New York City 1.5 hrs

Miami 4 hrs

Philadelphia 1.75 hrs

Boston 1.5 hrs

Los Angeles 4.5 hrs

Chicago 1.75 hrs

Dallas-Fort Worth 3 hrs

San Francisco 5 hrs

Parliament Hill: This area contains the beautiful gothic government buildings that overlook the Ottawa River. Skilled carvers decorated the parliament buildings with stone friezes of gargoyles, birds, other animals, and historic Canadian events. A walking tour through the Peace Tower, the Centre Block, and the East Block is a good way to learn about early Canada. A Noonday Gun is fired daily, and in the summer, visitors watch the traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony.

Rideau Canal: In the wake of the War of 1812, British North America feared attack from the United States. Engineers built this canal in the early 19th century to secure a supply route between Montreal and Kingston. The Canal looks much as it did over 150 years ago, with limestone locks, hand-operated cranks, wooden lock master houses, and stone supply buildings. Parks Canada presents visitors with exhibits and programs telling the history. This is also one of the city's most popular recreational areas. In the winter, the Rideau Canal transforms into the world's largest skating rink - great place to bring the kids!

Gatineau Park: On the northern border of Ottawa, this park has an 88,000-acre forest, 40 lakes, and a great variety of wildlife. "The Gatineaus" is a superb area for hiking, biking, cross-country and downhill skiing, and swimming. There are ski resorts within the park for overnight winter retreats.

Located along the Ottawa River, Ottawa lies in the province of Ontario across the river from the city of Hull. The city itself has lots of open green space, mostly in parks and wilderness areas, and is surrounded by an "emerald necklace" of farmland and forests, as well as hundreds of crystal clear lakes, rivers, and streams.

All four seasons make a fair showing and vary considerably. Spring brings moderate temperatures and beautiful flowering bulbs through the city. Fall also has pleasantly moderate weather and beautiful foliage. Winters are bitterly cold and snow falls from November through March but the city rarely shuts-down. Summer is pleasantly warm but can also be a bit humid.

The best weather is during the spring and fall. You'll be welcomed by blooming flowers or a leafy feast of colors, and ideal weather that is neither too cold nor too hot, with the smallest crowds of the year. Summer is peak season, bringing together the hottest temperatures with the highest crowds.

Historic Capital City: History and Old World charm are Ottawa's greatest attractions. Gothic government buildings on Parliament Hill overlook the Ottawa River. Visitors from around the world come to admire the ornate halls of the Parliament Buildings, the magnificent residence of the Governor General of Canada, and the grand museums and galleries found throughout the city.

Vibrant Culture: First-class theater, heritage festivals, museums, fine galleries, excellent entertainment, and beautiful natural surroundings are all popular reasons to visit Canada's capital. The city is kept alive through music, cuisine, and numerous cultural celebrations that take place throughout the year.

Tour Ottawa: Take a narrated double-decker trolley tour to get an overview of the city, with special attention to historic sights, scenic waterways, and parks. Hop on and off at your leisure with a pass that's good for a whole day!

Tour the National Gallery of Canada: View the finest collection of Canadian and European art in the country, from locally-renowned artists to classic masters including Rembrandt and Monet. The Gallery also hosts touring exhibits and performing arts presentations. Take a break in two restaurants with panoramic views of the Parliament Buildings and the Ottawa River.

Byward Market: A colorful mosaic of farmers markets, galleries, cafés, and nightclubs inhabit beautiful stone buildings and tranquil cobblestone courtyards. Pause between browsing to listen to street musicians in this casually upscale setting.

Rideau Hall: This is the grand, historic home and workplace of every Governor Ggeneral since the Confederation. Visitors are welcome and arrive down a winding, tree-lined entrance flanked by sprawling lawns and forests. In the winter, greenhouses are filled with fragrant, exotic flowers, and a lighted outdoor skating rink is open to all. In the summer, there are concerts, picnics, and children's events. Year-round guided tours take you through the residence.

Canada Science and Technology Museum: This is a hands-on experience and a great place to bring the kids. A view through their 15-inch refracting telescope is amazing, and other highlights include the Crazy Kitchen, and the SimEx Virtual Voyages simulator. There are displays of antique cars, giant steam locomotives, space technology, and much more!

Tour Centre Block: This is the central government location, with guided tours through the House of Commons, Senate, Hall of Honor, and Libraryof Parliament.

Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada: Engaging exhibits take you back to eras when currency included shells, teeth, and cocoa beans. Displays showcase the evolution of international currency through the ages.

Parc Omega: For nature-lovers, these 1,500 acres of woodland provide an escape from the city within the city! You can join the free-roaming animals such as bison, deer, wild boars, beavers, raccoons, bears, and an endless variety of wild birds. Buy a bag of carrots at the main gate and feed the animals!

Ottawa has more restaurants per capita than most any other Canadian city. Obviously, you can find whatever you want from haute cuisine to traditional Canadian fare and an exciting array of exotic foods. Settings also range from garden patios to waterfronts to sleek urban funk. Prices are generally very reasonable, and combine with the favorable exchange rate, making most meals a great value.

Gourmet

Empire Grill is an upscale bistro with a modern twist on 40s glamour located in the heart of the popular Byward Market. The menu features rich, saucy pastas, filet mignon, and fabulous Antipasto platters. There is an extensive wine, scotch, and martini selection, as well as live jazz to complement your meal. 47 Clarence Street

Le Tartuffe: This delightful, almost hidden townhouse is the unlikely home of one of Ottawa's most inspiring restaurants. Selections from the table d'hôte cards are unusually generous in both number and composition. For starters try the delectable vegetable terrine with lovage oil and radish sprouts, or the lamb carpaccio marinated in peppered white truffle oil. Entrees include such dishes as roasted Barbarie duck breast with raspberry sauce, and quail stuffed with pine nuts and cranberry compote. In the summer, ask to be seated at a table on the shaded terrace. 133 rue Notre-Dame, Hull

Highly Recommended

Haveli Indian Restaurant has an authentic Indian menu prepared by native Indian chefs using the traditional tandoor cooking method. From their clay ovens come savory chicken, shrimp, lamb, lobster, and beef dishes with the exotic taste of India. 39 Clarence Street & 194 Robertson Road

Café Henri Burger: This culinary landmark from the 1920s continually attracts both returning patrons and worldly visitors, lured to the restaurant by its solid reputation for serving excellent French and Quebecois cuisine. The menu is ever evolving, and is likely to include such tasty selections as chilled berry soup, lobster salad, and bouillabaisse and juniper-scented elk osso buco with wild-mushroom risotto. As expected, meat and game prevail, most notably venison, wapiti, and partridge, but salmon, Dover sole, and shrimp are regularly featured among the delectable array of special entrees. A wine list includes bottles from the Loire Valley, and a dessert menu provides sweet endings to meals. 69 rue Laurier, Hull

Local Flair

Creperie has an engaging panoramic view of Byward Market and a genial ambiance. The menu highlights international flavors with selections like Cajun chicken crepes and Ratatouille crepes. There is also an extensive selection of international wines. Byward Market

Le Café: Hidden in the rear of the National Arts Centre, Le Café enjoys a close and commanding view of the Rideau from its long summer terrace. Prime Canadian produce and ingredients suchas Petrie Island mussels, Nova Scotia scallops, Brome Lake duck, and Alberta beef and lamb are imaginatively executed in the lunch and dinner menus. The worldly wine list has a special section devoted to Canadian wines from the Niagara Frontier, of which the Mission Hill chardonnay is especially good. 53 Elgin Street

Romantic

Café Mezzaluna is a quiet restaurant with attentive service, and Italian décor. On summer nights, you can dine on the pretty patio. The homemade meals are delicious homemade pasta, veal dishes, and chicken specialties. The desserts are excellent! 180 Cooper Street

Le Jardin: Treat the one you love to a storybook dinner for two at Le Jardin, a 19th-century brick house with gingerbread trim and impressive rooms of gilt-framed mirrors and paintings. The dining rooms are subdued and seductively lit, and waiters dressed in tuxedos are attentive and always on call. Entrees are intensely flavored and aromatic, and a wine list features grand vins running into hundreds of dollars. Finish with a cocktail or liqueur. 127 York Street

Nightlife in Ottawa is rather subdued, but nonetheless there are plenty of nightspots for a fun night out. There are numerous clubs, pubs, bars with music, dancing, and comedy venues, mostly clustered around the popular Byward Market, Elgin Street, and Hull areas.

Vineyards: Linger and unwind in a relaxed and casual atmosphere, enjoying music performed by local jazz artists while sampling wine, malt whisky, and imported beers. Should you get hungry, a bistro menu is cooked fresh to order.

The Duke's "Lockmaster Tavern": This tavern, first opened in 1936, considers itself the most classic Canadian tavern around. It is a lively place, popular with locals and sports lovers who watch games on 4 satellite TVs. Live bands and karaoke keep the party going.

D'Arcy McGee's Irish Pub: This cozy Irish-style pub has excellent views of Parliament Hill, and the interior is laden with hand carved woods, etched and stained glass, and a mosaic tile floor, all handcrafted in Ireland. The bar is stocked with domestic and imported draughts, single malt scotches, Irish whiskeys, cognacs, bourbons, ports, and Cuban cigars. Celtic bands entertain.

Maxwell's Bistro: Lounge singer Johnny Vegas makes the women swoon, and happy hour brings a large daily selection of cheap eats. The bar is stocked with over 35 varieties of wine and the oyster bar is highly recommended.

ByTown Tavern: This is a "drink your beer and party" kind of place - fun, rowdy, and always entertaining. There are food and entertainment specials every night, including karaoke, live music, and 20-cent wings. The tavern also has pool tables and Sports TV.

Winterlude: Rideau Canal is the focal point of this winter festival, where people even ice skate to work! You can ice skate for an uninterrupted 4.5 miles, jump in on the bed races, enjoy horse-drawn sleigh rides, and check out the excellent figure skating shows and world-class ice and snow sculpting competitions. February

Tulip Festival: In the spring, more than a million tulips bloom on Ottawa's parklands and roadways. This 2-week celebration kicks off the spring season with incredible floral displays and public parties. May

Children's Festival: Kids gather for 4 days at the Canadian Museum of Nature for a cornucopia of magic, music, clowns, theater, puppets, creative crafts, mimes, jugglers, and more. Kids have a blast, and also enjoy checking out the museum's dinosaur, bird, and bat exhibits. June

National Capital Dragon Boat Race Festival: This water sport has become very popular in Canada,and in addition to the 2 days of races, there are many other activities for the whole family, including multicultural performances, art, great food, and kids' activities. June

Canada Day: This is Canada's celebration of Independence. Ottawa springs to life with concerts, street performers, various cultural shows, and numerous other family activities. July

Ottawa International Jazz Festival: International and Canadian jazz artists turn the city into a 7-day entertainment metropolis! The main stage is in Confederation Park with several other stages dotted around the city. July

Urban Music Festival: This weekend celebration fills the capital with street dancing and positive urban music including R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Worldbeat, and Techno. November

Dress as you would in any cosmopolitan city, but keep in mind that Ottawa is far north and temperatures may be cooler than corresponding seasons in the US. Spring and summer often call for a light sweater, and in the winter a full ensemble of heavy coat, scarf, gloves, hat, boots, and very warm socks are required. Over all, "nice casual" is the order of the day, and since you'll most likely walk everywhere, comfortable shoes are a necessity!

We strongly advise that you confirm the following information and regard this only as a basic guide.

Tax Refund: The GST (Goods & Services Tax) is reimbursable upon departure, but you must keep your receipts. Simply pick up a copy of the Tax Refund Application for Visitors at any Customs Office and most tourism centers, duty-free shops, and some hotels. The form is short and easy to fill out, and along with your receipts, is all you need to collect a reimbursement as you exit the country.

English and French are the regional languages, as Canada is officially bilingual.

The electrical current is the same as in the United States, so you won't need an adapter.

We strongly advise that you confirm the following information and regard this only as a basic guide.

Entry: A photo ID (such as a passport) is required to enter Canada, as is proof of US citizenship (passport, birth certificate, or naturalization certificate). Visas are not required.

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative: Effective January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including US citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to present a valid passport, Air NEXUS card, or US Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document, or an Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, if applicable.

The passport requirement does NOT apply to US citizens traveling to or returning directly from a US territory. US citizens returning directly from a US territory are not considered to have left the United States and do not need to present a passport. US territories include the following: Guam, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Canadian Customs: Visitors may enter Canada with personal effects duty-free provided that they declare them to the customs officials upon arrival and that the goods are not subject to restrictions. Persons aged 16 and over are authorized to take 50 cigars, 200 cigarettes, and 2.2 pounds of smoking tobacco. Persons 18 and over may take 40 ounces of duty-free alcoholic beverages.

Cultural Property: Canada has restrictions to ensure that objects of historical, cultural, artistic, or scientific significance remain in Canada. To take objects that are more than 50 years old (or made by a person who is no longer living) out of the country - including artifacts, fossils, fine art, decorative art, rare books, or archival materials - you may require an export permit. You must check with the Movable Cultural Property Program, 15 Eddy Street, 3rd Floor, Room 13, Hull, Quebec, Canada K1A 0M5; phone 819-997-7761, fax 819-997-7757.

US Customs: US residents returning from Canada after a visit of 48 hours or more may return with $800 worth of duty-free articles for personal use. Up to 100 cigars (non-Cuban), 32 ounces of alcoholic beverages (travelers over 21), and 200 cigarettes per person may be included in the duty and not included in the basic exemption. Works of art are exempt, however a receipt of purchase may be required.

US Consulate: 490 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 1G8, Canada; phone 613-238-5335, or toll-free 800-283-4356

Ontario Tourism: 180 Greenwich Street, Brantford, Ontario N3S 2X6, Canada; phone toll-free 800-267-3399

New York: 1251 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020; phone 212-596-1783, or toll-free 800-267-3399