A Walking Tour of Westboro: The Best 4km in Ottawa

Westboro is one of those neighbourhoods that reveals itself best on foot. Drive through and you see shops and restaurants. Walk it properly, along the river, through the residential streets, up and down Richmond Road, and you start to understand why people love living here. This route takes about two hours at a comfortable pace and covers roughly four kilometres.

Start: Westboro Beach (0 km)

Begin at Westboro Beach, accessed from Tunney's Pasture Drive or from the pathway that runs along the north side of the neighbourhood. Take a few minutes here to take in the river. On a clear day, you can see the Gatineau Hills across the water to the north. If it's summer, you'll already see people in the water. This is why the neighbourhood commands the prices it does.

Ottawa River Pathway East (0–1.5 km)

From the beach, pick up the Ottawa River Pathway heading east. This is the NCC's multi-use trail that runs along the river, paved, well-maintained, and gorgeous. Follow it east for about 1.5 kilometres, taking in the river views and the mix of cyclists, joggers, and dog walkers. You'll pass under the Richmond Road bridge and continue toward the central part of the neighbourhood.

Turn South: Into the Residential Streets (1.5–2 km)

At around the 1.5 km mark, turn south off the river pathway and head into the residential streets. Hilson Avenue and Sherwood Drive are both excellent choices. These are the streets locals actually live on, mature trees, well-kept homes, quiet sidewalks. This is the Westboro that doesn't get photographed for lifestyle articles but is the actual heart of why the neighbourhood works.

Equator Coffee (2 km)

Emerge onto Richmond Road and turn east toward Equator Coffee. This is your mid-tour stop. Get a single-origin pour-over or whatever espresso drink you prefer, take five minutes to sit if there's a seat, and prepare for the commercial stretch ahead.

Richmond Road Shopping (2–3 km)

Walk Richmond Road east from Equator. This is the commercial spine of the neighbourhood, a mix of restaurants, independent boutiques, outdoor gear (Trailhead and MEC are both here), home goods stores, and the inevitable collection of coffee shops. Browse as you go. Farm Boy, the neighbourhood's excellent grocery store, is on this stretch and worth a quick look if you need supplies.

Parkdale Market (3 km)

At the east end of the Richmond Road stretch, you'll reach Parkdale Market. In season (spring through fall), this is one of Ottawa's best farmers' markets, fresh produce, local vendors, baked goods, flowers. In the off-season, the market building still hosts vendors. Either way, it's a natural pause point on the walk.

Westboro LRT Station (3.5–4 km)

From the market, it's a short walk to the Westboro LRT station on the Confederation Line. Depending on your direction of travel, this is either your end point (grab the train downtown) or your turnaround. If you have energy, the pathway back to the beach along the river is beautiful in either direction.

Total distance: approximately 4 km. Total time: 1.5 to 2 hours at a relaxed pace. Best time: any weekend morning between May and October, before noon.