Planning a trip to Ottawa
As a native of Ottawa, I've seen this city evolve over the past 5 decades from a sleepy civil-service town 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 sidewalks are bustling with people after dark, with the exception 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 Parliament Buildings, five major national museums, a handful of government-funded festivals, and the Rideau Canal. Increasingly, tourists are spreading out beyond the well-established attractions 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 attractions -- and since this is a national capital, there are many -- are within easy walking distance of the major hotels.
After visiting Ottawa, you may wish to explore eastern Ontario for a few more days. Kingston, an appealing lakefront town, is the principal gateway to the Thousand Islands district of the St. Lawrence River. East from there is Prince Edward County -- a tranquil region of farms, orchards, quaint villages, and a burgeoning wine and culinary scene.
Fast Facts
Area Codes -- The telephone area code for Ottawa is 613; for Gatineau and surrounding areas it's 819. The area codes must be used for all local calls, although there is no charge for calls between Ottawa and Gatineau.
Drinking Laws -- You must be 19 years of age or older to consume or purchase alcohol in Ontario. Bars and retail stores are strict about enforcing the law and will ask for proof of age if they consider it necessary. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) sells wine, spirits, and beer.
Across the Ottawa River in Quebec, the drinking age is 18. Quebec has traditionally had more liberal liquor laws than Ontario, and while hard liquor and imported wine is sold through provincially controlled outlets run by the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ), beer and less-expensive domestic wines can be purchased at convenience and grocery stores.
Embassies & High Commissions -- As the nation's capital, Ottawa is the home to embassies and high commissions representing almost every country in the world. If your country isn't listed below, call for directory information in Ottawa (tel. 613/555-1212) or check www.ottawakiosk.com/embass.html.
The embassy of the United States is at 490 Sussex Dr., Ottawa, ON K1N 1G8 (tel. 613/238-5335; http://ottawa.usembassy.gov).
The high commission of Australia is at 50 O'Connor St., Ste. 710, Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2 (tel. 613/236-0841; www.canada.embassy.gov.au/otwa/home.html).
The embassy of Ireland is at 130 Albert St., Ste. 1105, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4 (tel. 613/233-6281; www.embassyofireland.ca).
The high commission of New Zealand is at 99 Bank St., Ste. 727, Ottawa, ON K1P 6G3 (tel. 613/238-5991; www.nzembassy.com/canada).
The high commission of the United Kingdom is at 80 Elgin St., Ottawa, ON K1G 5K7 (tel. 613/237-1530; ukincanada.fco.gov.uk/en/).
Emergencies -- Call tel. 911 emergency services for fire, police, or ambulance. For Poison Control, call tel. 800/267-1373 or 613/737-1100.
Hospitals -- The Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) (401 Smyth Rd.; tel. 613/737-7600), is a pediatric teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Ottawa that services a broad geographical area, including Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec. The hospital has an emergency department. For adult care, the Ottawa Hospital is a large multi-campus academic health sciences center with emergency departments at two sites: the Civic campus at 1053 Carling Ave. (tel. 613/722-7000) and the General campus at 501 Smyth Rd. (tel. 613/722-7000). Ontario emergency rooms are extremely busy, and wait times for non-urgent cases are typically several hours.
Newspapers & Magazines -- The daily newspapers are the Ottawa Citizen, the Ottawa Sun, and Le Droit, Ottawa's French-language newspaper. Keep an eye out for Capital Parent, a local free publication that advertises family-friendly events. Where Ottawa is a free monthly guide to shopping, dining, entertainment, and other tourist information. You can find it at most hotels and at some restaurants and retail stores. Ottawa Magazine and Ottawa Life are city monthlies. Arts and entertainment newspapers include the English-language Xpress and the French-language Voir. Gays and lesbians should check out Capital Xtra! For a great variety of international publications, visit Mags and Fags, at 254 Elgin St. (tel. 613/233-9651), or Planet News, at 143 Sparks St. (tel. 613/232-5500).
Police -- In a life-threatening emergency, or to report a crime in progress or a traffic accident that involves injuries or a vehicle that cannot be driven, call tel. 911. For other emergencies (a serious crime or a break-and-enter), call tel. 613/230-6211. For all other inquiries, call tel. 613/236-1222.
Smoking -- Ontario has among the most stringent nonsmoking legislation in the world. Smoking is prohibited in any enclosed, public place in Ottawa, and within several meters of most public buildings. There is no smoking in any restaurants or bars, and smoking is permitted only in designated rooms in hotels.
Time -- Ontario and Québec are in the eastern time zone, the same as New York City. Daylight Saving Time is in effect from 1am on the second Sunday in March to 1am on the first Sunday in November.
Visitor Information
The most convenient place to gather answers and pick up maps and brochures is the Capital Infocentre, 90 Wellington St., across from Parliament Hill (tel. 800/465-1867 or 613/239-5000; www.canadascapital.gc.ca); it's open daily 9am to 9pm in summer and 9am to 5pm daily in winter.
The Ottawa Tourism and Convention Authority (OTCA; 130 Albert St., Ste. 1800, Ottawa, ON K1P 5G4) maintains a comprehensive website with visitor information at www.ottawatourism.ca. The OTCA publishes an annual visitor guide, which includes maps and listings of cultural sites, things to see and do, accommodations, places to dine and shop, and services. You can obtain a free printed copy of the guide by phoning the Capital Infocentre (tel. 800/465-1867).
Getting Around
Ottawa is a walker's paradise. Its compact size, relatively flat setting, and numerous parks make it easy to get around, and with most of the major national sites in the downtown core, you can leave the car in the hotel parking lot for most of your visit. You can readily find your way around the city without a car, using one only if you have time for a few day trips to outlying attractions.
Public transit in Ottawa is provided by OC Transpo. This is an economical and efficient way to get around, since buses can bypass rush-hour traffic through the Transitway, a rapid-transit system of roadways reserved exclusively for buses. Routes 94, 95, 96, 97, 101, and 102 are the main Transitway routes, operating 22 hours a day. For transit information, call tel. 613/741-4390 or visit www.octranspo.com. The regular exact-cash fare is C$3.25 for an adult and C$1.60 for a child. It's cheaper to use tickets, at C$1.25 each, since the adult fare is two tickets and the child fare (ages 6-11) is one ticket. The exception is during weekday rush hours, when some express routes charge C$4.25 or a three-ticket fare. DayPasses are available at C$7.50 on the bus for unlimited rides. And on Sunday and statutory holidays, a single DayPass entitles families, comprising up to two adults and four children ages 11 and under, to unlimited same-day travel -- a great bargain. You can buy bus passes and tickets at more than 300 vendor locations across the city.
Public transit throughout the city of Gatineau and the Outaouais region on the Québec side of the Ottawa River is provided by Société de transport de l'Outaouais (STO; tel. 819/770-3242; www.sto.ca).
You can hail a taxi on the street, but you'll find one more readily at taxi stands in front of most hotels, many government buildings, and some museums. You can also summon a taxi by phone. The drop charge for Ottawa taxis is C$3.30, and the mileage charge is C16¢ for every 93m (305 ft.). In the Ottawa area, 24-hour cab companies include Blue Line (tel. 613/238-1111), with a fleet of more than 500 cabs, and Capital Taxi (tel. 613/744-3333). West-Way Taxi (tel. 613/727-0101) has drivers who have been trained to transport people with disabilities.
The scale of Ottawa makes driving your vehicle unnecessary for most sightseeing, although it will come in handy if you want to visit outlying attractions, such as the Canada Aviation Museum, the Diefenbunker, or Gatineau Park.
Generally, short-term parking rates downtown are C50¢ for 12 minutes. Your best bet is to use a municipal parking lot, marked with a large white "P" in a green circle. On weekends, parking is free in city lots and at meters in the area bounded by the Rideau Canal and Bronson Avenue, and by Wellington and Catherine streets.
In Ontario, a right turn on a red light is permitted after coming to a complete stop unless the intersection is posted otherwise, provided you yield to oncoming traffic and pedestrians. Be aware that once you cross the Ottawa River, you enter the province of Québec, where the rules are different, and vary from municipality to municipality. In Gatineau, you can turn right on a red light when it is safe to do so and only if there is no signage indicating that right-hand turns on a red light are not allowed. Throughout Québec, some street signs prohibit right turns on a red during specific periods. Wearing your seat belt is compulsory; fines for riding without a seat belt are substantial.
City Layout
The Ottawa River -- Canada's second longest, at more than 1,125km (700 miles) in length -- curves around the northern edge of city. The compact downtown, where most of the major attractions are clustered, lies just south of the river.
The Rideau Canal sweeps past the National Arts Centre, cleaving downtown into two parts: Centretown and Lowertown. In Centretown are Parliament Hill, the Supreme Court, and the National Museum of Natural Sciences. In Lowertown, on the east side of the canal, are the National Gallery of Canada, ByWard Market, and (along Sussex Drive) the prime minister's residence, diplomats' row, and Rockcliffe Park. The area lying south of the Queensway, stretching west to Bronson and east to the canal, is known as the Glebe, and it harbors a number of popular restaurants and clubs, especially along Bank Street. North across the river, in the province of Québec, lies the city of Gatineau, the result of a recent merger that consolidated the city of Hull (where many national government offices are located) and four other suburban communities. It's reached via the Macdonald-Cartier and Alexandra bridges from the eastern end of town, or the Portage and Chaudière bridges from the western end of the city. At the end of the Alexandra Bridge stands the curvaceous Museum of Civilization, and nearby are some of the city's best French restaurants and liveliest nightlife action. North and east of Hull stretch the Gatineau Hills, with acres of parklands and ski country.
Getting There
By Plane
The Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW; www.ottawa-airport.com) is Ottawa's only public airport, located about 15 minutes by car from the downtown core. Within Canada, the city receives direct flights from Air Canada (tel. 888/247-2262; www.aircanada.com), WestJet (tel. 888/937-8538; www.westjet.com ) and Porter Airlines (tel. 888/619-8622; www.flyporter.com).
Air Canada operates year-round, nonstop flights from Las Vegas; Chicago; New York (LaGuardia); Washington, D.C. (Dulles and Reagan); and Boston, and seasonal nonstop flights from Fort Lauderdale and Orlando. American Airlines (tel. 800/433-7300; www.aa.com) and United Express (tel. 800/864-8331; www.united.com) fly nonstop to Ottawa from Chicago. Delta (tel. 800/221-1212; www.delta.com) operates nonstop flights from Atlanta. Continental Express (tel. 800/523-3273; www.continental.com) flies nonstop from Cleveland and Newark (Liberty). Northwest (tel. 800/225-2525; www.nwa.com) offers nonstop service from Detroit. US Airways (tel. 800/428-4322; www.usairways.com) operates nonstop flights from Philadelphia. From November to May, WestJet flies nonstop from Tampa and Orlando.
YOW Airporter (tel. 613/260-2359; www.yowshuttle.com) shuttle service departs for major hotels from Arrivals Level 1, Post 10, every half-hour from 5am to 11:55pm. The one-way fare is C$15, round-trip is C$25. An airport limo can be summoned by calling tel. 613/523-1560. You can also hop into a regular cab; the fare will be around C$25 to downtown. If you wish to use the public transit system, OC Transpo provides high-frequency rapid service along the scenic Transitway, a roadway built specifically for buses. Rte. 97 departs the terminal at the curb outside the arrivals area. Adult cash fare (exact change only) is C$3.25.
By Train
VIA Rail (tel. 888/842-7245; www.viarail.ca) trains arrive at the Ottawa Station at 200 Tremblay Rd. (at blvd. St-Laurent), in the southeastern quadrant of the city. From here, buses and taxis connect to downtown.
By Bus
Buses arrive at the Ottawa Bus Terminal, 265 Catherine St., between Kent and Lyon. Greyhound Canada (tel. 800/661-8747; www.greyhound.ca) provides coast-to-coast service with connections to Ottawa from most cities and Montreal's Pierre Trudeau International Airport.
By Car
Driving from New York, take Interstate 81 to Canada's Route 401 east, then continue to the new Route 416 north, which leads directly into the city. Coming from the west, come via Toronto on Route 401 east to Route 416 north. From Montréal, follow Route 17 west to Route 417.
