(Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
Dear President Joe Biden,
Welcome to Ottawa on your first official visit as president of the United States. This is your first visit to the capital since a trip as vice-president back in 2016.
I know your trip is packed with several official events, including a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau at Rideau Cottage, a bilateral meeting and an address to Parliament on Friday and a gala dinner. However, a trip to Ottawa can't be all business, so I want to suggest a few options for you and your entourage to visit during your trip to Canada's capital.
Have a great stay,
Josh
When you visit Ottawa, you must have a BeaverTail.
It's billed as the uniquely Canadian tradition, a hand-made BeaverTail pastry served up with a variety of toppings.
The first BeaverTail location is in the ByWard Market. Former U.S. President Barack Obama enjoyed a BeaverTail when he visited the ByWard Market in 2009.
I recommend you try the Classic or the Killaloe Sunrise for your first BeaverTail.
BeaverTails opened its ByWard Market stand 40 years ago. It now has 160 locations worldwide. (Peter Szperling/CTV Ottawa)
I've heard you love ice cream, and Ottawa is home to many great ice cream locations.
I recommend you and the Secret Service take a drive approximately four kilometres from Parliament Hill to The Merry Dairy on Fairmont Avenue for ice cream.
While you're a fan of chocolate chip, the Merry Derry has several flavours including some with chocolate chip, including Chocolate Chip Frozen Custard, Mint Chip, Banana Chip and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
The Merry Dairy on Fairmont Avenue in Ottawa. (Jeremie Charron/CTV News Ottawa)
The Elgin Street Diner has become an Ottawa institution since it first opened its doors.
Since you'll be in town for approximately 27 hours, you can go for breakfast, lunch, dinner or late-night dining.
The diner is known for its poutine, which is one of the official foods of Canada. There are several poutines to try, including the Smoked Meat Poutine, Chili Poutine and the EDS Poutine.
Mr. President, you arrive in Ottawa during sugar bush season.
There are many sugar shacks across Ottawa, but I recommend you drop by the Vanier Sugar Shack, located just 5 kilometres from downtown Ottawa.
The sugar bush is located on a 17.5 acre land, in the middle of the nation's capital. The sugar shack was damaged by a fire in 2020, but reconstruction is complete and it's back in business this spring.
If you want to stick around, the Vanier Sugar Festival kicks off on Monday.
A trip to Ottawa isn't complete without a stop at the Wine Rack, the store the New York Times dubbed one of five trendy places in the ByWard Market.
In a 2015 article titled "A Sleepy Ottawa Neighbourhood Wakes Up", the New York Times said the Wine Rack is one of the places that have "reimagined and reinvigorated" the area.
"At the boutique-size Wine Rack, which opened in June 2013, customers looking for varietals to pair with ByWard Market provisions find a number of food-friendly cabernet franc, gewürztraminer, pinot noir and riesling vintages all locally grown, as well as an array of Canada’s signature ice wines and ciders," the New York Times wrote.
There are 19 Wine Rack locations in Ottawa, but the ByWard Market location has been dubbed the must see attraction in the ByWard Market.
The Wine Rack store in Ottawa's Byward Market on Monday, Jan. 19, 2015.
Before you leave Ottawa, or if you're craving a late night snack after meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau Thursday night, swing by the Rideau Street McDonald's.
The notorious restaurant less than a kilometre from Parliament Hill is closing next month, and it would be great for you to visit the restaurant before it closes.
Yes, every city in North America has a McDonald's, but this restaurant holds a special place in the hearts of many here in Ottawa.
For many years, it was open 24 hours a day, and became a popular spot for late night crowds after last call at bars and restaurants. The McDonald's gained particular notoriety following the release of a video filmed in December 2013 showing a man pulling a baby raccoon out of his sweater while others were involved in a fight.
Last Sunday, more than 200 people attended a march to pay their respects to the notorious institution steps from Parliament Hill.
McDonald's has decided not to renew its lease for the Rideau Street location in Ottawa, and will close in April. (Josh Pringle/CTV News Ottawa)
Prince Harry's phone hacking trial against the publisher of the Daily Mirror kicked off Monday without him present -- and the judge was not happy.
A new Canadian-led study has found that feeling depressed, along with living in a disadvantaged neighbourhood, may lead to premature aging.
Paul Bernardo should be returned to a maximum-security prison, the lawyer representing the families of his young murder victims said as he called on the Correctional Service of Canada to be more transparent about what led to his transfer to a medium-security facility in the first place.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to provide an update on the wildfires that have forced thousands of people from their homes and caused widespread property damage in several provinces.
Newly released documents say the intelligence community's relationship with its key watchdog has been particularly strained over the last year due to a 'level of resistance' to scrutiny.
Special teams played a difference on Sunday night as the United States scored two short-handed goals en route to a 6-1 victory over Canada in the World Para Hockey Championship gold-medal game.
Mosquitoes have always been pesky, but this spring it seems the bloodsuckers are thirstier than ever, a trend one expert says is increasing.
Prince Harry's a no-show in court, police in Quebec identify a victim of a tragic fishing incident, and federal officials to provide a wildfires update.
Quebec provincial police (SQ) have identified the adult victim of a fishing incident that claimed five lives over the weekend, most of them children. Keven Girard, 37, was among a group of 11 people swept up by the tide late Friday night while fishing along the shore in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a village about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
A wildfire that tore through homes and businesses in the Halifax area is 100 per cent contained, but a historic fire in southwestern Nova Scotia remains out of control.
The Nova Scotia government says it is investigating the theft of personal information stolen through a global privacy breach to a third-party file transfer system the province was using.
One person has died and two others are in hospital with serious injuries after a three-vehicle collision in Springfield, P.E.I.
Olivia Chow has continued to grow her already commanding lead in the polls with just three weeks left before Toronto’s mayoral election.
Police have released images of two suspects who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman in downtown Toronto in April.
Paul Bernardo should be returned to a maximum-security prison, the lawyer representing the families of his young murder victims said as he called on the Correctional Service of Canada to be more transparent about what led to his transfer to a medium-security facility in the first place.
Paul Bernardo should be returned to a maximum-security prison, the lawyer representing the families of his young murder victims said as he called on the Correctional Service of Canada to be more transparent about what led to his transfer to a medium-security facility in the first place.
Air quality remains a concern in regions throughout Quebec, including the Greater Montreal area which is currently under a smog warning. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued smog warnings for the Greater Montreal Area, and special air quality statements are in effect for large portions of the province due to the growing number of forest fires.
Quebec City police (SPVQ) are asking for the public's help in locating two teenage boys, who police feel may be in the Montreal area. Noam Morin, 13, and Nathan Perreault, 14, were last seen the morning of June 2 in the Neufchatel area of the provincial capital.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says the fire in the Centennial Lake area was reported just after 5:30 p.m. Sunday.
Quebec provincial police (SQ) have identified the adult victim of a fishing incident that claimed five lives over the weekend, most of them children. Keven Girard, 37, was among a group of 11 people swept up by the tide late Friday night while fishing along the shore in Portneuf-sur-Mer, a village about 550 kilometres northeast of Montreal.
A wayward and unresponsive business plane that flew over the nation's capital Sunday afternoon caused the military to scramble a fighter jet before the plane crashed in Virginia, officials said. The fighter jet caused a loud sonic boom that was heard across the capital region.
A much more seasonal week, temperature wise, is on the way for the London area. The sunshine remains but temperatures will drop a few degrees to between 20 C and 24 C — the normal for this time of year being around 24 C.
Mosquitoes have always been pesky, but this spring it seems the bloodsuckers are thirstier than ever, a trend one expert says is increasing.
It was a colourful congregation inside Norwich United Church (NUC), in Norwich, Ont. during its second annual Pride service. The celebration comes six weeks after Norwich Council decided not to fly the pride flag on municipal property during the month of June.
Sunday saw the largest Pride Parade in Winnipeg’s history.
An early-morning fire in Winnipeg’s North End on Monday drew a major response from the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service.
A Manitoba couple has completed a two-week journey by Red River cart to raise money for children in Ukraine.
A business owner in Kitchener says he’s feeling defeated after his business caught fire again early Sunday morning.
Waterloo regional police say two large ‘uncontained’ boa constrictors were found in a vehicle while police were conducting a traffic stop.
Wellington North Fire says around 60 firefighters from multiple stations were needed to knock down two early morning fires, which have caused estimated damages exceeding $1 million.
A public meeting will give Calgarians an inside look into the exact details of an agreement in principle that could land the city a new event centre, but critics are already skeptical of the cost breakdown.
Thousands came out to the 32nd annual Lilac Festival on Sunday to mark the unofficial start of summer in Calgary.
It seemed like everyone and their dog was out Saturday at North Glenmore Park.
After a long hockey season, most kids are done with the cold rinks by spring. But for the chance to rub shoulders with a locally grown hockey superstar, you dust off the gear and skate in June.
A talented motocross racer from the Saskatoon area has achieved a remarkable feat.
Following days of storm activity, much of Saskatchewan is now under heat warnings as temperatures climb to far above seasonal.
A 14-year-old swimmer is believed to have been caught in a current and swept downstream in the North Saskatchewan River.
The internet memes starting meme-ing within days of Monday's Alberta provincial election and the comments reflect concerns that the province is becoming increasingly polarized.
It's been three months since the Edmonton Chinatown and Area Business Improvement Association started its long-term "Chinatown Solution" project, and the organization said things are going well.
The family of a missing 23-year-old man held a large search party on Granville Island Sunday afternoon.
People who use drugs and advocates are vocalizing their support of a downtown overdose prevention site in response to some residents — and a prominent developer — who no longer want it in their backyard.
Nick Cannon is gearing up for a running race to support a cause close to his heart.
The 2023 'Gutsy Walk' took place across Canada as well as in Regina, and it was more than just a walk in the park.
Following days of storm activity, much of Saskatchewan is now under heat warnings as temperatures climb to far above seasonal.
The Saskatchewan Roughriders have updated their roster following their 2-0 performance in the 2023 pre-season.
