Explore Ottawa.

Discover Ottawa through local stories and clues hidden in the places around you. Pick a walking adventure and explore at your own pace.

Ottawa

What players say about Ottawa

1 / 3

Selected five-star reviews with player photos. Original words and ratings.

A city walk. With a plot twist.

Don’t just visit Ottawa. Play it.

Turn a walk into an adventure with the Questo app. Follow a story, explore real places and solve puzzles along the way.

Ottawa
Real streets. Unexpected discoveries.

  • Find places worth noticing

    Look closer at landmarks and corners you might otherwise walk past.

  • Step into a story

    Uncover local stories or take on a fictional mission. You choose the adventure.

  • Solve it together

    Follow clues, connect the dots and share that “we got it!” moment.

Guided by the appPause when you likeYour own people
Back to quests

Places to discover in Ottawa

Follow clues through real places and discover the stories behind them. Here’s a glimpse of Ottawa.

See all 8 landmarks
Ottawa6 quests. One pass.

City Exploration Pass

More of Ottawa. More stories to take home.

Get 6 included quests in one pass. Discover places, follow stories and solve puzzles at your own pace.

Explore on footPlay your way through the city

One passCAD 54.99

Explore the Ottawa pass
See included quests, access details and pricing before you buy.

The people behind the places

Your city has stories. Meet its storytellers.

Discover Ottawa through the eyes of the people creating its quests. Their curiosity becomes your next adventure.

From an idea to a quest you can play
CreatedReviewedPlay-tested

Quests are reviewed and play-tested before they become paid experiences.

Your city. Your stories. Someone’s next adventure.

Know a corner of Ottawa worth discovering? Build a quest, earn when people play, and help turn your city into a playground.

Become a creator

Questo City Stories Index

Ottawa, measured on foot.

Explore its stories, places and walking data, and see how Ottawa compares with other cities.

Keep exploring

Where next?

Find a city nearby to play with your family and friends.

Saint-Jerome

1 quest

Kingston

2 quests

Montreal

8 quests

Longueuil

1 quest

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu

1 quest

Plattsburgh

1 quest

A walk with a plot twist

Look up.
Lean in.
Play along.

Find a quest. Follow clues in the app. Discover the city as you play.

  1. 1

    Choose your quest

    Pick a city, a story and your language.

  2. 2

    Explore and solve

    Follow the app. Find clues in the streets.

  3. 3

    Go at your pace

    Stop for coffee. Pick up where you left off.

A taste of the challenge
01 / Word riddle

Name the creature.

I’m a majestic beast, swift and bold,
In fields of green, my tale unfolds.

A noble creature, with hooves that prance,
A symbol of freedom in every glance.

I can move swiftly, by day or night,
Chasing the wind, my spirit takes flight.

Though I may be pure, like snow, of course,
Can you guess what I am with my grace and force?

A sample game riddle. City exploration quests also reveal real places and local stories.

Before you head out

Your Ottawa questions.

What can I do in Ottawa with Questo?
Browse outdoor city games built around Ottawa. Each quest has its own route and story: follow clues, solve puzzles, and discover the city as you play.
How many outdoor city games are available in Ottawa?
Questo currently lists 11 outdoor city games in Ottawa. Browse the collection to compare stories, routes, and access options.
Is there a murder mystery game in Ottawa?
Yes. Questo has murder mystery quests set on the real streets of Ottawa: follow the clues, question the evidence, and solve the case at your own pace. No actors, no booking, start whenever you like.
Is there a scavenger hunt in Ottawa?
Yes. Questo's scavenger and treasure hunts take you across Ottawa clue by clue, from famous landmarks to hidden corners. Play solo or as a team, starting whenever you like.
Do I need to book an activity in Ottawa in advance?
Most Questo quests can be started when you are ready. Select a quest to check its route and access options before you play.
How can I explore Parliament Hill and the historic downtown in a fun way?

Play a Questo quest. You’ll follow clues through Parliament Hill, ByWard Market, and hidden lanes, uncovering Ottawa’s political and colonial history as you go.

We want to try something artsy and off the beaten path—any ideas?

Try “Ottawa: In the Eyes of a Street Artist”. You’ll wander through murals, public art spots, maybe hidden alleys, all while solving creative puzzles and seeing parts of Ottawa that most tourists skip.

I love mysteries—what quest should I take in Ottawa?

Go for “The Cardinal Disappearance: Shadows of Downtown Ottawa”. It’s full of intrigue—chasing clues, piecing together a story, exploring downtown at the same time. Perfect if you like detective vibes.

Visiting with kids—what keeps them excited?

“Little Detectives”—quests like “Solve the Case in Ottawa” are great. Kids get to follow clues, discover fun facts, move around—not just looking, but interacting. It makes walking tours way more fun for young ones.

Looking for a fun date idea in Ottawa—what could we do?

Try a quest like “Murder Mystery: Solve the Case in Ottawa” or “The Cardinal Disappearance.” Walking together, solving puzzles, discovering alleyways and plazas—it’s romantic and engaging.

Do we need to book ahead or go with a group?

Nope. Totally flexible. Download quest in the app, start when you want. You can do it solo, with friends, or as a couple—whatever works.

What about cost—are these quests expensive in Ottawa?

They cost just a few dollars per device or per group for many quests—way cheaper than hiring a private guide. And since you’re doing it on your own schedule, no extra fees for timing or group minimums.

About the destination

About Ottawa

Ottawa gets called Canada's capital so often that visitors forget it is actually a good city to spend time in. Questo turns its streets into a self-guided city exploration game: follow a story, solve clues at real locations, and move at your own pace with no guide and no fixed start time.

The city has real character packed into a walkable core. Parliament Hill sits above the Ottawa River with a skyline that looks almost theatrical. The Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, runs straight through downtown and in winter freezes into the world's largest naturally frozen skating rink, verified by Guinness World Records in 2005. ByWard Market, running since the 1820s, is still the place people go to eat, browse, and watch the city go about its day.

Questo has three self-guided quests here, each with its own mood. One takes you through the city's street art scene with a local artist's eye. Another drops you into a downtown mystery set against government-quarter architecture. The third sends you north into the quiet residential streets of Rockcliffe Park for a riddle trail past Stornoway Residence, official home of the leader of the opposition.

A few things worth knowing before you go. The original BeaverTails stand opened on William Street in the ByWard Market in 1979 and is still there. Le Moulin de Provence on ByWard Market Square has sold its maple-leaf shortbread cookie since a certain US president stopped in during his 2009 Ottawa visit. In winter, the Rideau Canal Skateway stretches 7.8 kilometres and is free to skate, open around the clock.

Good for couples, friends, families, or a solo afternoon. Questo's Ottawa quests are rated 4.4★ across 181 player reviews. Pick a quest and head out whenever you are ready.
Your Ottawa story starts outside.Let’s explore.

Your next story starts outside.

Your next adventure is an app away.

Get the Questo app. Pick a quest, follow the clues and make the city your playground.

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