Skate the Rideau Canal
Embrace winter by exploring the world's largest ice rink
Where: Ottawa, Ontario
It's one of those incomparable Canadian experiences: lacing up a pair of sharp skates and setting out for a long glide along the picturesque Rideau Canal through the heart of downtown Ottawa. Known locally as the Skateway, it's acknowledged by the Guinness Book of Records as the world's largest natural skating rink thanks to its combined width and length. (Winnipeg lays claim to the longest: it's 8.5 km while the Rideau is 7.8 km, or the equivalent of 90 Olympic-sized skating rinks.) It's also a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are a handful of choice places where you can begin, but it's best for a first-timer to start at the top, which means at the foot of the Parliament Buildings. And to better catch all the sights -- from the fairytale Chateau Frontenac hotel to galleries and museums and some of the prettiest parts of the old town, such as Confederation Square -- it's advisable to skate in daylight. (Evenings are undeniably romantic and the Canal has been the site of many a marriage proposal. It's open 24/7.) Since the rink generally opens in mid-to-late January, picking a date late in the month means getting in before the crowds descend in February for the nearly month-long annual Winterlude festival.
One of the best things about skating the Rideau is the chance to meander. Far removed from the monotonous circles of most rinks, the Rideau snakes along a wide and pretty path past residential neighbourhoods and office towers, under snow-covered treetops and historic bridges, before reaching the gathering place at Dows Lake. Here, there's an outdoor art gallery, a pavilion with restaurants, and change-rooms.
Getting geared up is a breeze thanks to heated change-rooms -- rather grandly called "chalets" -- that are posted at five locales along the route. Nearby skate rentals are convenient, but run to about $30/day. Sleds are also for rent: a great way to get pre-skating youngsters out on the ice. The rink is routinely patrolled, monitored and measured for any safety concerns. There's a team of teams running the operation: 50 skate patrollers, plus several "ice experts" (think researchers, scientists and managers) who analyze the ice, assessing its strength and flaws. There's also a drilling team that uses an ice auger to draw out core samples for analysis. Then there are the snow-clearing crews. Finally, conditions and closures are posted twice daily for the public at the city's website (below).
More Information: www.canadascapital.gc.ca.