Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/651528
TRAVEL GUIDE TO CANADA FUN FOR FOODIES Since Ottawa is surrounded by excellent food producers—from the Mariposa duck farm and the St. Albert Cheese Co-Op east of the city to countless maple syrup produc- ers in Lanark County—the wide range of innovative local restaurants is no surprise. You can indulge in a multi-course molecular gastronomy menu, classic French fare, or clever fusion dishes from a growing fl eet of food trucks. Make sure to try a BeaverTail, the city's doughy deep-fried treat. To sample a wide swath of the city's food scene all in one place, don't miss the twice-annual Ottawa Wine and Food Festival (late March and November). EXPAND YOUR MIND If you love museums and galleries, you'll be spoiled for choice in the Capital region. The big show for 2016 at the Canadian Museum of Nature will be Ultimate Dinosaurs (June 11 to September 5) showcasing unusual creatures from the southern hemisphere. On select Friday nights from fall through spring, the museum also hosts after-hours dance parties called Nature Nocturne, for guests 19 and over. At the Royal Canadian Mint, take a guided tour to learn how Canadian coins are made—and browse for distinctly Canadian souvenirs in the gift shop. Next door, at the National Gallery of Canada, you can see the fi rst true retrospective of the work of French artist Élisabeth Louise Vigée Le Brun, once the offi cial portraitist of Queen Marie- Antoinette (June 10 to September 11). Speaking of France, the Canadian Museum of History is presenting Napoleon's Paris (June 16, 2016 to January 8, 2017), which sheds light on the famous man's ambitions for the city. And if you've ever wished you could be a prospector, you can relive the 19 th century glory days at Gold Rush! - El Dorado in British Columbia (April 8, 2016 to January 15, 2017). If you'd rather be a cadet aboard the USS Enterprise, don't miss the world premiere of Star Trek: The Starfl eet Academy Experience at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum (May to September). The interactive exhibition will introduce "cadets" to real scientifi c concepts in disciplines such as medicine and engineering. At the Canadian War Museum, two special exhibitions this year will showcase aviation during the First World War (June 3, 2016 to January 31, 2017) and Newfoundland's role in that war (June 2016 to January 2017). WinterLUDe • nCC-CCn riDeaU CanaL • ottaWa toUriSM CanaDian MUSeUM of natUre • on toUriSM OTTAWA