One-Hour Walk: Ottawa’s New Edinburgh neighbourhood

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Walking is one of the best ways to discover New Edinburgh, a small, historic Ottawa neighbourhood just three kilometres east of Parliament Hill. This one-hour walk will take you along the Rideau River to a gorgeous waterfall; past several significant residences; and to some nice places to eat. In winter, you can even skate on one of Ottawa’s most secret rinks! Check out this 60-minute stroll around New Edinburgh for all you need to know.

A few route notes

On the map above, I’ve made the corner of Beechwood Avenue and the Vanier Parkway the starting point for this route, but you could really start and end anywhere along the itinerary.

The map shows a straight walk along Stanley Avenue, but you could extend your walk by veering toward the Rideau River on the multi-use recreational pathway that winds through Stanley Park. From there, you can see the historic Minto Bridges over the river.

At the corner of Sussex Drive and MacKay Street, you could take a little side trip to ogle the official residence of the Prime Minister at 24 Sussex Drive—what little of it is visible through the high fence and dense shrubbery, that is. At the minute, the prime minister and his family are living in Rideau Cottage on the grounds of Rideau Hall, since 24 Sussex needs significant repairs.

You could also keep going northeast along Sussex Drive, through two roundabouts, to Rockcliffe Park and the Rockeries (I’m talking about the actual park, rather than the neighbourhood of the same name). As well as being a lovely place to stroll around, it has picnic tables, parking (watch those time limits) and, from May through mid-October, public washrooms.

Alternatively, at the corner of Sussex and MacKay, you could go through the gates of Rideau Hall—one of the official residences of the Governor-General, the Queen’s representative in Canada—and wander about the extensive, pretty grounds. (There’s a second gate on MacKay.)

Why do this walk?

• You can see Rideau Falls, where the Rideau River plummets into the Ottawa River. It’s at the northern edge of New Edinburgh. From spring through fall, the licensed Tavern on the Falls serves up casual fare (hot dogs, tacos, sandwiches and such) to go with an amazing view of the cataract from the restaurant’s terrace.
• As one of the city’s oldest neighbourhoods, New Edinburgh is full of lovely (and lovingly restored) Victorian homes, some of which are now used as embassies and high commissions.
• You can fuel up with coffee and huge, delicious whoopie pies from the Union Street Cafe (42 Crichton Street at Union), or coffee and scones from the SconeWitch (35 Beechwood Avenue).
• If you choose to visit Rideau Hall, there’s lots to do. Don’t miss the chance to take a free tour of the residence (advance reservation is required). In the winter weather is cold enough, you can book private time on the Rideau Hall skating rink, which dates back to 1872. The rink also hosts free public skating on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5pm (no reservation required). In warmer weather, check out the roses in the Canadian Heritage Garden or visit the cricket pitch to see if any teams are facing some sticky wickets.

Getting to New Edinburgh

There aren’t many parking lots in New Edinburgh (the small lots at Rideau Falls Park and Rockcliffe Park are your main options), so you may well end up parking on a side street. The time limit is generally three hours, but it’s as short as one hour on some streets. Pay attention to posted signs.

It’s easy to get to New Edinburgh by OC Transpo, as the neighbourhood is served by bus routes 7 and 19.

For more tips on visiting the neighbourhood, see my more extensive guide to New Edinburgh. And if you’d like to try another one-hour walk in Ottawa, check out my walking route through Old Ottawa South.

Updated January 10, 2023.

Looking for more ideas for things to see and do in and around Ottawa? Subscribe to my weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.