ByWard Market · The Glebe · Westboro
The Ottawa
Weekend
A walkable capital, a canal that changes with the seasons, and neighbourhoods worth lingering in — markets, museums and maple syrup included.
3 Days · 2 Nights
Best: May–Oct · Winterlude Feb
Budget-Friendly
3 Neighbourhoods
Duration
3 Days · 2 Nights
Best Season
May–Oct · Feb
Budget
Moderate
Stay
Andaz ByWard Mkt
Getting Around
Walk + O-Train
About This Trip
Ottawa at Your Own Pace
Ottawa is easy to under-plan and even easier to over-plan. Beyond Parliament Hill and the ByWard Market, the city is really a string of walkable villages — each with its own coffee shops, patios and rhythm. It would be a shame to rush the canal or skip the porch-sitting.
With three days, pick a couple of must-do stops per neighbourhood and leave room for whatever the season hands you — a canal walk, a patio, a paddle on the river, or a plate of BeaverTails eaten standing up.
The Route
One Neighbourhood Per Day
Day 1
ByWard Market
Ottawa's historic core — Parliament Hill, the Market, a gallery, and a bridge across to Quebec. Start here to get your bearings.
Day 2
The Glebe
A leafy, canal-side neighbourhood known for Bank Street's boutiques, Lansdowne Park and a real locals-first pace.
Day 3
Westboro
Ottawa's riverside village — Richmond Road shopping, Westboro Beach and the best patio culture west of downtown.
🌷 Same itinerary, different backdrop
🌷 Spring: Canadian Tulip Festival at Dow's Lake
🚤 Summer: paddle boats & canal cruises
⛸️ Winter: skate the Rideau Canal Skateway
The Weekend, Day by Day
Your Itinerary
A suggested flow through each neighbourhood — built around the places worth lingering in.
Day 1 · ByWard Market
Parliament, the Market & a Walk to Quebec
The busiest day of the trip — Ottawa's historic heart, a gallery or two, and a bridge that takes you into a whole other province.
9 AM
Morning
Parliament Hill
Walk the grounds and take in the Gothic Revival architecture. In summer, catch the Changing of the Guard at 10am. Free guided tours of Centre Block run year-round.
Parliament HillCentre BlockPeace Tower
Security screening at the entrance — arrive a little early. Tours are free but fill up; reserve online.
11 AM
Late Morning
ByWard Market — Sign, Syrup & a BeaverTail
Wander the Market's cobblestone stalls — Canada's oldest — and grab your photo with the giant "OTTAWA" sign at York and Sussex. Pick up local maple syrup from a market vendor, and don't leave without a BeaverTail: the fried-dough pastry was invented right here in 1978.
Ottawa SignBeaverTailsMaple Syrup
The open-air market stalls are the best (and often cheapest) spot in the city for maple syrup.
12:30 PM
Midday
Lunch at Tavern on the Hill
Tucked into Major's Hill Park, Tavern on the Hill is a seasonal outdoor canteen with the best view of the trip — Parliament, the Chateau Laurier and the National Gallery, all from one patio, over gourmet hot dogs and a drink.
Tavern on the HillMajor's Hill Park
Seasonal (spring–fall) and outdoor-only. If it's closed, The King Eddy on Clarence Street is the reliable backup.
2 PM
Afternoon
Pick a Gallery
National Gallery of Canada
The big one — home to the giant spider sculpture "Maman," Group of Seven works and a striking glass building overlooking the river.
Ottawa Art Gallery
Smaller, free, and a five-minute walk from the Market — contemporary Canadian work with a rooftop restaurant.
4 PM
Late Afternoon
Cross the Bridge to Quebec
Walk the Alexandra Bridge — about 15 minutes on foot — and you're in Gatineau, Quebec. The Canadian Museum of History sits right on the other side, with sweeping exhibits on Canadian history and one of the best views back across the river to Parliament Hill.
Alexandra BridgeCanadian Museum of History
No ID needed — it's a provincial border, not international — but it's still a fun "we walked to another province" moment.
7 PM
Evening
Dinner & a Pint at Beyond the Pale
Back across the bridge, close the night at Beyond the Pale's ByWard taproom — three rooms, the full beer lineup, a pub menu and regular live music. A relaxed, local way to end a full day.
Beyond the PaleCraft BeerLive Music
Day 2 · The Glebe
Bank Street & the Museum of Nature
A slower, greener day — Bank Street shopping in the morning, a museum in the afternoon, dinner back on a Glebe patio. Visiting in spring or summer? The tulip fields and canal boat rentals at Dow's Lake are a few minutes from here.
9 AM
Morning
Coffee, Then Bank Street
Start with coffee and a pastry at Little Victories, then spend the morning working down Bank Street's stretch of boutiques and independent shops. If it's a Sunday, the farmers' market at Lansdowne Park is worth timing around.
Little VictoriesBank StreetLansdowne Park
Lansdowne's farmers' market runs Sundays, May through October.
12 PM
Midday
Sun or Shade — Your Call
If the sun is out
Pick up lunch to go and take it to Patterson Creek Park or the canal pathway.
If it's overcast
Duck into Lansdowne's indoor shops around TD Place, or settle in on Bank Street.
2 PM
Afternoon
Canadian Museum of Nature
A short walk north of the Glebe, the castle-like Museum of Nature is Ottawa's most walkable major museum from here — dinosaurs, a live butterfly gallery and a genuinely striking building. Give it two hours.
Museum of Nature
Buy tickets online to skip the queue, especially on weekends.
6:30 PM
Evening
Dinner at Feleena's
Back in the Glebe, Feleena's does bright, generous Mexican food in a room as colourful as the menu. An easy, unfussy way to close the day.
Feleena'sMexican
Day 3 · Westboro
Richmond Road, the River & a Craft-Beer Nightcap
The most relaxed day of the trip — a slow brunch, a shopping crawl, the river, and a pint to close it out.
9:30 AM
Morning
Brunch at Gezellig
Gezellig, set in a former bank on Richmond Road, does one of Ottawa's best brunches with genuine range on the menu. No need to choose just one dish.
GezelligRichmond Road
Weekend brunch gets busy by 11 — go early if you can.
11:30 AM
Late Morning
Richmond Road Shopping
Walk Richmond Road's run of boutiques, outdoor gear shops and cafés — Westboro's main street is Ottawa's most concentrated stretch of independent retail.
Richmond RoadWestboro Village
2 PM
Afternoon
Westboro Beach & the River Pathway
Follow the pathway down to Westboro Beach on the Ottawa River — good for a swim in summer, a paddle rental, or simply a bench and a view of the Gatineau Hills across the water.
Westboro BeachOttawa River Pathway
7 PM
Evening
Dinner at Pure Kitchen
A relaxed, plant-forward close to the day — Pure Kitchen's rooftop patio is one of the best-loved spots in the neighbourhood when the weather cooperates.
Pure KitchenVegetarian
9 PM
Night
Nightcap at Tooth and Nail Brewing
A short hop over in Hintonburg, Tooth and Nail pours balanced, traditional-style beers out of a century-old former machine shop — a fitting last stop before heading back.
Tooth and NailCraft Beer
Leave enough time for the airport the next morning — allow 25–30 minutes from Westboro plus transfer time on the O-Train.
Ottawa doesn't ask for a tight schedule. The best moments come from a canal-side bench, a BeaverTail eaten standing up, or a patio you weren't trying to find.
Where to Eat & Drink
Eat, Drink & Be Merry
Ottawa has something for every budget — and its best nights out lean local, breweries included.
Tavern on the Hill
$$
Gourmet hot dogs and the single best view in the itinerary — Parliament, the Gallery and the river, all from one patio.
The King Eddy
$$
A family-run Market institution since 2014 — no reservations, no pretension.
Sidedoor
$$$
Sharp, punchy street-food-style plates behind one of the Market's longtime favourites.
Book ahead on weekends — it fills fast.
Feleena's
$$
Bright, generous Mexican food and a Glebe favourite for good reason.
Gezellig
$$
Set in a former bank on Richmond Road — one of the city's best brunches.
Pure Kitchen
$$
Plant-forward menu with a rooftop patio that's a neighbourhood favourite in summer.
Little Victories
$
Coffee and pastries on Bank Street — a good place to start any Glebe morning.
BeaverTails
$
The fried-dough classic, invented right in the Market in 1978. Not optional.
Beyond the Pale — ByWard Taproom
$$
Three rooms, the full BTP lineup, and regular live music and trivia — the Market's craft beer home base.
Tooth and Nail Brewing
$$
Balanced, traditional-style beers in a century-old former machine shop — Cask Thursdays are the move.
Copper Spirits and Sights
$$$
The rooftop lounge at the Andaz — a breathtaking view over the Market after dark.
The 27 Club
$$
The reborn Zaphod Beeblebrox — live bands, DJ sets and theme nights on an industrial-chic dance floor. 19+.
Aulde Dubliner & Pour House
$$
A two-storey Irish-style pub with live music most nights and a mezzanine patio over the Market.
Where to Stay
Home Base
Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market
ByWard Market · Walking distance to Parliament Hill & the canal · Great value
Recommended
Must-Do
Top Picks
Pick a couple of your non-negotiables and let the rest happen naturally.
1
Parliament Hill Tour
Free guided tours of Centre Block — book online, as they fill up fast, especially in summer.
2
The Ottawa Sign & a BeaverTail
Photo at the letters in the Market, then a warm BeaverTail from the pastry that started it all in 1978.
3
The Rideau Canal
A UNESCO World Heritage Site — walk or bike it in summer, skate it in winter. Either way, don't skip it.
4
Cross Into Quebec
Walk the Alexandra Bridge to the Canadian Museum of History — a whole other province, fifteen minutes on foot.
5
National Gallery of Canada
Home to the giant spider sculpture "Maman" and one of the best Group of Seven collections anywhere.
6
Westboro Beach & River Pathway
The Ottawa River at its most relaxed — a swim, a paddle, or a bench with a view of the Gatineau Hills.
Planning Tips
📅 When to Go
May–October, or February
Patios and the canal at their greenest in summer. Winterlude and skating on the world's largest rink in February.
🎟️ Book Ahead
Parliament Hill Tours
Free but fill up fast — reserve online before you go, especially in summer.
🚆 Getting There
O-Train Line 2 → Line 1
One transfer connects the airport to downtown — cheap, fast and no traffic.
💶 Value Tip
Stay Just Outside the Core
Centretown and the Glebe offer better value and are still an easy walk or short O-Train ride to everything.
