A Guide to Visiting the 2025 Canadian Tulip Festival in Ottawa
Every May over a million tulips bloom around Canada’s capital region during the Canadian Tulip Festival. As one of the most visually stunning festivals in Canada, this celebration of spring is a must-visit for photographers, nature lovers and for those who love flowers. Make the most of this amazing time of year in Ottawa with our guide to visiting the Canadian Tulip Festival.
History of the Canadian Tulip Festival
The Canadian Tulip Festival was established to celebrate the historic Royal gift of tulips from the Dutch people to Canadians following the Second World War. Following the Nazi Invasion of the Netherlands, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands took refuge in Ottawa along with her two young daughters, and while in exile in Canada, gave birth to her third daughter, Princess Margriet. At the time of the baby’s birth, part of the Ottawa Civic Hospital was declared Dutch soil to allow the new princess to hold Dutch nationality
When she returned to the Netherlands, Princess Juliana gifted 100,000 tulip bulbs to Ottawa to thank the people of Canada. Thereafter the Dutch royal family has sent tulip bulbs to Ottawa each year, a gift known as the “Tulip Legacy”.
The Canadian Tulip Festival has been celebrating the tulip, an international symbol of friendship and peace, since 1953 when the first Canadian Tulip Festival was held at the suggestion of world-renowned photographer Malak Karsh. Since the moment the Canadian Tulip Festival was born the dedicated gardeners of the National Capital Commission have planted hundreds of thousands of tulip bulbs throughout the national capital region each year, for locals and visitors to enjoy each spring.
When to Visit the Canadian Tulip Festival
The Canadian Tulip Festival takes place each May for the ten days before the Victoria Day long weekend. The 2025 Canadian Tulip Festival takes place May 9-19. The National Capital Commission tulip meter is an extremely useful tool in determining the bloom level of tulips around the city, and helpful for planning the timing of your visit.
Whether you plan your visit near the start or end of the festival, you’re guaranteed to see blooms as early, mid, and end-of-season tulips (each with different blooming times) are planted in festival gardens. If you’re lucky enough to visit for the week, or live nearby, you’ll notice different tulips at every stage of the festival.
Best Spots to see Blooms; Tulip Gardens Around the City
Commissioners Park
Commissioners Park is the official site of the Canadian Tulip Festival, and has the most spectacular display of tulips in the Ottawa region. The park has several sections and stretches over 8.95 hectares. You can easily spend a morning, afternoon, or entire day walking through the gardens.
Major’s Hill Park
Major’s Hill Park is another popular location to view tulips during the Canadian Tulip Festival. In particular the curvy S-shaped garden winding through the east end of the park across from the National Gallery of Canada is a favourite of visitors. As you move closer to the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, you’ll find a long rectangular garden flanked by the iconic Colonel John By sculpture which has a beautiful display of blooms. It provides a great photo-op with the Parliament of Canada in the background, and a scenic spot to sit and enjoy the view.
Other Tulip Gardens around Ottawa
Across the Ottawa River in the city of Gatineau, you’ll find some smaller gardens on the banks of the Ottawa River beside the Canadian Museum of History. Confederation Park across from Ottawa City Hall is also a great spot with some beautiful beds, mixed with other spring flowers like hyacinths daffodils.
If you opt for a bike ride or walk along the Rideau Canal pathway, you’ll find several gardens along the main pathway, primarily on the west side of the canal. Some are quite large, brimming with colourful blooms.
Just minutes from the main pathway you’ll also find a beautiful circular garden surrounding the Share the Flame monument at Lansdowne Place, right next to Queen Elizabeth Drive. This bed is often planted with Olympic Flame tulips - bright yellow tulips with red stripes flickering up the sides, reminescent of the Olympic torch. With benches nearby it’s a great place to escape the crowds and is only minutes from the bustling shops and restaurants of Lansdowne Place.
The NCC’s interactive map is a great resource to plan a tulip tour around the capital, and to find those hidden, not so obvious gardens.
How to Get Around; Parking and Transportation
Free parking
Free parking is available for a limited time on some side streets around Commissioners Park. Be sure to keep an eye on your watch and park legally, as parking officers are out in full force during the festival.
Paid parking
There are several paid parking options on nearby Preston St. in Ottawa’s Little Italy neighbourhood. This includes small parking lots and on-street parking. They fill up quickly during the festival, so plan to arrive during off-peak times. There is also paid on-street parking on the streets north of Carling Avenue. *Note: The large parking lot across from Dow’s Lake Pavilion has closed for a new construction development.
New for 2025, there is now $12 daily flat rate parking available at lot P7 at Carleton University. From this location it’s just a short 8-10 minute walk across the Bronson St. Bridge to Commissioners Park. From this lot there’s also the option to take the NEW Ekeau Tulip Water Taxi across Dow’s Lake directly to the festival grounds.
Check out more details on Canadian Tulip Festival parking
Ride Share, taxis and public transportation
Both Uber and Lyft operate in Ottawa and taxis are readily available throughout the city. This is a good option to get to and from the festival, as you’ll avoid potential issues with finding parking, and there are easy drop-off areas nearby.
If you’re taking public transportation, we recommend a route which drops you off on Carling Avenue. The closest O-Train station to Commissioners Park is Dow’s Lake. You can easily transfer from downtown O-Train line 1 at Pimisi station to line 2 towards Dow’s Lake Stop. Check the OC Transpo planning tool to plan your route.
Bike
Biking is perhaps the best way get around the Canadian Tulip Festival, and our favourite way to travel in Ottawa. While biking is not permitted on the pathways throughout the festival grounds, Commissioner’s Park is easily accessible from downtown via the Rideau Canal pathway and the Ottawa’s many multi-use pathways. If you don’t have a bike you can easily rent one for a few hours, a day, or several days from local companies like Escape Bicycle Tours and Rent A Bike.
Canadian Tulip Festival Tours, Activities and Special Events
There are many special events and activities offered as part of the Canadian Tulip Festival, which vary slightly from year to year. The free self-guided Tulip Legacy Walking Tour is a great way to learn about the history of the festival at your own pace. Tours are offered in English or French and are QR code activated.
Alternatively take an informative tour with a tulip expert on a ticketed guided tour. Tours are 45 minutes in length and are offered in English or French. There are several tour times available each day, so be sure to book yours early to secure your prefered time.
Other activities to watch for during the 2025 season are the Big Bug Boardwalk, movies in the park, Kids Play Zone, Tulip Market and tons of tasty food trucks.
What to Wear; Weather Considerations for May
Ottawa is known for its unpredictable spring weather, so we suggest preparing for a variety of weather scenarios. Rain, cold temperatures and occasionally light snow or frost are all possible, so pack or wear a variety of layers with a windproof and waterproof coat as your top layer. Waterproof footwear is also a must for rainy days and dewy mornings, and a pair of light gloves can definitely come in handy. For warm sunny afternoons, don’t forget a hat and a pair of your most fashionable sunglasses.
What to Bring and What to Leave at Home
A camera is a must for visiting the Canadian Tulip Festival. Whether you have a phone, film, digital camera or professional DSLR, there is no shortage of photo opportunities to be had all over the city. For drone happy folks ther is unfortunately no drones are permitted on the Canadian Tulip Festival sites, and flying drones over any National Capital Commission property requires prior approval.
If you’re planning on visiting the Canadian Tulip festival with your cutest four-legged friend, you’ll be pleased to hear that dogs are permitted on the festival grounds on leash. Be sure to clean up after your pup, and to help everyone have a good experience, take your dogs to nearby trees to relieve themselves – wet tulips are only nice when they’re moist from morning dew!
Accessibility at the Canadian Tulip Festival
If you’re visiting the Canadian Tulip Festival with children in strollers, or with someone who has limited mobility, we recommend Commissioners Park as the most accessible place to visit the festival. The paved path throughout the park makes it easy to view tulip beds, and accessible washrooms are located on-site at each rest station.
If you’re headed to Major’s Hill Park, there are some tulip beds accessible by a paved path, however you may need to stray slightly onto the grass to capture your pics.
Where to Eat, Take a Break or Grab a Bite
Whether you’re looking for a hearty brunch before a day of tulip viewing, or to pick up a coffee for a stroll through the colourful gardens, there is no shortage of great options in Ottawa.
Packed with restaurants, pubs, coffee shops, and great spots for authentic Italian gelato, Ottawa’s Little Italy is a great neighbourhood to start or end your visit to the Canadian Tulip Festival. Located on Preston St., it’s a short walk from the west end of Commissioners Park.
If you’re after a quick snack or something to drink onsite, you’ll find many food vendors throughout Commissioners Park serving up fresh-squeezed lemonade, coffee, hot dogs, ice cream and poutine. These offerings vary each year, so check directly with the Canadian Tulip Festival for details on your lunch options.
The tulip gardens at Major’s Hill Park border the beautiful ByWard Market neighbourhood. You’ll have an easy time finding a restaurant, café, coffee shop, bakery or vibrant patio to suit your individual tastes. Don’t forget to stop in at the ByWard Market Farmer’s market to grab seasonal fruits, vegetables, and fresh cut flowers, and drop by Moulin de Provence in the historic ByWard Market building for their special tulip-themed cookie.
For more information on the Canadian Tulip Festival visit the Canadian Tulip Festival.
