Ottawa
From World travel guide
Ottawa (City of Weeds) is the capital of Canada. The city is situated along the Ontario side of the Ottawa River, opposite Gatineau, Quebec.
Unique as a North American capital, the city is bilingual with the majority of the population speaking English and a significant number also speaking French. Ottawa is home to many of the world's cultures as thousands of immigrants from around the world now call Ottawa home. The city is probably best known as the nation's capital but has become one of the fastest growing cities in North America owing to the booming high-tech business sector.
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Understand
Ottawa started as a humble lumber town, then called Bytown, named after Colonel John By who oversaw the construction of the Rideau Canal, much of which done by hand, between 1826 and 1832. Lumber mills were built along the Ottawa River in the mid-nineteenth century and those brought employment and wealth to the growing population. The center of action then, as now, was the Byward Market. While it's still the centre of the city's nightlife, it has changed appreciably from the rough and tumble early days of brothels and taverns.
In 1857, Queen Victoria chose Ottawa as the capital of Canada. During the latter half of the nineteenth century, the telephone was demonstrated to the Canadian public for the first time and the city was electrified. The first electric streetcar service was started in 1891. A menu from 1892 states that, "the first instance in the entire world of an entire meal being cooked by Electricity" was in Ottawa.
Today, the major economic sectors are the public service, travel and tourism and the high-tech industry. Ottawa has proudly remained a green city, and many residents make regular use of Ottawa's parks and green spaces. Many national attractions are located in Ottawa: Parliament Hill; the National Library and Archives; the National Art Museum; as well as the Museums of Civilization, Contemporary Photography, Nature, and Science & Technology.
Get in
By plane
The newly renovated and expanded Macdonald-Cartier International (airport code YOW) is Ottawa's main airport with regular arrivals and departures from most major Canadian and many American cities. Services outside North America, however, are limited to a daily flight to London and most Ottawa-bound passengers will find themselves transiting through Montreal or Toronto.
Macdonald-Cartier is easily reached by public transit or taxi and most of the major car rental agencies have a presence at the airport terminal in the parking garage. A taxi to downtown hotels should cost between $20 and $30. There are also hotels within minutes of the airport and a less than $10 taxi ride.
To reach downtown via public transit, hop on the #97 bus and get off at the Rideau Centre transitway stop (approx. 14 stops), which is also called Mackenzie King. If you take this route before 6:00am you will take the more meandering early morning route, but will still get to Mackenzie King. To get to the train station you also take the #97 bus, but get off at Hurdman station and take the #95 eastbound bus to the next stop which is the train station. Bus fare is approximately $2 for 1.5 hours, or approximately $6 for the whole day.
By bus
There is a Voyageur/Greyhound terminal in Ottawa with regular service to Montreal, Toronto and all other cities in North America. The bus terminal is on the corner Catherine Street and Kent Street, between Bronson Avenue and Bank Street. The airport is a good distance away from downtown, so it would be wise to take the 97 bus downtown, which costs $3.00 and takes 15 minutes to get there.(As you come out of the terminal's main entrance, you will be facing south. Turn left and walk to the corner. Turn left again, and walk north on Kent one block. The bus stop is on the East side of the street.)
A taxi to most downtown hotels should cost between $10 and $15.
By train
Passenger train service is run by Via Rail in Canada and the train station in Ottawa is less than ten minutes from downtown by car, taxi or bus. There are several trains daily leaving for Montreal, Toronto and points in between.
By boat
The city is also accessible via the Rideau Canal, which runs from the St. Lawrence River at Kingston to the Ottawa River at Ottawa. It is possible to dock at Dow's Lake Pavilion and at points along the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River near downtown.
By car
By car, Ottawa is about a 4.5 hour trip from Toronto via the 401 and 416 highways. Montreal is 2 hours away via highway 417. The American border at Ogdensburg, NY is only 45 minutes away to the south.
Get around
Public transit
The city's public transit is run by OC Transpo and includes the bus service as well as the O-Train light rail system. The network includes the Transitway, a bus rapid transit system running through and out of downtown, with frequent service (on the order of 1-2 minutes at rush hour).
Standard bus fare is $2.75 CAD cash or 2 tickets. Tickets cost 92.5¢ CAD each and are available from local stores in sheets of 10. Children 6-11 require only one ticket. Upon boarding you will be given a transfer which allows you to ride any number of buses or trains until its expiry (in roughly 2 hours). A day pass can be purchased on any bus for $6.50 (or $6 if pre-purchased at a vendor) and is good for both buses and the train. On Sundays, families (up to 2 adults and 4 children, age 11 and under) can share a day pass.
The O-Train operates on a "Proof of payment" (POP) system. Valid proof of payment is a bus transfer (see above), or an O-Train ticket purchased from the automated vending machines for $2.10 CAD. Note that the vending machine does not accept bus tickets, nor are bus tickets acceptable proof of payment. Children 11 and under can ride the O-train for free.
By car
Parking at most attractions is convenient, though on-street parking in downtown areas is sometimes at a premium. If you are driving to downtown on the weekend, parking is free in the garage at the World Exchange Plaza. There are entrances to the garage on both Metcalfe Street and Laurier Street. A map is useful if you are going to be driving around downtown as many of the streets are one-way and more than one visitor has complained about navigating the downtown core.
Most major car rental companies have several offices in Ottawa with all of them represented downtown and at the airport.
On foot
A good place to start a walking tour would be the travel information centre directly opposite Parliament Hill on Wellington Street. They have maps and brochures for most tourist attractions in Ottawa, many of which are within walking distance. During the summer months, the temperature and humidity can get rather high so definitely bring water if you'll be doing a lot of walking. If you are walking along the public pathways near the canal or the river, there are drinking fountains to refill your bottles.
By bicycle
There are usually a few options for renting bicycles downtown, and of course you can always bring your own. Ottawa is very accessible to cyclists. Again, you may want to start immediately opposite Parliament Hill to pick up a map of the area or find a bicycle rental. Cycling to the attractions around downtown Ottawa is a great way to get around, but don't ignore the Gatineau side of the river. They have several attractions along the river including the Museum of Civilization and if you want to really stretch your legs, Gatineau Park has many kilometers of great cycling paths.
The city is criss-crossed by many bicycle paths, some of which are shared with motorists, and some are shared with pedestrians. The city provides maps of the routes.
OC Transpo, the city bus company has bicycle racks on the front of many buses. You can load your bike on the rack and then ride the bus for the normal passenger fare.
See
There are many national museums and galleries in Ottawa and neighboring Gatineau. All museums in Ottawa have free admission on Canada Day, July 1, but most people are outside enjoying the party.
- Canadian War Museum -- moved to a new building west of downtown in 2005
- Science and Technology Museum
- Museum of Nature
- Museum of Civilization
- National Gallery
- Royal Canadian Mint
- National Aviation Museum
- Parliament Hill is definitely worth a visit.
For the sports fan, Ottawa has professional hockey, football and lacrosse teams:
- Ottawa Senators -- National Hockey League (NHL)
- Ottawa 67's -- Canadian Hockey League (CHL)
- Ottawa Renegades -- Canadian Football League {CFL}
- Ottawa Lynx -- Triple 'A' baseball
- Ottawa Wizards -- Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL)
Do
If you enjoy the outdoors, especially if you are a cyclist, you should definitely visit Gatineau Park just across the river from Ottawa. Bicycles can be rented during the summer months at the northeast corner of the Chateau Laurier. Ottawa and the surrounding area boasts over 170km of public paved trails on which you can run, bike, walk or rollerblade. These trails extend throughout Ottawa, to the Quebec side of the Ottawa River and lead all the way to Gatineau Park and beyond.
In winter, go skating on the longest outdoor skating rink in the world, the Rideau canal. Skates can be rented, and refreshments purchased, from vendors right on the ice. This is also a great place to enjoy a "beaver tail" which is a local specialty - a bit like funnel cake, often enjoyed with lemon and sugar.
In early spring (typically March), when the daytime temperatures are above freezing and night temperatures are below freezing, consider visiting a sugarbush for fresh maple syrup. There are many to choose from in the region if you have a car to drive out of the city.
Ottawa is host to over 60 festivals and events per year, including:
- Ottawa Jazz Festival in summer
- Bluesfest, also in summer
- The Fringe Festival, another summer offering
- Winterlude, winter fun featuring ice carving and snow sculptures
- The Tulip Festival, a spring bonanza of flowering bulbs, given annually by the Dutch government
- Canada Day, celebrate Canada's birthday in Ottawa
Learn
The two comprehensive undergraduate universities in the city are Carleton University and the University of Ottawa. St. Paul's University is a seminary with ties to the University of Ottawa. There is also the Algonquin College and the Cité Collégiale.
Work
The Federal Government is the region's largest employer with the high-tech sector firmly in second place. Unless you are a Canadian resident, you will need a work visa to work in Ottawa.
Buy
The Byward Market area of downtown Ottawa, located east of the Rideau Canal and the Chateau Laurier, is probably the area's best known shopping district. In summer, stalls selling fresh produce line the streets, but even in the middle of winter there are some hardy vendors braving the cold — and maple syrup bought here costs half the price of souvenir shops elsewhere in the city.
Larger shopping malls include the Rideau Centre (downtown), St. Laurent Shopping Centre (East End), the Bayshore Shopping Centre and Carlingwood Mall (West End).
Eat
Ethnic foods from around the world are available at a wide variety of restaurants and street vendors throughout the city. The Byward Market area has a wide selection of different cuisines; the Chinatown area, with plenty of different Asian places, is along Somerset Ave. between Bronson Ave. and Preston St; Little Italy runs along the length of Preston Street, from Carling Avenue to Albert Street.
Also try the tasty beaver tail, a doughy, deep-fried pastry created in Ottawa and available in sweet and savory versions, topped with cinnamon, sugar, icing sugar, etc.
Budget
Ottawa probably has more shawarma (kebab and fixings in pita bread) restaurants than any other place on Earth and most of them will serve up a great shawarma for around $5. Their busy times are typically on weekends after the bars close. The Market and Elgin St. both have several restaurants to choose from. The usual range of diners, bagel shops and fast food restaurants can be found in shopping areas throughout the city.
- DiRienzo's Deli, Beech Street (just west of Preston Street). This little deli tucked away in Little Italy, a secret to many locals, is famous for the best and freshest deli sandwiches in the city for $3.50 CAD. During the week the lineup can stretch outside of the packed little store, but they are arguably the fastest sandwich makers anywhere so don't worry about a long wait.
- Downstairs at the corner of Elgin and Gladstone are a symbiotic pair of businesses, a pub and a shawarma shop. Get a glass in the pub, walk next door to pick up excellent Lebanese food, bring it back to eat.
Mid-range
Major restaurant areas can be found on Elgin Street, on Bank Street in Centretown, on Bank Street in the Glebe, in Westboro and in the Byward Market, with entrees ranging from $12-$25. Similar restaurants can be found in major suburban shopping areas too.
- The Empire Grill, Clarence St, [1]. Has a great patio in the summer and delicious food year-round. Expect to pay about $10 for an entree.
- Johnny Farina's, Elgin St, [2].
- Vineyards, in the Byward Market, [3]. An excellent restaurant with the widest selection of world beers and wines in Ottawa.
- Pub Italia, 434 1/2 Preston Street (near Dow's Lake and the Experimental Farm), [4]. An Irish/Italian pub with over 100 bottled beers listed in its "Beer Bible".
- The Highlander PubThe Highlander Pub in the Byward Market is an absolutely fantastic restaurant with not only great pub fare, but traditional Scottish food, such as haggis. It is a good place also after a long day of sightseeing and you need a drink, with any spirit, wine or beer you can think of. It has a warm, friendly environment, with plenty of patio room. An average tab for a full meal for 5 should be about $80 CND.
Splurge
- Domus, 85 Murray Street, [5]. An outstanding restaurant with an award wining chef serving regional Canadian cuisine. Reservations on 241-6007.
- Signatures, at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute, [6]. The best french restaurant in Ottawa. Rated 3 stars by Where to Eat in Canada one year after opening.
- Eighteen, located in the Byward Market, [7]. An upscale, modern restaurant and bar located in a renovated 19th century heritage building. It is THE place to see and be seen.
- The Merlot at the Ottawa Marriott Hotel (100 Kent St.) has received glowing reviews for its cuisine and is Ottawa's only revolving restaurant. A bill of $150 is not uncommon after dinner for two.
Drink
The most popular bar areas are in the Byward Market, along Wellington Avenue in Westboro and along both Elgin Street and Bank Street between Somerset and Gladstone in the Centretown area. There are pubs and bars scattered throughout the city as well. In the last few years there has been an obvious increase in Irish-/British-style pubs in many areas. In the Byward Market on Clarence St. you will find Patty Boland's, the Black Thorn, and Ottawa's largest pub complex, the Irish Village. Along Elgin St. there's the Lieutenant's Pump and The Manx. If you are in little Italy (along Preston St) you can find Pub Italia, which has a large selection of beers from the world (especially Belgian).
The other local trend is with new clubs and lounges having numbers in their names. In the Market you have Suite 34 at 34 Clarence St. and E18hteen at 18 York St. On Elgin there's Club 292 at 292 Elgin and more.
You can also take a small trip over the Ottawa river to Gatineau. Bars on both sides of the river close at 2:00 am.
Note that smoking is not permitted in any Ottawa bars or restaurants. If you must smoke, you will need to sit on a patio or cross the river to Gatineau where smoking is still permitted.
Sleep
Budget
- Ottawa Jail Hostel, 75 Nicholas Street (across the street from the Rideau Centre), 235-2595, [8]. A member of Hostelling International, this hostel is in the old Ottawa Jail; the bedrooms are actually old jail cells. It's close to the Byward Market and downtown. Tours available. $22.05/dorm for HI members, $26.25 for non. Sleeping bags not allowed.
- Ottawa Backpackers Inn, 203 York Street, 1-888-394-0334, [9]. Part of Backpackers Hostels Canada, includes kitchen, internet and free coffee/tea. $20/night.
Mid-range
- Best Western Victoria Park Suites, 377 O'Connor St. (near Elgin St.). The hotel is downtown near the Museum of Nature. $100 (and up).
- Albert House Inn, 478 Albert Street, [10]. The house is old but kept well, the people are very nice and the breakfast is generous. The bedrooms are clean and cosy and you can borrow books and newspapers.
Splurge
- Arc, Slater Street (near Parliament Hill), [11]. A trendy boutique hotel with prices to match its style.
- Chateau Laurier, (near Parliament Hill), [12]. The city's most famous luxury hotel and one of the oldest.
Stay safe
Ottawa is not a dangerous place, so if you use common sense it is as safe as any other city. There are many tourists in the city, especially in summer months, and there are very few incidents of robbery or assault.
Get out
External links
<rdf>
- Page is about a place
- Ottawa dcterms:spatial place:Ottawa .
- The place is at this lat and long position
place:Ottawa pos:lat "45.44"; pos:long "-75.6946" . </rdf>
