hope to see you for another tour! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Excellent Ottawa experience

Christopher_H, Aug 2023

Hans provided an excellent two-hour tour that took us to corners of Ottawa we never would have found on our own. Great stories and information and operated very safely. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Thank you so much Chris! Great to hear that Hans once again delivered another epic tour! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

One hell of a ride!

Neetu_N, Jul 2023

This tour was educational and a great experience for the whole family. Mike the guide was phenomenal. An experience we will never forget.

Response from Host, Aug 2023

Deer Neetu thank you so much for participating in our Ottawa Expres tour with your family and your very kind comments! We are very happy to hear that you had a great time with Mike both learning and enjoying biking through the beautiful sceneries of our city! We hope to see you again for another torus! Warm regards, The Escape Team, Mike & Maria

Best way to visit Ottawa

Lexie_W, Jun 2023

Absolutely fantastic way to see Ottawa, Hans was a very knowledgeable guide. Enjoyed the tour so much I rented a bike for the rest of the day to explore more of the local bike trails.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Dear Lexi, Thank you so much for choosing us and for your kind review! We greatly appreciate it! You indeed discovered the best way to see and explore our bike-friendly city! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Discover Ottawa feeling alive and immersed in the urban culture

Michele_F, Jun 2023

The tour was a great way to explore Ottawa, understand its neighborhoods, green spaces, art museums and culture, while engaging all our senses. Our guide took us to places we would never have normally gone to. She was knowledgeable and very engaging. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Dear Michele, Thank you so much for choosing us and for your beautiful review! So happy to hear that you enjoyed your bike tour with us and see our beautiful city including its landmarks and hidden gems! We are grateful for your recommendation. Warm Regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Great way to see the city

Jamie_N, May 2023

We are experienced cyclist. This was an amazing way to see the city and not have to worry about bringing in our own bikes. Great tour guide that made the trip amazing.

Response from Host, Jun 2023

Dear Jamie, Many thanks for your positive review! We are so pleased to hear that as experienced cyclists, you found our bike tour a great way to explore the city. Having a local, fun, and knowledgeable guide takes away the stress of looking for directions not to mention that it fills you up with information about the city and tons of tips on what to do in the city after your tour! Thank you for joining us and your nice review! We really appreciate it! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Despite bad weather(it...

Betty_P, Sep 2022

Despite bad weather(it rained for part of the tour), it was a beautiful experience. Guide was very knowledgeable, city is very bike friendly and is beautiful.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Thank you Betty! We are glad that you braved the rain and toured the city with us! We hope to see you again on a sunny day! Thank you so much! It was our great pleasure! The Escape Team & Maria :)

Great experience

Nicholas_R, Jul 2022

Great tour of the city! Got to see many places I wouldn't have seen otherwise and learnt a lot of history. Would definitely recommend!

Response from Host, Aug 2022

It was a pleasure having you on one of our bike tours! We greatly appreciate your recommendations! Thank you so much! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

My wife and I really...

Rick_S, Jul 2022

My wife and I really enjoyed the entire experience. Getting to know Ottawa better was really enjoyable. Mike, our guide, Was very personable and knowledgeable about the area. What do the tour again in a heartbeat.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Dear Rick, Thank you so much for joining us and for your kind recommendation. We are pleased to know that your wife and you enjoyed your experience with Mike and us! We would love to see you both again for perhaps another one of our tours! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Perfect overview

Maria_R, Jul 2022

The people who set up the bikes and our guide, Allison were great! The tour was a good mix of Ottawa history as well as a good 'lay of the land' for us as newbees.

Response from Host, Aug 2022

Dear Maria, Thank you for joining us and for your kind review! We are happy to know that our services were to your satisfaction and our team took great care of you! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

A fun way to explore Ottawa

Tamanna_S, May 2022

A great way to get acquainted with Ottawa. Our guide was informative and took us to all the must see spots in Ottawa during our tour.

Response from Host, May 2022

Thank you Tamanna! I am glad you enjoyed the tour with us on a beautiful day in Ottawa! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria

Sparkys the Best

Maryann_L, Sep 2021

Sparky our tour guide was absolutley fabulous !! We had a beautiful sunny day and shared a very scenic & lovely informative experience Alot of fun was had by all & the bikes were in good order as well Next time we come we will arrange a longer ride because I know I can Thanks Sparky for showcasing your beautiful City it was SUPER fun

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Dear Maryan, Many thanks for your beautiful review! We are thrilled to know that you enjoyed your bike tours with us and our wonderful Sparky! She is a gem indeed! We very much look forward to having you back on one of our longer tours! Warm regards, the Escape Team & Maria :)

Great Experience

Bradley_Z, Sep 2021

Beautiful day, knowledgeable guide. We hit all the interesting highlights in downtown. Thanks Richard!

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Dear Brad, Thank you so much for your positive review! It is great to know you had a fun time with our guide Richard! We look forward to seeing you on our future tours! Warm regards, The Escape team & Maria :)

Fantastic tour

Lisa_V, Sep 2021

Sparky was our tour guide. She was absolutely fantastic and we would recommend her to any future customer. Bikes were in excellent condition and tour was very informative. Loved it !!

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Thank you so much Lisa! Sparky is one of our gems and we are pleased to know that you enjoyed your tour with her! Warm regards, The Escape team & Maria :)

Great way to see landmarks and discover town

Francois_D, Aug 2021

We had a great experience pedaling across Ottawa & Gatineau. Sparky was an awesome guide! Bicycles are well maintained.

Response from Host, Nov 2021

Thank you so much for taking a bike tour with us and for your positive review! Sparky is indeed a great guide and it is so nice to hear that you enjoyed your tour with her! We hope to see you gain! Warm regards, The Escape Team & Maria :)

Escape bike tours Ottawa

Marie_S, Aug 2021

This tour was wonderful our guide Andrew was excellent it was the high light of our trip. We would highly recommend escape bike tours.

Response from Host, Aug 2021

Dear Marie, So nice to hear that our bike tour was the highlight of your trip. Andrew is indeed wonderful! Many thanks for joining us and we hope to see you again for our other fun tours! Warm regards, Maria and the Escape Team :)

Lovely experience!

Amelie_T, Jul 2021

The team and our guide were super friendly and knowledgeable. We really enjoyed the experience! Ottawa is beautiful!

Response from Host, Nov 2021

I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed your visit with us at Escape Tours and Rental. We are lucky to have wonderful customers like you!!! Come back to visit us any time! Sincerely, the Escape Team & Maria :)

Really fun!

Tara_B, Jul 2020

This was a really fun experience! We saw all the essential Ottawa sights and then some. Our guide was very nice and he really knew his stuff. This is a great way to get some fresh air and light exercise while learning about the city.

Response from Host, Jul 2020

Dear Tara, Thanks for joining us and your nice review! You said it well about how our tour is a perfect combination of getting fresh air, seen key sights, learning about our beautiful city and having fun! Hope to see you again! Warm regards, Maria :)

This was my second time doing this...

michele_C, Mar 2018

This was my second time doing this bike tour. It is a great way to see the outskirts of the city, the canal and bike into Quebec as well. I would do it a third time if the opportunity presents.

We loved the tour!!!! Our guide...

LUIS C, Aug 2017

We loved the tour!!!! Our guide Sparky was awesome! She made it interesting, easy, fun and enjoyable for my teenagers, daughters and husband. I fully recommend it!!!

This was my most favorite activity...

Michele C, Sep 2016

This was my most favorite activity during my Ottawa trip. The bike ride down the canal and past a handful of the city's sights was most informative and went at a pace that truly allowed the bikers to take in the scenery. The guide was fabulous and I can't wait to return to Ottawa and do the same exact bike ride again, that's how fabulous it was! Highly, highly recommend it!

What a great way to experience...

Kaitlin C, Aug 2016

What a great way to experience Ottawa! Our tour guide Marie was extremely pleasant, knowledgeable, and helpful, making the tour all the more pleasurable. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Took a tour with my wife and son...

David A, Jul 2016

Took a tour with my wife and son. Good equipment and knowlegable guides. My wife wasn't able to complete the ride but they had enough guides that they were able to continue the tour and get me and my wife back safely to their facility to meet our son at the end of his tour. My son enjoyed the ride. Wish my wife and I could have completed it but that was our problem, not theirs.

This tour was amazing,Maria and...

Hyam K, Jul 2016

This tour was amazing,Maria and our guide Denese were so nice and friendly.We were family of 6, my youngest daughter is 7 yrs old they had the bike extension for her otherwise it would have been hard for her to bike for two hours. Denese our guide gave us very good info about the city,was so much fun :)