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Be Free for Free in the
Nation's Capital
Ottawa offers many free or
low-cost activities this summer
Toronto, July 9,
2007 &endash; Many people will tell you the high
cost of travel is the most important factor that
keeps them from exploring the world around them.
But Ottawa offers many free or very affordable
activities for visitors ensuring that you won't
break your budget while on vacation. From public
beaches to art galleries, Ottawa is great for
families on a budget.
Ottawa has Beaches
Too! &endash; Beat the heat this summer with a
refreshing beach visit in Ottawa. All of Ottawa's
beaches are free and promise hours of family
fun:
• Britannia
Beach: Ottawa River, west of downtown,
613-820-1211
• Mooney's
Bay Beach: Rideau River, south of downtown,
613-248-0863
• Petrie
Island Beach: Ottawa River, east of downtown,
613-824-5704
• Westboro
Beach: Ottawa River, just west of downtown,
613-792-3875
The beaches are
open from June 16 to August 26, 2007. Lifeguards
are on duty from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. seven days
a week. For conditions, call 613-580-6744,
ext.13219.
A quick drive north
of Ottawa will bring you to public beaches in
beautiful Gatineau Park. Five public beaches
(serviced) and one beach for campers
(Smith Beach) are spread out around Philippe,
Meech and La Pêche lakes, with
lifeguards on duty from 10:00 a.m. to
6:00 p.m. every day from mid-June to
mid-September. NOTE: A small entry fee applies to
all vehicles and domestic animals are not permitted
on beaches.
Grandeur on
Parliament Hill &endash; The daily Changing the
Guard ceremony is a must-see attraction in Ottawa,
and it's completely free! Come to Parliament Hill
at 9:45 a.m. to hear an intro, then watch the
half-hour ceremony. TIP: Visit the tent near West
Block BEFORE the ceremony and get a ticket for a
free same-day tour of Parliament&emdash;the evening
tours are especially good, as they're generally
cooler and less crowded. You can return later at
night for the Sound and Light Show, entitled
Canada: The Spirit of a Country. Free performances
are at 9:30 and 10:30 p.m. from July 5 to August 6,
then at 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. from August 7 to
September 9.
Rideau Canal by
Canoe, Kayak or Pedal Boat &endash; Explore one of
Ottawa's most celebrated landmarks&emdash;and as of
last week, Ontario's first UNESCO World Heritage
Site&emdash;by canoe, kayak or pedal boat this
summer. Paddle or pedal yourself through Ottawa's
beautiful summer scenery, then raise a glass to
celebrate the Rideau Canal's 175th anniversary this
year. Rentals are available at the Dows Lake
Pavilion located at 1001 Queen Elizabeth Driveway
until Labour Day, for between $9 and $16 for the
first hour (depending on the craft you choose),
then $7 an hour after that. Please call
613-232-1001 &endash; ext. 5 for more information.
Rent-A-Bike at the north end of the Canal offers
bike rentals for reasonable hourly or daily rates.
www.rentabike.ca
Experience Natural
Wonders at the Mer Bleue Bog &endash; Take the kids
to visit one of the largest bogs in southern
Ontario and arguably the most important natural
area in the Greenbelt around Ottawa. Mer Bleue is
an especially valuable example of a northern
ecosystem&emdash;more typical of the Arctic than
the Ottawa Valley&emdash;and it has been designated
an internationally significant wetland under the
United Nations' Ramsar Convention. The bog plays
host to a myriad of species that will keep the kids
fascinated during your visit as you tour the
boardwalk.
www.canadascapital.gc.ca/greenbelt
Embrace Your
Artistic Side at the National Gallery of Canada
&endash; Admission to the permanent collection is
free on Thursday nights from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. Or,
if you visit a special exhibition, like this
summer's blockbuster Renoir Landscapes exhibit
(running from June 8 to September 9, 2007),
you also get access to the permanent collection.
www.national.gallery.ca
Money Doesn't Grow
on Trees! &endash; Find out where money DOES come
from at the Royal Canadian Mint. The Ottawa
facility produces hand-crafted collector and
commemorative coins, gold bullion coins, medals and
medallions, and all the master tooling is done here
to create the dies that strike coin designs for
both circulation and commemorative issues.
Admission is $5 per adult ($3.50 on weekends); $3
per child 4-15 ($2 on weekends); $13 per
family ($10 on weekends). Children under 4 are
free. For further details, please visit
www.mint.ca.
Or take a peek at
the Currency Museum of the Bank of Canada, for a
lesson in the history of money. This free-admission
museum operates from the Bank's headquarters on
Sparks Street in downtown Ottawa and offers an
entertaining look at what has been used as currency
by other civilizations, including shells,
teeth, and cocoa beans.
www.currencymuseum.ca
Affordable packages
&endash; Ottawa Tourism's Family Discovery package
starts at just $207 for a family of four (max. two
adults), including two nights' accommodation,
family admission to two of 9 museums, tours and
attractions, and a Rideau Centre Visitor Values
coupon booklet.
The Family
Discovery Extended package is an even better deal,
starting at just $387 for a family of four (max.
two adults), including four nights' accommodation,
family admission to your choice of one of three
popular museums, as well as your choice of two
addition museums, tours and attractions (from a
list of 7 options), and a Rideau Centre Visitor
Values coupon booklet.
To book these great
deals, visit www.ottawatourism.ca and click on Book
a Visit, or call 1-888-OTTAWA-8
(1-888-688-2928).
Ottawa Tourism
provides industry leadership and destination
marketing to service the travel media and attract
visitors, tours and conventions to Ottawa and
Canada's Capital Region. Visit Ottawa Tourism at
www.ottawatourism.ca
For more
information and Ottawa-area images, please
contact:
Jantine Van
Kregten
Chris Ryall
Director of
Communications
GTA Public Relations Representative
Ottawa
Tourism
Ottawa Tourism
613-237-6822, ext.
116
416-861-1022 / 888-423-3995
media@ottawatourism.ca
chris@travelmarketingexperts.com
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