Little Known Ottawa Tourist Attractions – Canada's Capital Off the Beaten Path Sights Ottawa Canada Tour Tidbits

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Touring visitors around Ottawa is one of those pleasures that just gets better and better as you uncover more intricate history, attractions and unique sights. The Capital City of Canada, Ottawa, could also be dubbed 'The Museum Capital of Canada'. With over 13 major museums, a dozen government attractions, and an extensive Art Gallery, there is something to satisfy every curiosity, every history buff, every art connoisseur and every entertainment taste. You could literally spend months touring this Museum Gem of Canada.

Chatting with the local guides, Members of Parliament (MPs), security persons and even Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has uncovered a few 'off the beaten path' attraction anomalies that add to the intrigue and beauty of the Canada's National Capital Region.

1)The Acoustic Anomaly of the Baldwin-LaFontaine Statue on Parliament Hill. Tucked to the right and behind the main Parliament building, up behind the statue of Queen Elizabeth II sitting on a horse. Robert Baldwin and Louis LaFontaine established responsible government in Canada with the 1841 reunion of Upper and Lower Canada. Stand front and center and face this monument that looks like a mini stage. Speak in a normal voice and listen.. The sound has the natural acoustic amplification qualities like those of a mini Red Rocks Colorado amphitheater. Don't leave yet! Sit two people opposite each other; one at the extreme right and one at the extreme left edges of the 'stage'. Have the two whisper a conversation back and forth. WOW!

2)The Cat Sanctuary on Parliament Hill is to the left of the main Parliament building. For over 18 years and counting, volunteers have fed the 26 plus colony of stray cats. Formality and compassion in harmony. You can't get any more Canadian than that, eh!

3)Drive along Sussex Drive from Rideau Street and continue through the round-about at 24 Sussex and Rideau Hall (across the street) on up to the RCMP Musical Ride Training Facility. You might even get to feed the horses through the fence! On the return drive enjoy the Ottawa River look-off, zip up into Rockcliffe Park to see Embassies, Ambassadors' Homes and homes of the Ottawa elite. Park near Rideau Hall, walk its beautiful gardens and capture the Changing of the Guard.

4)No trip to Ottawa is complete with out a drive up into Gatineau Park, a short drive to an entrance just over one of the 5 bridges between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. This park is a mecca for mountain bikers. On one excursion we watched a black bear eating by the side of road just a short distance inside this park. Drive right up to the Champlain Look-off, which overlooks the Ottawa Valley and Ottawa River. Gatineau Park is on the edge of the Canadian Shield. An incredible site any time, but particularly a perfect place in the Autumn. You might be lucky enough to view the excitement of hang gliders or para-gliders against this pristine valley backdrop. Oh! You must exit the park through Chelsea so you can enjoy the homemade ice cream and waffle cones of La Cigale.

5)Bicycle along the miles and miles of pathways throughout the National Capital region. And if that is not enough, every summer Sunday morning, sections of the River Parkway are blocked to regular automobile traffic for your biking, walking and running pleasure. Ottawans are serious cyclists – even through the cold and snowy winters!

6)Early September (Labour Day Weekend) is the time to catch the fun and color of the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival. Since 1988, this annual festival has been attracting huge crowds and hundreds of balloons. To view these Aerial Art Flotilla drifting over the Ottawa River and the Peace Tower of the Parliament Buildings is a photographers delight. Just listen to that distinctive deep 'whooshing' sound as they ignite the burners.

Most of Ottawa can be enjoyed with a walking tour. But treat yourself to one of the river or canal boat tours, bus tours or hop aboard the old Wakefield stream train for a step back in time. Nature. History. Geology. Outdoor Activities. Politics. Animals. Take a little time to enjoy Ottawa's other amenities.

And what does Ottawa offer during those cold Winter months? That's another story for another day.

Little Known Ottawa Tourist Attractions – Canada's Capital Off the Beaten Path Sights Ottawa Canada Tour Tidbits

Carp Ontario Canada – Ottawa Air Show, Experimental Aircraft Association, Diefenbunker, Carp Fair, Drive-In Bingo! Historic Travel Destination

Unofficially boasting the second highest UFO sightings behind Roswell. Home to Canada's largest nuclear bunker! On again, off again, Carp is once again host to the annual Ottawa Air Show! Annual destination for the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast. A location for a Tom Clancy movie shoot staring Ben Affleck and Morgan Freeman.

Intrigued? Well you should be! The Historic Village of Carp has nothing to do with the fish by the same name. The seemingly sleepy rural community sits on the northwestern fringe of the city of Ottawa – just a bit 'up the valley' as they say in the (Ottawa) Valley. Carp, though a small village and predominantly a farming community, has some of Canada's defined history running through its veins.

The [debatable] secret building of the four-storey nuclear fallout Diefenbunker, was a massive Federal Government construction project completed in 1961. Now part of Canadian Cold War history, a tour through this concert and steel underground fortress will stimulate your senses with the intrigue of espionage, spies and covert operations. Come prepared to walk up and down stairs.

Carp, in the 1960s and 70s, was noted for the unusual number of UFO sightings. This is not surprising, since the Diefenbunker was a military commissioned, secure defense communications installation. Department of National Defense (DND) personnel would cycle through a tour-of-duty for up to three months inside this bunker facility.

For about 40 glorious seconds in the Tom Clancy suspense movie “The Sum of all Fears", the Diefenbunker was Mt. Weather, Virginia, USA. The inclined tunnel leading to the huge steel-vault-like doors and locations inside the complex were used as a backdrop for the movie, scripted around a nuclear attack on America.

Nice being picked by Hollywood, but the real enticement to visit Carp is its local character. Rooted in agriculture, adds that 'country fair' feel when in June, the Carp Airport hosts the Ottawa Air Show and again in August, the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA Chapter 245 ) fly-in breakfast. Both of these Aviation spectacles boast aerial displays, vintage and modern airplanes and always a taste of aerial hot-doggin'. Although hosted on a smaller scale, rivals the big heart and excitement of the Abbotsford BC International Air Show.

It's all morning fly-in action surrounding the Annual EAA Chapter 245 fly-in breakfast. Sometimes landing back-to-back the pilots, in their kit-built aircraft, circle, land and taxi to designated parking spots. Over 50 to 60 planes are flown in during this much anticipated event. Pilots eat a hearty breakfast, fuss over their aircraft, catch up on news from other pilots, and some then take off into the wild blue yonder. Others, like August Lehmann, veteran pilot of 49 years, flew in from Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to attend the annual EAA Fly-In/Drive-In Breakfast. Mr. Lehmann, who flew his custom made 2005 Cessna 230 H.P. Cyclone at an average speed of 130 mph, took the opportunity to visit with friends and relatives along his flight path to Carp, Ontario.

One plane that draws a lot of up-close attention is the prop-version replica kit of the Canadian Snowbird Team CT-114 Tutor jet, right down to the paint. One bi-plane had vintage enthusiasts crowding around for a closer look. Wow! Beautifully lacquered wood throughout the cockpit and on the wings. Lots of photo opportunities everywhere you turned. It was hard for shutterbugs to keep up.

It may start with the Carp Airport, but Carp charm doesn't stop there. It has a few more unique long-standing attractions:
1) Home to Canada's longest running drive-in Bingo as highlighted on the CBC Show 'On The Road Again' with Wayne Ronstad. Started in 1954 and still going strong!
2) Over 142 years of the Carp Fair, held during the last weekend in September!
3) Incredible sunsets and easy access to some of the best Snowmobiling and ATV trails in Canada!

Enough said! C'mon over! Chat with the locals. Bring your family and friends for a visit to one of Ottawa Valley's gems.

Check out additional images of Carp at Flickr.com (search on 'Carp Charm') or click on the title above or below this article.

Carp Ontario Canada – Ottawa Air Show, Experimental Aircraft Association, Diefenbunker, Carp Fair, Drive-In Bingo! Historic Travel Destination

Canada Day is Every Day in Ottawa Canada - A Family Entertainment Destination

A must do trip for you and your family would be soaking up the party atmosphere of the July 1st Canada Day Celebrations in Ottawa, Canada - The Nation's Capital!

Ottawa (population approximately 1 million), typically a proud, safe, conservative government and high tech city, pulls all the stops for the Canada Day Celebrations. A full throttle party with street buskers, renowned entertainers, local musicians and new musicians and bands from across Canada. Every park and band shell is a mecca for all afternoon, all evening entertainment, right up to the spectacular 10 pm fireworks display, seemingly synchronized at dozens of locations in and around Ottawa-Gatineau and the National Capital Region.

Ottawa on Canada Day truly is a opportunity for new musical groups to express their music to new and large crowds eager to hear, move and applaud new talent. So not only is Ottawa a must as your vacation destination, but Ottawa is a must for any musical band wishing to break into a broader audience than their local city or town!

The 2006 Canada Day Celebration was just this type of 'breaking out' event for a new Toronto based band, The Apollo Effect. TAE, an independent rock-alternative group, 'thrilled and was thrilled by' the crowd that gathered at Andrew Haydon Park. This 2000+ audience danced and moved to the sounds from TAE's debut CD.

The night was perfect - an 8:30 play slot, with perfect light, both on stage and in the late evening sky, and the crowd pumped in anticipation of experiencing The Apollo Effect. Perfect for listening, perfect for performing and perfect for photography too. It doesn't get any more magical than this.

Ottawa rocks on Canada Day - The July 1st Canadian Birthday Party is a must do destination in planning your next year's vacation. Come to the Nation's Capital to share and experience a redefined 'Happy', as only can be delivered in the Capital of Canada. Home to the country's largest number of history, art and technology museums, Ottawa, celebrates every season:
Spring - Tulip Festival, marathons, so many parks, walking and bike paths;
Summer - end-to-end concerts (Jazz & Folk Festivals), farmer markets and July 1st Birthday;
Autumn - community fairs, markets and the turning trees (Oh, the colors);
Winter - the Christmas lights on Parliament Hill, Winterlude, world's longest skating rink;
and every sport and recreation activity - swimming, boating, sailing, hiking, biking, skiing, skating, ATV'ing, snowmobiling .....or just walking.... you name it!

Ottawa is the definitive family vacation destination! And an incredible place to live and raise a family.

Canada Day is Every Day in Ottawa Canada - A Family Entertainment Destination

Business Planning Nature Retreat - Creative Thinking at Natures Winter Get-a-way (Haliburton Forest Ontario Canada)

Put a new twist in your next Business Planning Meeting.

Want to get close to nature, experience an untouched forest, gain a deeper understanding of wolves, experience outdoor activity like mountain biking, hiking and wilderness camping in the summer to snowmobiling, cross-country skiing or dog-sledding in the winter! What a great way to get the creative juices flowing - outdoor activity combined with faciliated meetings.

All of this is part of a 60,000 acre private "nature enclave" tucked next to Algonquin Park in Ontario Canada. Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd is a private "Nature Oasis" offering you FIVE-star Snowmobiling and outdoor activities with rustic accommodations. The rooms and cabins are ideal for groups of 4-20 people with room to hold discussion groups - but bring your own flip charts, projectors and meeting supplies.

The snowmobiling is awesome - rated one of the top 10 snowmobiling destinations in North America - with over 190miles/300km of groomed trails that thrill both the novice or seasoned sledder - you will experience everything from wide trails to exciting single track trails that surprise and delight you with each turn, twist or mogul. A maximum of only 100 snowmobiles per day are allowed in the park. When my wife and I were there in February, we passed no more than 6 sleds the whole day. Saw the groomers twice.

There are even shelter cabins, with firewood, water and bunks, scattered throughout the Reserve should you require "emergency" shelter.

There are lots of "photo ops" in this "nature enthusiasts dream". Be prepared to stop and enjoy the scenery. As a professional photographer, I particularly like the nature photography opportunities that Haliburton Forest presented.

To make the most of your experience at Haliburton Forest, we offer you some tips and observations :

1)The Gas Pump closes at 5pm, so if you like night riding fill up before you hit the Cookhouse for dinner

2) The Cookhouse Restaurant is open from 8am to 7pm - no late nite snacks; however, the cabins and rooms are house keeping units complete with microwave, stove, refrigerator, pots, pans, dishes - SO BRING FOOD.

3) The licensed Cookhouse only has beer (one or two choices) to drink - no wine, no liquor - SO BRING Liquor for that leisurely NITE CAP or when you sit around to discuss the day's ride or your company's business plan.

4) Be prepared to share the Cookhouse at breakfast, lunch and dinner with bunches of school kids, after all, Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve is a regular teaching retreat for thousands of high school students.

5) There is a boil water advisory even in the winter - so boil it before you drink it or use it for cooking or even cleaning the dishes.

Business Planning Nature Retreat - Creative Thinking at Natures Winter Get-a-way (Haliburton Forest Ontario Canada)