Rideau Street, Ottawa

Rideau Street, Ottawa

Rideau Street, located in downtown Ottawa, is a prominent thoroughfare that holds historical significance as one of the oldest and most renowned streets. It stretches from Wellington Street in the west to Montreal Road in the east, serving as a link to the Vanier district. This vibrant street houses several notable landmarks, including the Château Laurier, the CF Rideau Centre, and the Government Conference Centre, formerly Ottawa's central train station.

Rideau Street, along with Wellington Street and Sussex Drive, was among the earliest commercial streets in Ottawa, established during the town's founding. It boasts a rich history, with the Plaza Bridge situated at its westernmost point, near the Rideau Canal, and the Cummings Bridge located at its easternmost point.

In its prime, Rideau Street played a pivotal role as one of Ottawa's primary retail hubs, hosting renowned department stores like Freimans, Ogilvy's, Woolworth, Caplan's, and Metropolitan.

To the north of Rideau Street lies the traditional Lower Town district of Ottawa. This residential area was once predominantly Francophone but has since become home to one of the city's largest immigrant populations, particularly including Francophone Africans and Somalis.

On the southern side of Rideau Street, the Sandy Hill neighborhood resides. It offers a diverse mix of embassies, older houses, low- and high-rise apartment buildings, and housing for students.

Notably, the section of Rideau Street between Nicholas Street and King Edward Avenue is designated as part of Canada's National Highway System. It serves as a crucial link between Highway 417 and Quebec Autoroute 5 in Gatineau, forming an integral part of the interconnecting route.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Ottawa. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Rideau Street on Map

Sight Name: Rideau Street
Sight Location: Ottawa, Canada (See walking tours in Ottawa)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark

Walking Tours in Ottawa, Canada

Create Your Own Walk in Ottawa

Create Your Own Walk in Ottawa

Creating your own self-guided walk in Ottawa is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Ottawa's Historical Churches Walking Tour

Ottawa's Historical Churches Walking Tour

The city of Ottawa has a number of notable religious sites fit to spark interest in both ardent believers and those keen on ecclesiastical architecture. With most of the churches located in the downtown area or nearby, one can visit these locations without trouble.

The Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica, a splendid Gothic Revival masterpiece, is a centerpiece of Ottawa's spiritual landscape....  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Historical Buildings Walking Tour

Historical Buildings Walking Tour

The architecture of Ottawa – formalistic and functional, for the most part – is marked by the city's role as the national capital of Canada. As such, it represents a mix of styles, varying considerably based on the era of construction of any particular object, and reflects the nation's heritage and political significance.

Centermost among these structures is the Parliament...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Statues and Sculptures Walk

Statues and Sculptures Walk

As a cultural city, Ottawa abounds in monuments and statues of various sorts. In fact, there are so many of them that the locals, accustomed to their presence, jokingly claim they hardly notice them at all. Still, these artistic creations serve as visual storytellers, sharing tales of courage, peacekeeping, and commemoration.

The Maman Statue, a prominent sculpture located outside the National...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.4 Km or 0.9 Miles
Ottawa Introduction Walking Tour

Ottawa Introduction Walking Tour

The name Ottawa comes from the Algonquin word for trade. It is an appropriate name for the Ottawa River, which was once the primary trade route for Eastern Canada. The capital of Canada gets its name from this river due to its location. Resting on the banks of the Ottawa River, Ottawa is a political and cultural city that also offers outdoor activities and beautiful natural sights.

Ottawa was...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.8 Km or 1.7 Miles