On my way to Ottawa. What sites to see?
 

I am flying to Ottawa soon and will have 1 day of sightseeing after the conference is over.

I have never been to the BIG CAPITAL, and of course I will ensure that I see the parliament buildings, but WHAT ELSE?

Is there anyone from Ottawa, or who knows the town really well, who can tell me about a diamond in the rough?

I am assuming that the hotel I am staying at is downtown. I need stuff in walking / mass transit distance. If recommending mass transit, please give detailed directions.

And I will be printing the suggestions off and showing them to the front desk at the hotel, so I don't want any "Hey Ben, there is this really cool place. Go here, then here, go north, and it's right there" jokes to get me f--king lost.

What should a visitor absolutely see in Ottawa, considering there is very limited time?

Thanks in advance

You would probably like to see the War Museum... Is the new one open yet? I don't recall.

If you like art, go to the National Gallery.
The aviation musum is pretty cool as well.
If the weather's nice take a stroll along the canal.
Go to the Byward market... there is a farmer's market and arts and crafts stalls as well as some cool little shops and restaurants.

With the exception of the aviation museum all of these things are within walking distance of Parliament Hill.

Yeah the war museum is open so far as I know.

One thing I really like to do when I go to Ottawa is attend Question Period in the House of Commons. It's pretty awesome that you can go and sit a few feet from the Prime Minister and listen in on all the goings on. The best way to get in is to contact your local MP's office (whether you voted for him or not) and ask for a pass. That way if he (or she) is not busy you can also go into the west block and meet with your MP in their office when you pick up the pass.

I'd also suggest a trip over the river to Hull. The musem of Civilization is an oustanding building. Probably one of the most intersting building in Canada. The exhibits in the museum itself a pretty standard, mostly CDN history stuff that you probably are already bored with. One good thing in the museum (and it's in the free area as I recall) is the huge native scuplture that is depticted on the back of our new $20 bill.

Charlatan covered everything else, except for Zaphod Beeblebrox's Night Club at the Edge of the Universe. It's a great live venue in Byward Market, check ther schedule here for acts http://www.zaphodbeeblebrox.com/

can't wait for the movie to open later this spring....

WAR MUSEUM!!!

SHIT man, I forgot alllll about that. Hell yes!

You not only get a cookie, but a new post to my thread. I just have to find time to sit down and write it.

I forgot to mention the Museum of Civilization... amazing building... sadly I've never had the chance to go inside (I always spent too much time at the Gallery).

I used to go to Zaphod's when it was up by the Bytowne Cinema (the Bytown is THE best Repertory/Art House Cinema in Canada - take my word for it... Bruce White does a great job of programming there). I am not as up on the bars and pubs as I used to be...

My favourite pubs were:

Irene's on Bank Street in the Glebe
5:15 just down the street
Royal Oak (I think the 5:15 became one in the chain of Royal Oak's)
The Rainbow Room always had good live blues on Sunday afternoons... don't know what's there anymore...

Mexicali Rosa's (TexMex) - there are three locations, the best IMO was the one in the Glebe.

Avoid Fat Albert's pizza... If you want good Pizza there are a ton of independant pizza places... The pizza's are more Montreal style rather than Toronto style (no way to explain this... it is just immediately apparent when you get one...)

...Oh and speaking of food. Be sure to hit BeaverTails in the Market... sweet sweet deepfried pastry.

BEAVERTAILS! of course...

Get the Killaloe Sunrise...

The inventor of the Beavertail comes from Killaloe (it's in the Ottawa Valley...eh?). It is 10 minutes or so from my cottage.

When I was at the Toronto Zoo last week I was very pleased to see a Beavertails shack next to the Polar Bear exhibit. My son and I loaded up and ate them while we watched the bear get fed.

BigBen931, do you happen to be going for the 8th CTI-DND Conference & Military Textiles and Personal Equipment Trade Show?

I remember your DND stories.

No. I am going on other business.

I read BeaverTails and thought you guys were talking about a peeler bar.

lol

Thanks for the heads-up.

That would be the Bare Fax... easily missed squalor.

If you have access to a car, there are lots of pretty drives to go down in Ottawa. Riverside, for example.

A swing by the parliament buildings is worth it. They have tours with various degrees of cheese.

See if there is a musical ride schedualed. Probably not.

There is some pretty parkland around the experimental farm.

Possibly you could either go out on the town in the market, or get tickets to something at the NAC.

There are IMAX and OmniMax screens in town. OmniMax is the 180 degree full frontal immersion thing.

Ottawa has a pedestrian mall down the center of downtown, in addition to the byward market itself. Lots of touristy shops in both.

If you see a chip wagon (truck that sells fries out of it's side, and drives around town), try out the fries. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a good one. Chip Wagons are pretty common in Ottawa.

Georgie's Pizza on Carling has among my personal favourite club sub and pizza. There is more than one Georgie's Pizza: the one on Carling is the good one.

There is an upscale neighbourhood with no public transit really that is worth driving through. The GG's residence, the PM's residence, and a gold-plated house by one of the resident capitalists. If you are lucky, you might be able to get a tour in the GG's residence.

If you have access to a bike, Ottawa has a huge network of bike trails to ride on.

Pay your respects for those fallen at the War Memorial between the Lord Elgin and the Chateau Laurier hotels. And step into both hotel lobbys and imagine the decades of history those walls have seen.

Rip down to Chinatown on Somerset and eat some good food. Yangtze is good but expensive but directly across the street and upstairs is Chu Shing. Best food in Chinatown. Dim Sum for lunch will knock your socks offs.

If the 67's are in town, get a cheap seat and watch excellent junior hockey. They won tonight and are leading their playoff series.

Barrymores music hall usually has some great acts but if you've got one night, hang in the market. Lots of beaver,....tail.

The Tulip Festival starts around now and has concerts in the market and Majors Hill park.

Or try this http://www.ottawaentertainment.ca/about_oec.asp

The Tulip Festival is already starting?

Damn. Where does the time fly. I would recommend that as well, if you like flowers and/or the outdoors.

Isn't it a bit early for the Tulips? I though it was in May... yep. May 5 to 23rd

http://www.tulipfestival.ca/

Now see what happens when Easter is the 3rd week in March!!