The Canadian Museum of Nature is an architectural masterpiece, blending Beaux-Arts symmetry with a…read morehistoric exterior and a striking glass tower. The Earth Gallery's gem collection and the Bird Gallery are exceptional, and the gift shop is high-quality. However, my visit was heavily disrupted by large school groups monopolizing the interactive displays. To avoid these groups, try visiting after noon, as morning hours are peak time for field trip arrivals.

It was as much fun touring this museum as it was watching the smaller kids get excited looking at…read morethe dinosaur fossils and the live insects. There was so much content even limiting it to just Canadian flora and fauna. The building itself is impressive, and everything is nicely organized inside. Parking would be my one peeve. You can walk to it from the light rail if you're okay with that and it's night weather, but we found that for a group, it was actually cheaper to take a Lyft, ironically. While this museum is designed to be a great source of information for kids, adults will like it too.

I had no idea that the Ottawa International Animation Festival was so huge. This year was its 40th…read moreanniversary. I won a pass to the festival this year and really enjoyed it. The screenings were at The Arts Court, Bytowne Cinema, National Gallery and St. Brigid's. I went to see a few shorts and a few longer feature films. I loved seeing the different animation styles. All screenings are about 70-90 minutes long. Many shows have more than 1 screening during the festival, so if you missed it the first time, you can catch it on the second screening. The shows really run the gamut from having traditional story lines to really out there stuff that was too artsy for this science major! LOL. They have screenings particularly for kids and workshops for kids too (to encourage them to get into animation), which I thought was cool. They also offered a special pass for free for teens. I also attended the picnic that was at 50 Sussex Drive. It was mostly people in the industry; they were very friendly and I had a good time. They served pulled pork sandwiches (including a vegetarian version - not sure what it was made of), macaroni and cheese, and a green salad. There was also a pumpkin carving contest, but I left before that took place. Overall, it's a really cool festival!

I was fortunate enough to be awarded a festival pass this year for the Ottawa International…read moreAnimation Festival. What can I say, except that it was amazing. Although I wasn't able to attend all of the various functions during the week, I managed to still spend a huge amount of time watching the screenings plating at the ByTowne cinema. Whether dark and moody, abstract and impressionistic, or bright and optimistic, the variety of short films I saw showed the broad and expressive range of talent currently out there in the animation market. The finale of the festival culminated in a best of viewing for those of us who managed to miss a few events and showings. The OIAF has a variety of other things going on during the five day bonanza. Virtual Reality displays and shorts were available throughout the week, special times were set out for younger audiences, an industry networking conference was underway, and there were daily late nighter celebrations into the wee hours of the evening. I'd recommend this festival both for animation and film aficionados as well as the regular newbie consumer such as myself. I know I've managed to make a few new acquaintances during my time here in addition to having the privilege of the exposure to new art in the hours spent here.

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.

We had our small wedding at the Orange Art Gallery and the venue was perfect.  The art on the walls…read moreadded a very nice dimension and the character of the building and terrace were enchanting.  The bar was flexible in meeting our desire of showcasing Canadian craft beer, wine and liquor and the bartenders were, as several guests commented, extremely nice and friendly yet professional and mixing a mean drink. Art on the walls also provided spectacular and unexpected backdrop for some of our best wedding photos.    We recommend Orange Art Gallery for small to medium weddings and other functions.

We were in Ottawa to attend a small wedding and this gallery was the venue. It was very charming…read moreand we enjoyed viewing the art as we mingled with other guests over champagne. If you are in the neighbourhood it is an interesting spot.

Pooh and I went for supper with my family. My dad goes every year and this year we were all in town…read morevisiting so we made it a family affair. Pooh and I both had the lamb platter served with Greek salad, rice and pita bread and we bought a bottle of red wine. The lamb itself was disappointing. There was more bone than lamb and it was very salty. My eldest brother also had the platter and had the same issues with the meat. The rice was very plain. The best part of that meal was the Greek salad. The entertainment was fun and the MC joked around with us. There was an artisan area and gift shop. Pooh and I used Uber to get there because dad said there was limited parking.

Love Greek food? Greek music? Greek people? Curious about the Greek Culture?…read more You can't miss this - Like every year, The Ottawa Greek Festival has the world-famous #ZorbaShow (8:30 p.m. every night) which transports you into a Greek 'taverna'. TRUST ME, The Zorba dancers put on a show full of high-energy, crowd interaction, and fire! YOU absolutely cannot be miss this! Best Part? FREE Admission. Live a day the Greek way! OPA!! Info: http://www.ottawagreekfest.com

I brought a group of international students here as part of a school activity. We visited the Acres…read moreof Terror. Picture this- a group of about 25, 18 to 19 year old students, many of whom have never celebrated Halloween before our visit. Tickets range from $15 to $25, the latter being the standard, $20 being the group rate, and the low rate of $15 coming as part of a one day flash sale they had pre-haunting season. With your ticket, you get a one-time admission to each of their 4 fright sites which include: The Spooky Wagon Ride, House of Terror, Spooky Village, and Fog Maze. They are open from 7 until 10 pm. Before arriving, I wasn't sure if it was enough time, but if you plan accordingly and hit the wagon ride (which has the longest wait line) first and then check out the rest of the attractions, you're pretty well set. Admittedly, I only personally experienced the Spooky Wagon Ride and the Spooky Village. I don't do well with things that go bump in the night, and chickened out of the other two sites. The Spooky Wagon Ride is pretty neat, it's interactive and definitely has its freaky moments. I personally found that the Spooky Village is a bit more on the goofy side than scary side- a break I was happy to encounter. There certainly are some jump factors there, but nothing overwhelming and it was a lot less nerve rattling. It's a bit of a drive to get there, but in my opinion, for the season, it's worth it. Alot of the great Halloween attractions seem to be just on the outskirts, but it makes sense since it's at an orchard. There is food available for purchase, but keep in mind if you are looking for some freshly made fries, the canteen only accepts cash. Oh! And this is a big one for some people- the only bathrooms I found were porta-potties, but they were spacious and clean. I would definitely recommend this as a family fun activity or a night out with friends!

Amazing hay ride. This place is smaller than other attractions like it in the area but still loads…read moreof fun.

The Canadian Museum of History is an architectural wonder. Designed by Douglas Cardinal, its fluid,…read morecurved forms mimic the natural erosion of the land--evoking wind, water, and glaciers. The main entrance is designed as a symbolic mask, while the limestone exterior harmonizes perfectly with the riverfront landscape and the Parliament buildings across the Ottawa River. Inside, the Grand Hall's massive windows frame stunning views of the river, which serves as a breathtaking backdrop for the impressive totem pole collection. This museum is a must-see for anyone who values the combination of outstanding design and cultural history.

This place is a gem! So much about it is breathtaking, from the architecture, to the views of…read moreOttawa on the other side of the river, to the totems on display - everything! The layout is well organized, the history is thorough, the exhibits are interesting. One thing I truly appreciated is the total frankness of the documentation. They kept it real. Nothing was sugar-coated, nothing was whitewashed, they didn't attempt to erase or hide any history, and they made a point of trying to learn from past mistakes. Other places could learn from this. I hope the museum will be able to add on, to cover events in Canada's more recent history.

The EX has got to be one of the most popular festivals in Ottawa. Even if you're not a fan, if…read moreyou're an Ottawa local, guaranteed you've been to it at least once in your life. It's a long-running outdoor festival that has stayed a family favorite for years. Kids love it, but it can also be a cute little date idea. It's been held at Landsdowne Park every year for as long as I can remember, from mid to end of August. This is actually a really good time to have it since it isn't blazing hot out. It's also pretty inexpensive so you can get in a full day of fun. There's all sorts of entertainment - concerts, stunt demonstrations, circus performances, stand-up comedy, magic shows, and educational shows. There are also petting zoos, exhibits, a ton of rides, and my favorite, the Ferris wheel! Nothing more romantically cliche than grabbing a corn dog, winning a prize, and riding the Ferris wheel ;) I am quite sad though, as I've heard that after 2010, the EX will no longer be held at Landsdowne Park :(