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The 3 places worth the trip
Places near Ottawa by type
All 226 places by distance →One day from Ottawa
5 stops, one loop, back by 6:57 pm
88 km on the road, in driving order so you don’t double back. Times assume an 8 am start and typical visit lengths.
- Leave Ottawa
- Buffalo Rock State Parknature spot · 2 hrs
- Starved Rock State Parknature spot · 2 hrs
- Matthiessen State Parknature spot · 2 hrs
- LaSalle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Arealake · 45 min
- Illini State Parknature spot · 2 hrs
- Back in Ottawa
Questions people ask
What are the best places to visit near Ottawa?
Volvo Island (island, about 5 km), Buffalo Rock State Park (nature spot, about 9 km), Illini State Park (nature spot, about 11 km), Starved Rock State Park (nature spot, about 17 km), First Presbyterian Church (church, about 1 km), Matthiessen State Park (nature spot, about 21 km).
How many tourist places are there within 50 km of Ottawa?
96 places on Spotwander: 24 forts & heritage, 23 churches, 12 lakes, dams & reservoirs, 7 wildlife, forests & gardens, 4 museums.
Which is the nearest fort to Ottawa?
Civil War Memorial, about 1 km by road; Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas (1 km) is next.
Which is the nearest church to Ottawa?
First Presbyterian Church, about 1 km by road; First Congregational Church (1 km) is next.
What is a good one-day trip from Ottawa?
Start in Ottawa, visit Buffalo Rock State Park, then Starved Rock State Park, then Matthiessen State Park, then LaSalle Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area, then Illini State Park, and drive back — about 88 km by road in all.