Rideau Hall

I’ve been to Ottawa many times, but visiting Rideau Hall had always been on my list—and I finally got to go! You do need to make a reservation, but it’s pretty easy to book. The tour is guided—I'm not sure if the guide was a staff member or a volunteer, but we had one person take us around the residence. Luckily, no one else joined our time slot, so it turned into a private tour for just the two of us! The inside was more elegant than I expected. We got to see portraits of past Governors General, peek into the event halls and workspaces, and really got a feel for the history and atmosphere. Definitely worth the visit!

Despite living down the street for years I had never been inside Rideau Hall until attending a Days Open event during summer 2025. This is a beautiful residence and the staff are knowledgeable on the history of the rooms and artwork. The tent room and greenhouse were each a particular favourite spot on the self guided tour. The grounds are open during daylight hours regularly. Minus one star for not allowing dogs on the grounds (solution: on leash and fines for not picking up after them could easily allow the pleasure of dog walking to occur).

I had a wonderful time visiting Rideau Hall. The building is full of Canadian history and beautifully maintained, both inside and out. Touring the interior was a real treat, the rooms are elegant and filled with fascinating details, from artwork to architecture. Since it’s not generally open to the public year-round, it felt special to be able to step inside. A worthwhile visit if you get the chance!

The interior of Rideau Hall is elegant and full of history. Beautifully decorated rooms, impressive art, and exquisite furnishings give a real sense of Canada’s heritage and the residence’s ceremonial importance. A fascinating glimpse into Canada’s traditions and official life.

It's beautiful!!! In any season, this place is a must stop in for a relief from the city bustle or to visit the elegant spaces where awards for outstanding acts are handed to incredible Canadians. It's incredible that we get to visit the Governor General Residence Public spaces. The visitor Center has accessible toilets, a picnic area and park. The grounds are flat and easy to navigate, even with a stroller or wheelchair. The rose garden was pretty but the flat water fountain was impressive. The massive trees and plants of the gardens are beautiful. The staff is bilingual French/English, so kind and patient. We asked a lot or questions. My 15 and 12 year old were entertained and enjoyed the experience. They didn't think young children would find it fun. You have to go through security to go in, and they check bags so leave as much at "home". They do search.

This is a nice place to visit. It's free, and there's few people, no crowds. Very nice, friendly, helpful staff. The gardens are a pleasant, easy walk. There's many trees, planted by important, historic people. The Rose Garden is beautiful with monuments highlighting Canadian history. The house tour only covers a half dozen important state rooms. But they are beautiful, with many works of art. Most of the grand house is not open to the public. Most of the tour is an informative lecture on past and present Governor Generals, their duties and, oddly, commemorative meritorious medals awarded to Canadians. It's not suitable for young children in the home, but there's plenty of room to run outside. There's no parking on site. Park on residential streets on the west side of the grounds. The main entrance is on the north west corner. Walk to the Visitor Center first, for tour information. Overall, it's worth a visit, but you'll easily see everything worth seeing in about an hour or two.

Toured the residence, was absolutely amazed by the super knowledgable guide named Benjamin. Would absolutely recommend to anyone, especially families. He was super patient with everyone’s questions and incredibly engaging to kids and the elderly.

Wonderful tour. Our guide was so knowledgeable and added some humor. Beautiful rooms, rich history, free tour. What more could you ask for!