Ottawa

Ottawa, the Canadian capital, features rich history, grand Victorian High Gothic architecture, a lively canal, gorgeous scenery along the Ottawa River, and many easily-accessed attractions within a small area.

Overview Attractions / Activities Food Final Comments

Ottawa—Canada’s political center and seat of government—is named after the Ottawa River whose name is derived from the Algonquin word “adaawe”, meaning “to trade.” Standing at the confluence of English and French cultures, Ottawa is home to many cultural and artistic institutions and a wide assortment of attractions.

While this Canadian city is often neglected in favor of more popular ones such as Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, it is so wonderfully unique, picturesque, and rich in history. It is also cheaper than the more popular cities, so I recommend visiting it alongside nearby cities such as Montreal and Toronto.

If you are a Witcher fan, then I would like to note that the combination of nature, vast fields, bodies of water, and buildings are reminiscent of a modern-day Toussaint. And, when you do visit, follow this Ottawa Adventure Guide to maximize your experience.

Note: I highly recommend looking at Canada’s main destination page. It has an overview of the entire country (various cities, some history, synopsis, climate, communication, navigation, costs, ratings on cost/food/popularity, attractions/activities, special considerations, etc.) alongside some interesting facts about the country as a whole.

Recommended Duration of Visit

3 days (ideal), 2 days (doable), 1 day (difficult)

Click for some interesting facts about Ottawa

Ottawa was originally named Bytown (pronounced “Bee town”) after British military engineer Colonel John By who was responsible for the entire Rideau Waterway construction project.
Ottawa is considered the most educated city in Canada.
When frozen during the winter, the Rideau Canal becomes the longest skating rink in the world.
Ottawa is the fourth most populous city in Canada.
When Queen Victoria chose Ottawa to be the capital, people joked that invaders would get lost in the forest trying to find Canada’s Capital.

Before You Go

Flights / Getting There: The best way to get to Ottawa is from Montreal or Toronto. The shortest distance is from Montreal.

Overview

Climate: Ottawa’s climate intuitively follows the normal pattern of North America. There is one distinction: winters (December, January, February) are colder (subzero sometimes) and summers (June, July, August) are less warm compared to the United States.

Communication: French is widely spoken in Ottawa. Therefore, English and French are the official languages. In fact, many signs will be in French and English.

Navigation: The city is very easy to navigate because almost all major attractions are within walking distance of each other. Simply mark your desired destinations on a map and chart the best walking route. The attractions (in the attractions section) will all be near each other. Note that it’s very hard to find an Uber ride if you are on the outskirts of Ottawa (across the Alexandra Bridge).

Lodging: Unless you specifically want to stay at one of the many hostels/hotels in central Ottawa, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to stay on the outskirts of Ottawa. I stayed at Duvernay Studios & Suites across the river, but most of the neighboring hotels should be fine. If your lodging is across the river, simply use the straightforward public transportation to reach the city’s center.

Activities Planning: With the exception of the attractions in Gatineau Park, all major attractions are within an easily-accessed and walkable radius—with Major’s Hill Park in the middle. Do note that the Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canadian War Museum are rather far from the city center. Aside from museums and the National Gallery, most other places are free to visit.

Special Considerations

While I’ve listed some of the most major attractions in Ottawa, there are so many statues, monuments, and historical objects scattered throughout the city. You can simply look around and there will likely be another wonderful attraction waiting to be explored.

General: Similar to almost all other cities in Canada, student IDs help tremendously when it comes to reducing attraction costs.

Peak Seasons: Summer is definitely the peak season. Being surrounded by large bodies of water, Ottawa is quite popular during the warmer months.

Currency: Canadian Dollars (CAD). Currency Converter.

Things to Do: Attractions and Activities

Many attractions are outside. Please make sure to monitor the weather and plan accordingly.

Canadian Museum of History: This museum is Canada’s national museum of history. Although its purpose is to portray the history and cultural diversity of Canada, it also features an incredibly detailed and phenomenal Neanderthal exhibit, a First Nations exhibit, a stamp exhibit, and even a movie theater.

Cost: You can find more information and buy tickets on the official Canadian Museum of History website. Recommended Duration of Visit: 2 – 3 hours.

National Gallery of Canada: As the national art gallery of Canada, this museum is one of the largest in North America. It features over 90,000 works from European, American, Canadian, Asian, Contemporary, and Native American artists. It is also easily-recognized for the massive spider statue near its entrance.

Cost: You can find more information and buy tickets on the official National Gallery of Canada website. Recommended Duration of Visit: 2 – 3 hours.

Since there is so much to see in this museum, rushing through this place is not recommended. The museum is also across the Alexandra Bridge, so plan for the appropriate transportation. You can also simply take a 20-minute walk across the bridge.

You cannot take your backpack into this museum, so you will have to leave it at the coat check. There are numerous wings for the galleries, so it can feel confusing at times. Simply pay close attention to the signs guiding the way.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica: This Roman Catholic minor basilica is one of the National Historic Sites of Canada. As the oldest and largest church in Ottawa, it is most recognized by its twin spires.

Cost: Free to visit (when I visited anyway), but you can find more information at the official Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica website. Recommended Duration of Visit: 15 – 30 minutes.

Major’s Hill Park: Located in downtown Ottawa, this massive and beautiful park stands above the Rideau Canal at the point where it enters the Ottawa River. Here, you will have an incredible view across the water. This park, at the center of most major attractions in Ottawa, is a nice quiet retreat away from the bustle of the city.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 30 – 60 minutes.

Make sure to check the hours ahead of time before entering, because there might be ongoing events. The National Gallery is across the street.

Many excellent photos can be taken from the edge of the park. There is also a nice restaurant with a lovely view at the edge of the park (Tavern on the Hill).

Hotel Fairmont Château Laurier: Due to its Gothic Revival design and massive scale, this 5-star hotel in Ottawa resembles a palace. At 660,000 square feet (61,320 square meters), it features elegant rooms, elaborate hallways, and exquisite architecture.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 10 – 15 minutes.

Rideau Canal: This canal is the oldest continuously operated canal system in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite being one of the main attractions of Ottawa, it has a dark past. Over 1,000 workers died during its construction (mostly due to malaria). For this reason, you will find graves and commemorative plaques scattered around the region.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 1 – 2 hours.

Since it’s a hotel, you have the option to book a (very expensive) room. If you walk toward the Rideau Canal, you can get a much better view of the hotel.

When frozen during the winter, the Rideau Canal is the longest skating rink in the world. The main point of interest is “Rideau Canal, Locks 1 – 8 (it can be searched on google maps).

Valiants Memorial: This military monument commemorates 14 key figures in Canadian military history. There are 9 busts and 5 life-sized statues of these legendary Canadians. They are widely revered, as evidenced by the quote, “No day will ever erase you from the memory of time.”

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 30 – 60 minutes.

The Famous Five: The Famous Five commemorates 5 prominent Canadian suffragists who advocated for women and children. Their history revolves around asking one crucial question, “Does the word ‘Persons’ in Section 24 of the British North America Act of 1867 include female persons?” This was known as the ‘Persons’ Case of 1929—a landmark case paving the way for Canadian women’s equality. Also, I like how one of the ladies is just sitting there drinking hella tea.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 15 – 20 minutes.

The Valiants Memorial is relatively close to Hotel Fairmont Château Laurier. There are also stairs leading down into a section of the Rideau Canal.

There is actually much more to this monument than the five statues. There are numerous information boards scattered in the area—all dedicated to Canadian female leaders.

National War Memorial: This memorial—entitled The Response—commemorates the courageous Canadians who died during the First World War, Second World War, Korean War, War in Afghanistan, and all Canadians killed in all conflicts past and future. The figures represent all of the forces engaged in the First World War. Numerous inscribed dates commemorate those involved in World War 2, War in Afghanistan, and the Korean War, respectively.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 30 – 60 minutes.

ByWard Market: This retail and entertainment district is a combination of buildings and open-air shops. The colorful street art, unique boutiques, trendy food shops, and lively nightlife make this place a prime destination for locals and visitors alike.

Cost: Variable depending on activity. Recommended Duration of Visit: 2 – 3 hours.

There is also the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the base of the memorial—a symbol of the sacrifices made by all Canadians who have died or may yet die for their country.

The “By” is pronounced like “bee.” This place has most of your entertainment and food needs. There are strip clubs, gay bars, restaurants, and a bunch of other places worth visiting.

Peace Tower: The Peace Tower—also known as the Tower of Victory and Peace—is the bell and clock tower on the Canadian Parliament’s Central Block. The tower is a memorial to the courageous Canadians who fought for the liberties of Canada in the Great War. Unique in design, it is the defining feature of the parliament buildings.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 15 – 30 minutes.

Centennial Flame: Located at the center of Parliament Hill, the Centennial Flame commemorates Canada’s 100^th anniversary as a Confederation. The flame is surrounded by a fountain. Many visitors throw coins into the fountain for luck. The change is actually put into a government bank account and given in the form of a Centennial Flame Research Award.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 5 – 10 minutes.

Ottawa’s Parliament is comprised of three blocks—West Block, East Block, and Central Block. The entire area itself is massive, with a central field and multiple surrounding buildings. Visiting during the early mornings is ideal.

Similar to the Peace Tower, visiting during the earling mornings is ideal because the area becomes very crowded later in the day (making it very hard to get a photo without someone photobombing you).

Champlain Lookout: Located in the massive and beautiful Gatineau Park, Champlain Lookout overlooks Ottawa’s valley and river. Nearby, wooden stairs lead to the Champlain Trail that provides various different viewing points.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 1 – 3 hours (dependent on whether you decide to go hiking).

Pink Lake: As the most impressive lake in Gatineau Park, Pink Lake is meromictic—meaning the upper and lower layers of water never mix. Despite the name, the lake is actually green. It is named after the Pink family who settled in the area in 1826 (crazy coincidence, I know). There is also a scenic and relatively simple hiking trail looping around the lake.

Cost: Free to visit. Recommended Duration of Visit: 1 – 2 hours.

On the way to the lookout, there is much more wonderful scenery worth seeing. At the lookout, there may be sections blocked off due to possible structural integrity issues, so make sure to look for warning signs.

Pink Lake has a very delicate ecosystem, so you cannot swim in it. You also cannot walk animals near the lake. The parking lot is closed 30 minutes after sunset to 8 am. To see the best parts of the lake, you need not hike more than 1 mile (1.6 km) one way.