5 travel tips for seeing the tulips in Ottawa this weekend

The tulips are in bloom at Commissioners Park in Ottawa ahead of the opening of the Canadian Tulip Festival. (Scott Rook/CTV News Ottawa)

The tulips will be the star attraction during the Victoria Day long weekend.

Close to one million tulips are in bloom in Ottawa and Gatineau, with the “showstopper” display at the Canadian Tulip Festival at Commissioners Park.

• What’s happening in Ottawa this weekend: May 16-19

The National Capital Commission says there were over 100,000 visitors to Commissioners Park to see the tulips last Saturday and Sunday.

With the final weekend of the Canadian Tulip Festival expected to draw crowds to see the tulips and enjoy the fireworks and drone show on Sunday evening, CTV News Ottawa looks at what you need to know to get to the Canadian Tulip Festival.

On-street parking

If you are driving to the Canadian Tulip Festival at Commissioners Park, Ottawa Bylaw Services encourages people to check the parking signs on city streets.

On-street parking is available at parking meters and on streets in the Dows Lake and Little Italy area, but signs will tell you when and where you can park.

• Bylaw officers issue hundreds of parking tickets on streets around Canadian Tulip Festival

Bylaw Services director Roger Chapman tells CTV News Ottawa 372 parking tickets were issued between May 9 and 11 in the Little Italy and Dows Lake areas for “various parking infractions.”

“Bylaw and Regulatory Services reminds all visitors attending the Tulip Festival to adhere to the City’s Traffic and Parking Bylaw and to pay close attention to signage, as some restrictions have been updated specifically for the event,” Chapman said in a statement.

Canadian Tulip Festival executive director Jo Riding encourages people to park in paid parking lots near Commissioners Park or at Carleton University.

“We do recommend if you’re going to try neighbourhood parking, to follow the posted signage because we can’t stop Bylaw from issuing tickets if you’re not parked in the correct spot,” Riding told CTV News Ottawa.

Parking lots

The Canadian Tulip Festival encourages people driving to Commissioners Park to park at Carleton University Lot P7.

There is a $12 daily flat rate, with some of the proceeds supporting the Canadian Tulip Legacy.

It’s an eight-minute walk to the festival at Commissioners Park, according to the tulip festival.

There is a City of Ottawa parking lot at 301 Preston Street, with 60 total spaces available.

There are also parking lots available on Preston Street and Beech Street for motorists to pay for parking. The Canadian Tulip Festival says you can also park at the Canada Agriculture and Food Museum.

OC Transpo

You can ride the O-Train to see the tulips at Commissioners Park.

The new O-Train Line 2 stops at the Dows Lake Station, which is a short walk to Commissioners Park. The O-Train will be running all weekend.

OC Transpo buses also stop near Commissioners Park.

Walking, bicycling

You can walk or bicycle to see the tulips at Commissioners Park this weekend.

The park is located along the Rideau Canal Pathway.

Other spots

The tulips are also in bloom at several locations across Ottawa and Gatineau.

• 6 locations to view the tulips in Ottawa-Gatineau in May

Here is a list of places to see the tulips besides Commissioners Park.

• The Rideau Canal: Stroll, run or cycle along Queen Elizabeth Driveway and see the tulips.
• Downtown Ottawa: The tulips are in bloom at Major’s Hill Park, along Confederation Boulevard and at the National War Memorial.
• Downtown Gatineau: Tulips are on display near the Alexandra Bridge, in Jacques-Cartier Park and at the Canadian Museum of History.