Top 5 Things to do in Ottawa

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This Summer, I have asked several friends to tell us the Top 5 Things to do in their cities.  Join us each week as we learn about a new city!  This week let's head up to Canada.

One of my absolute favourite cities in Canada is our nation's capital, Ottawa. The city, which is located on the banks of the Ottawa River bordering the province of Québec, is not only one of the most picturesque in the country but it's also one of the most family-friendly destinations that you can find. It's a city that my family returns to again and again and I don't think that I will ever get tired of it. In fact, I love Ottawa so much that it's one of a handful of cities that I can imagine myself living in one day.

A Mountie on Parliament Hill in Ottawa

Ottawa is a lovely city with historic architecture and great natural beauty thanks to its location on the banks of the Ottawa River. One of my favourite places to go for a walk in the city is Parliament Hill. The gothic-style Parliament Buildings and The Hill itself have both been named National Historic Sites of Canada and the Peace Tower of the Centre Block is both an important symbol of Canada and a great vantage point to look out over the city. 

The Peace Tower - Canada's Parliament building

 Ottawa is a city of outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy being outside year round and visitors would be well-advised to follow their lead and take advantage of all the wonderful outdoor spaces and activities. There are many parks and green spaces in the city and cycling, kayaking, and hiking are popular summer activities while cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and skating on the Rideau Canal are fun cold weather activities. It simply doesn't matter what season you find yourself in Ottawa, rest assured that there will be plenty to do outdoors.

Enjoying a walk by the Ottawa River

The Canadian Capital Region is also home to world-class museums and galleries. The Canadian Museum of Civilization which also includes the Canadian Children's Museum is one of my favourite museums in the world. The museum's focus on Canadian culture and history makes a visit both fun and educational. We also enjoy visiting the National Gallery of Canada and taking pictures with the 30 foot high bronze sculpture of a spider called 'Maman' in the courtyard outside. The gallery has an extensive program of hands-on activities for kids which makes it a great choice for families that would like to expose their kids to art.

Totems in the Grand Hall at the Canadian Museum of Civilization

'Maman" sculpture outside the National Gallery of Canada

The historic ByWard Market may very well be my favourite neighbourhood in Ottawa as it's the perfect place to just hang out. The market, which was established in 1826, is one of Canada's largest and oldest and visitors today will find a farmer's market, cafés, restaurants, galleries and unique shops. The market is also home to the original BeaverTails outlet and I'm fairly certain that eating one of these pastries at least once is required of all visitors. If the weather is hot and steamy and a refreshing treat is needed then I recommend Piccolo Grande for gelato. My younger daughter insists that the gelato here is as good as any that she tasted in Italy.

Ottawa's ByWard Market

A BeaverTail snack in ByWard Market

Ottawa also has several popular festivals that attract droves of visitors to the city. Winterlude is held in the Capital Region for three weeks each February to celebrate winter and it doesn't matter how cold the weather it is still so much fun to skate on the Canal, check out the ice sculptures and enjoy the outdoor festivities. Spring is welcomed in Ottawa by the Canadian Tulip Festival which celebrates the special relationship between Canada and the Netherlands that developed when Canada provided a safe haven for the Dutch royal family during WWII. Probably the biggest party of them all though is the Canada Day celebration that takes place each July 1st in honour of our nation's birth and culminates in a fireworks show over Parliament Hill.  

Ottawa during the Canadian Tulip Festival

Ottawa is such a cool city and there is so much for families to do that I guarantee it will only take one visit to be hooked and that first visit will just be one of many.

Lisa Goodmurphy is a lawyer living near Toronto, Canada who left the corporate world to stay home with her two daughters, Katie and Emma (now aged 16 and 9). As well as writing about her family's travel adventures on her blog Gone With The Family, Lisa has written for a number of travel websites and is a regular contributor at Travel Mamas as The Spunky Travel Mama. You can also follow her on Facebook, on Twitter as @GoneWithFamily and on Google+.