Best Family Activities in Ottawa for Spring

Spring in Ottawa is peak family season. Baby animals arrive at the farms, trails reopen in Gatineau Park, tulips take over the city in May, and there's finally enough daylight to do things after school and work. This guide covers the best family activities from April through early June — a mix of outdoor adventures, indoor options for rainy days, and day trips worth the drive.

Outdoor Activities

Baby Animals at the Agriculture Museum

The Canada Agriculture and Food Museum is at its best in spring. From late March through May, lambs, piglets, chicks, and calves are born on-site. Staff are available to answer questions and kids can get close to the animals in the barns. Seasonal tractor rides run on weekends.

• Ages: 2–8
• Cost: $12.25–$14.50 (under 2 free). Free daily 4–5 PM
• Tip: Weekday mornings are quietest. Bring rubber boots — the barns can be muddy in spring

Tulip Festival at Commissioners Park

Every May, over a million tulips bloom at Commissioners Park along Dow's Lake. The Canadian Tulip Festival runs for about two weeks and includes food vendors, live music, and cultural performances. It's free to walk through the gardens anytime.

• Ages: All ages
• Cost: Free (food vendors on-site)
• Tip: Go early morning or late afternoon to avoid weekend crowds. Combine with a paddleboat rental at Dow's Lake Pavilion

Gatineau Park Trails

Gatineau Park trails reopen in April as the snow melts. Family-friendly options include:

• Sugarbush Trail (1.9 km) — flat, stroller-friendly, interpretive signs about maple production
• Pioneers Trail (1.3 km) — easy, great for toddlers
• Pink Lake Lookout (2.3 km) — short hike to a stunning turquoise lake, manageable for ages 5+

Spring is also prime birdwatching season in the park, with warblers and woodpeckers returning.

• Cost: Free (seasonal parking pass may be required)
• Tip: Trails can be muddy through mid-April. Bring waterproof footwear

Major's Hill Park

Major's Hill Park is a big green lawn in the heart of downtown with views of Parliament Hill. Kids can run around freely, and in spring the seasonal Tavern on the Hill opens for food and ice cream. Walk down to the Rideau Canal locks to watch boats being raised.

• Ages: All ages
• Cost: Free

Dow's Lake Paddleboats

When Dow's Lake Pavilion opens for the season (mid-May), families can rent paddleboats, kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards. Paddleboats are the most popular family option — kids love steering around the lake with tulips blooming along the shore.

• Ages: All ages (paddleboats fit 2–4 people)
• Cost: Pedal boats from $28/hour
• Season: Mid-May to Labour Day

Indoor Activities (Rainy Spring Days)

Funhaven

Funhaven is Ottawa's largest indoor entertainment centre. It has a roller coaster, laser tag arena, bumper cars, a 20-foot climbing wall, 100+ arcade games, VR experiences, escape rooms, and a multi-level jungle gym. The Comfyland area is designed for toddlers (12 months to 5 years).

• Ages: 1+ (Comfyland for toddlers, rides and laser tag for 6+)
• Cost: No admission fee — credit-based system. Packages from $15
• Tip: Tuesdays after 5 PM have half-priced gaming credits

Canadian Museum of Nature

The Canadian Museum of Nature has dinosaur fossils, a blue whale skeleton, live butterflies (seasonal), and the Arctic Gallery. The building itself — a heritage sandstone castle with a modern glass tower — impresses kids before they even get inside.

• Ages: 4+
• Cost: Free for ages 0–17 all year. Adults $12–$24. Free Thursday 5–8 PM
• Tip: The best free deal in Ottawa for families — kids always get in free

Ingenium Museums (Free 4–5 PM)

Three national museums offer free admission every day from 4–5 PM:

• Canada Science and Technology Museum — Crazy Kitchen, Zoom innovation zone, vintage trains
• Canada Aviation and Space Museum — 130+ aircraft, cockpit replicas, Canadarm
• Canada Agriculture and Food Museum — Working farm with live animals

One hour is tight but doable if you know which exhibits to prioritize.

Day Trips from Ottawa

Parc Omega (1 hour)

Parc Omega is a drive-through wildlife park in Montebello, QC. From your car, you'll see elk, bison, wolves, bears, wild boar, and deer — many come right up to the windows. Spring is baby animal season, so expect to see fawns and calves.

The park also has walking trails, a petting farm (Old Farm), an aerial boardwalk, and birds of prey presentations. The Oniro night walk is a separate ticketed experience through an illuminated forest.

• Ages: All ages
• Cost: Adults $48, Children (6–15)$35, Toddlers (2–5) $18. 10% family discount on 3+ tickets
• Drive: ~1 hour east on Highway 50
• Tip: Buy carrots at the park entrance to feed the animals from your car. Budget 3–4 hours minimum

Saunders Farm (30 minutes)

Saunders Farm is a 100-acre family farm in Munster that opens for the season in May. Spring and summer activities include 10 hedge mazes, jumping pillows, pedal cart tracks, a treehouse village, wagon rides, and live shows. The farm becomes famous in fall for PumpkinFest and the haunted FrightFest.

• Ages: All ages (most activities for 3+)
• Cost: ~$25/person (2 and under free)
• Drive: ~30 minutes southwest of Ottawa
• Tip: Wear closed-toe shoes — it's a real farm with uneven ground

Camp Fortune (15 minutes)

Camp Fortune in Chelsea, QC opens its summer adventure activities in late spring. The aerial park, Peak to Peak ziplines, and mountain coaster offer thrills for older kids and teens. The mountain coaster is the closest one to Ottawa.

• Ages: Mountain coaster 4'1"+, aerial park 12+, ziplines 8+
• Cost: Ziplines $47/adult,$42/youth. Mountain coaster $20/ride
• Drive: ~15 minutes from downtown Ottawa
• Tip: The mountain coaster is the most family-friendly option — no height minimum for kids riding with an adult

Free Spring Activities

Tips for Families in Spring

• Dress in layers — Ottawa spring weather swings from 5°C to 25°C in the same week. Mornings are chilly, afternoons can be warm
• Rain backup plan — Have an indoor option ready. Funhaven and the museums are the best rainy-day saves
• Mud season — April trails are muddy. Waterproof boots for kids are essential for Gatineau Park and farm visits
• Pack sunscreen — UV can be strong even when it doesn't feel hot, especially near water
• Book ahead for day trips — Parc Omega and Camp Fortune get busy on weekends. Arriving early (before 10 AM) beats the crowds
• Free museum strategy — Museum of Nature is the best deal (always free for kids). For the Ingenium museums, arrive at 3:45 PM to maximize the free 4–5 PM window