Of the 7 current NHL arenas I have been to this is 7th out of 7th Here is the rundown…read more Arena feels quite dated compared to the others I have been to, even though our favorite Madison Square Garden is much older and others are of similiar age. Unlike Centre Bell and Scotiabank Arena which have great food, drinks, and WiFi there are limited food and drink options here (at least on 3rd floor where we sat) and no WiFi. The arena is also far away from the city center although luckily they are putting new arena near the War Museum in LeBreton Flats that will be on the light rail line. They do their best to make up for the shortcomings and have a couple restaurants in the arena but we didn't try them as well as great pregame and intermission entertainment. When we went on November 2nd against the Kraken it was Oktoberfest night and they had pregame specials and entertainment we missed along with a beer stein giveaway they ran out of (but we didn't want to fly back with them anyways), and a German dance troupe during intermission that was just to the left and below us on the club level and the Jumbotron was fun to watch throughout the game. The team has so much potential and I love Brady Tkachuk as his dad Keith was my favorite Blues player growing up so I got his jersey in advance. Plus hockey really has its origins in Ottawa rather than Toronto even though the original Senators relocated to St. Louis to become the Eagles before they got the current team several decades later. Looking forward to seeing Ottawa again when Parliament is restored and they have a new and improved arena.

This is the 7th hockey arena I've visited. It's almost 30 years old, but the place still looks…read morepretty new. Pretty easy access to get in and out and there are plenty of restrooms and food choices. Staff was also super cool and friendly along with all of the Ottawa fans we met. It is out in the middle of the boonies, so we didn't drive there and stayed at the hotel that was 0.5 miles down the road. It is pretty easy to walk on Huntmar Dr and across the bridge to the arena. That's the only downside is that the place is like a 30 minute drive to downtown. There are some things around the area, but it is still pretty dead and you can't really pregame like you can at other arenas.

This stadium was built specifically for the Red Blacks football team. There are other teams that…read moreplay as well such as hockey, volleyball, soccer and many more. The field and surroundings are clean. I like how there are info people if you do get lost. There are many washrooms and potties around. The football games a bit empty or so when I went especially for the long weekend but the crowd really set the atmosphere. The DJ as well was playing some awesome tunes to pump up the audience. Before the game starts there are a variety of alcoholic drinks for $10. The food is a bit expensive for what you get. I will be back for sure.

Opinions about Lansdowne Park are very polarized. I was living in Ottawa during the re-development…read moreand I feel that there was so much potential for it to be a more beautiful space. There is too much concrete and not enough greenery, in my opinion. Too many mega chains not enough independents. I feel that it lacks charm. Many Ottawans (including me, admittedly) were excited about the arrival of Whole Foods. However, since they've opened I've been there a grand total of 3 times. Ottawa's only Sporting Life is also at Lansdowne. There's what I call an "urban concept" Winners there (i.e. not too much selection and relatively small). It's similar in layout to the one on Sparks St. Like I mentioned earlier, many of the restaurants are big franchised places that offer burgers, pizza, etc., and in my opinion are not too dissimilar from each other. There are very few smaller independent places that have character, more unique fare, and a more intimate setting. However, I recognize that you need huge restaurants should people who go to the stadium want to go for dinner before/after the game (the stadium fits 24,000 people after all). There's the big stadium of course, and there is a skate park, and a wading pool/area for kids. There is some green space towards the back of the area, and they have retained some of the original buildings like the Aberdeen Pavilion, so all is not lost. Parking is a pain in the butt. There's a paid parking lot but it's quite pricey (and the lot is kind of a maze, and also a zoo - metaphorically, not literally, no monkeys or pandas!), and street parking is hard to come by, plus you are limited to only 1-2 hours. My opinion is that Lansdowne Park may be cool for people living in the neighbourhood who can walk there, but a bit of a pain to get to and find parking for everyone else.

Ottawa's local auto racing attraction puts on a good show every Wednesday night. The track has new…read morepavement and lots of cars each week, worth checking out.

This is ideal for kids who may like racing and cars. The races are short with new cars for each…read moreheat which keeps the kids attention. The ticket prices are reasonable so if you need to leave at intermission (about 9:00) to get the kids to bed it is not a real loss. I had a great time with my 6 year old son and will go back again soon.

Good gym, kids love the wave pool…read more The staff in the weight room is very knowledgeable and helpful.

Last night, I had a mini reunion with a former co-worker, now friend. We hadn't seen each other…read moresince we worked at the same company in Winnipeg. It had been so long that the calculation of years that we last saw each other was both scary and ridiculous. He plays hockey. I watch hockey. We are both hockey fans. He invited me to see his game last night. His team was playing at Carleton Ice House (CIH). This hockey facility is located at Carleton University. I continue my trend of visiting university campuses without taking a single course. It was easy finding this complex. There were also two parking lots with lots of spots in front of it. My friend gave me a special code that allowed me to park for free. I felt super VIP. You can either pay for parking at parking kiosks in either both lots or CIH. You can either pay through your phone's browser (that's how I did it) or download the app. It was easy. I walked through the main entrance. A sport medicine clinic and washrooms were on the left. The former was closed when I was there just before 7 pm. I used the washroom after the game was over. It was clean with at least six stalls. This facility is the home of the Ravens varsity hockey team. It's bright and inviting when you walk in. What took me by surprise was that this complex has two NHL-sized ice rinks. What?! I'm so used to going into an arena to watch a hockey game. Arena. Singular. Okay, which rink was my friend's team playing on? I went to Arena A. The second floor is where you go to sit down and take in a game. It looked like the North Stars were playing some other team and all players looked young. It wasn't my friend's game. I watched these teams warm up before I left. I headed to Arena B. Seating is on the first floor. The two teams that were playing were larger. Again, it wasn't my friend's team, but I stayed to watch the game. It was entertaining and both teams were evenly matched. My friend texted me a selfie. He was sporting his team's jersey, which was super helpful! He said that he didn't know which arena he was going to play at. I texted him back and said that Arena B's game was over, so he'd likely be on it. I chose correctly. The zamboni came out to clean the ice. My friend was playing at Arena B. It felt like high school. He found me in the stands, skated over, and tapped the plexiglass. I came down to talk to him for a bit. It was cool, especially seeing him after all these years. The Otters is my friend's team. It's a pride team year-round and is inclusive. My friend's son is transgendered, so it made sense that he joined it. The game consisted of two periods of play. There were two referees. One of them smiled at me during the second period while standing in front of me. Another first! Sadly, his team lost to the Rejects. I sat several benches away from the wife and daughter of the Otters' goalie. They were loud, but I appreciated their enthusiasm. Both ice rinks are cold temperature-wise. If you get cold easily, grab a sweater or jacket. I actually went in with shorts and a t-shirt, and was fine. I run on the hotter side, so I'm a bit different. My friend skated over after the game. He let me know that he'd need some time to switch out of his gear. I told him to take his time. I waited steps away from the Welcome Centre. My friend showered and changed, and we headed to his car with a couple of his teammates that I got to meet. As a hockey fan, this experience was wonderful. My friend had beer in the trunk of his car. We had a mini tailgate drinking a can of beer and chatting. It was a nice tradition that this team has and I was thrilled to be a part of it. I had a good time taking in a free game with my friend in it despite the outcome. CIH is an awesome hockey facility. I'm glad that I was able to check it out. (226)

This arena falls into ruins. We go there for hockey but it is cold in the rooms and on the ice…read more In addition, the structure looks unstable, and lamps have fallen during a practice. We need new infrastructures

I had a mishap on my bike this morning and went to Bushtukah Kanata. A bike technician was assigned…read moreimmediately. Alex fixed my bike quickly and made great suggestions to help me in the future. I was back on the road in half an hour thanks to Alex. Amazing service!

I knew it would be pricy but wow, quality. I have my eye on a beautiful Trek mountain bike. You…read morewon't leave with a bike less than 1K plus tax. It's just that way. I'd never been here before. Brenda was awesome, saw me looking at bikes and came right over. Very knowledgeable. The store had a decent vibe and was clean. Lots of gear and clothing. Shopping for a bike on Markertplace, Canadian Tire, Used, Costco. Forget it. I tried. Here, the bike is assembled for you upon purchase by people that know what they are doing. Warranty included. 15% off accessories for 7 days after the buy. You can get sized on your visit to see what size of bike you need. You can test drive the floor model on the lot to get a feel for your chosen one. (Bring runners, of course) I learned a lot and I'll be back soon for payment. 3 Ottawa locations. Westboro is said to be bigger. Orleans has a lot of the stock. It feels elite to shop here. Just wish it was a tad more affordable but you get what you pay for!