5 THINGS TO LOVE ABOUT OTTAWA
Whether or not you know your Peace Tower from a peace sign, there’s plenty to do around town. By
Yoga on Parliament Hill
Every Wednesday afternoon all summer long (weather permitting), people turn out to turn upside down on the lawn outside Parliament Hill. With 2,700 fellow yogis downward dogging, it’s likely the biggest yoga class you’ve ever attended. It’s also the only one where you will hear the carillon bells from the Peace Tower as you do Utkatasana. You may not spot the yoga-loving PM, but you will see plenty of civil servants and more than a few tourists taking pictures of the class.
Walk through Canadian history
At Laurier House, a Victorian-era mansion that was home to two prime ministers — Sir Wilfrid Laurier and William Lyon Mackenzie King — you can walk elegant rooms and see Canadian history up close. On the third floor, check out the crystal ball King used to keep in touch with his late mother. And in the kitchen on the main floor, see how his policies on rationing and recycling affected families across the country during the Second World War.
Survey the capital in style
The stylish Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market offers 200 gorgeous rooms, a wonderful restaurant, Feast + Revel, and a spectacular rooftop lounge, Copper Spirits and Sights. As you sip the National Capital Caesar (with ketchup chip and seaweed rim) from the 16th-floor lounge, you can see Gatineau, the Ottawa River and the Parliament buildings. The Andaz is right in the middle of the action, so it’s a great base from which you can head off and explore. Jennifer Allford was a guest of Ottawa Tourism and its partners. They did not review or approve this story.
Paddle like a voyageur
Hop in a voyageur canoe with Parks Canada for a paddle down the historic Rideau Canal. You’ll see wildlife, learn about the locks system and hear stories about the “lives of the working people on the canal,” including how the Stanley Cup ended up spending the night in the canal back in 1905. The story goes that in their exuberance, players on the winning team, the Ottawa Silver Seven, thought they could throw the trophy across the canal.
Sleep with the ghosts
If you like ghost stories, you’ll love the HI Ottawa Jail. Before settling into your cell, take the Ghosts and Gallows tour and see death row, the gallows and learn about the man hung for the murder of D’Arcy McGee on flimsy evidence. After learning about prisoners buried in the courtyard, tuck in for the night and hope for sweet dreams in the hostel that was once a jail.