Some days the city feels too loud until you’re sitting in a kayak, paddle across your knees, watching the shoreline slide by. Getting there is the hard part: who rents boats, where you launch, and whether anything is still open after Labour Day. This list answers all three.
Our guide to Ottawa kayak rental covers 16 picks, updated for 2026, from NCC lake kiosks in Gatineau Park to a Rideau Canal shuttle, Ottawa River tours and paddleboard delivery, plus where to launch your own boat. We compared prices, seasons and launch rules so finding a kayak rental in Ottawa, or a canoe, paddleboard or pedal boat, takes minutes rather than an afternoon of phone calls. Start with the quick picks, then read on for the full list.
In This Guide
- Quick picks: Ottawa kayak rental options at a glance
- Kayak rental Ottawa paddlers trust right now: Rideau Canal, Ottawa River and Gatineau Park picks
- Tips for kayaking Ottawa waterways and renting gear worth knowing
- Frequently asked questions about Ottawa kayak rental
- More Ottawa guides worth exploring
Quick picks: Ottawa kayak rental options at a glance
If you just want a kayak, Ottawa rental options start with these five.
1. Philippe Lake Boat Rentals
Single kayaks from $30 for 90 minutes on a forested Gatineau Park lake. Lac Philippe. Mid range.
2. Ahoy Rentals
Multi-day touring kayaks with a Dow’s Lake pickup for Rideau Canal journeys. Kingston to Ottawa. Upscale.
3. Relais Plein Air at Parc des Cèdres
Sea kayaks and sit-on-top kayaks on the Ottawa River. Aylmer. Priced at booking.
4. River Valley Experience
Kayaks, canoes and paddleboards with delivery, open on fall weekends. Kazabazua. Mid range.
5. Wilderness Tours
Guided sea kayaking through Ottawa River island channels from $169. Foresters Falls. Upscale.
Kayak rental Ottawa paddlers trust right now: Rideau Canal, Ottawa River and Gatineau Park picks
Every pick below solves the problem from the intro, and together they cover the kayak rentals Ottawa paddlers can actually book, from 90-minute lake loops to week-long canal trips. Expect the Gatineau Park and Gatineau kiosks first, then the canal and river specialists, tours and tubing, and finally the outfitters that deliver kayak equipment, paddleboards and bikes.
1. Philippe Lake Boat Rentals
Single and tandem kayaks can be rented directly at Philippe Lake, surrounded by forested hills and Gatineau Park hiking trails. The NCC lists single kayaks at $30 for 90 minutes or $70 a day and tandems at $35 or $80, before taxes, with paddles and life jackets included and extra half-hours at $5. Lac Philippe’s forested shoreline makes it the classic place to rent a kayak with beautiful scenery and wildlife, and the easiest rent a kayak near me answer for families on the Gatineau side. Rentals are seasonal, so check the schedule before you drive up.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: $30 kayaks on a forest lake
📍 Location: Philippe Lake Boat Rentals, Gatineau Park, Philippe Lake, Sainte-Cécile-de-Masham, QC
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, family, date
2. La Pêche Lake Boat Rentals
Offers kayak rentals and multi-day canoe-camping equipment on a large forest lake dotted with islands and backcountry campsites. Kayak prices match Philippe Lake, and canoe-camping packages start at $80 for 24 hours, so this is the go-to Gatineau Park canoe rental for an overnight trip on a big lake with island campsites. If you want an overnight canoe, Ottawa paddlers should book the camping reservation separately from the day rental and check the kiosk’s seasonal schedule.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Canoe-camping packages from $80 a day
📍 Location: La Pêche Lake Boat Rentals, Gatineau Park, La Pêche Lake near Lac-des-Loups, QC
⭐ Vibe: Wilderness, date, group
3. Relais Plein Air at Parc des Cèdres
Rents single sea kayaks and stable sit-on-top kayaks from the Robert-Middlemiss Pavilion for exploring the Ottawa River near Parc des Cèdres. Relais Plein Air’s rentals include a paddle, life jacket, safety kit and basic navigation instructions, and you’ll need your confirmation and ID at pickup. Its stable sit-on-top boats are the closest thing to an Ottawa fishing kayak rental on this list, and it’s one of the few kayak rental Ottawa River options right on the water. The 2026 season ran June to September, and paddlers 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Sea and sit-on-top kayaks on the Ottawa River
📍 Location: Relais Plein Air, Aylmer, 397 Boulevard de la Cité-des-Jeunes, Gatineau, QC
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, family, solo
4. Centre Nautique de la Lièvre
Offers kayak, canoe, paddleboard and pedal-boat rentals directly on the calm Lièvre River, with a seasonal shuttle service for paddling excursions. At the entrance to Parc du Landing in Buckingham, the centre’s shuttle supports longer routes, and its pedal boat rental and paddleboard rental options make it an easy family day trip. The 2026 full-time season ran from June 19 to September 7, so check next summer’s dates before going.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Calm-river rentals with a shuttle
📍 Location: Centre Nautique de la Lièvre, Buckingham, 255 Avenue de Buckingham, Gatineau, QC J8L 2E9
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, family, date
5. Ahoy Rentals
Offers multi-day touring kayak rentals with a shuttle service that can collect equipment at Dow’s Lake after a paddling journey along the Rideau Canal. Published 2026 rates run $60 a day for two to four days, $55 for five to seven days and $50 for eight or more, including HST and safety gear, and Ahoy collects boats at Dows Lake Pavilion at a set time. It’s the standout kayak rental Rideau Canal Ottawa paddlers book for a Kingston-to-Ottawa journey, not an hourly kiosk.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Kingston-to-Dow’s Lake touring kayaks
📍 Location: Ahoy Rentals, Kingston, 21 Ontario Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2Y2
⭐ Vibe: Adventure, solo, group
6. River Valley Experience
Offers self-guided Gatineau River paddling excursions with single kayaks, tandem kayaks, children’s kayaks, canoes and inflatable paddleboards. Single kayaks cost $40 for a half day, $60 a day or $110 a weekend, tandems $50 or $70, and paddleboards start at $40, with delivery at $0.75 a kilometre or free blocks and straps if you carry your own. Fall 2026 rentals run on weekends only, which makes it one of the few kayak rental near Ottawa options and paddle board rentals near me still running this month, and reservations are required.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Kayak, SUP and canoe delivery plus fall weekend rentals
📍 Location: River Valley Experience, Kazabazua, Kazabazua, QC J0X 1Z0
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, family, solo
7. Wilderness Tours
Offers guided sea-kayaking excursions through the Ottawa River’s island channels, including a swimming stop and access to its riverside adventure resort. This guided kayak tour includes a riverside lunch and swim stop, priced from $169 for adults and $119 for youth before taxes and the park access fee, and it’s the strongest answer to kayak tours near me if you want an instructor. The resort’s Ottawa Kayak School also teaches whitewater, so it suits anyone moving into sea kayaking or river skills.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Guided island-channel sea kayaking
📍 Location: Wilderness Tours, Foresters Falls, 1260 Grants Settlement Road, Foresters Falls, ON
⭐ Vibe: Adventure, group, family
8. OWL Rafting
Offers two-hour flatwater kayak excursions on the Ottawa River alongside a waterfront adventure resort with rafting, swimming and camping facilities. Two-hour flatwater canoe or kayak outings cost $50 plus HST, a low intensity way to try the big river, and resort guests can also use kayaks, canoes and paddle boards. Pair it with rafting or camping; the 2026 rafting season ran from May 16 to September 8.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: $50 flatwater paddles on the Ottawa River
📍 Location: OWL Rafting, Foresters Falls, 40 OWL Lane, Foresters Falls, ON K0J 1V0
⭐ Vibe: Adventure, family, group
That covers the lakes, the canal and the big Ottawa River outfitters, and the second half moves to in-city river trips, countryside rental counters and the shops that bring gear to you.
9. Ottawa City Rafting
Offers guided Ottawa River rafting excursions departing from Britannia Beach, bringing river adventure activities into the city. The 2.5-hour trips run from May to September at 9:30 am and 2 pm with paddles, PFDs and helmets provided, and the company also offers lazy river tubing on the Kitchissippi section with return transport. It’s linked to Wilderness Tours and is the easiest river adventure without leaving town.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Rafting and tubing from Britannia Beach
📍 Location: Ottawa City Rafting, Britannia, 102 Greenview Avenue, Ottawa, ON K2B 5Z6
⭐ Vibe: Adventure, group, family
10. Ottawa Turbo Tubing
Runs Ottawa River tubing excursions from Bate Island, including inflatable tubes, safety equipment and return transportation. The $69 excursion includes a tube, life jacket, helmet, paddle and water shuttle, with tandem inflatable kayaks for some younger riders and free parking on the island. It mixes floating and paddling rather than classic kayaking, so check the booking calendar for shorter tube rentals around the island.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Tubing under the Champlain Bridge
📍 Location: Ottawa Turbo Tubing, Bate Island, 50 Island Park Drive, Ottawa, ON
⭐ Vibe: Adventure, date, group
11. Drifters Outdoors Canoe & Kayak Rentals
Offers canoe and kayak rentals near the Rideau River, providing a countryside paddling alternative approximately 45 minutes south of Ottawa. Both Parks Canada and the Rideau Canal tourism organization list it as a rental provider, and it’s a quieter alternative to Dow’s Lake for anyone searching kayaking rentals near me from Barrhaven or Manotick. Confirm kayak types, rental durations and launch details before travelling.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Rideau River rentals in the countryside
📍 Location: Drifters Outdoors, Kemptville, 286 Riverview Lane, Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, date, family
12. KAYAKOMAT Carleton Place
A self-service kayak rental station near the Mississippi River offers an alternative to conventional staffed rental counters. About 35 to 45 minutes west, you book online and unlock equipment through an automated system, which makes it the most literal answer to rent kayaks near me without a counter. The listing shows 24-hour access, but that doesn’t mean paddling is safe or open at night or in winter.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Self-service kayak lockers
📍 Location: KAYAKOMAT, Carleton Place, 166 Joseph Street, Carleton Place, ON K7C 4S9
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, solo, date
13. Expeditions Wakefield
A Wakefield-based outdoor outfitter provides paddling rentals in the Gatineau River region, offering a countryside alternative to Ottawa’s urban waterways. About 35 to 45 minutes north, Parks Canada lists it among National Capital Region outfitters, and a Gatineau River paddle pairs well with Wakefield’s cafés, which makes it handy equipment rental Gatineau-side. Confirm gear, launch arrangements and rates directly before visiting.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Gatineau River paddling from the village
📍 Location: Expeditions Wakefield, Wakefield, 721 Chemin Riverside, Wakefield, QC
⭐ Vibe: Waterfront, date, family
14. Ottawa Canoe Rental and Outfitters
Provides longer-term canoe rentals for independent paddling trips, allowing visitors to choose their own routes instead of renting from a fixed waterfront kiosk. Parks Canada lists it among Rideau Canal-region providers, and its focus on longer rentals makes it the canoe rental Ottawa trippers call first when they want to rent a canoe for a weekend. Call or text for a quote, and settle pickup when booking, since no public address is posted.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: Multi-day canoe rentals for your own route
📍 Location: Ottawa Canoe Rental and Outfitters, Ottawa, pickup arranged at booking, Ottawa, ON
⭐ Vibe: Adventure, solo, group
15. VeloSmith
Rents inflatable paddleboards, mountain bikes, gravel bikes and ski equipment, with delivery available across Ottawa and Gatineau. You can rent bikes, mountain or gravel, plus ITIWIT inflatable paddleboards and downhill ski packages, with pickup on Moodie Drive or delivery at $0.72 a kilometre for the return trip. That makes it the easiest sup rental and the simplest answer to sup rentals near me for anyone without a roof rack, and a ski rental Ottawa option with delivery in winter, though you still choose your own launch.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: SUP boards, bikes and skis delivered
📍 Location: VeloSmith, Nepean, 453C Moodie Drive, Nepean, ON
⭐ Vibe: Active, solo, group
16. Nomades du Parc
Rents mountain bikes, electric mountain bikes, gravel bikes and inflatable paddleboards from Old Chelsea, beside Gatineau Park. Mountain bikes start at $54.95, electric mountain bikes at $69.95 and paddleboards at $39.95, and each SUP board comes with a PFD, pump, whistle, safety rope and dry bag. It’s a natural paddle board rental near me answer for Gatineau Park visitors, and the shop is also linked to winter fat biking and cross-country skiing.
Good to Know
🔥 Known for: SUP boards and mountain bikes by the park
📍 Location: Nomades du Parc, Chelsea, 10 Chemin Scott, Chelsea, QC J9B 1R5
⭐ Vibe: Active, family, date
Tips for kayaking Ottawa waterways and renting gear worth knowing
With the list sorted, these habits make kayaking Ottawa’s rivers and lakes safer and easier, whether you rent or bring your own.
Bring your own boat? Use a legal launch. Britannia Beach and Westboro Beach allow personal kayaks, canoes and paddle boards outside the swimming areas on the Ottawa River, Mooney’s Bay does the same on the Rideau River, and Barney McCarney Landing near Manotick and Beryl Gaffney Park have dirt canoe launches. Shirleys Bay has a launch on the open river, so check wind and waves first, and east-end paddlers near Petrie Island should check the island’s posted rules before putting in.
Dow’s Lake is the city’s classic beginner water. Dows Lake Pavilion and its marina sit where the Rideau Canal widens, and its summer Dows Lake rentals have historically included kayaks, canoes and pedal boats, which makes it the obvious answer to paddle boat rentals near me in July. You’ll see it written as Dow Lake, Lac Dow, Lac Dow Ottawa or Dows Lake Ottawa, but whatever the spelling, the Dows Lake marina is the most sheltered water in the city, so check its current season before you go.
More counters cover every corner of the region. Ottawa Valley Canoe & Kayak and Ottawa Valley Air Paddle in Arnprior, Beth’s on The Bay in Manotick, Nanook Expeditions near Kanata and Greater Ottawa Watersports in Barrhaven all list canoe kayak rentals available by phone, and Boreal River downtown runs guided paddling and instruction instead of equipment rentals. For boat rental Gatineau-side, the Centre de plein air du Lac-Leamy is the most central of the rentals Gatineau offers, and Rideau River Provincial Park adds rentals plus campsites, so ask Ontario Parks about RV sites if you’re towing a trailer.
Searches for kayak car rental Ottawa or kayak car rental Ottawa airport usually mean the KAYAK travel site’s car-hire listings, not boats, but if you’re flying in to paddle, River Valley Experience can deliver so you can rent kayak gear without a roof rack. Typed in a hurry as kyaking or Downs Lake, the real question is where to rent kayaks near me, and from mid-October the answer for a kayak rental near me is River Valley’s weekend rentals, since most kiosks have closed. For summer, we highly recommend booking at least a few days ahead, because several counters list only a kayak for rent by phone without published prices.
Off the water, RentABike below the Plaza Bridge rents hybrids from $12 per hour beside the canal, Cyco’s near Pretoria Bridge rents bikes in Old Ottawa East with Brantwood Park’s Rideau River green space close by, and La maison du vélo near Jacques-Cartier Park covers the Gatineau waterfront. For bike rentals across the Ottawa-Gatineau region, Nomades du Parc handles mountain bikes by Gatineau Park, while Camp Fortune’s Full Cycle counter needs confirming before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Ottawa kayak rental
These are the questions paddlers ask most often before booking.
Can you rent a kayak at Dow’s Lake?
Dow’s Lake Pavilion has historically offered summer rentals of kayaks, canoes and pedal boats, so check its current season before planning a kayak rental Ottawa Dow’s Lake outing. Ahoy Rentals also uses the pavilion as its pickup point for multi-day canal trips, which makes it the most reliable Dow’s Lake Ottawa kayak rental option for long journeys. Launch and season details are in the guide above.
Is there kayak rental on the Rideau Canal in Ottawa?
Yes, mostly for longer trips. The classic kayak rental Ottawa Rideau Canal route uses Ahoy Rentals’ touring kayaks from Kingston with pickup at Dow’s Lake, so any week-long Ottawa canal kayak rental starts there. For shorter kayak rental Rideau Canal Ottawa outings, Dow’s Lake’s seasonal rentals and Drifters Outdoors on the Rideau River near Kemptville are simpler, with prices and seasons listed above.
Where can I rent a kayak on the Ottawa River near Ottawa?
For kayak rental Ottawa River trips, Relais Plein Air at Parc des Cèdres in Aylmer is the most central, while Wilderness Tours and OWL Rafting near Foresters Falls offer guided and flatwater outings about 90 minutes away. Other kayak rental near Ottawa options on the big river include Constance Bay Rentals, where you should call to confirm kayaks, plus the launches at Britannia, Westboro and Shirleys Bay if you bring your own. Each option is detailed above.
Where can I rent cross-country skis and snowshoes in Ottawa?
For cross country ski rentals Ottawa skiers use, Lafleur Ski Rentals at Mooney’s Bay rents classic packages from $21 an hour and snowshoes from $8 an hour from late December, and Fresh Air Experience on Wellington Street West is the other main cross country ski rental Ottawa shop, renting cross country skis from $40 a day. Kunstadt Sports and VeloSmith cover ski rentals Ottawa downhill skiers need, Centre Vorlage rents skis and snowboards on site, and Le Harfang in Gatineau focuses on fat bikes and snowshoes. For snowshoeing Gatineau Park, get passes and route advice at the Gatineau Park Visitor Centre, which isn’t a rental counter, and see the full list above.
More Ottawa guides worth exploring
If a day on the water has you planning more outdoor time, these guides pick up where this one leaves off.
Outdoor things to do in Ottawa: Trails, rivers and parks for every season.
Family-friendly Ottawa outings: Kid-ready plans for weekends and school breaks.
Free things to do in Ottawa: No-cost outings, including free public launches.
Ottawa plans by budget, season and situation: Ideas sorted by what you want to spend and what the weather is doing.
Things to do in Ottawa for visitors: A first-timer’s guide for pairing a paddle with a city stay.
Ottawa kayak rental comes down to season and water: sheltered lakes and Dow’s Lake for beginners, the Ottawa River for big views and the Rideau Canal for real journeys. For canoes, paddleboards and kayaks, Ottawa has more options than most people realize, and we update this guide as outfitters confirm their seasons, so tell us if a favourite is missing.
Get featured
If you run a business in Ottawa and want to be included in articles like this:
