Cheap Car Hire in Ottawa, Canada

• Triavi
• Rent a car
• Canada
• Ottawa

Ottawa is Canada's national capital, as well as Ontario province's capital, and its fourth largest city. As Canada's legislative and judicial center, it is home to Parliament Hill and the Supreme Court of Canada and to several heritage sites such as the National War Memorial, The National Gallery and Rideau Hall, the official residence in Ottawa of the Governor General of Canada.  Hire a cheap car from Ottawa's Downtown or from Ottawa Airport, located only ten minutes' drive away from city center, to discover Ontario’s and Quebec's charming villages and bustling cities.

Founded in the early 19th century as Bytown, during the period of the British construction of the Rideau Canal, by mid-century it had become a city. Its proximity to the Quebec border and the city of Gatineau means that the city is truly bilingual, with French-speakers constituting roughly 30% of all residents. Located on the south bank of Ottawa River, the city is divided by the Rideau River and Canal. The historic part of the town, Lower Town, is located between these waterways, and Centretown and Downtown to the west comprise the city's commercial and financial district. Sparks Street, south of Parliament Hill is a pedestrian mall, and only a short walk away from ByWard Market, a popular farmer's market. In addition to the major heritage sites mentioned above, the Canadian War Museum, the National Gallery of Canada and Canadian Museum of Nature are some of Ottawa's 15 national museums. If you dare brave Ottawa's freezing weather, you can attend Canada's largest festival, the Winterlude, which focuses on winter sports activities at Rideau Canal Skateway and the city's parks. Ottawa has several parks, including Confederation Park, where many events take place, the National Capital Greenbelt - an open space stretching from Green's Creek to Shirley's bay, and Major's Hill Park - located close to ByWard and Parliament Hill. To the west of Rideau Canal, the Arboretum and Ornamental Gardens is a large park on Dow's Lake, near the Central Experimental Farm. Across the river, the 90,000 acres of Gatineau Park offer a chance for a quick getaway from the city – in the summer you can camp out, swim, canoe and engage in bird watching while in the winter you can go cross-country skiing. The Canadian Museum of History, Canada's most visited museum, is located within walking distance of Downtown Ottawa in Gatineau.

After about an hour’s drive in your cheap rental car from Ottawa to the west, alongside the Ottawa River, you'll reach the Fitzroy Harbor Provincial Park and Morris Island Conservation Area. Heading further west will take you to Ontario's Highlands, which include the Bon Echo Provincial Park, Bonnechere Caves and the ski resort of Calabogie. Algonquin Park, Ontario's largest nature park, isn't far – a further two and half hour drive from Calabogie. Driving southwest in your low cost rental car from Ottawa towards Kingston and Lake Ontario will take you to Toronto, Canada's largest city, while heading northwest to Wakefield, along the verges of Gatineau Park on Autoroute 5, you'll find the Eco-Odyssee, a park that includes a water maze. Travelling east into Quebec, Montreal is only a two-hour drive with your Ottawa hire car, and en-route of the Voyageur Ontario Provincial Park. On the other hand, you can choose to head south towards Syracuse in Upstate New York, located within a three-hour drive from Ottawa, not forgetting to stop at Merrickville, a Victorian village claiming to be the prettiest in Canada, and The Rideau Trail, a hiking route that links Ottawa to Kingston.