TRIP LAKE LOUISE ALBERTA CANADA

Ottawa ON CA Chicago

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Fairmont Chateau Laurier Ottawa Tourism  AAA
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ByWard Market Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Train-temporarily closed Gatineau Park Parliament Hill Water taxi
Rideau Hall Royal Canadian Mint Science & Technology Museum Museum of Civilization National Gallery of Canada
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(Airport is 15 miles from hotel....... 2.5 hours to Montreal......3.5hours Syracuse NY...... 5 hrs Toronto... 5 hours Vermont)

Transportation
From the Ottawa International Airport•Follow the Airport Parkway which becomes Bronson Avenue
•Turn right onto Colonel By Drive at the Rideau Canal, Follow Colonel By Drive to Rideau Street
•Turn left onto Rideau Street, Fairmont Château Laurier is immediately on the right

Rental Car Local car rental agencies are available. Contact our Concierge to make arrangements.

Train The Ottawa Via Rail Station is located three miles (6 km) from the hotel. Taxi service from the station to the hotel is approximately $10 one way. For more information, please visit the Via Rail website at www.viarail.ca or contact our Concierge.

Taxi Taxis are available at the entrance of the hotel. Rate to airport: approximately $25 one way.

Parking
The hotel's parking is accessible from Rideau Street (front of the hotel) or MacKenzie Street (side of the hotel). •Indoor valet parking: $38/night with unlimited access •Indoor self parking: $26/night with unlimited access

 

Tips from email...

you have a display of fireworks organized by Canada's capital commission that are recommendable. Tip: there are many places to see the fireworks, but I would recommend you to walk down behind the parliament hill (by Ottawa river) since the fireworks are fired from the Quebec side, just in front of that place.


If you have time, visit the cafeteria of the National Art Gallery of Canada (www.gallery.ca) where you can see a beautiful panoramic of the capital. Tip: you don't have to pay if you ask at the front desk for a pass to visit the cafeteria only.

From the cafeteria you will see a hill with a statue: the point Jacques Cartier. This is by far the best panoramic point of Ottawa from where you can see both Ontario and Quebec. This place is at walking distance of the National Art Gallery: ask there if you have any trouble to find it and people will be happy to guide you. Tip: there are seats there where you can see the fireworks at night but it is usually very crowded, so you must go early.

Cross the bridge next to the National Art Gallery walking towards Gatineau (Quebec). At the end of the bridge you will find the museum of civilization: another panoramic point. The walk itself is lovely providing is not too windy.



ByWard Market
There's always something to do in the ByWard Market! Whether you are there at dawn to welcome the outdoor vendors with their overflowing stands of fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, and art & crafts; joining some friends for brunch, lunch, dinner or shopping; or staying up until the wee hours at one of the hip nightspots, you'll find the ByWard Market has something for you!

Established by Lt-Col. John By in 1826, the ByWard Market is one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets. The legendary builder of the Rideau Canal, Colonel By himself laid out the street plan of the Market, designating George Street and York Street to be extra wide to accommodate the creation of a public market and gathering place.

Within an area roughly four blocks square, you'll find museums, cafés, specialty food shops, boutiques, galleries, restaurants, pubs, hair & aesthetics salons and more! Easily accessible on foot, one block from Fairmont Château Laurier, the ByWard Market offers a unique experience for all.

Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Train (their website not working)
All Aboard for an unforgettable journey into the past on board one of Canada's last remaining authentic steam-powered trains. Relax in comfort in climate-controlled cars and let the 'clickety clack' of the wheels carry you back to a by-gone era. Discover the enchanting landscape of the Outaouais region as we travel the banks of the Gatineau river along one of Canada's most beautiful natural reserves, Gatineau Park. This memorable excursion with on-board tour guides and entertainers is sure to delight you!

The Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train takes you from the bi-centennial city of Hull to the picturesque village of Wakefield Québec, traveling one of eastern Canada's most scenic railways. The 64 kilometer journey is a five-hour round trip consisting of a two-hour stop in Wakefield and travel time is of one and a half hours in each direction. Bilingual tour guides accompany the passengers throughout the journey as they share their knowledge of the region's history as well as the steam locomotive's remarkable past. The Outaouais region's folklore is discovered with the music of the train's strolling minstrels as they move about the coaches with lively tunes and tales.

The Hull-Chelsea-Wakefield Steam Train operates from May to October. Visit the website for schedule and rate information.

Gatineau Park
Gatineau Park is a giant wedge of land measuring 363 square kilometers to the northwest of Canada's Capital Region. In the Park, the National Capital Commission protects plants and animals and manages facilities and trails so that the public may enjoy outdoor activities in every season.

Enjoy summer and winter sports or just picnic at one of the lookouts in the park's 88,000 acres of forest, 40 lakes and 125 miles (200 kilometers) of trails. You'll also find a game sanctuary, fishing (only with license) and campsites. The Visitors' Centre in Old Chelsea also features seasonal exhibitions. The park is located 15 minutes from Fairmont Château Laurier.

Parliament Hill
Few Canadian symbols are as well known as the Parliament Buildings. Flanked by the East and West blocks, the Centre Block of Parliament - with its distinctive Peace Tower and Library - is familiar to Canadians and people around the world. Although the buildings are alive with the drama of modern day debates, the echoes of times and personalities long since past still linger there.

Each year, thousands of people take free guided tours of the Centre Block. When the Senate or the House of Commons is sitting, visitors can watch the action from the galleries while an audio guide explains the key players and activities. Special rooms in the East Block, recreated to look as they did in Sir John A. Macdonald's time, are also open to the public in the summer. Outdoor walking tours, self-guiding booklets, sound and light shows and the Changing the Guard ceremony are just some of the activities that feature the history and majesty of the Parliament Buildings.

Parliament Hill is located next to Fairmont Château Laurier. For visitor tour information, visit the website.

Rideau Canal
The currents of history flow through the Rideau Canal, operated by Parks Canada as a National Historic Canal. Dating back to the nineteenth century, the Canal links lakes and rivers for a distance of over 200 kilometers from Ottawa to Kingston.

The Rideau Canal is one of the Capital's most popular recreational areas. In the summer, canoes and boats ply the waters, while walkers, joggers, cyclists and in-line skaters enjoy the recreational pathways alongside. In the winter, 7.8 kilometers are cleared to become the longest outdoor ice-skating rink in the world and Winterlude's main attraction.

Rideau Hall
Nestled on 79 acres of landscaped grounds in downtown Ottawa, Rideau Hall, the official residence of Canada's Governor General, preserves some of the country's oldest traditions and offers many activities throughout the year. Take a guided tour, explore the Visitors' Centre, stroll the grounds on your own, have a picnic or join in special family activities. Rideau Hall is a 3.5 kilometre walk from Fairmont Château Laurier along scenic Sussex Drive.

Royal Canadian Mint
The Royal Canadian Mint is a global leader in minting, recognized worldwide for its unsurpassed standards of quality and craftsmanship in the production of both circulation and collector coins, and highly respected as a premier refiner of gold.

Visit the Royal Canadian Mint in its majestic stone building atop the cliffs above the Ottawa River, and see a million dollars worth of gold! A fascinating guided tour overlooking the manufacturing facility reveals the precise art and craft of coin making.

Guided tours of the production areas are offered every day. Reservations are required.

Canada Science & Technology Museum
The Canada Science & Technology Museum gives the public a chance to understand the ongoing relationships between science, technology and Canadian society. It's an exciting experience that will make your hair rise. The museum is located about 10 minutes away from Fairmont Château Laurier.

A visit to the Museum will allow the visitor to push buttons, turn dials, and pull levers to experience science and technology first-hand, as you discover artifact-rich exhibits featuring marine and land transportation, astronomy, communications, space, domestic technology and computer technology. Science and technology have changed Canada and influenced its people. The transformation of Canada, from the period of early exploration and settlement to the present, has been marked by achievements in science and technology.

Canadian Museum of Civilization
As Canada's national museum of human history, the Canadian Museum of Civilization is committed to fostering in all Canadians a sense of their common identity and their shared past. At the same time, it hopes to promote understanding between the various cultural groups that are part of Canadian society.

The Canadian Museum of Civilization, the Canadian Children's Museum, and the Canadian Postal Museum are located in Gatineau, Quebec, on the banks of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Parliament Hill and Fairmont Château Laurier. The museum is easily accessible from the hotel by foot, bus or car and has on-site parking.

National Gallery of Canada
The National Gallery of Canada is one of the world's most respected art institutions, renowned for its exceptional collections and special exhibitions, revered for its scholarship, and applauded for its unique ability to engage audiences of all ages and all levels of artistic knowledge.