I had the pleasure of living in Ottawa for a couple of years, and although i didn't take advantage of all the touristy things, I do have a couple recommendations:

- Take a boat cruise (there are plenty of operators) up the Ottawa River. You get some amazing views of Parliment that you just don't get from walking around it.

- Take the short trip across teh bridge to Hull and go to the Civilization museum. It has a lot on Canadian and native histroy, not just from Ontario, but from across Canada.

- Visit the National Art gallery, albeit it's not as big as ROM in Toronto, they still have some amazing exhibits and art.

- Go to the market down town which is just down the street from Parliment Hill. They have a varied assortment of shops and stuff to buy, and you can usually find a good bargain.

Other than that, just walk around the streets downtown. There are so many wonderful stores and restaurants scattered everywhere, and the one thing I loved about Ottawa, is that it is a clean city, and I always felt safe walking around there. As a side note, if you can bump your trip up a day, you could be in Ottawa on Canada Day (July 4th) and they have amazing activities at Parliment like fireworks and live shows.

Diana Barrie, Ont. Canada