Ottawa is Canada's capital city, and yet it's often overshadowed by larger Canadian cities like Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. But you really shouldn't write Ottawa off!

Although it's not at the top of many Canadian travel itineraries, Ottawa is absolutely worth a visit. I've now been three times in three different seasons (winter, spring, and summer!), and am always charmed by what Ottawa has to offer.

This city is full of so many things to do — and so many things to love. Here are some of the top reasons you should plan a trip to Ottawa.

10 reasons to visit Ottawa

1. Ottawa is walkable

Ottawa is a walkable city, especially in the downtown area where you'll find some pedestrian-only areas and plenty of sidewalks and crosswalks. Ottawa is also a pretty flat city at its core, meaning you don't have to worry about climbing hills to see all the main sights.

Even in the winter time, I found I could walk a lot of places pretty easily from any centrally-located hotel in Ottawa.

This is the kind of city I love — one where you can just pick a direction and walk, and always find something interesting.

2. Ottawa is bilingual

I've never really spent much time in a city that appears to be truly bilingual. Yet almost everyone in Ottawa speaks both English and French, which I guess I knew before visiting but was still surprised by.

And, really, is there anything cuter than a little kid speaking French? (The answer is no.)

3. Ottawa is full of great restaurants

Before coming here, I definitely did not consider Ottawa a foodie's paradise. But you know what? It kind of is. There are restaurants and cafes everywhere, and many of them participate in the “Savour Ottawa” program.

This initiative works to bring together local farmers and producers with local chefs and consumers, which I think is fantastic. There are also great pubs and bakeries here — and of course, the famous BeaverTail stands!

4. Ottawa has a cool location

Ottawa sits on the Ottawa River, which was perfect for when it first emerged as a major lumber town. Much of the city is built right on the water, with some extra cool features like the Rideau Canal, which has some fascinating locks and turns into a giant ice skating rink during the winter months.

The border with the province of Quebec runs right down the center of the river, too, meaning you can easily pop over to Gatineau for an afternoon. (There's even a fun zipline that travels across the river – the first interprovincial zip line!)

5. Ottawa is not overwhelming

I realize Ottawa has nowhere near the population of some other world capitals, but I've been struck by how much Ottawa DOESN'T feel like a huge, overwhelming city.

The traffic isn't scary, people have generally been very friendly, the streets are clean, and it's very easy to find your way around. I'm a country girl at heart, and so don't generally love big cities. But Ottawa is doing a pretty good job of making me love it so far.

6. Ottawa is bike-friendly

I couldn't really appreciate it during my first visit in the dead of winter, but Ottawa is an incredibly great city for cyclists of all sorts.

The city has a lot of well-maintained bike paths, and there are places to lock your bike up all over the city. Ottawa also just started a public bike share program with rental/drop-off locations around the city.

I rented a bike myself during my spring visit and rode for miles along the Rideau Canal — a perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.

7. Ottawa is green

Green in multiple senses of the world. Not only is Ottawa quite eco-friendly (with recycling bins next to every garbage can, and many restaurants pledging to use as many locally-grown ingredients as possible), but the city has quite a few nice parks, too.

The place is literally green. There's the tree-line Rideau Canal, Major's Hill Park which overlooks Parliament, and Confederation Park near Dows Lake — just to name a few of my favorite “green” spaces in the city.

8. Ottawa is beautiful

I got a taste of it on my first visit, but seeing Ottawa alive and bustling in the spring has confirmed for me that Ottawa is actually a pretty damn attractive city.

There's the canal, the buildings on Parliament Hill, the parks, the river, and lots of historical old buildings downtown. Seeing the city sprinkled with tulips and flowering trees on my spring and summer trips definitely helped confirm this, too.

9. Ottawa is full of things to do

I'd hazard a guess that most visitors to Canada don't include Ottawa on their itineraries. This is a shame, really, because there truly is a LOT to do here.

Whether you're interested in food, art, music, culture, or nature, Ottawa has something (and probably a festival) for you. (My favorite so far has been the Canadian Tulip Festival.)

A few of my favorite things to do in Ottawa include:

• Visit one of the national museums (like the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of History, the Canadian Museum of Nature, and more)
• Eat your way through the Byward Market (or even take a food tour)
• Take a tour of Parliament
• Cruise on the Rideau Canal or Ottawa River
• Go ziplining into Quebec
• Rent a bike (or perhaps try a bike tour)
• Watch boats traverse through the Rideau Canal
• Have afternoon tea at the Fairmont Château Laurier

10. Ottawa is safe

Lastly, Ottawa is a really safe city as far as world capitals go, and it's statistically the safest of Canada's 6 largest cities. As a female traveling alone, I have never felt wary walking on my own around the city (even at night).

And as a tourist, I have never felt worried walking around with my camera out. There's a relaxed feeling to Ottawa that I really like, and that has made me feel quite safe traveling on my own here.

Where to stay in Ottawa

A few hotel options to consider include:

• Metcalfe Hotel By Gray Collection – A recently renovated option in a great location.
• Alt Hotel Ottawa – A modern hotel in the downtown business district.
• Andaz Ottawa ByWard Market – A nice option in the ByWard Market neighborhood.
• Lord Elgin – A historic landmark hotel close to ByWard Market.
• Best Western Plus Ottawa City Centre – A more budget-friendly downtown option.
• reStays – A downtown condo hotel option, great for longer stays.

You could also try the Saintlo Ottawa Jail Hostel, which is inside an old (purportedly haunted) prison. Read about my stay there here!

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Who's ready to plan a trip to Ottawa?