Sometimes the best way to fall back in love with your own city is to leave the ground. That's the idea behind a recent post from @ottawatourism, which highlights two very different ways to see Ottawa from the sky: an open cockpit vintage biplane ride or a helicopter tour.
Old-School Thrills in an Open Cockpit
For anyone who's ever wanted to feel like they stepped into a black-and-white film, Ottawa Biplane Rides offers exactly that. Passengers climb into a vintage-style open cockpit aircraft for a ride that trades enclosed cabins and air conditioning for wind in your face and unobstructed views of the Ottawa River, Parliament Hill, and the patchwork of farmland just outside the city core. It's less about comfort and more about the novelty, and that's precisely the appeal.
A Smoother Ride With Heli Tremblant
For those who'd rather skip the goggles-and-scarf aesthetic, Heli Tremblant runs helicopter tours that cover more ground (or more accurately, more sky) in a shorter window. Helicopter rides tend to climb higher and move faster than biplane tours, giving passengers a broader look at how the capital region fits together, from the downtown core to the Gatineau Hills across the river.
Why It's Worth Trying at Least Once
Ottawa is a city that rewards a bird's-eye view. The symmetry of the Rideau Canal, the green ribbon of the Ottawa River, and the way Parliament Hill anchors the downtown skyline are all easier to appreciate from above than from street level. It's also a genuinely different way to spend an afternoon with someone, whether that's a partner, a visiting friend, or family in town for the weekend. The Instagram post itself asked followers to tag someone they'd want to take on a flying adventure, and it's not hard to see why: this isn't really a solo activity, it's an experience meant to be shared.
Worth Noting Before You Book
Both biplane and helicopter tours are seasonal and weather-dependent, so it's worth checking availability and current conditions directly with the operators before making plans. Prices and flight lengths vary depending on the route and how much time you want in the air.
Whether you're a lifelong Ottawa resident who's never seen the city from a cockpit or a visitor looking for something memorable to do during a trip to the capital, an aerial tour is one of those experiences that's easy to put off and hard to regret once you've done it.
Photo credit: alenpalander, via @ottawatourism on Instagram.
