Issue link: http://read.canadatravelguides.ca/i/809166
enjoy the canal by houseboat, kayak or canoe—or cycle, walk or jog on paths along its banks. In winter, the groomed ice surface becomes the world's largest skating rink. In nearby Gatineau, the airboat tours off ered by Bayou-Outaouais give visitors the chance to spot a variety of wildlife including albertatbay.com | 1-800-267-6644 3 blocks from Parliament Hill OTTAWA'SBIGGEST HOTELSUITES STAY BIG OR STAY HOME! We offer all-day Dim Sum! CANTONESE & SZECHUAN CUISINE C E L E B R A T I N G 3 5 Y E A R S 613-236-0555 700 Somerset St. W., Ottawa www.yangtze.ca BYWARD MARKET • OTTAWA TOURISM great blue herons, painted turtles, ospreys, beavers and rare water plants. Thrill-seekers can take a short road trip west of the city to test their mettle against Class III to Class V whitewater rapids on the Ottawa River. Whitewater rafting companies, such as OWL Rafting near Foresters Falls, provide trips to suit a wide range of ages and abilities—no previous paddling experience required! HIP HOTELS Ottawa welcomed two sleek new hotels in 2016. The Andaz Ottawa Byward Market— the fi rst Canadian location for Hyatt's Andaz brand—features a farm-to-table restaurant, a sensational rooftop bar and terrace, and rooms with fl oor-to-ceiling windows. The Alt Hotel Ottawa in Centretown off ers 148 rooms with Keurig coff ee makers, Italian-designed armchairs and spa-style showers. In 2018, the Alt's sister property, Le Germain Hotel Ottawa, is slated to open as part of the new Ottawa Art Gallery complex. FEELING FESTIVE New Year's Eve celebrations and Winterlude kick off the Capital's busy festival schedule, which later in the year features such events as the Canadian Tulip Festival, the Ottawa Children's Festival, the Festival franco-ontarien Banque Nationale, the TD Ottawa Jazz Festival, RBC Bluesfest, Ottawa Chamberfest, the Casino Lac-Leamy Sound of Light, CityFolk music festival, the Ottawa International Animation Festival, the Ottawa Wine and Food Festival, and Christmas Lights Across Canada ( www.ottawatourism.ca/en/ visitors/what-to-do/festival-and-events). MUSEUM NEWS The Canadian Museum of Nature will open the 743-sq.-m (8,000-sq.-ft.) Canada Goose Arctic Gallery on June 21. The new permanent gallery will allow people to virtually "visit" the hard-to-reach region, which comprises roughly 40 percent of Canada's area. Interactive games, two aquaria, videos by northerners and artefacts will illuminate four themes: climate, ecosystems, sustainability and geography. Less than two weeks later, on July 1, the Canadian Museum of History will open the Canadian History Hall, a 3,716-sq.-m (40,000-sq.-ft.) space which includes three galleries, 1,500 artefacts, 100 digital productions and 75 maps. This permanent exhibition will tell the story of Canada from the fi rst human habitation to the present day. The museum's major temporary exhibition for the year will be Hockey in Canada: More Than Just a Game (March 10 to October 9). At the Royal Canadian Mint, a permanent guided tour gives visitors a peek into how Canadian coins are made. Nearby, the Bytown Museum, which focuses on the city's history, is celebrating its 100 th anniversary this year with a special exhibition called Bytown Museum: A Century of Community (February 3, 2017 to February 18, 2018). 22