Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa

One of my all time favorite outdoor places to visit, hang out at, or take a stroll. Dog friendly areas mean the whole family can go. Took my 10 and 12 year old niece and nephew there and they couldnt wait to get out of the car to go exploring. Centuries old trees, beautifully maintained grounds and trails that run along side the canal or over ponds and streams.

This morning we decided to walk through the dominion Arboretum, and were unprepared for how beautiful and large the space was. You see, for several decades I have assumed that the Arboretum was the simple area at the bottom of the slopes near the east end of the experimental farm. However, right next to the Arboretum is the Fletcher, ornamental garden, and just passed that one constr right onto the locks of the Rideau canal. Spend a few extra minutes here and you will be rewarded.

Beautiful! Amazing to have a walk through. There are benches with a great view of the sunset as well

Beautiful place, lots of trees. Perfect for a light picnic or clearing your creative mind.

Its a beautiful place for a walk, bike ride, or dog walking.

Lovely place to go for a walk. Lots of wedding photos being done

Update on Dominion Arboretum Sept. 1, 2022Lovely walk on a cooler day. Walked along the canal & saw ducks on the Rideau Canal (Northern Shovelers). Near Heart island, I saw a blue heron & a black-crowned heron. They seem quite used to people. Walked to the locks, then up through Fletchers Gardens.Lovely walk through the Arboretum. Most of the leaves have fallen now & lots of berries on some of the tress. Food for the birds this winter. You can stroll along the Rideau Canal towards Dows Lake.

Has trees. No roof though; bring your own if its going to rain and you dont want to get wet.

A great place to walk the dog and explore. I also love trying to identify the different tree species then check my answers on the trees ID plaque. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife!

Love the open acres of green...in the middle of the city. Its like our own Central Park!

Intake my dog here every day. It is her favourite place on earth. She swims in the creeks (not always the cleanest water, but she loves itand runs around with other dogs. Great spots to picnic, too!

Beautiful central-Ottawa spot with lots of variety in nature. Trees (with ID plaques), the canal, gardens, etc. no shortage of pretty locations!Parking goes quickly in the parking loops. At the building, make sure you only park in visitor parking. There’s a steep hill to descent (not recommended if you have accessibility needsbut there are stairs in the forest (weather dependent). If you enter from Carleton, you can cross the locks. If you enter from Dow’s Lake, there is a paved path throughout the arboretum.

Beautiful park with many stunning tree specimens. Great tobogganing in the winter lovely strolls in all weather.

Huge park with beautiful trees, lakes, green spaces and wild animals. We walked there for hours, it was very nice we took a break under a big tree, took out our sandwiches to eat when a chikadee landed on a branch next to us. I took out the seeds on top of the bun and put them in my hand, i never thought in a million years that he would actually land on my hand and eat the seeds and thats what he did. What a magnificent creature.You can get lost for hours in that park and every time you would see something new.

The Dominion Arboretum is a great place to walk around and connect with nature. There is a multitude of different plants and environments within the grounds that offer different feels depending on where you want to hang out. For instance, you have heavily wooden areas, ponds, and open grass.Located near the Rideau Canal, the Arboretum offers a pleasant walk, and is friendly to dogs that are leashed. The trails are well maintained and fairly level. There is free parking, but it is limited.I will be back to explore more!

Beautiful natural area. Good for rest, walk and more. I love it

Huge and beautiful place to visit for a day picnic or some good photography. I visited this place for the first time to see cherry blossom. There were few trees not much but its a beautiful park to relax and read and just sit and inhale the beauty.

Beautiful place to walk around and hear the sound of nature

The Arboretum is a wonderful place to enjoy nature right in the city, especially on Fridays at 6:29 am, when theres a free workout with the Arboretum Hill Club

Very serene and clam garden. Must visit in spring and summer. A lake side view will be perfect for a summer picnic.

Best place to hangout and click memorable pictures with family...A great place to walk beside Dows lake.

Nice, clean and well maintained. Busy on an weekday evening. Again, the problem is parking. I can understand that you will have a lot of cars and people if you have a big parking lot, but the parking is so small and packed. It will not encourage people from visit from far away.

Peaceful parc as long as you don’t get bothered by bicycles…

Good falls colors ..Covered in large area.

Amazing diversity of trees and foliage. Great place to toboggan in the snowy months.

Amazingly large area for a nice stroll. I just wish they had a few more spaces for parking!

Hidden gem in the middle of city. Trees are beautiful specially in autumn. Great for a stroll or picnic.

Beautiful natural area. Some construction going on at the moment. Bring food for picnic, no food available nearby.Limited parking.

It was an amazing time I spent with my husband. I recommend it for sure 👌

We enjoyed the many gardens full of Peonies and Roses that were very pretty. Had a picnic under the trees but with the infestation of tent caterpillars this year it was a bit discouraging as their droppings were falling on us like rain!!

Beautiful place for everybody whether you are strolling, walking alone, jogging, dog walker and have kids fun place to go! Beautiful scenery. Lots of beautiful trees and flower good for hiking too. Fresh air peaceful and quiet and not too crowded!

This is one of our favorite places to take a stroll. Many trees to see and great for bird watchers too. Sit and have a picnic, take a bike ride or just take in the scenery. 5 🌟

Super gorgeous green space in Ottawa (there arent many here). I went for my birthday and it was so nice to be able to do something for my second lockdown birthday (where virtually everything is closed). The space is maintained very well and there was not a piece of litter on the ground.People were distancing for the most part, some odd people here and there entered other peoples personal bubble despite the mass open space. And although masks arent required outdoors it is nerve wracking when people are walking around without one. Its one thing if there is no one around or very distanced away but if youre crossing paths with people it is appreciated to place it on until you exit their space.One little thing, it would be nice if some of the info plaques on the trees were replaced since they are worn down. And perhaps placing them out in front instead of attached on the tree. The bush and leaves prevents people from reading it. A stand up plaque in front of the trees may help people with low vision and accessibility issues to read it.Overall though, its an amazing nature area nestled centrally within the city right by dows lake and with minimal noise pollution. A great choice for relaxation like picnics (once thats allowed again), studying, bird watching.As well as a gorgeous setting for photoshoots like weddings, pregnancy and modeling shoots, just be considerate of photographers and people doing these (ex: staying out of the frame, walking around the space being used)

Amazing park but no public washroom there

Beautiful spot to walk and very clean! Some neat flowers and trees

Beautiful area for a relaxing walk. The arboretum offers stunning views of the Rideau Canal and beyond.With paths that are easy to access on foot and with mobility aids, it’s a great spot for taking visitors to Ottawa, and taking a stroll through whenever you need some fresh air.

Another great huge green space. Highly recommend to visit and see here. Don’t forget to bring your bicycle and meals

Probably one of my favourite places in Ottawa. I love walking by the canal, reading the ID tags on the trees, and of course visiting the spring blossoms and fall leaves. I also love how easy it is to access from the Carleton campus and public transit. So far, weve seen raccoons, cormorants, a hummingbird, turkey vultures... and theres a great blue heron who lives in the little pond with the bridge, often showing up around dusk. Worth visiting over and over.

Beautiful spot for a socially distanced walk. Great spot to view some nature within the city. You can walk around and explore the trees...many of which have tags so that you can learn tje species or walk down to the water by dows lake. Lots of trails and space. Great for picnics or a game of frisbee too.

in my home city! I had no idea! what a nice place to bike or walk and check out some wickedly awesome Canadian trees and flowers! I thought trees this big were only out west. I think it would take 4 grown adults linking arms to get around the biggest one there. love it. go check it out if you like nature.

The entire Dow’s Lake area is very beautiful! The Arboretum is no different. It’s a joy to walk through the area and breath in the energy of the trees. 👍☺️

Considering that it is in the middle of a city, this is a marvelous green space. During this pandemic it has been quite busy but most folks are good about respecting social distancing and keeping to their bubbles. Lots of shade to sit in, as well as bodies of water to enjoy.

A great place for a leisurely walk, so many different trees. Absolutely freah air!

Very amazing quite place in nature. It feels like in heaven. You can bring your own chairs, get your coffee, tea, ice drinks, and snacks, sit back and relax and enjoy life.

Ottawas Central Park, this place has gorgeous views, lots of space and so many different parts to discover!

Beautiful place to enjoy with your family, significant other or to walk your dog. Best visit during weekdays but its so big its never crowded

What a wonderful place for a summer stroll. Between tall trees there is a nice shaded path that is nice and quiet and free from cyclists. There are lots of little benches that can be found in most random places so you can always find a secluded place to sit down and rest. Arboretum is also great as you can learn more about different trees and vegetation.

If its a sunny day out then the Arboretum is where you will want to spend it! A beautiful walk where you get to see all kinds of nature. There is lots to see. Many different varieties of trees from all around the world. A great place to take the kids, walk the dog, or go for a run. A must visit in Ottawa

I met wonderful trees there.. Absolutely gorgeous ones.. Plus its a nice place to chill.. I recommand that place especially during sunny days.. As a tree lover, I felt at home.. There is a nice lake too and you can reach the Arboretum by cycling.. The cycling path cross the parc.. So peaceful ! 🙏🏽🙏🏻🙏🏿🙏🙏🏼🙏🏾

Superb place to go for a walk - pet friendly too! Love ❤️ it here! Lots of old trees, flowers, water & an abundance of wildlife! Visit often! Watch out for bikes 🚲 on pathways as they zip by pretty quickly..