A Self-Guided Walking Tour of the Glebe
The Glebe is a walker's neighbourhood. The streets are well-maintained, the architecture is beautiful, the parks are excellent, and the distances are human-scaled. This self-guided tour covers the neighbourhood's main points of interest in a loop that takes roughly 90 minutes at a leisurely pace — longer if you stop for coffee and bagels, which you should.
Starting Point: Kettlemans Bagel, Bank Street
Start at Kettlemans on Bank Street. Get a bagel and coffee. This is both sustenance for the walk and an introduction to one of the Glebe's most beloved institutions. Kettlemans operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, baking wood-fired Montreal-style bagels continuously. The line is part of the experience.
Stop 1: Bank Street Strip (North Section)
Walk south on Bank Street from Kettlemans. This is the Glebe's main commercial artery, and the streetscape rewards attention. The buildings along Bank are predominantly late 19th and early 20th century commercial structures — brick storefronts with residential above, many with original facades still intact.
Look for Union Local 613 and Brassica on your walk down the strip. Even if you're not stopping for a meal, these are good markers for the neighbourhood's dining culture. The independent shops along Bank — bookstores, boutiques, specialty food — reflect the Glebe BIA's commitment to locally owned retail.
Stop 2: Patterson Creek Park
Turn east off Bank Street onto Fifth Avenue and walk toward Patterson Creek. The park begins where the residential street gives way to the green corridor along the creek. Walk the path south along the water.
In any season, this is a beautiful walk. In winter, the frosted trees and quiet creek have a serene quality. In summer, the park fills with picnickers, dog walkers, and families. The creek flows south to the Rideau Canal, and the path follows it most of the way.
Stop 3: The Rideau Canal
At the south end of Patterson Creek, you reach the Rideau Canal. Turn right (west) and walk along the canal pathway.
The canal's history is remarkable — built between 1826 and 1832 as a military waterway, it stretches 202 km from Ottawa to Kingston and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In winter, the 7.8 km maintained skating section between Dow's Lake and the Ottawa Locks is the world's largest naturally refrigerated skating rink. In summer, the pathway is a cycling and walking corridor of the highest order.
Walk west along the canal to Bank Street.
Stop 4: Lansdowne Park and TD Place
Turn north on Bank Street at Holmwood Avenue and enter Lansdowne Park. The complex includes TD Place (home of the Ottawa Senators AHL team and the Ottawa RedBlacks), the Aberdeen Pavilion, extensive public grounds, the Saturday Farmers' Market, and the Phase 2 development under construction.
Walk toward the Aberdeen Pavilion. Built in 1898, this designated heritage building is one of Ottawa's finest Victorian industrial structures. The ironwork detail is extraordinary. If an event is on inside, go in.
Stop 5: Glebe Collegiate Institute
Head north from Lansdowne on Bank Street past Glebe Collegiate. This is the neighbourhood's public high school, and it's been part of the Glebe community since 1922. The building itself is a solid piece of early 20th century institutional architecture.
Stop 6: Residential Streets Back to Start
Turn west off Bank onto one of the residential cross streets — Fourth Avenue is a good choice — and walk back toward the starting point through the heart of the Glebe's residential fabric.
The Victorian and Edwardian brick homes along these streets are the neighbourhood's soul. Look at the variety of architectural details: decorative brick corbelling, stained-glass transoms, elaborate front porch designs, and the mix of semi-detached and detached configurations. These are well-loved, well-maintained homes, and the cumulative effect of walking through street after street of them is deeply pleasant.
End the tour back at Bank Street, approximately where you started. You've earned a second coffee.
Practical Tour Notes
- Distance: Approximately 4–5 km depending on detours.
- Time: 90 minutes walking; 2.5–3 hours with stops.
- Best season: Beautiful year-round, but spring and fall are particularly lovely.
- Accessibility: Bank Street and canal paths are accessible. Patterson Creek paths are mostly flat gravel/paved.
Welcome to the Glebe. Walk slowly — it's worth it.
