Ottawa - Help me plan a trip

[kylet]

I have a hotel from Tuesday August 24th until Thursday August 26th in downtown Ottawa. I've been there once for a hockey game. I've never actually experienced the city.

Ill be staying at the:

Les Suites Hotel

130 Besserer Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9M9

Anybody recommend any good record stores, shops, vegan food, main strips to get a hotel on? Any help is appreciated. -Kyle

[croy]

I can only speak from an Ottawa POV:

Good record stores - depends on what you like. Vertigo on Rideau Street has pretty much anything you could find at a well-enough stocked record store in the states, but you'll pay Canadian prices. Not much in the way of huge used scores, though I've found some good 7" over the years. Birdman Sound on Bank Street if you're into obscure garage/psych/punk etc. Smells like incense. There's been a lot of stores to close over the years. BUT if you're driving up from Buffalo you'll pass through Toronto and you can hit up Rotate This, Hits and Misses, and Criminal Records. You're not going to find any insane scores, but you can walk away with some good records.

http://punkottawa.com/aroundottawa/stores/index.shtml

(End Hits and Sounds Unlikely are both closed, but were good places )

LOADS of vegan options in Ottawa. I'll post this from our local punk board/site

http://punkottawa.com/aroundottawa/placestoeat/index.shtml

I recommend Horn of Africa for amazing Ethiopian food. I've never actually tried the Blue Nile or Habesha, but I've heard they're even better than HOA, so they might be options. HOA just happens to be right on Rideau so it's nice and central. The Green Door and The Table are also good places, but can get kind of pricy as it's pay by the pound.

Anyway there's lots to do, if you postpone your trip into Sept/Oct you could catch a Sens game, exhibition or not, you can check out Parliament Hill if you're feeling touristy, walk through the market and snag some fresh produce as you walk. Hit up Herb and Spice on Bank Street for vegan snacks (samosas, reasonably stocked vegan ice cream selections).

Ottawa's nice, you're not going to be overwhelmed, but as long as you don't expect to be blown away, you should have a good time. I'd probably try and find a Bed and Breakfast on Albert or Slater though, rather than staying in some gross place on Rideau. If money's not an issue, stay in the Westin and have a nice view of the city. Casino Lac Leamy in Gatineau has firework shows on the weekends, and if your room is up high enough you'll see them.

Hope that helps!

[croy]

Here's a few B&B's all within walking distance to everything in Downtown Ottawa.

http://www.bellanottebb.com/Bella_Notte_B%26B/Welcome.html

http://www.ottawacenterbnb.com/

http://www.bedsandbreakfasts.ca/auberge-ottawa.htm

http://www.bedsandbreakfasts.ca/ottawa-bb.htm

[croy]

also there's lots of pretty cool museums. The National Gallery of Canada has a pretty good exhibition called Pop Life going on until I believe the first week of September. the museum of Nature just reopened after lengthy renovations and I've heard they've done a really good job with it.

[kylet]

also there's lots of pretty cool museums. The National Gallery of Canada has a pretty good exhibition called Pop Life going on until I believe the first week of September. the museum of Nature just reopened after lengthy renovations and I've heard they've done a really good job with it.

Thanks so much for all this help!

I've only been to Ottawa once and it was for a Sabres game. I'm thinking about getting a hotel at the end of the summer with my lady. We've been to Toronto a handful of times and always had a good time, so we're looking for some place new.

As far as record stores go, I've been to most those record stores you mentioned in Toronto (Rotate This, Hits and Misses, Sonic Boom). Rotate this was my favorite. I'm looking to get some indie/pop punk stuff. Into stuff like Saves the Day, Death Cab for Cutie, Get Up Kids, The Lawrence Arms, etc. So the psych/punk stuff is not really what I'm looking for. Any good stores in Ottawa I should check out?

I want to stay downtown where everything is walking distance. I'm going to get a room off priceline.com. If you're familiar with that, you don't really pick the exact hotel. You put in a bid, and a specific area of that city (downtown), and the first hotel to accept the bid is the one you get.

Would you say number 3 on this list is where I want to be?

http://www.priceline.com/hotels/Lang/en-....44 712&plf=pcln

[croy]

Yeahm number 3 for sure, you'll be within walking distance to anything, though obviously the outer perimeters are a bit more of a trek. I don't know what you were planning to put in as your budget, but it may be worth checking out some of those B&B's if it's not too far off what you were hoping to spend.

For record stores, you're really not likely to find anything you can't find in the states. I forgot about Compact Music on Bank St. I was only in there once, I don't know how long they've been selling vinyl, their selection wasn't huge, but it seemed well enough priced with newer releases indie/punk.

For general browsing stores, take a walk down Dalhousie. There's some nicer clothing stores your lady might enjoy. Check out Norml and Top of the World on Rideau for shoes/clothes. Get a falafel from Marroush on the corner of Rideau and Elgin. There's a new poutine place on Dalhousie that's supposed to be getting Daiya soon for vegan poutine.

The Byward market is always fun to walk through. Some cool stores. Take a walk down by the canal. check out Zen Kitchen for gourmet vegan food. I've never been, but they had a television show about them getting started. Pricy, but supposedly worth it. http://www.zenkitchen.ca/

[tooclosetosee]

My wife and I stayed 3 days in Ottawa a couple years ago in September and had a blast. One thing to note is that there are a ton of bums in Ottawa, so that wasn't very cool.

We stayed at a pretty cool B&B that was very reasonably priced called the Byward Blue. It was really close to the Byward market area which was really cool.

There was an animation festival that we went to that was going on at the time which was interesting.

Im the opposite of vegan and there were a lot of cool restaurants in the Byward area. My favorite was a place called the black thorn.

We did a "haunted" pub crawl which was pretty interesting. It wasn't so much as "haunted" as it talked about the history of the city and dark and fucked up things that happened there.

Toured parliament which was pretty much what could be expected.

Went to the museum of civilization which was really cool and I wish I could have spent a whole day there, but we only alloted a couple hours.

Went to the Byward Market.

All in all it was a really cool city just to walk around, and one of the most fun weekends my wife and I have ever spent. Never been to Pittsburgh though.

[kirbypuckett]

I guess I'll be the first to chime in on Pittsburgh...

Record Stores: There are plenty!

Paul's CDs: Despite the name they have a solid vinyl selection. It's really close to my apartment so I go there the most

Attic Records: This one is close to me as well and they have a pretty decent new selection, but a ton of older stuff as well. You can spend hours in there digging for some gems.

Jerry's: This one is famous because of how huge it is. It's hard to find more modern things, but it's worth going to. There's a hip-hop record store in the same building.

Wicked Discs: I haven't been there in a while, but it was ok.

There are a bunch more, but those are the ones I usually visit.

There are plenty of shops and places to eat in Pittsburgh too. I'm not well versed on vegan eateries, but I know that you'll have your options here. Right outside the center of the city to the east is the Strip District, there are a lot of Pittsburgh shops / street vendors as well as a ton of places to eat and get fresh food. There's a record / comic store there, but their selection is mediocre IMO. The Strip District is a joke for night life. Everything there goes down on 2 streets, Smallman St and Penn. If you follow Penn away from the city for a mile or so you'll end up in Bloomfield which is Pittsburgh's Little Italy. Paul's CDs is there as well as a TON of Italian restaurants and a really good Thai place, Thai Cuisine. If you followed Smallman out of the city you'd end up in Lawrenceville, which is where I live. This neighborhood is booming with places to eat and shops right now. I live on Butler St. which is the main drag and there's a handful of bars and restaurants that are solid. A cider house just opened up and if you're into ciders I'd stop and buy a growler. A lot of the shops are clothing related and more geared towards women, but there are some other interesting places. Back to Bloomfield, if you go past there you end up in Shadyside which is another place that's really booming. Tons of food and shops there as well. Some places tend to be a little more expensive because it's the "hip" place right now. The South Side part of town is where Pittsburgh's night life thrives. It's lined on both sides with bars, shops, and restaurants for miles. Stop by Common Wealth Press and get a Pittsburgh t-shirt from my friends.

It's really hard to talk about Pittsburgh in a quick concise way. I feel like I could ramble and ramble. So just keep asking questions and I'll answer the best I can.

I'm not really sure where the best place to get a hotel would be. I'm sure it would be pretty expensive if you got one right downtown, but you'd get a great view of the stadiums (PNC Park and Heinz Field). If you're coming later in the summer the Pen's new Arena Consol Energy Center might be open, not sure if it'll be for tours or anything though. There's a hotel in the Strip District across from the John Heinz History Center (which is a great museum), but it might be pretty expensive too.

[gravitylovesdrunks]

no reason to go to ottawa.

[kylet]

Yeahm number 3 for sure, you'll be within walking distance to anything, though obviously the outer perimeters are a bit more of a trek. I don't know what you were planning to put in as your budget, but it may be worth checking out some of those B&B's if it's not too far off what you were hoping to spend.

So I decided to go with Ottawa. We're gonna stop up in Toronto for a few hours on the way. Then head up to Ottawa for the night. I have hotel reservations at:

Les Suites Hotel

130 Besserer Street, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 9M9

I got a room on priceline for $70 bucks a night. I think I'll be directly downtown.

I need to start coming up with some things to do and places to eat. I'm make a list of some stuff that interests me off both those links you posted. I heard there's a nice art museum in downtown Ottawa. And a nice farmers market. Do you recommend either of those?

[alertthemute]

The National Gallery is really really cool! I love that place. I used to go there to hang out in the atrium just to do my homework (it's free to get in for students). I would also reccomend the Museum of Civilization which is right across the bridge into Hull ... er Gatineau. They also just finished building the brand new War Museum like 1-2 years ago which is also really nice. It is slightly west of Downtown but very very easy to get to via public transit. As for vegan food there is this great raw vegan place on Somerset called Zen Kitchen. The Table and The Green Door are also both really great options. If you are looking for a cool bar to chill at my favourite place is The Dominion Tavern or The Dom.

It's a little hole in the wall punk bar with some pool tables, however you won't feel out of place if you don't have a mohawk and shit. It's just a nice place to share a beer where you won't have to worry about some douchebag getting too absurdly drunk and spilling all his beer on you. If you want to dance or more modern music you can try Zaphod's Beeblebrox or Babylon. Zaphod's is actually right nextdoor to the Dom but Babylon is further south from the market down Bank street.

Like the other dude posted there is Vertigo Records on Rideau street which is my first spot to try , and there is also Compact Music on Bank street. Vertigo has way more vinyl than Compact does.

Hope this helps dude

[croy]

Just to clarify, I'm pretty sure that Zen Kitchen isn't a raw vegan place, just vegan, but like I said, it's really expensive, you'll probably drop $80+ on dinner. The Green Door and the Table are both good, but a bit out of the way from where you're staying, neither are really walkable, but the bus system is good in Ottawa (despite what anyone else will tell you)

Les Suites is a really nice hotel. When my family first moved to Ottawa for my dad's job, his company put us up there for a month while we looked for housing. It's super central, and as long as you're on the right side, and high enough up, you'll have a nice view of the market. You'll walk out the front door and the Poutine place is right there, and Marroush is right on the corner. Vertigo Records is right around the corner on Rideau Street, and you'll be facing Dalhousie which has some good shops. There's some decent used book stores if you're into that on Dalhousie, though I'd recommend checking out the Book Bazaar on Bank St. for a better selection. Check out Ragtime if you're into mostly overpriced vintage clothing, Spaceman Music if you're into used instruments/gear. Definitely check out the museum of civilization over the bridge if you've got the time. The Photography museum is kind of at the corner of Rideau and Sussex (5 mins from your hotel) and it's free with some occasionally cool exhibits, it's really small though, you'll be in and out in 10 minutes.

What days are you staying? You can check the shows listings on Punkottawa to see if there's anything good happening that night.

[croy]

actually just saw your dates at the top. bummer you weren't here a day earlier. Titus Andronicus are playing here on Monday the 23rd.

[kirbypuckett]

BOO!

[kylet]

BOO!

I know I know. My girlfriend would rather Ottawa. I plan on going to Pittsburgh with a buddy for a Pirates game probably some time next summer. Thanks for your help.

[kylet]

I've came up with a list of Record Stores, Stores, Food, and Stuff to do. Please comment on them, definitely go to, skip it, etc. Let me know if some place else should be on my list.

Record Stores:

1.) Vertigo Records

2.) Compact Music

3.) Birdman Sound

Food:

1.) The Green Door

2.) The Table

3.) Marrousch International (for a Falafel)

4.) Govindas Vegetarian Buffet

5.) Auntie Loo’s Vegan Treats

Stores:

1.) Dalhousie Street shops

2.) Ragtime (Vintage Cloths)

3.) Book Bazaar

4.) Norml Clothing

5.) Top of the World Clothing

Stuff to do:

1.) The National Gallery (Art Museum)

2.) Byward Market

Farmers Market

3.) The Photography Museum

4.) Museum Of Civilization

[croy]

Yeah dude that list is looking pretty good. A few things though:

-The Table and The Green Door are pretty similar (pretty sure it's the same owner), and neither are particularly walkable, so you're going to have to take a bus, probably for dinner once you've finished all the day's sightseeings. I'd choose one (The Table is a bit better, and in a nicer part of town too, it's kind of the hip neighbourhood, so your girl can do lots of browsing in fancy stores if that's what she's into) and hit up something else closer for the other. Govindas is really good, it's been a longtime staple for cheap, filling, and healthy meals for the pre-show rituals of the Ottawa punk/hardcore scene. Many band meetings have been held there, pretty sure girlfriends have been made/broken up with there, and Shankar is an exceptionally nice man. He's the only one working there, and it's run out of a Hare Krishna temple, so it's really quiet and you've got to take off your shoes once you get there, but it's $5 for all you can eat if you're a student, $7 if you're not. It's also only open from 5PM-8PM, but sometimes he hurts his back so you might be out of luck if you get there and find a note on the door.

To get to Westboro (where the Table is) you can just hop on the number 2 bus on Somerset St. which intersects with Bank St. OR if you're driving that makes everything a lot easier! Just drive up, find some street parking and walk around.

Also while you're on Bank St. you might as well hit up Herb and Spice for snacks on the go, and you'll pass it as you walk to the Book Bazaar/Birdman Sound, both of which are just a little bit past it. It's your run of the mill health food store, so you're not going to find anything you can't find at Whole Foods or whatever, but it's small and they've got a counter of locally made treats and a fridge full of juices and soda.

My wife wants me to add that you should go up the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. Don't bother with any of the guided tours, because I think you have to pay for that, just walk up and go inside and take the elevator up the Peace Tower. It's free, you can hang out there for a while and get a 360 view of the city. Definitely walk around the Market too, and head down Dalhousie for more interesting stores. I just gave Norml and Top as examples because they're right around the corner from your hotel.

If you're into Chinese food too, on Somerset St. W there's a good place called So Good that has a good vegan selection. Try the pepper salt tofu.

[kylet]

Yeah dude that list is looking pretty good. A few things though:

Thanks so much dude! I added The Peace Tower to my list. I'll probably skip The Green Door if it's very similar to The Table and they're both pricey.

What about parking? You know of any lots that are cheap around the area I'll be staying? I don't mind walking a bit either. Is there any free street parking near there? I'll be getting in around 7pm on a Tuesday, hoping to dump the car somewhere, and drive home around noon on Thursday. It's $17 a day at the Hotel. Hoping to find somewhere a bit cheaper.

[croy]

yeah you should be able to find free parking if you go a little further up Besserer/Daly. Up in those streets is mostly old houses converted to apartments for students. It's a safe place to park, and there aren't meters on the street. Depending on what time you get there you should be able to find a spot and not have to walk too far back to the hotel, I've parked in there and there's no meters.

The other option is right around the corner from your hotel on Nicholas St. there's a big gray building, it says Arts Court or SAW Video Gallery, something like that. I can't remember if there's meters there, I'm pretty sure there's no meters, but there's only space for maybe 10 cars, but you might get lucky. 7PM on a Tuesday doesn't sound like it'd be too busy. Just check for No Parking signs and you'll be good. I think metered parking is free after 5PM also.

[croy]

and I know you probably don't want to have a super long drive home, but my wife's family is in St. Catharines, and we visit often, and I can pull that drive in about 5 hours, and Buffalo's only what, 1hr tops past St. Catharines? You probably don't have to leave so early on the Thursday, pack as much in as you can, enjoy your visit!

[bruins4ever]

If you can... head up north an hour and a half to beautiful Pembroke/Beachburg, Ontario for white water rafting! I'm going there this weekend (leaving tomorrow). It's supposed to be amazing. The company is called "Wilderness Tours" if you're so inclined to check it out.

I lived in Ottawa for 4 months on a coop term and absolutely loved it. Really cool city, awesome night-life/bar scene (ie. live bands and not-so-douchey people). Most of the bars are basically pubs with a "dance floor" and it was a lot of fun going out at night in that city at the Byward Market. "Heart and Crown", "Pier 21", and "Zaphods" were my favorites. Also, check out "Zaks" for an all night diner if you do end up going out, and want some awesome food at 2-3 in the morning. It's all right in the Byward Market.

Aside from the night life, there are a few record stores in the general area (all have been listed), and Parliament Hill is pretty cool (they do tours and stuff obviously). There is quite a bit to do if you're only there for a few days.

[jasonskanks]

I guess I'll be the first to chime in on Pittsburgh...

Record Stores: There are plenty!

Paul's CDs: Despite the name they have a solid vinyl selection. It's really close to my apartment so I go there the most

Attic Records: This one is close to me as well and they have a pretty decent new selection, but a ton of older stuff as well. You can spend hours in there digging for some gems.

Jerry's: This one is famous because of how huge it is. It's hard to find more modern things, but it's worth going to. There's a hip-hop record store in the same building.

Wicked Discs: I haven't been there in a while, but it was ok.

are any of these near deisel? i am going there tonight.

[tooclosetosee]

I am going to be in Ottawa from November 11th through the 14th for work/vacation. I am going to be in the Bank Of Canada / Byward area. Is there anything cool going on that weekend?

Recommend me places to eat/drink as well.

Thanks all!

[bruins4ever]

Food - Blue Cactus and Zak's (24 hour diner) are both in the Byward Market

Bars - Heart and Crown, Zaphods, and Patty Boland's

Love the city. I forget the names of the record stores but I think they're all in this thread somewhere. Have a good time! Everything cool in Ottawa is basically in the Byward Market area, so if you're down there, there's quite a bit to do.