Ottawa - Post Report Question and Answers
What are some interesting/fun things to do in the area? Can you recommend any “hidden gems"?
Too many to name. Quebec in particular has a lot of beautiful places to see. - Sep 2023
Outside activities are great. We enjoy the market area, which has lots of small shops and restaurants. It's a bit touristy, but we like being able to buy our bread and vegetables at the outside market (at least during the warm months -- only maple syrup is available year 'round). - Aug 2015
See above. Close to Montreal, Toronto, and Quebec cCty. Lots of small nice towns like Altmont. - May 2014
Every outdoor activity you can think of: biking, running, snowshoeing, skiing, skating, sledding, curling, boating. They also have a few museums and theaters. - Jul 2013
Gatineau park for hiking, snow shoeing, cross country skiing. Lots of museums. The RCMP training facility. Skating on the canal. Side trips to Toronto and Montreal. - Jan 2013
Skiing, ice skating on the canal in town, boating in the summer, lots of parks. Travel to the States is somewhat easier. It's about a 10 -hour drive to NYC. - Dec 2010
There are many museums, live theatre, symphony, wonderful Gatineau Park just across the river, miles and miles of bike paths along the river and through the woods, great restaurants and cafes. Each neighborhood has a community pool that is open during the summer and staffed with lifeguard/activity leaders who watch over the kids and engage them in fun games, too. - Aug 2010
Great outdoorsy type stuff to do on either side of the river. Again, once you know of the right restaurants to go to, this will also be a source of fun and interest. There are the usual array of galleries and museums but I've found they can be a bit of a dissappointment compared to what's available in other capital cities (DC, London, Paris, etc). Contrary to what people may think, there is a pretty decent nightlife in the Byward Market, Elgin St. area, and Westboro...just stay away from the student meat-market type places as there are quite a few of those given the concentration of post-secondary institutions in the area. Ottawa is a very green city with a nice, liveable downtown that doesn't feel like a concrete jungle. Due to the influence of the French speaking population, it is as much European-influenced as it is US-influenced. - Nov 2009
