Ottawa, Canada

Ottawa is Canada's capital and seat of government. While it may not be one of the country's biggest tourist destinations, there are plenty of interesting sights to explore over a weekend, especially if you enjoy history, architecture, and discovering local restaurants.

Most of Ottawa's major attractions are concentrated downtown and around the adjacent ByWard Market neighborhood, making it an easy city to explore on foot. During our visit, Ottawa was also a bit more affordable than many major US cities, thanks in part to the favorable exchange rate.

Ottawa offers guided walking tours, although some are seasonal. None were available during our late fall and winter visit.

Although Ottawa is in Ontario rather than Québec, it's located just across the river from the province. You'll see both English and French on many public signs, and both languages are widely used. English is more commonly spoken in Ottawa than in cities such as Montréal.

All prices listed below are in U.S. dollars and reflect what we paid during our visit. Prices may have changed since then.

Where to Stay and Transportation

Where to Stay

If you want to stay close to shopping, restaurants, and nightlife, consider accommodations near ByWard Market. This neighborhood has plenty of activity and makes it easy to explore much of central Ottawa on foot.

Downtown is another good option, with a concentration of hotels that may be slightly more affordable. It's only a short walk from ByWard Market and many of the city's main attractions.

Getting Around Ottawa

Ottawa is relatively compact, so if you enjoy walking, you can cover a lot of ground without needing transportation.

Uber was easy to use and relatively inexpensive during our visit. Most trips between ByWard Market, Elgin Street, and downtown cost around $6 during normal hours, increasing to approximately $10 during busier periods.

Ottawa also has an O-Train light rail system and a network of public buses for traveling longer distances.

For transportation between Ottawa International Airport and central Ottawa, our Uber rides cost between $16.70 and $22.97. The trip took approximately 20 minutes during off-peak hours.

Top Experiences

Parliament Hill

For impressive buildings and architecture, Parliament Hill is one of Ottawa's must-see attractions.

The historic Parliament buildings are beautiful, and walking around the publicly accessible grounds is free. It's a relatively quick visit if you're only interested in seeing the buildings and taking photos.

National Gallery of Canada

The National Gallery of Canada is an excellent stop if you enjoy art and history.

The museum features Canadian artwork, including historical paintings depicting the country's early colonial period, as well as works by Indigenous artists, including Inuit artists.

One of the most memorable sights is the enormous spider sculpture outside the museum, which makes for a unique photo opportunity.

Admission cost $16.33 during our visit.

Canadian Museum of History

The Canadian Museum of History is another option for visitors interested in Canada's history and culture.

It's located across the Ottawa River in Gatineau, Québec, so you'll need to cross into the neighboring province to visit.

If you have extra time and enjoy museums, it's worth considering as part of your itinerary.

Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica

Ottawa also has its own Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica, located near the National Gallery of Canada.

It's worth a quick visit, especially if you enjoy church architecture. While we found it more modest than the famous Notre-Dame churches in Montréal and France, it was still a beautiful and interesting stop.

ByWard Market

ByWard Market is one of Ottawa's main hubs for shopping, restaurants, bars, and nightlife.

It's a great neighborhood to wander around, stop for a coffee, browse shops, or enjoy a meal. You'll find a variety of restaurants and plenty of places for people watching.

Sparks Street

Sparks Street is Ottawa's pedestrian shopping street, with a mix of restaurants, bars, and shops.

It's worth exploring while walking through downtown, particularly if you enjoy pedestrian-friendly streets without car traffic.

Where to Eat and Drink

Ottawa offers plenty of dining options, from traditional Canadian dishes to French-inspired cuisine and international restaurants.

If you're interested in local food, consider trying venison, locally caught fish such as pickerel, or the harder-to-find moose steak.

Poutine is also popular, although we found it less prominent than in Montréal and other parts of Québec.

French food is common in Ottawa, but the city's multicultural population means you can also find many other cuisines.

Canada also has its own wine industry, and local wines can be an affordable option. During our visit, we found bottles of Canadian wine at LCBO liquor stores for just over $10.

1 Elgin

We enjoyed a meal featuring local ingredients at 1 Elgin. Our selections included:

• Hominy corn bisque: $10
• Pickerel fish: $29
• Crème brûlée: $10

Prohibition Public House

This was a good spot to try venison. We ordered a venison burger and a beer for $38.

Le Moulin de Provence

A great stop for coffee and a pastry. We had a chocolate almond croissant and latte for $9.39.

The Rabbit Hole

We stopped for a cocktail at The Rabbit Hole, which cost $17.37 including tip.

Mill Street Brewery

For beer lovers, Mill Street Brewery is worth considering. We tried a beer flight for $13.70 including tip.

Tim Hortons

For a quick and affordable Canadian breakfast, we stopped at Tim Hortons and had a breakfast meal for $6.

Nightlife in Ottawa

Ottawa has two main nightlife areas: ByWard Market and Elgin Street.

ByWard Market

ByWard Market has a lively concentration of bars and restaurants and seemed to attract a relatively younger crowd during our visit, possibly because of its proximity to the University of Ottawa.

Two popular spots worth knowing about are:

• Heart & Crown: A popular nightlife destination consisting of several connected bars, making it a fun place to explore different spaces and atmospheres.
• Château Lafayette: Ottawa's oldest tavern, with a casual, dive-bar atmosphere. Don't expect anything fancy, but it's a good place to experience a piece of local history. A beer cost us $9.

Elgin Street

Farther south of downtown, Elgin Street is another popular nightlife destination, with several bars and restaurants clustered together.

During our visit, it seemed to attract a slightly older crowd than ByWard Market, making it a good alternative if you prefer a different atmosphere.

Our Ottawa Travel Costs

To give you a better sense of what you might spend during a visit to Ottawa, here's a breakdown of our recorded expenses. All amounts are in U.S. dollars and reflect prices during our trip.

Transportation

• Uber from Ottawa Airport to downtown hotel: $16.70
• Uber from downtown hotel to Ottawa Airport: $22.97
• Uber between ByWard Market, Elgin Street, and downtown: $5.48 and $6.35 for two separate rides.

Food and Drinks

• The Rabbit Hole: Cocktail for $17.37 including tip.
• Le Moulin de Provence: Chocolate almond croissant and latte for $9.39.
• 1 Elgin: Hominy corn bisque for $10, pickerel fish for $29, and crème brûlée for $10.
• LCBO: Bottle of Canadian wine for $12.25.
• Prohibition Public House: Venison burger and beer for $38.
• Château Lafayette: Beer for $9.
• Tim Hortons: Breakfast meal for $6.
• Mill Street Brewery: Beer flight for $13.70 including tip.

Attractions

• National Gallery of Canada: Admission for $16.33.
• Parliament Hill: Free to explore the publicly accessible grounds.

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