Major's Hill Park

Major's Hill Park sits on the bluff behind the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, overlooking the Ottawa River, the Rideau Canal locks and Parliament Hill. For decades it has been one of the city's best-known outdoor gay cruising areas, a role recorded in Ottawa's queer history projects and in cruising directories alike. Today the reality is more muted than the reputation. The park is a busy, well-lit tourist space with regular National Capital Commission patrols and CCTV, and much of the after-dark activity that once happened here has moved to apps. Anyone visiting should keep expectations modest and exercise discretion. A note on history: the park was the site of anti-gay violence in the 1980s, and that memory is part of why the local community treats it with care. Same-sex activity is fully legal in Canada, but public spaces carry their own etiquette and risks. Come for the views and the location; be respectful of other park users, and stay aware of your surroundings after dark.