Once the holidays are over, the winter fun has just begun in Canada's capital city of Ottawa. That's because January typically marks the annual opening of the Rideau Canal Skateway, winner of the 10Best Readers' Choice title of Best Ice Skating Rink and holder of the Guinness World Records title of Largest Naturally Frozen Ice Rink.
Stretching for 4.8 miles from Downtown Ontario to Dow's Lake, the rink follows the historic Rideau Canal – a UNESCO World Heritage site – and boasts a skating area of over 6 square miles. That's equivalent to 90 Olympic skating rinks.
Once temperatures drop low enough to thicken the ice to 12 inches, the National Capital Commission prepares the ice for the public, and an estimated 20,000 skaters take to the ice each day during the season (usually January to late February).
Access to the skateway is free, and many Ottawans use it to skate to school or work in the winter months. Visitors can rent skates at the skateway's downtown entrances.
Rest areas along the way offer heated changing huts, fire pits, picnic tables and vendors selling everything from hot soups and beverages to BeaverTails pastries, a deep-fried cinnamon and sugar concoction invented in Ottawa in 1978.
During the first three weeks in February, the canal plays host to Winterlude, Ottawa's celebration of winter. Marvel at magnificent ice sculptures at the International Ice Carving Competition or cheer along as traditional dragon boats on skates race down the Rideau Canal Skateway during the Ice Dragon Boat Festival.
