Tulips and pedal boats at Dow's Lake in Ottawa

Dow's Lake is a small man-made lake along the course of the Rideau Canal. Summer and winter alike, it's a popular spot for Ottawans to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. The lake is part of Commissioners Park, a large Ottawa park.

Dow's Lake was built at the same time as the Rideau Canal. It is named in honour of Abraham Dow, an American who owned the land around 1816. Before becoming a lake, the land was marshy. A dam simply had to be built to allow water to flood the marshes and create a lake.

Dow's Lake is part of Commissioners Park, a green setting that is pleasant all year round, even if the snow invades the gardens in winter.

The Canadian Tulip Festival

Every year, thousands of bulbs are transformed into magnificent tulips. There are around 50 varieties of tulip, and approximately 300,000 tulips in Commissioners Park. Princess Juliana of the Netherlands was the driving force behind this colourful spectacle. In 1945, after the Second World War, she gave Ottawa 1,000 tulips to thank Canada for its contribution to the liberation of the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. Soon after, the tradition grew and more tulips were planted in the park every year. Today, it's a show that remains dormant for most of the year, surprising and delighting Ottawans from late April to late May.

The "Man with Two Hats" statue

Dutch sculptor Henk Visch created two statues called "Man with Two Hats". One is in Commissioners Park in Ottawa and the other in Apeldoorn in the Netherlands. They represent the crucial role played by Canada in the liberation of the Netherlands and the joy of freedom. The statue faces Dow's Lake.

The Dow's Lake Pavilion is a multi-purpose centre where you'll find plenty to keep you amused, winter and summer alike.

Activities for hot summer days

After the tulip season in spring, summer is the time to try your hand at water sports! The Dow lake pavilion offers kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddles and pedalos for hire. All you need for a fun day out on Lake Dow. Is the water still too cold for you? You can hire a bike and go for a ride around Commissioners Park. Find out all about summer hire and bookings on the Dow's Lake Pavilion website.

Winter activities

In winter, Dow's Lake becomes part of the world's largest natural skating rink. Once frozen, the section of the Rideau Canal that runs through Ottawa is used as a huge skating rink for Ottawans and visitors keen on winter activities.

From the Dow's Lake Pavilion, you can rent skates for $17 per adult and $13 per child. The pavilion also rents out helmets and snowshoes, as well as Santa's giant sleigh for large families. All along the skating rink, there are little shelters where you can rest and enjoy a hot drink. The rental office is open from 9.30 a.m. to 10 p.m., every day of the week.

You can find all the information you need about winter rentals and bookings on the Pavillon du lac de Dow website.

🚌 How do I get to Dow's park?

The park is a stone's throw from the centre of Ottawa. Located in the south-west of the city, you can get there by car in 8 minutes. You can also get there by metro, taking line 1 from the Parliament stop and line 85 from Pimisi. Find public transport maps and timetables on the Ottawa OC Transpo website.

📍 Where can I park?

The pavilion has several paid car parks.

🍴 Where to eat near Dow's Lake?

There are two restaurants overlooking Dow's Lake:

• Umbrella Bar

A magnificent restaurant with a large wooden terrace overlooking Dow's Lake. Address: 1001 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1S 5K7, Canada Opening hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.

• Mexi's

Mexicalis Rosa's welcomes you in a colourful atmosphere inspired by Latin America. Located in Dow's Lake Pavilion, the view is breathtaking. Relax over a tequila with friends or enjoy nachos with the family. Address: 1001 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1S 5K7, Canada Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., daily.

A magnificent restaurant with a large wooden terrace overlooking Dow's Lake. Address: 1001 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1S 5K7, Canada Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday to Sunday.