The current COVID-19 crisis has had broad impacts on worldwide travel and tourist attractions in local communities across North America. Part of Bagsorts mission is to enable travellers all over the world to travel stress-free and make the most of all destinations they visit. While world-wide travel is currently in a halt, Bagsort wants to help residents in Ottawa have their own local travelling experiences while keeping safety as a top priority. Furthermore, when the COVID-19 crisis is over and domestic and international travel begins to resume, Bagsort has outlined some key activities both local residents and travellers can look forward too then as well!
Finding these local travelling experiences can be difficult, which is why Bagsort is making it easy by outlining 5 unique activities to do now and look forward to in Ottawa during and beyond COVID-19.
Without further ado, here are 5 unique activities to do now and look forward to in Ottawa during and beyond COVID-19.
Biking in Ottawa
The city of Ottawa has a wealth of bike paths spanning lengths of the city. Now more than ever these bike paths are becoming a great option for Ottawa residents looking to explore the city while remaining safe and physically distanced.
During the COVID-19 crisis the National Capital Commission has made the decision to temporarily close off roadways in Ottawa to open them up to cyclist and pedestrians. These roadways are an excellent opportunity for biking in Ottawa and exploring the city while having smooth open roads to do so.
The key closed roadways that can be used by residents are the following
• A section of the Queen Elizabeth Driveway: Beautiful views of the Rideau Canal with shaded areas and easy access to the city.
• A section of the Sir John A. MacDonald Parkway: A long bike path starting from the downtown area and going past Barrhaven to Britannia Beach. The perfect local travelling experience for residents who want to go to the beach, urban centres, or just go out and get exercise.
• A section of the Sir George-Etienne Cartier Parkway: A quiet and scenic route for biking in Ottawa with lots of trees and greenery
• Some of the parkways in Gatineau Park: The hills and pathways are perfect for biking in Ottawa along a gorgeous set of scenery
These closed roadways are perfect for biking in Ottawa, getting exercise, and exploring the city for peoples own safe local travelling experiences. Eventually these roads will open back up to cars, but luckily there are designated bike paths nearby all of these routes, making them perfect for biking in Ottawa even after COVID-19!
Also if you wanted to take a break, perhaps get a bite to eat, and you don’t want to haul your bike around, any of our Bagsort partners are happy to help store your bike for you.
Supporting Local Restaurants
While many local restaurants in Ottawa have stopped seating guests, they still offer amazing takeout options to take advantage of. There are a ton of local restaurants in Ottawa offering delicious takeout or delivery options with COVID-19 safety practices. One of these restaurants happens to be one of our amazing Bagsort partners, quelque chose, which had an awesome Bagsort blog written about them that talks about their unique food offerings along with an insider Q&A.
These are some other local restaurants in Ottawa with delicious food and definitely worth trying:
• Score Pizza: Amazing, fast, and customizable thin crust pizza located right in the heart of the byward market.
• Mehfil: Located in the Centertown area, Mehfil has all of the authentic Indian food you can think of with a variety of spice level options sure to please every pallet.
• Korean Palace: Korean BBQ is absolutely a dish worth trying, and Korean Palace delivers it beautifully and tastefully.
• Pure Kitchen: For all vegan and vegetarians who live or are visiting Ottawa, Pure Kitchen is a must try place for some amazing and healthy food options.
These are some of the many local restaurants in Ottawa offering easy and delicious takeout options. Try them out and see for yourself!
Some of Ottawa’s main tourist attractions have come to an unprecedented halt during the COVID-19 crisis. As the COVID-19 crisis begins to surpass and restrictions loosen up, tourist attractions will be made available to the public and worldwide travellers very soon!
Here are some of the main tourist attractions in Ottawa that travellers can look forward too. And fear not! Bagsort partners are conveniently located nearby each of these tourist attractions to help you safely store your bags and let you concentrate on enjoying the city.
Parliament Hill
If you visit Ottawa, Parliament Hill is one of the main tourist attractions in Ottawa travellers have to see in order to fully embrace the cities historical elements. Parliament Hill is home to the senate and the house of commons where key political decisions and debates take place. Visitors can experience guided tours and learn about Parliament Hills rich history while taking in the breathtaking architecture from as early as the 1800s. Guided tours are offered in both English and French meaning that you can enjoy tours of parliament in the official language of your choice, and yes, you can purchase everyone’s favourite novelty items from the gift shop.
National Art Gallery
Just steps away from Parliament Hill, the National Art Gallery is one of Ottawa’s most elegant and beautiful buildings which is also home to some amazing art paintings and sculptures. The Nation Art Gallery has their main exhibits, but also has rotating exhibits that come and go featuring world renowned art. Whether you’re a resident of Ottawa looking for local travelling experiences, or a tourist from another city or country, the National Art Gallery is sure to satisfy all of your art needs. As well, don’t forget to check out some of Ottawa’s other great museums too for other great tourist attractions in Ottawa!
Dows Lake/Rideau Canal
Dows Lake is not one of the “tourist attractions in Ottawa” per say. However, Dows Lake is an excellent option for people looking for both a family fun activity or just having fun with friends or travel mates. At Dows Lake you have the option of renting canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats, and more. What makes this unique is you get to do it all on the historic Rideau Canal, which is recognized as a National Historic site and one of the top tourist attractions in Ottawa . These water activities are both fun and provide a unique Rideau Canal experience that makes it go beyond just simply canoeing, kayaking, or paddle boarding on an everyday body of water.