Ottawa Travel Guide — Best Time, Things to Do & Where to Stay

Why Ottawa

Ottawa is the capital city of Canada, situated in southeastern Ontario where the Ottawa River meets the Rideau River. Bordering Gatineau, Quebec, the city anchors the National Capital Region and welcomes over 11 million visitors each year. It is widely recognized as the country's political center, housing federal government headquarters, foreign embassies, and major national institutions.

The area surrounding the city's three main rivers has a deep Indigenous history, serving as an important travel and commercial hub for Algonquin communities for thousands of years. Non-Indigenous settlement began in the early 19th century with the timber trade, followed by the establishment of Bytown in 1826 during the construction of the Rideau Canal under Colonel John By. Bytown was incorporated in 1850 and renamed Ottawa in 1855—a name derived from an Algonquin word meaning "to trade." Queen Victoria selected Ottawa as the capital in 1857, favored for its defensible cliffside setting and strategic waterway access.

At the heart of the capital sits Parliament Hill, featuring prominent Gothic Revival buildings constructed in the mid-to-late 19th century. These grand structures include the East and West Blocks, the Library of Parliament, and the central Peace Tower. Surrounding the parliamentary precinct are key federal sites, including the Supreme Court of Canada, the Prime Minister's Office, and the official residence of the viceroy. Nearby Confederation Square, designated a National Historic Site, houses the National War Memorial adjacent to historic landmarks like the Château Laurier hotel.

Ottawa is also a major cultural and academic destination, holding the highest proportion of university-educated residents in Canada. The city is home to higher education centers such as the University of Ottawa and Carleton University, along with major national venues including the National Gallery of Canada and the National Arts Centre. Visitors can explore various historic sites and national museums, including the Canadian Museum of Nature, which temporarily hosted Parliament after a major fire damaged the Centre Block in 1916.

The historic Rideau Canal remains one of the city's defining features, originally separating the early community into distinct neighborhoods west and east of the waterway. Together with the surrounding river system and heritage architecture, Ottawa offers travelers an engaging mix of history, civic heritage, and national culture.