5 Best Indoor Activities in Ottawa on a Rainy Day
3 min read · Updated 2025-06-01
Explore five indoor places in Ottawa for a rainy day, selected by the GooSee team.
1. Canadian War Museum
One of the finest war museums in the world, the Canadian War Museum (1 Vimy Place, LeBreton Flats) holds over 600,000 artefacts across four dramatic gallery halls. Plan for two to three hours minimum. The regeneration hall alone, built over a mass military grave site, is worth the visit. The rooftop terrace offers sweeping views of the Ottawa River on clearer days.
1 Vimy Place, Ottawa, ON K1R 1C2
Insider tip: Visit on Thursday evenings for free admission after 4 pm. The LeBreton Gallery houses a full WW2 German Tiger I tank.
2. The Loft Board Game Lounge
Ottawa's best-loved board game café, The Loft (14 Waller St, ByWard Market) has over 500 titles spanning party games, strategy classics, and obscure deep-cuts. Rent a table by the hour, order from a solid food menu, and let a rainy afternoon stretch into evening. Staff are genuinely knowledgeable. Ask for a recommendation based on group size and experience level.
14 Waller St, Ottawa, ON K1N 6E4
Insider tip: Table rentals are by the hour. Ask staff for a recommendation. They know every game in the library.
3. Flora Hall Brewing
Tucked into Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood, Flora Hall Brewing (37 Flora St) is a neighbourhood taproom with a loyal following. The beer list rotates seasonally. Expect well-made lagers, saisons, and the occasional experimental release. The food menu is simple but solid. It's the kind of place that feels like a local secret even when it's full.
37 Flora St, Ottawa, ON K1R 5S1
Insider tip: Arrive before 2 pm to guarantee a seat on rainy weekends. The seasonal saison is consistently excellent.
4. Ottawa Art Gallery
The Ottawa Art Gallery (10 Daly Ave) anchors the ByWard Market arts district with a strong permanent collection of Ottawa-region work alongside ambitious travelling exhibitions. Admission is pay-what-you-can, which makes it one of the best-value hours you can spend in the capital. The on-site café Café My Mug is a great place to decompress between galleries.
10 Daly Ave, Ottawa, ON K1N 6E2
Insider tip: Check their website for current exhibitions before visiting. The reading room on the upper floor is a quiet gem.
5. Mayfair Theatre
The Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St) has been showing movies since 1932. Expect cult classics, foreign films and occasional midnight screenings, with tickets under $15 and fresh popcorn.
1074 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3X3
Insider tip: Check the schedule online. Programming changes weekly. The midnight Saturday screenings are a Ottawa tradition.
Image: GooSee Inc.