What did your family like best in Ottawa?
 

Hi,<BR> I'm taking my 2 kids, ages 12 and 15, to Ottawa for 4 days next week. I've read the guide books, but now I'd love to hear from those of you who've been there and done that.<BR>What was your favorite family activity in Ottawa? How about your favorite restaurant for a fun, family meal? Thanks for your input!

For a fun eating experience, try Moe's Newport Restaurant on Richmond Rd. at Churchill. Good food, big portions, lots of choices & Elvis! It is the World Headquarters of the Elvis Sighting Society. Elvis is EVERYWHERE in the Newport.<BR><BR>I recommend the pizza.<BR><BR>

Other than Parliement Hill, there is alot of museums there. Avaiation, The Royal Mint. The War Museum, Actually it was a few years ago and I can't remember all the names but there is a lifestyle museum there also. I would check a search engine to get all the names...Really nice area.

Try the Science and Technology Museum, the kids will like it. I used to go there all of the time.<BR>Try walking around the Market Area too, if you are interested in poking into a few shops. In Rockliffe park there is a nice park to walk in, or walk along the Ottawa River. You could also go to Moonies Bay if you want a nice river beach, it is in the East End. <BR>If you want to cross the border to the Quebec side, Gatineau Provincial Park is really nice and there are a few nice place to walk or hike, or even rent a boat that are not too far from Ottawa. <BR>I also believe there is a river tour by boat.

Are you going to be there July 1st? Isn't that Canada Day? We went to the Parlaiment Buildings to see the fireworks, it was a madhouse of people but great.<BR>WE also enjoyed the Museum of Natural History.<BR>BBT, Kim and Farrah...I remember visiting a town called pioneer village or something where everyone is in old-fashioned dress and you can see how people lived long ago. Do you know where it is and what it's called? It was a day trip from Ottawa but very enjoyable.<BR>Just remembered this one for Toronto, what about the Fort, is it called Kingston?

Science and Tech OK I remember that one. The Fort in Kingston is Fort Henry I believe I have never been there but there Black Creek Pioneer Village just north of Toronto, Haven't been there since I was a kids but loved it. Kortwright center is also nice.<BR>Sorry that is also north of Toronto

For the pioneer stuff I can think of several places. The closest is the Log Farm on Cedarview Rd. Next is Upper Canada Village in Chrysler and Old Fort Henry in Kingston. If you want to make it an overnighter, Kingston is a very nice town right on Lake Ontario. Get a hotel on Ontario Street on the lakefront. Howard Johnson, Ramada, Holiday Inn are right there, as well as the Prince George - a heritage building. This is a good area for walking around, or take the trolley tour.<BR><BR>If you stay in Kingston for the night you can see the Sunset Ceremony at Old Fort Henry as well. <BR><BR>Other museums in Ottawa include the Museum of Natural History on Metcalfe St. in the Victoria Memorial Museum building. The building is worth a visit in its own right. And of course there is the Museum of Civilization across the river in Gatineau (Hull).<BR><BR>

The Museum of Civilization on the Hull side is nice, and this past summer we (with two kids similar ages to yours) took a boat ride down the canal; decent little evening excursion. The big surprise was the currency museum, where the guide was the best-informed guide I've encountered almost anywhere. The ride up the Peace Tower in the Parliament complex was nice, and made for nice photos. If you don't hit the crowds for Canada Day it's a good spot for picture taking. Enjoy!

My kids, 16, 14, and 9 best enjoyed the Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec and hiking around Gatineau Park, also over the provincial border. There's a Hard Rock Cafe in the Byward Market; the Market is an interesting place to browse around and eat a beavertail. One night we went to a dinner show in Quebec, something like the Moulin Rouge (?) with Can-can dancers et al. Rather long for our youngest, but bilingual and fun. Don't remember the restaurant's name, sorry! Parliment and the national art museum are must-sees, but my kids get bored with the pure "educational stuff" after awhile. At last resort, there's always the hotel pool!

Thanks to everyone for your suggestions. We just returned from our trip and we loved Ottawa! We really liked the Museum of Civilization, The Royal Mint, the Currency Museum, and Parliament Hill. We arrived on Canada Day, which was a lot of fun although incredibly hot.

Hi Pat,<BR><BR>Glad to hear you had a good time.<BR><BR>Did you go to Toronto?

Yes, we spent 3 days in Toronto before going to Ottawa. I'd been to Toronto 3-4 times before, but not in about 10 years. We had a good time. We did the CN Tower, the Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Royal Ontario Museum. Toronto seemed a lot dirtier than it used to be. The garbage strike started either the day we arrived or the day before, but I don't think that was the only reason. Toronto was fun, but we liked Ottawa better.