TripHip - Travel Tips and Advice for Traveling on a Budget

The Parliament buildings in Ottawa are a great historical site to visit when traveling to Canada's capital. Tours are free, and include a number of the buildings on the site. Certain parts of the building will be off limits if government is actually in session.

Be aware that since Canada is an officially bi-lingual country, the tours may be in English or in French. This might mean a bit of extra waiting time if you don't speak the language of the next tour.

Though the tours are helpful, you don't *have* to take a guided tour. You are free to explore the buildings and the grounds on your own, if you prefer.

For getting around the city, Ottawa has an excellent public bus system. Unlike many other major cities, there is no subway and the bus system more than makes up for it.

There is an entire network of roads through the city that are exclusive to buses, called the Transitway. By avoiding regular road traffic, buses on the Transitway are rarely late and take much less time to get to their destinations than traditional bus service.

Busy routes are usually serviced by large double extended buses, that can carry twice as many passengers to make sure everyone is accommodated.

Maps and schedules are posted at all stops for easy navigation. Various types of routes (rush hour, local, downtown) are colour-coded on the signs to help you know which route goes where. One fare gets you anywhere in the city, so there are no zones to worry about.

Ottawa in winter might not seem like the best idea as a tourist (it can get pretty cold up here) but a winter visit to Canada's capital would give you the opportunity to skate on the world's longest skating rink.

You can glide down almost 8km of ice through downtown Ottawa, with no admission cost. It's a unique experience, and worth the chilly weather. There are skate rental booths at various points on the skateway.

Skate or walk along, and make sure to stop for a sweet Beaver Tail pastry. It's a canal tradition.

After you've toured the Parliament Buildings, head east along Wellington Avenue to the Byward Market. Right after Wellington turns into Rideau, you can head north and there is a large neighborhood filled with unusual shops, coffee houses, indie art galleries and restaurants. You can find open-air stands and fresh produce during the summer months too.