Whenever the weather is changing drastically, my mood always declines. Even worse, it affects what my plans are throughout the day. I am a full-time student at Carleton University, so whenever I’m not in class or on campus, I decide to explore places to go in Ottawa with high spirits and a camera in hand.
I moved here about two years ago. At first, I was skeptical about what my life would be like when I settled in, got to know people, and got to know Ottawa. It turned out for the best, I got to connect with people and now I am in a positive state in my life.
Whenever I read an article about a great restaurant or something to do right here in Ottawa, I am ecstatic about trying it out. Whatever the weather may be, I learned to make the best out of it. Even if I am in a gloomy mood, there is always somewhere to explore and something to do right here in Ottawa. So, here are eight places to go in Ottawa when it is cold and rainy outside.
When my best friend came to visit Ottawa, I was incredibly disappointed when I realized it was going to be raining when she was going to be here. Despite the weather, I took her to the National Gallery of Canada and we had a great time. We explored the museum, the art exhibits, and enjoyed the view from the tall, open windows. It was a gloomy, rainy day but it was one of the best days spent here in Ottawa personally.
On the longest night of the year, December 21, 2017, I took my boyfriend and my mom to see the exhibit, “She Who Tells A Story.” The weather was not rainy, but it was very cold and windy. We took time to enjoy this exhibit and the war museum itself. My boyfriend had been before, but my mom and I hadn’t, and we enjoyed the history and art on display. The exhibit, however, was the best part of our trip to the museum, because of how unique it was. I am a Persian woman and having seen this exhibit makes me very proud. This exhibit ends March 4, 2018, at the Canadian War Museum.
The most unique cafe I have ever been to is called The Tea Party Cafe in Byward Market. The first picture is my mom and me, trying this cafe for the first time. I love Alice in Wonderland, so it was the best experience. They have the best tea, scones, and popular vegetarian options.
The second picture is a cafe called Cafe Cristal, my favorite cafe in Ottawa. This is mainly because I am always there no matter what the weather is like. I tend to choose Cafe Cristal as my go-to cafe when it is gloomy outside so I can just bring a book to read or my laptop to get some work done. I’ll sit for hours drinking iced coffee.
Watching a movie is a perfect rainy day activity. Ticket prices at Cineplex are usually cheaper on Tuesdays. AMC theatres have 5$ ticket prices on Tuesday. The other day I saw Black Panther at the Cineplex at Lansdowne. I prefer this Cineplex theatre than any other because it’s more of a date night experience. It’s bigger and the VIP option at this location is incredibly sophisticated and seems like a ton of fun.
I love escape rooms! My sister and I have gone to the Mystery Motel in Byward Market many times, and the rooms I recall doing were the “Magicians Studio” and “the Boudoir”. They were tons of fun and I think it not only puts your mind to the test, but the feeling of finding one clue after another makes you feel like you are actually solving a case. Plus, they are 20$ or so per person. Going with a group of people is a better option, so it’s the perfect activity for a rainy day that you don’t want to spend outside.
The Loft is Ottawa’s famous board game lounge and cafe. The charge is only 5.50$ per person to play unlimited board and video games. They offer food and alcoholic beverages as well. Also, if you are craving Bubble Tea, My Sweet Tea is a bubble tea cafe that has board games available for customers as well. If you love games and drinks, these are the best places to go in Ottawa.
The Canadian Tire Centre, as well as the TD place at Lansdowne, is always offering events such as hockey games or concerts.
Indoor entertainment facilities offer activities like laser tag, escape rooms, games and more. There is also a GoKart track in Quebec called Top Karting, and Sky Zone Trampoline Park that offers freestyle dodgeball, bouncing and fitness programs. These are some of the coolest places to go in Ottawa.
This is a bonus option, but I personally love having movie nights. I love to search for options on Netflix and just spend the day inside when you don’t want to go out in the rain. You can invite friends over and make a fun movie party out of it, along with snacks and take out.
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