WESTBORO REAL ESTATE
Things to Do in Westboro: Village, Beach and Parks
By Jason Polonski, REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty · Last updated: October 2026
The best things to do in Westboro are swimming, paddling and cross-country skiing at Westboro Beach, walking or cycling the Ottawa River pathway, shopping and eating along Richmond Road in Westboro Village, and taking part in the neighbourhood’s year-round community events. Almost all of it is within walking distance of home, which is exactly why so many people choose to live here.
This guide is written for both visitors and anyone thinking of moving to Westboro. Alongside each activity, you will find what it means for daily life, and which streets and home types put you closest to it. For the full neighbourhood and real estate picture, see the Westboro real estate and neighbourhood guide.
Westboro Beach: Swimming, Paddling and Winter Trails
Westboro Beach is the neighbourhood’s backyard. It sits on the Ottawa River at 745 Kichi Zībī Mīkan and is managed by the National Capital Commission, which recently renovated the pavilions and added riverfront lookouts, a playground, outdoor showers and accessible washrooms.
Summer at the beach
For 2026, the NCC listed City of Ottawa swim supervision from June 20 to August 30, from noon to 7 pm. Equipment rentals, including kayaks, paddleboards and canoes, run through the summer when the weather allows. A year-round restaurant and a seasonal café mean you can stay for dinner. Supervision and dates can change from year to year, so check the City of Ottawa beaches page before you go.
Winter on the river
In winter, the beach becomes a trailhead for the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail, with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and snow biking along the river. For Westboro residents, it is one of the best reasons to stay active in an Ottawa winter without getting in the car.
Parking at the beach is limited, so most locals walk or cycle. Homes on the streets north of Richmond Road put you closest.
Shopping and Dining in Westboro Village
Richmond Road is Westboro’s main street and the heart of Westboro Village. It is known for outdoor and fitness retailers, including MEC and Lululemon, along with independent boutiques, bookshops, cafés, bakeries and restaurants. Everyday errands are close by too, which is a big part of why many residents rarely need the car.
The Westboro Village BIA organizes events through the year. Recent programming has included a summer sidewalk sale, free outdoor movies, a Halloween celebration, open mic nights and seasonal workshops. Check the BIA’s calendar for what is on this month.
Patios and evenings out
In warm weather, patios line Richmond Road and spill onto side streets. Westboro’s dining scene is more relaxed and family-friendly than the bar strip further east in Hintonburg, which suits many residents. If you want more nightlife, Wellington Street West is a short bike ride away; see Westboro vs Hintonburg for how the two compare.
Living above or beside the main street is one of the main draws of Westboro condos, where you can be at a café in two minutes.
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Parks, Pathways and Green Space
The Ottawa River pathway
The National Capital Commission’s Capital Pathway follows the Ottawa River past Westboro, giving residents a continuous, car-free route for walking, running and cycling. Head east toward downtown or west toward Britannia and its beach. It is one of the most scenic commutes in the city for cyclists heading downtown.
Byron Avenue’s linear park
A long, narrow green space follows Byron Avenue just south of Richmond Road, along the route of a former streetcar line, according to the neighbourhood’s local history. It is a quiet walking route parallel to the main street, and the Westboro cenotaph sits nearby between Richmond Road and Byron Avenue.
Maplelawn Garden
At the western edge of the old village, the walled Maplelawn Garden is part of a National Historic Site dating to 1831 and a peaceful stop on a Richmond Road walk when the garden is open.
Neighbourhood parks
Smaller parks with play structures, sports fields and outdoor rinks are spread through the residential streets, including McKellar Park. Many families choose a street based on which park is closest; our guide to Westboro’s neighbourhoods shows what each pocket offers.
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Recreation, Fitness and Family Programs
The Dovercourt Recreation Centre at 411 Dovercourt Avenue is one of the most popular community centres in the west end. It is run by a non-profit association and offers swimming lessons and drop-in swims, a fitness centre, arts and sports programs, summer and holiday camps, and after-school care. It also has a café and an art gallery, and it runs two neighbourhood field houses, including one at McKellar Park.
For families, Dovercourt’s camps and swim programs are a real factor in choosing Westboro. Registration for popular programs fills quickly, so new residents should sign up for the centre’s updates as soon as they move in.
Westboro is also home to Nepean High School on Broadview Avenue, and school-age families often plan their move around school boundaries. Confirm the schools for any specific address before buying; our Westboro schools guide explains the 2027 boundary changes.
Arts, Culture and Nearby Neighbourhoods
Westboro residents are a short walk or ride from Wellington Village and Hintonburg, where you will find the Parkdale Market in warm weather, independent galleries and the Great Canadian Theatre Company. The Wellington West BIA lists events in those neighbourhoods. Downtown, the ByWard Market and the National Arts Centre are a short drive or, soon, an O-Train ride away.
A Year in Westboro: Things to Do by Season
Spring
As the snow melts, the river pathway fills with runners and cyclists again, and patios start opening along Richmond Road. The seasonal café at Westboro Beach opens in mid-May, which is when many residents start their evening walks down to the river.
Summer
Summer is Westboro at its busiest. Supervised swimming, paddleboard and kayak rentals, and long evenings at the beach fill the calendar. Recent summers have also brought free outdoor movies and the Westboro Village sidewalk sale in August, when shops bring their racks onto Richmond Road.
Fall
Fall colours along the Ottawa River are a highlight, and the beach café stays open until mid-October. Westboro Village also marks Halloween with community events, and the main street settles into a quieter, cosy rhythm of cafés and bookshops.
Winter
Winter is when Westboro Beach becomes a trailhead for the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail, with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and sledding right on the river. Richmond Road’s shops make holiday shopping on foot easy, and community workshops and indoor programs at Dovercourt keep families busy through the colder months.
Getting Around Westboro Without a Car
Westboro is one of Ottawa’s most walkable neighbourhoods, and it is about to get better connected. The O-Train Line 1 western extension adds Westboro and Kichi Zībī stations, both within walking distance of Westboro Beach according to the NCC. City officials have targeted early 2027 for the western service, as Capital Current reported; check OC Transpo for updates.
For everyday errands, most residents walk to Richmond Road. Cycling is easy on the river pathway and on quieter residential streets. If you are deciding whether you can live without a car, our guide to the best areas to live in Ottawa without a car puts Westboro in context.
What Living Near It All Means for Buyers
The amenities that make Westboro fun to visit also shape its real estate. Homes within an easy walk of Richmond Road, the river and Westboro Beach tend to attract the most buyer interest and hold their value well. The trade-offs are weekend traffic, busier parking on streets close to the main strip, and more noise near patios in summer.
Walk the area at different times of day before you buy. A quiet street one block off Richmond Road can feel very different from a home that backs onto a restaurant’s delivery lane. If your budget points to a detached house, our guides to character homes and infill homes explain what you will find.
Thinking About Moving to Westboro?
Jason Polonski is a REALTOR® with more than 15 years of experience helping hundreds of buyers and sellers across Ottawa. He knows which Westboro streets put you closest to the beach, the pathway and Richmond Road, and which are quieter than they look on a map. His background in construction and the electrical trades means he can also tell you what the house itself is likely to need, so you are not only buying a lifestyle but a home that works.
If you are moving up or downsizing within Ottawa, Jason coordinates your sale and purchase so your timing lines up. Learn more about Jason, read client reviews on his Google Business Profile, browse Westboro homes for sale, or see the Westboro REALTOR® page.
Call or text (613) 601-9333 to book a Westboro walking tour.
See also: our Westboro homes and neighbourhood guide.
Things to Do in Westboro FAQs
Westboro is known for Richmond Road’s shops and restaurants, Westboro Beach on the Ottawa River, walkable tree-lined streets, and a village feel within Ottawa’s inner west end.
Yes, during the supervised season. For 2026, the NCC listed City swim supervision from June 20 to August 30, from noon to 7 pm, so check current dates before you go.
There is a paid lot across from the beach with limited spaces, plus a drop-off area. Most locals walk, cycle or take transit.
Westboro Beach becomes a trailhead for the Kichi Sibi Winter Trail, with cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and snow biking along the Ottawa River.
Many families choose Westboro for its walkability, Westboro Beach, the Dovercourt Recreation Centre and nearby schools. Confirm school boundaries for any specific address.
Westboro is reachable by bus, bike and the Ottawa River pathway, and the O-Train Line 1 western extension adds Westboro and Kichi Zībī stations, with service targeted for early 2027.
