Ottawa CONTENTS
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Ottawa CONTENTS List of Maps vi 1 THE BEST OF OTTAWA 1 The Best Ottawa Experiences 2 The Best Dining Bets 5 The Best Hotel Bets 4 The Best Adventures for Kids 7 2 OTTAWA IN DEPTH 9 Ottawa Today 9 Ottawa in Popular Culture: Books, Looking Back at Ottawa 12 Film & Music 22 LOCAL WISDOM 12 Eating & Drinking in Ottawa 23 DATELINE 14 LOCAL FARE 23 ONLY IN OTTAWA: REDCOATS AND FROMMER’S FAVORITES 24 BEARSKIN HATS 16 3 PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO OTTAWA 26 When to Go 26 Specialized Travel Resources 50 OTTAWA CALENDAR OF EVENTS 27 Responsible Tourism 53 Visitor Information 33 IT’S EASY BEING GREEN 54 Entry Requirements 34 FROMMERS.COM: THE COMPLETE TRAVEL RESOURCE 56 Getting There & Getting Around 36 Packages for the Independent Traveler 56 Money & Costs 45 Special-Interest Trips 56 WHAT THINGS COST IN OTTAWA 47 57 Health 48 Staying Connected ONLINE TRAVELER’S TOOLBOX 59 Safety 50 COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL 4 SUGGESTED OTTAWA ITINERARIES 60 THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN BRIEF 60 The Best of Ottawa in 2 Days 66 The Best of Ottawa in 1 Day 65 The Best of Ottawa in 3 Days 69 002_9780470681589-ftoc.indd2_9780470681589-ftoc.indd iiiiii 11/18/11/18/11 88:21:21 PMPM 5 WHERE TO STAY 71 Downtown (West of the Canal) 75 Ottawa West 87 Downtown (East of the Canal) 82 Near the Airport 89 Sandy Hill 85 Gatineau 90 The Glebe 86 FAMILY-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATIONS 91 Near the Train Station 87 6 DINING 93 Restaurants by Cuisine 96 COFFEE BREAK 110 Downtown (West of the Canal) 97 Wellington Street West/ TAKE IT AWAY! 100 Westboro 110 Downtown (East of the Canal) 101 Chinatown 112 SWEET TEMPTATIONS 105 Corso Italia (Little Italy) 114 The Glebe/Ottawa South 107 Downtown Gatineau 116 7 EXPLORING OTTAWA 118 The Top Attractions 118 Parks & Waterways 143 CANADA’S GOVERNMENT: THE BASICS 119 THE RIDEAU CANAL SKATEWAY 147 CENTRE BLOCK HISTORY 122 Organized Tours 147 HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE TERRY FOX STATUE: A SYMBOL PARLIAMENT HILL? 124 OF HOPE AND COURAGE 149 ALL ABOUT THE MOUNTIES 132 TAKE TIME FOR A SCENIC DRIVE 150 GREEN THUMBS UP 133 Outdoor Pursuits 151 More Museums & Galleries 134 SUNDAY BIKEDAYS 153 Heritage Attractions 137 THE TRANS CANADA TRAIL 157 HISTORY OF THE BYWARD MARKET 139 Spectator Sports 157 THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNOR- Especially for Kids 159 GENERAL 140 For Visitors with Special THE LIVES AND TIMES OF CANADA’S PMS 141 Interests 159 8 CITY STROLLS 162 WALKING TOUR 1: THE NATIONAL WALKING TOUR 3: THE BYWARD MARKET, LANDMARKS 162 LOWERTOWN & SANDY HILL 169 WALKING TOUR 2: CENTRETOWN & THE UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA 166 002_9780470681589-ftoc.indd2_9780470681589-ftoc.indd iviv 11/18/11/18/11 88:21:21 PMPM 9 SHOPPING 174 The Shopping Scene 174 Malls & Shopping Centers 176 Great Shopping Areas 175 Shopping A to Z 177 10 OTTAWA AFTER DARK 192 The Performing Arts 193 The Gay & Lesbian Scene 202 The Club & Live-Music Scene 198 Film 203 The Bar Scene 200 Gaming 204 FOR BEER LOVERS 202 11 SIDE TRIPS FROM OTTAWA 206 The Outaouais Region RIDEAU CANAL BY THE NUMBERS 217 of Québec 206 On the Links 220 A PRIME MINISTER’S RETREAT 214 On the River 223 SPECIAL EVENTS IN GATINEAU PARK 214 UNDER THE GROUND 224 The Rideau Valley 217 12 FAST FACTS, TOLL-FREE NUMBERS & WEBSITES 225 FAST FACTS OTTAWA 225 Toll-Free Numbers & Websites 231 Index 234 Accommodations Index 243 Restaurant Index 243 002_9780470681589-ftoc.indd2_9780470681589-ftoc.indd v 11/18/11/18/11 88:21:21 PMPM LIST OF MAPS Looking Back at Ottawa13 The National Landmarks163 Ottawa/Gatineau62 Centretown & The University of Suggested Itineraries67 Ottawa167 Ottawa Accommodations72 The ByWard Market, Lowertown & Sandy Hill171 Ottawa Dining94 Exploring the Region208 Ottawa Attractions120 002_9780470681589-ftoc.indd2_9780470681589-ftoc.indd vivi 11/18/11/18/11 88:21:21 PMPM THE BEST OF 1 OTTAWA s a native of Ottawa, I’ve seen this city evolve over the past 5 decades from a sleepy civil-service Atown to a national capital that can proudly hold its own with any city of comparable size. The official population is more than 800,000, but the central core is compact and its skyline relatively short. Most Ottawans live in suburban, or even rural, communities. The buses are packed twice a day with government workers who live in communities like Kanata, Nepean, Gloucester, and Orleans, which were individually incorporated cities until municipal amalgamation in 2001. Although there are a number of residential neighborhoods close to downtown, you won’t find the kind of towering condominiums that line the downtown streets of Toronto or Vancouver. As a result, Ottawa is not the kind of city where the downtown side- walks are bustling with people after dark, with the excep- tion of the ByWard Market and Elgin Street. One could make the case that Ottawa would be very dull indeed were it not for Queen Victoria’s decision to anoint it capital of the newly minted Dominion of Canada. Thanks to her choice, tourists flock to the Parlia- ment Buildings, five major national museums, a handful of government- funded festivals, and the Rideau Canal. Increasingly, tourists are spreading COPYRIGHTEDout beyond the well-established attractions MATERIAL to discover the burgeoning urban neighborhoods like Wellington West and the Glebe, and venturing into the nearby countryside. For visitors, Ottawa is an ideal walking city. Most of the major attrac- tions—and since this is a national capital, there are many—are within easy walking distance of the major hotels. 004_9780470681589-ch01.indd4_9780470681589-ch01.indd 1 11/18/11/18/11 88:22:22 PMPM 1 Size also expresses itself in the way people treat each other here. Although there is a typically central Canadian reserve to human relations, it’s balanced by an open- ness that’s characteristic of small communities. Community is important; neighbor- hood activities are well attended. Ottawa is also a city connected to nature. The glacial deposits known as the Gatineau Hills sit just across the border, in Quebec to the north. To the south and west, farmers’ fields begin long before you hit the city limits. Ottawa’s European heritage shows itself in the large number of green spaces in the urban core. And the city’s clean—you’ll hear that from other visitors and probably pass the remark your- self. Although the air quality can be poor on humid summer days, fall and winter bring crystalline air, and the streets are remarkably free of litter. Graffiti is frowned upon and quickly erased. The Best Ottawa Experiences Ottawa Best The Ottawa’s other bond with nature is its rivers. The city’s roots as a community lie in its proximity to three—the Ottawa, Rideau, and Gatineau rivers—and they, along with the history that flows from them, define Ottawa. Geographically, the city streets curve to follow the rivers, and having to cross the rivers is a daily fact of life. The TAWA Rideau Canal, a distinguishing feature of the city, was built to make the Rideau River navigable. In the winter, when the canal is transformed into the world’s largest skating rink, you can see Ottawans and visitors alike celebrating winter, even as they defy its bitter sting. Aside from its history, natural beauty, and cleanliness, Ottawa is known as a great place to raise a family. I’ll attest to that, both as a son and as a father. It has been, THE BEST OF OT THE BEST and continues to be, a wonderful place to live. Enjoy my city! THE best OTTAWA EXPERIENCES W Celebrate Canada’s Birthday: Spend Canada Day (July 1) in the nation’s capi- tal—there’s no experience quite like it. Head downtown and prepare for a full day of uniquely Canadian celebrations. Start the day with the ceremony of the Chang- ing of the Guard. Watch the Canadian flag rise above the Peace Tower on Parlia- ment Hill, chat with the friendly Mounties mingling with the crowds (don’t forget to ask if they’ll pose for a photo), and take in a free concert. Have your face painted or tattooed (temporarily) in red and white, wave a paper flag, and buy a hat or T-shirt with a Canadian symbol to blend in with the throngs wandering the streets. In the evening, cast your eyes skyward for the best fireworks display of the year. See “A Capital Is Born,” in chapter 2. W Skate on the Rideau Canal: Even if you live in a part of the country where ice skating is a winter activity, it likely takes place at a community rink, where you end up skating around . and around . and around. An hour or two of that is enough to make anyone hang up his blades for good. But in Ottawa, you can experience the world’s ultimate skating rink—the Rideau Canal—which offers almost 8km (5 miles) of wide-open space and ever-changing scenery. Warm-up huts are stationed along the way, where you can sip a hot chocolate or munch on a BeaverTail pastry. Skate and sled rentals are available. See p. 147. 2 004_9780470681589-ch01.indd4_9780470681589-ch01.indd 2 11/18/11/18/11 88:22:22 PMPM W Enjoy the Waterways: Ottawa’s history and beauty are deeply tied to the water- 1 ways in the region, the scenic Ottawa River, Gatineau River, Rideau River, and OF OT THE BEST Rideau Canal. You can watch the locks in operation; take a cruise on the Ottawa River or the Rideau Canal; rent a paddleboat, canoe, or kayak on Dow’s Lake; picnic on the city’s riverbanks; sizzle on a sandy beach; or ride the white water of the Ottawa River northwest of the city.