Ottawa, An Excellent Place for Vacations
Visiting Ottawa will be an experience with lot of things to do, no matter the time of year. Ottawa is the capital of Canada, bordering provinces of Ontario and Quebec. Otawa originally named Bytown. Otawa has endured a vast and interesting history.
You can find a lot of vacation locations to go to in the remarkable city of Ottawa. Dedicating a whole day to walking in its downtown core will prove to be an fascinating journey.
1. Parliament Hill, home to our House of Commons where federal decisions and Canadian history is made. At all hours of the day everyone can freely explore the sites and grounds. Make sure to take a free tour of the main building, simply arrive at the main doors and a tour will commence once a large enough group have gathered. The exterior grounds are filled with statues and sculptures to commemorate historical figures and events. Check out the cat sanctuary run by volunteers, who give stray cats a home.
The cats were originally welcomed to rid Parliament hill from a rodent infestation, and are now a permanent fixture on the grounds.
2. Chateau Laurier
A prestige hotel famous for never receiving its original furniture shipment as it sank with the Titanic. Continue by walking through Major Hill’s Park behind the castle, finally making your way to the Byward Market.
3. Downtown Ottawa.
The Market is filled with eating places and fashion shop, booming during the daytime and evening; but it are also filled with famous bars and clubs, which thrive at night. You can relax in Ottawa’s oldest pub, Lafayette (well known as The Laff,) and take pleasure in a pint with buddies. You can also visit Mercury Lounge, which houses various local bands throughout the week. If you have your dancing shoes on, you can always go to Tila Tequila, a popular dance club. You will surely find something to do in the Byward Market no matter your style. During the summer, you will also find the streets filled with fresh produce and flowers from local farmers from 8am to 6pm. If you’re looking to go out, but don’t like crowds, Elgin St. is another great holiday location. People will find various places to eat and pubs. If you’re looking for a pickup game of pool, McLaren’s is a local pool hall and sports bar perfect for hanging out with your friends. Other place to consider is Yuk Yuk’s comedy club. Whatever you choose, Ottawa is an excellent place for friends and family with many magnificent sights to see.
4. Amazing Ottawa Museums
Ottawa is known for its incredible choice of museums. Now there are a variety of different museums to suit all your family or circle of friends. You can visit the Canadian War Museum. This musseum filled with military items highlighting Canada’s participation in war and peace events. Findings will include uniforms, decorations, weapons, and lots more. One of the best locations to visit is the National Art Gallery of Canada.
It’s filled with three floors of permanent and special exhibits that will captivate any art fan. Countless hours have been spent strolling through hallways. This art museum filled with historically precious paintings, sculptures, artifacts and installations. Created by artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Claude Monet, The Group of Seven, Sandro Botticelli and much more can be found inside this wonderful art museum. One of the best museums to visit when traveling to Ottawa is right across the Outaouais River to the province of Quebec. Simply a 5min drive, or 15 minute walk, over the bridge will bring you to the treasure-trove of The Canadian Museum of Civilization. This museum is filled with historical presentations of various cultural heritages, focusing on the Canadian settlements from prehistoric times to today. This is a excellent museum for kids, including fun and interactive activities for their entertainment. Canada Science and Technology Museum and Canada Aviation Museum are sure to entertain any science lover. While history buffs will love Diefenbunker: Canada’s Cold War Museum and The Bytown Museum.
Another musseum is Canadian Nature Museum. This museum is best known for its exquisite architecture. Exhibits such as the Bird Gallery, the Mammal Gallery and the Talisman Energy Fossil fill this stunning building with historical findings from prehistoric periods to present.
5. Ottawa Festivals
Throughout the year, there are various cultural and musical events happening in and around the city that you won’t want to miss out on and there are always plenty of things to do in Ottawa. The most celebrated festival in Ottawa is the Winterlude Winter Festival. Every year, the famous Rideau Canal freezes over and becomes the world’s largest skating rink. Peoples come from all over the world to enjoy the best season of all. Special exhibitions are set up with ice sculptures by famous ice sculptors from various countries. Fun activities for kids of all ages can be found, including ice slides, mazes and sleight rides. If you want to skate, you can also rent them. You can enjoy some hot chocolate with a delicious Beaver Tail. If you’re traveling to Ottawa during the summer, the canal will be melted and allow small boats to leisurely float through the center of Ottawa. This will be a great opportunity to visit a few of your favorite bands and singers at Blues Fest. Every summer, various places throughout Ottawa are dedicated to musical lineups from local to worldwide celebrities.
