Guide for Ottawa
 

My husband and I will be visitng Ottawa for a day in July and wish to find a guide to give us the greatest exposure to Ottawa in the period of one day. Please advise

Are you looking for a live person guide? or an itinerary? I also am going for 1 day and have workrd out a plan if that is what you seek.

We are looking for a live personal guide. We will probably have many places that we want to see but would like someone who knows where to park and how to get everywhere as quickly as possible to maximize our time there.

Sorry, we would love to know your plan as well. Maybe that is enough and we don't need extra help...thank you

I did a cut and paste of my intinerary that I will pocket and follow. Maybe it will give you some ideas how to cram stuff in.
Notes: I chose to hotel in the Chateau because it is one of the attractions. I will not have to go and see it as I will be living there. It is also located in the center of Byward Market, Sparks Street Mall and Parliament. Unless something unanticipated happens my car will never have to leave the Chateau parking lot. I understand parking is real bad. Everything on this list is easy walk except I will use the Double Decker Bus Tour attraction also as transportation to the Canadian Museum of Civilization.
Generally museums are on my avoid list. They take a lot of time and I end up seeing the contents of a building and not the city. But I read in a magazine that this one is "controversial" because eeek! it has pizzaz using interaction multimedia etc. and not just static displays in the official museum tradition. So I fit it in after initial rejection prior to reading magazine.

Tues July 12
Leave for Ottawa at Noon-ish 270 Miles - 5 hours (From Toronto)

Supper Location = Eat and explore Ottawa Sparks Street Mall before and/or after Light Show
Evening Activities = Parliament Hill Light Show English ½ hour FREE 9:30pm

July 12th TUESDAY PM Lodging = Chateau Fairmont Laurier in Ottawa

WEDNESDAY July 13th Breakfast Location = Sparks Street Mall before or after Changing of the Guard
AM Activities =
Visit info tent for whatever open 9am -5pm
Changing of the guard –9:45am 30 min
Open top Double decker Bus tour originating from Sparks Street and Metcalf Street Continuous 10am-4pm - 2 hour fully narrated or hop on and off any of 15 stops - ticket good for 2 days - stops at Canadian Museum of Civilization (hop off there)
Lunch Location = While at Canadian Museum of Civilization
Museum of Civilization Quick tour of “Canada related stuff” only $22.00 Family (9am-6pm) – bypass stuff like India, Egypt etc.
PM Activities
Tour Bus back to Parliamont Hill
Bytown Museum $5.00 (10am-5pm)
Cat Sanctuary rear of Parliamont Hill
Outdoor walking self guided tour Parliamont Hill (check if too late for Guided outdoor tour?)
Supper Location = Byward Market
Evening Activities = light show again 10:30?/ or Ride Bikes / or Rest / or Blues festival eavesdrop while walking around canal / or explore Chateau

July 13th WEDNESDAY PM Lodging = Chateau Fairmont Laurier in Ottawa

THURSDAY July 14th Breakfast Location = Byward Market leave for Kingston 8:30 – 9:00

Sobolik: I read your itinerary and can offer a few suggestions.

1. On arrival, forget the Sparks Street Mall. It's dead at night. Instead walk into the Byward Market and explore. There are countless places to eat, and it's just across the road from the Chateau.

2. The Bytown Museum isn't really worth your time on such a short visit. If you want to see another Museum, go to the new Canadian War Museum, which is spectacular. http://warmuseum.ca/cwm/information_e.html.

3. Once you get into the Museum of Civilization, you may find yourself spending more time than you planned. Not to miss are the Grand Hall and First People's Hall on the ground floor, and the Canada Hall on the third floor.

4. If you don't see the cat sanctuary, you're not missing much.

5. The Blues Festival is a good bet for either night. Check the Bluesfest website for performances. It's a short walk from the Chateau. There should also be lots of food concessions if you want to eat there.

Enjoy our city.

Thank you laverendrye!!!! I will make the changes and I am grateful for your shared insite. Thanks

Sobolik: Just a further thought. Although Sparks Street Mall is usually quite dead at night, Darcy McGee's Irish Pub is usually very lively. It's at Sparks and Elgin, a two minute walk across Confederation Square from the Chateau.

A historical note: the pub is located just a few doors away from the location of the rooming house where Thomas Darcy McGee (a prominent Member of Parliament) was assassinated in 1868. The gun that supposedly killed him has just been sold by to the Museum of Civilization.

Sobolik: Just a further thought. Although Sparks Street Mall is usually quite dead at night, Darcy McGee's Irish Pub is usually very lively. It's at Sparks and Elgin, a two minute walk across Confederation Square from the Chateau.

A historical note: the pub is located just a few doors away from the location of the rooming house where Thomas Darcy McGee (a prominent Member of Parliament) was assassinated in 1868. The gun that supposedly killed him has just been sold by auction to the Museum of Civilization.

Please take a few minutes to visit Canada's war memorial and the tomb of the unknown soldier.

robi1: What do you want to see, though.... some clues here please.

PS For future inquirers - 2 hours is a workable expectation for a "Canada" tour of, and per the Canadian Museum of Civilization. web site = http://www.civilization.ca/cmc/guide/guide2hr_e.pdf