Why Not Spend A Week In Ottawa
Visiting Canada’s capital city of Ottawa and the area around and you will find that time will pass pretty quickly as there is so much to see and do.
Here are a few ideas to get you started although some places will hold your interest much longer and you may feel you need even more time than around just a week!
As the administration centre for the country a great deal of its heart is taken up by key buildings like its parliament, courts and government offices but without doubt all well worth seeing.
The Changing of the Guard Ceremony, Ottawa. Photography By: Nick Redmayne
Here one of the regular highlights and extremely popular with most visitors is the changing of the guard at Parliament Hill. It starts around 9.45am each day from late June to late August and its free!
With a band of pipes and drums leading the Ceremonial Guard they march to the east lawn where they await the arrival of the new guard.
The pipe band leading the parade in Ottawa. Photography by: Nick Redmayne
At precisely 10am the new guard arrives on Parliament Hill, where the new and old guards form up facing each other. After inspection of both sets of troops, the keys are handed over to the new guard. The troops march off and sentries are posted at both Rideau Hall and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
This ceremony is much photographed and should not be missed.
Continuing the military theme there is an excellent museum in the city the Canadian War Museum a modern low-profile bunker like looking design but with excellent open display areas within it.
Canadian War Museum in Ottawa a striking building.
Covering Canada’s rich military history from the early settlers and explorers and their conflicts through to the periods of much sacrifice in the First and Second World Wars and times like the Cold War when the threat of nuclear war was often present.
And most recently when Canada has been involved with peacekeeping around the world in places like Cyprus, Afghanistan and Gulf Wars.
1,000 Islands best explored on the water near Ottawa plenty of time to if you spend a week in Ottawa.
Shopping, eating and market area of ByWard is full of great eateries, bars and shops, if that’s where you like to find out about a new town or city then this is the place? It is buzzing nearly all the time, with local fruit and veg from nearby farms to maple syrup and souvenir shops a plenty too.
Breakfast, lunch, dinner late evening, boutiques, galleries or a hip nightspot it’s all here at nearly anytime time of the day and night.
Locally produced cider from a rural cider maker near to Ottawa.
Additional museums covering all aspects of Canadian life and experience are found around the city. The Canadian Museum of History, the National Gallery, Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, all deserve a visit.
The unknown soldiers gallery at the Canadian War Museum Ottawa, Canada.
A former home of two of Canada’s Prime Minister’s is a period property to be found in Ottawa’s historic Sandy Hill area. The Victorian era mansion tells the story of two iconic Canadian Prime Ministers who called it home. Sir Wilfrid Laurier and the eccentric William Lyon Mackenzie King.
Laurier lived here from 1897 until his death in 1919. Two years later William Lyon Mackenzie King moved in and remained until 1948. Among the thousands of personal items is the crystal ball that King reputedly used to communicate with his deceased mother during séances in a secret room within the house.
The famous Crystal Ball owned by the former Prime Minister William King.
Another former military feature of interest in this whole area of Ontario is that of the Rideau Canal.
Built by Lt Col John By to allow the British to transport vital goods and military supplies safely during the wars with America, but it is now a stunning 126mile long, connected waterway used for mainly for recreation.
LeBoat an ideal mobile base on the Rideau Canal if you spend a week in Ottawa.
Boat hire and half and day trips on the canal, are a great way to see and learn more about the waterway and its key historical role or just take in the beauty of the lakes and the animals and birds that inhabit it.
Rideau Tours offer a selection of excursions of just over 4 hours and they set off from Chaffey’s Lock at 10am or 2.30pm each day, June to mid-October and head through three other locks. They also offer a gourmet picnic of local foods for just over $22 (Can) to take with you.
1,000 Islands and the Rideau Canal can be best seen from above.
International boat hire companies like LeBoat offer cruisers to hire for several days or a week at a time and you can explore by yourself much more of the canal this way. Travel in luxury and end up leaving your boat right in the centre of Ottawa if you wanted. With a well connect but small airport its a good place to start or finish the trip.
The water in this area of, Southern Ontario dominates the region. As the St Lawrence river which connects the Great Lakes of North America flows near too.
A fairy tale castle on one of the bigger islands Boldt Castle.
Here, getting on the water is almost a must.
From a tiny kayak hired from places like 1000 Islands Kayaking to riding on passenger cruise ships that would allow you to explore and see over the stunning area known as Thousand Islands region.
In fact, there are around 1,800 islands in the National Park from the size of less than half a tennis court to the scale of several football pitches, with one complete with a fairy tail castle all within this park that sits right on the border of Canada and the USA.
Rockport Cruises sets off from the small St Lawrence riverside village.
At one place in the park, two islands one Canadian and one US have a bridge connecting them so that is the shortest bridge linking the two countries!
These linked islands on the left, Canadian and on the right, United States.
In order to be listed as an island it has to stand above the water level and have a tree growing on it. Some have that, whilst others have literally, forests on them, they are that large! Many have homes too and landing docks for easy access by their often very rich owners. It is possible to hire a tent on some of the islands through the parks authority called oTentiks they are an A tent mounted on a wooden floor with solar lighting and mattresses, bring your own sleeping bags but a great experience.
oTentiks can be rented in several of the national parks in the area.
Passenger tour boats run from places like Gananoque, Rockport (Rockport Cruises) and Brockville. Although one great way to see this whole area is from above too.
Helicopter trips are available from 1,000 Islands Helicopters based near Gananoque. A 20minute trip costs $159 (Can) per person. Shorter trips are possible at around $99 (Can) for 10 minutes but I recommend the longer one as you can see so much more over that time period.
If spend a week in Ottawa then try this helicopter service.
Although Canada is an absolutely huge country and this part of Ontario around Ottawa is very tiny in comparison, it does however, provide an insight into the country, its history and warmth of it’s people’s too!
During my visit I had complementary stays at, The Westin in Ottawa, the Comfort Inn in Gananoque and the Maplehurst Manor at Maitland.
