If you’re looking for an unexpected place to take a weekend getaway with a couple friends, look no further than Ottawa. When I got the opportunity to check out the country’s capital city, I crowdsourced my Instagram followers for tips. After some light investigation, I decided the week of July 4 was the perfect time to skip out on the usual Independence Day festivities and try something different. I assure you the trip completely exceeded my expectations, and I am officially Ottawa’s number one fan.
I took recommendations from my Instagram followers, people I befriended at restaurants, and people working at some of the local attractions. I got to hike, spa, and see incredible views of a city without driving more than 30 minutes from my hotel. Here are seven reasons why Ottawa should be your next wellness getaway:
Stay in a castle
I had the pleasure of staying at the Fairmont Château Laurier, which is conveniently located five minutes away from the Parliament buildings, 15 minutes away from Elgin Street (where most of the dinner recommendations are), and pretty much across the street from ByWard Market. Also, it’s a castle. It has an indoor pool, a restaurant called Zoe’s with incredible poutine, and the bathrooms are stocked with Le Labo products in the scent Rose 31. Like any good trip focused on self-care, a good breakfast was always a priority. Definitely try breakfast at Wilfrid's, located just behind the concierge, at least once.
Ottawa's signature dishes
If you didn’t eat poutine, did you even go to Canada? The country’s most talked about dish always has these three ingredients: french fries, gravy, and cheese curds. If you want late night poutine, you want to go to Elgin Street Diner, which is open 24 hours a day. If you want the best poutine I had while I was in Ottawa, go to Zoe’s.
The spas
If you told me a month ago that I would have one of the best facials of my life in Ottawa, I wouldn’t believe you, but after visiting two very different, but equally relaxing places, I am a believer. After a morning of hiking in Gatineau Park, I went to the Nordik Spa-Nature, the largest day spa in North America. You’ll need four to five hours to get the full experience, which for me included massages, outdoor baths, and salt water pools. At Nordik, you’ll also find hot stone beds, aromatherapy rooms, and saunas. If you don’t want to commit to an entire morning or afternoon, Holtz Spa is your spot. At Holtz, I stayed on theme with a maple sugar body scrub and Babor facial.
Patios, patios, patios
If you didn’t already know this, Canadians are really into patios and rooftops. The best rooftop view is going to be at the Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market, which also has a great breakfast spot downstairs called feast + revel. If you go for breakfast, make sure to get the Scotch egg.
Gatineau Park
My only Canadian regret is that I couldn’t spend more time in this beautiful conservation and outdoor recreation park. Gatineau Park, located in the Outaouais region of Quebec right next to Ottawa, has a variety of views, hike paths, and heritage sites. It also also houses the stunning Mackenzie King Estate, where Canada's former Prime Minister once lived. Pro tip: bring a fanny pack and pack it with snacks and sunscreen.
Parliament
If Ottawa is the Washington D.C. of Canada, then Parliament is the Canadian White House — except it’s way more opulent and the Prime Minister doesn’t actually live there. (His office is across the street, though.) After pulling some strings, I was able to secure a VIP tour. While my tour guide could not comment on the presence of any hidden doors in the building no matter how many times I pressed the issue, I did get to see something super hush-hush: Perhaps the best kept secret in all of Ottawa is the vintage Coke machine in the sub-basement of the Parliament building.
The people of Ottawa
If there’s one thing I can say with certainty, it’s that Canada has earned its reputation for hospitality. Everywhere I went, people were nice and sorry about everything in the cutest way possible. As one of my Instagram followers put it, “the people you meet [in Ottawa] are legends.” The people I met in this city showed me around, brought me to amazing oyster bars and breakfast nooks, and I even got invited (and went) to a total stranger’s wedding, but that’s a story for another time.
Photos by Benjamin Reyes and Ottawa Tourism.
