In apprehension of my attainable cruise to Ottawa next weekend I accept started to do some analysis and contacted Ottawa Tourism. Ottawa, as Canada's capital, is one of Canada's a lot of accepted biking destinations and it has a abundant array destinations, activities and contest to offer.
I had an befalling to allocution with Jantine Van Kregten from Ottawa Tourism who was affectionate abundant to accord me a abundant accepted overview of things to see and do in Ottawa.
1. Please accommodate us with some accepted advice about Ottawa. How ample is the city, breadth is it located, what is the acclimate like?
Ottawa is the basic of Canada, and its fourth better city. With the neighbouring city-limits of Gatineau in the arena of Quebec, the arena has about 1.2 actor people. Ottawa is amid in eastern Ontario, about four hours' drive northeast of Toronto; two hours west of Montreal; and one hour arctic of the bound with the accompaniment of New York.
Ottawa enjoys four audible seasons, with warmest temperatures and sometimes top clamminess in July and August; a abstemious abatement with adorable abatement colours; a algid and albino winter; and a wet spring.
2. How can one get to Ottawa and what is the best way of accepting about in Ottawa?
Ottawa is attainable with absolute flights from above centres in Canada and several U.S. cities including New York, Washington, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta and more. Ottawa is a above stop forth the Windsor-Quebec City-limits aisle of VIA Rail and bus account aswell links the city-limits with added Canadian cities.
By car, above thoroughfares cover Highway 416 that links Ottawa with Highway 401. Highway 417 runs through the city, while Autoroutes 5, 50 and 148 are the above highways on the Quebec ancillary of the river.
3. Ottawa is Canada's basic and has played a cogent role in the history of this country. Please acquaint us added about that and the Canadian Ancestry Experiences offered in Ottawa.
The adventure of Ottawa begins with the architecture of the Rideau Canal amid 1826 and 1832 by Lt. Col. John By of the Aristocratic Engineers and bags of mostly Irish labourers. The Canal stretches 202 km (126 miles) through eastern Ontario to the St. Lawrence River and was congenital to ensure a accumulation band in case of American advance (which never came). The Canal was never acclimated for a aggressive purpose and its 49 locks are still operated in the aforementioned way as if they were built. In fact, the Rideau Canal is Canada's appointee to be called a UNESCO Apple Ancestry Site, which is accepted in 2007, the 175th commemoration of its construction.
Queen Victoria assured in 1857 that Ottawa would be the basic of the country that became Canada. The majestic Parliament Barrio were complete anon thereafter and abide a "must-see" allure in the capital. As the capital, Ottawa is aswell home to 24 Sussex Drive (the prime minister's abode and not accessible to the public); Rideau Hall (home of the Governor General, with guided tours of abode and breadth available); and dozens of top commissions and embassies from governments about the world.
Don't absence Laurier House, home to both Sir Wilfrid Laurier and WIlliam Lyon Mackenzie King, two above prime ministers, or the Mackenzie King Estate, King's summer home in Gatineau Park.
4. Please acquaint us about some of the above attractions, museums and galleries in the Ottawa area.
The latest accession to the civic architecture arena is the absorbing Canadian War Musuem, which opened in May 2005 in a beauteous breadth next to the Ottawa River. Canada's most-visited architecture is Gatineau's Canadian Architecture of Civilization. The Civic Gallery of Canada offers the better accumulating of Canadian art, forth with European and American masters. Added cultural accessories cover the Canadian Architecture of Contemporary Photography; the Canada Aviation Museum; the Canada Science and Technology Museum; the Canada Agriculture Museum; the Aristocratic Canadian Mint; the Currency Architecture of the Bank of Canada; and the Canadian Architecture of Nature, currently in the bosom of a massive advance project, to be completed in 2009.
Other museums cover the Bytown Museum, which tells the history of Ottawa's aboriginal days, including the architecture of the Rideau Canal; the Billings Estate Architecture that traces the history of a arresting bounded family; and the blue Diefenbunker, Canada's Algid War Museum, a four-storey underground alembic that was complete amid 1959 and 1961 as the breadth to which the Canadian political and aggressive aristocratic would ride out the furnishings of a nuclear attack.
5. Our readers would like to acquisition out about the festivals and appropriate contest in Ottawa.
The ceremony arena in Ottawa is a robust, year-round affair. The year bliss off with Winterlude, a huge winter ceremony captivated over the aboriginal three weekends in February. In March, the Irish association celebrates Irish week, and in Advance and April, the maple abstract division spawns a amount of adorable festivals and contest adulatory this appetizing treat.
May belongs to the Canadian Tulip Festival--three weeks of ceremony of Ottawa's favourite flower. During Apple War II, the Dutch aristocratic ancestors took ambush in Ottawa and Princess Margriet was built-in here, in a hospital allowance appointed Dutch clay for the event. Canadians played a huge role in liberating the Netherlands and if the aristocratic ancestors alternate home afterwards the war, as a action of friendship, account and appreciation, they beatific bags of tulip bulbs. The bulbs accept followed every year back and now 3,000,000 tulips blossom in Canada's Basic Region.
Late May brings Canada's better chase as allotment of the Ottawa Race Weekend. Over the summer months, festivals abound: Doors Accessible Ottawa advertise ancestry buildings; Italian Week; the Ottawa Fringe Festival; the TD Canada Trust Ottawa International Jazz Festival; the Nortel Ottawa Dragon Boat Race Festival; Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest (Canada's largest); the Ottawa International Chamber Music Ceremony (the world's largest); the Sound of Light fireworks festival; Ottawa Busker Festival; Ottawa GreekFest; CKCU Ottawa Folk Festival; the Central Canada Exhibition; and Pride Week.
On Parliament Hill, two chargeless activities action circadian in the summer: the 10:00 a.m. Changing the Guard commemoration and the black Sound and Light Show.
In the fall, the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Ceremony colours the skies; while the La Vendemmia Harvest Ceremony tempts visitors' palates. The Ottawa International Animation Ceremony showcases artists from about the apple while the Ottawa International Writers Ceremony provides a appointment for authors' active debates. Abatement Rhapsody celebrates the baroque autumn colours.
The basic lights up for the holidays with the Christmas Lights Above Canada program.
6. What about restaurants and ball / nightlife areas in Ottawa?
Several neighbourhoods action ball options in Ottawa. The ByWard Market is one of Ottawa's oldest neighbourhoods and aswell functions as its ball district, with over 100 aliment and alcohol options in just a four-block-square area. Whether it's accomplished dining, a acceptable diner, a cosy bistro, or a adventuresome cafe, you can acquisition it in "the Market."
Elgin Artery is addition accepted nightlife area, with an all-embracing another of bars, restaurants and cafes in just a few blocks. Bank Artery offers three or four audible areas forth its length, including a accepted breadth accepted as the Glebe. In the abreast west end, Westboro is aswell an adorable advantage for banquet and drinks.
Of course, one could aswell accept to analyze the assorted options at the Casino du Lac-Leamy--whether it's gaming action or a appearance at its accepted theatre or a banquet at its five-diamond restaurant Le Baccara. The region's added five-diamond enactment (two of alone 11 above Canada) is Signatures at Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa.
7. Please accord us an overview of the assuming arts on action in Ottawa.
The Civic Arts Centre is Canada's arch assuming arts centre, alms English and French theatre performances, dance, and the Civic Arts Centre Orchestra. Numerous abate theatres aswell abound, in both English and French, including the Abundant Canadian Theatre Company, La Nouvelle Scene, Ottawa Little Theatre, Third Wall Theatre Company, Odyssey Theatre (offering alfresco performances next to the Rideau River), A Company of Fools, and abounding productions at Arts Court, a borough facility.
From May 18 to June 11, the Cirque du Soleil will accompany its assembly of Quidam to Ottawa. The Canada Ball Ceremony takes abode every two years (June 2-10, 2006) in Ottawa and the Ottawa Fringe Ceremony (also in June) is one of the best means to see new productions and new innovations. In
The Centrepointe Theatre in the west end offers a array of performances, as do the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.
Larger contest are usually captivated at Scotiabank Abode and the Ottawa Civic Centre.
8. What are some of the arcade opportunities in Ottawa?
Some abundant arcade centres abide in Ottawa, including Bayshore Arcade Centre in the west end, Rideau Centre downtown, the St. Laurent Centre in the abutting east end, and Abode d'Orleans Arcade Centre in the east end. These centres action the best of the acclaimed brands.
For added all-embracing offerings, the ByWard Market neighbourhood offers abundant appearance and housewares; as does the Glebe, Westboro, and some baby towns on both the Ontario and Quebec ancillary of the Ottawa River--inclouding Merrickville, Manotick, Perth, Chelsea and Wakefield.
9. What are the outdoor, recreational and sports opportunities in and about Ottawa?
From a able perspective, the Ottawa Senators are decidedly admired by Ottawans, as they advance to a Stanley Cup victory! The Ottawa '67s action a window to the Ontario Hockey League. The Ottawa Renegades accommodate Canadian Football League action while the Ottawa Lynx are allotment of baseball's International League (they're the Triple A acreage aggregation for the Baltimore Orioles).
But sports in Ottawa are abundant added participatory than that. Home to hundreds of kilometres of recreational pathways, Ottawans adulation to cycle, inline skate and hike. The Ottawa River offers astonishing whitewater rafting, as able-bodied as canoe and kayak adventures for the adventurous.
The accomplished bungee freefall in Canada is amid just arctic of Ottawa, just alfresco Gatineau Park. Year-round, Gatineau Park offers something for the alfresco lover. Whether it's camping, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, abundance biking or pond in summer; or snowshoeing or cross-country skiing in winter, the Park is admired by all in the region.
As affidavit of how assorted a destination Ottawa is, it's the alone breadth breadth you can skate on the world's better skating amphitheatre and play in the world's better bank volleyball tournament?
10. What blazon of apartment options are there in Ottawa?
There are over 11,000 auberge apartment in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. The above chains (Hilton, Fairmont, Westin, Marriott, Delta, Sheraton, Novotel, Holiday Inn, Best Western, Comfort Inn) are represented, as able-bodied as added altered offerings such as the bazaar ARC the.hotel or Brookstreet Resort.
Downtown locations are aural walking ambit to abounding above attractions. Several bed-and-breakfast providers aswell action a cosy another to hotels.
A absolute account of options is begin at http://www.ottawatourism.ca
11. What are some of the above contest and big account belief advancing up in 2006 and above in Ottawa?
The Canadian Architecture of Acculturation celebrates its 150th commemoration in 2006. It began its activity in May 1856, as allotment of the Geological Survey of Canada. The adolescent architecture grew into the Civic Architecture of Canada and then, into the Civic Architecture of Man. In 1986, it became the Canadian Architecture of Civilization, affective into its arresting Gatineau barrio three years after and continuing to present advisory and absorbing exhibitions for a advanced ambit of interests.
The Casino du Lac-Leamy celebrates 10 years of ceaseless action in Advance 2006. Originally opened as the Casino de Hull, it has developed to be one of the top attractions in Canada's Basic Region, alms gaming ceremony day from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.; five-diamond dining at Le Baccara; an abutting Theatre alms matinees, agreeable programming, and array shows of all kinds; advancing facilities; an adjoining Hilton auberge with spa; and appointment facilities. The Casino is adulatory with a alternation of themed activities, including the accepted 7 Lucky Canicule advance which offers a altered advance ceremony day of the week.
Emily Carr is the featured exhibition from June 2 through September 3, 2006 at the Civic Gallery of Canada. Her paintings of Aboriginal Nations villages and landscapes of the northwest Pacific coast, including abounding images of totem poles, advice ascertain Canadian art, abnormally that of the aboriginal 1900s.
In the third Indiana Jones movie, the acute arena took abode in a amazing arid breadth carved into the ancillary of a cliff. That area is allotment of Petra, amid in Jordan, and from April 7, 2006 through January 2, 2007, you can apprentice added at the Canadian Architecture of Civilization's exhibition PETRA: City-limits of Stone.
The Seven Years War is the focus of a new display at the Canadian War Museum, Ottawa's newest cultural allure which opened with abundant alarum in May 2005. The display Clash of Empires: The War That Made Canada runs from May 18 to November 12.
Outdoor activities are a acute allotment of Ottawans' lives. This summer, association will be able to appetite in others' accomplishments, too, as Ottawa plays host to added than 3,500 athletes and coaches during the 2006 Ontario Summer Games from August 9 to 13, 2006.
Québec Scene: April/May 2007: The Civic Arts Centre has played host to two antecedent "scenes"--Atlantic Arena in 2003 and Alberta Arena in 2005--and in 2007, it's Québec's about-face to shine, as the actual best of its theatre, music, dance, comedy, comestible arts, abstract and blur forms the base of this cultural festival.
Treasures from Beijing: May 11-September 30, 2007: At the Canadian Architecture of Civilization, apprentice added about the development of Chinese acculturation while examination called treasures from the Civic Architecture of China. There will aswell be an attack to accommodate a glimpse of China's contempo history, including bread-and-butter reforms and the Olympic Games bid.
Renoir's Landscapes: June 8-September 9, 2007: One of the admired of all the Impressionists, Renoir will be foreground and centre next summer at the Civic Gallery of Canada.
FIFA Apple Adolescence Championship 2007: July 1-22, 2007: Ottawa has been called as one of six Canadian host cities for this three-week, 24-nation, 52-match clash featuring the best adolescence (under-20) soccer players in the world. It is the additional better accident staged by FIFA, afterward the FIFA Apple Cup.
Rideau Canal as UNESCO Apple Ancestry Site: The ancestry Rideau Canal, addition 202 km from Ottawa to Kingston, is Canada's access to be called a UNESCO Apple Ancestry Site. The appellation should be accustomed in time for the 175th commemoration of the achievement of the Canal in 2007.
Portrait Gallery of Canada: Afterward endure spring's aperture of the new Canadian War Museum, the next above cultural academy planned for Ottawa is the Portrait Gallery of Canada, due to accessible above the artery from Parliament Hill in backward 2007.
Thank you, Jantine, for accouterment such a abundant overview of all the things Ottawa has to offer. You accept accustomed me some abundant account for my cruise next ceremony and accessible approaching excursions over the advancing year.
