Add a totally unique tour to your trip list.
Outside Ottawa (35 km) far beneath the earth
stands The Diefenbunker: Canada's Cold War
Museum. Named after Prime Minister John
Diefenbaker who commissioned this top
secret structure in 1959, Canada's most
significant Cold War site is open for guided
tours. At this National Historic Site, you can
see Cold War era rooms like the War Cabinet
Room and the Bank of Canada Vault and
learn about the purpose of this secret
underworld (www.diefenbunker.ca).
Don't let the renovations of Canada's Parlia-
ment Buildings delay your tour plans. While
closed until the scheduled completion date
in 2032, visitors can embark on a virtual tour
(www.lop.parl.ca/sites/Learn/default/
en_CA/VR).
OUTDOOR FUN
To skate or paddle on a UNESCO World
Heritage Site, head to downtown Ottawa's
Rideau Canal. The 19
th
-century engineering
wonder, and the recreational paths alongside
it, attract runners, cyclists, boaters and
paddlers from spring through fall. In winter,
its groomed ice surface becomes the world's
largest skating rink (www.pc.gc.ca/en/
lhn-nhs/on/rideau).
For winter outdoor fun, join the winter fat
bike tours craze and immerse in a total
winter wonderland experience, visiting
iconic landmarks (escapebicycletours.ca).
Seeking wilderness? Just a 15-minute drive
from Parliament Hill, you'll find an entrance
to Gatineau Park, a 361-sq. km (139 sq. mi.)
retreat studded with lakes, rocky outcrops,
hiking trails, waterfalls and historic sites
(www.ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/gatineau-park).
CAPTIVATING MUSEUMS
You can get a sense of Canada's history,
geography and culture in Ottawa-Gatineau's
national museums by visiting major
institutions located there.
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GRAND HALL • CANADIAN MUSEUM OF HISTORY
