Long before red carpets and sold-out arenas, Ottawa had its own brush with international celebrity, and it came in a very small package. General Tom Thumb, one of the 19th century’s biggest stage sensations, charmed local audiences not once but several times over the decades. A Grand Arrival Downtown Born Charles Stratton, General Tom Thumb was discovered by legendary showman P.T. Barnum…

Toronto rarely needs an excuse for a weekend away, but the city continues to give Ottawa travellers new reasons to return. This itinerary keeps things simple: stay downtown, make dinner the event, and leave time for a few hours dedicated entirely to slowing down. Stay: Soho Hotel Fresh from a 2026 renovation, SoHo Hotel Toronto offers a boutique alternative to Toronto’s larger luxury hotels. The…

Long before the Redblacks or the Rough Riders ever took the field, one gathering at a downtown hotel set the stage for football in Ottawa. This week marks 150 years since the city’s very first football club came into being. A Meeting at the Russell House On September 19, 1876, thirty-four men gathered at the Russell House hotel to formally establish the Ottawa Football Club. Lumberman Allan…

Stand almost anywhere in central Ottawa and water is never far away. The Ottawa River defines the northern edge of the city. The Rideau River cuts through neighbourhoods on its way north. The Gatineau meets the Ottawa just across from the capital, while the Rideau Canal has become one of the city’s most recognizable public spaces. But these waterways are more than scenery. They helped…

Long before red carpets and sold-out arenas, Ottawa had its own brush with international celebrity, and it came in a very small package. General Tom Thumb, one of the 19th century’s biggest stage sensations, charmed local audiences not once but several times over the decades. A Grand Arrival Downtown Born Charles Stratton, General Tom Thumb was discovered by legendary showman P.T. Barnum…