Scenic Views · Ontario
Rockcliffe Lookout
A heritage pavilion and lookout on a bluff above the Ottawa River in Rockcliffe Park, Ottawa, facing Gatineau. Free, peaceful and pretty in every season, but parking is limited.
What visitors say
The Rockcliffe Lookout is a covered pavilion built in 1917, set among mature trees on a bluff above a broad sweep of the Ottawa River. From it you look across to Gatineau, and interpretive boards explain the area's history. Reviewers rank it among the best lookouts in Ottawa.
The National Capital Commission manages the park, and the pavilion sits along the Rockcliffe Parkway. It's a quiet place to pause, and reviewers enjoy it in summer and in winter, when the river is partly frozen and the far shore is dusted with snow. The pavilion is also a popular spot for summer weddings.
It suits anyone after a short, easy stop in the city, walkers and cyclists on the parkway, and photographers. The rest of Rockcliffe Park and the Rockeries are close by for a longer walk.
Parking is the main drawback, and several visitors found it hard to get a spot in nice weather.
Summarised from visitor reviews on Google Maps. Based on 408 Google reviews. Conditions and rules change — check current park, access and fishing regulations before you go.