I'm an Ottawa local — These are the only 5 neighbourhoods I'd ever consider living in
I may have decided that I don't want to settle down in Ottawa long-term, but that definitely doesn't mean I don't love the city.
It's my hometown, after all, and having grown up there, lived in different parts of the city and spent years figuring out which areas I actually like, I have some pretty strong opinions about the best neighbourhoods in Ottawa.
I'm also going to be spending some time back in the city pretty soon — mostly because I have a lot of boxes stored at family members' houses that I desperately need to unpack.
And whenever I'm back, I always end up thinking about which Ottawa neighbourhoods I could genuinely see myself living in if I ever changed my mind and moved back home.
For me, the best places to live in Ottawa aren't all the same. Some are walkable and close to downtown, some are quieter and more family-friendly, and one feels almost more like a small town than part of the capital.
So, if I had to choose, these are the five Ottawa neighbourhoods I'd consider living in without much hesitation — from Sandy Hill and Centretown to Manotick and beyond.
They all have very different vibes, but each has something that makes me think, yeah, I could live here.
Lowertown / Sandy Hill
I lived in the Lowertown area for about four years, and I absolutely loved it.
It definitely has a younger vibe — I mean, the University of Ottawa is right there — so there are naturally tons of places that cater to students, from cheap eats to coffee shops perfect for studying.
And who doesn't love Strathcona Park?
One of my favourite things about living here was how walkable it was. I could get to the ByWard Market in 15 minutes or less, with plenty of great spots to stop at along the way.
While it can feel pretty student-heavy, Sandy Hill also has lots of cute little houses tucked away on quieter streets that I think would be great for families. You still get that residential feel without being far from all the fun downtown.
Plus, you're close to Beechwood, which is another great neighbourhood in the city.
For me, Sandy Hill is the perfect middle ground between downtown and Vanier. You're close to pretty much everything without feeling like you're right in the middle of the wild, wild west.
Billings Bridge / Heron Park
I grew up in Hunt Club, so I'm definitely an Ottawa South kid and got used to that lifestyle pretty early on.
I also lived in the Billings Bridge/Heron Park area before moving abroad, and it's still one of my favourites.
It's definitely quieter and more family-oriented than what I was used to downtown, but depending on the stage of life you're in, I think that can be a huge plus.
I loved having tons of parks and green space nearby, plus Billings Bridge for shopping and easy access to buses and the O-Train at Heron and Mooney's Bay stations.
Speaking of Mooney's Bay, having the beach nearby is obviously a pretty great bonus during the summer.
I also liked how easy it was to get onto the bike paths. You could bike all the way downtown or even over to Gatineau from the area if you wanted to.
And the everyday stuff was convenient too. Whenever I needed a hash brown or latte in the morning, there were plenty of drive-thrus and food spots nearby — including a 24-hour McDonald's.
At this point in my life, that's exactly the kind of neighbourhood perk I appreciate.
The Glebe
We all know the Glebe is one of Ottawa's pricier neighbourhoods, so for now, I'd love to live there in my financially free dreams.
I've been a fan of the Glebe forever, and I have family in the area who I'm always a little jealous of.
I love that you're close to the Rideau Canal and can easily sit by the water, but you can also wander down Bank Street and find tons of local shops, good food, vintage stores and more.
I'm also always down for a day at Lansdowne, whether that's checking out the farmers' market, grabbing a bagel from Kettlemans across the street or popping into Winners.
And if you live in the Glebe, once a year you get to wake up right in the middle of the Glebe Garage Sale — which basically gives you a built-in advantage over everyone else!
I also love the neighbourhood's mix of people. You have families, young adults and everyone in between, and I think that gives the area a really fun energy.
If money were no object, this would easily be one of my top choices!
Manotick
I feel like this part of Ottawa is seriously underrated, especially since most people tend to picture downtown and the suburbs when they think of the capital.
But Manotick is very much part of Ottawa, and since I grew up nearby in Osgoode, I know the area pretty well.
What I really love about Manotick is the small-town vibe. You know your neighbours, say hi to people on the street and get to know the local shop owners. It just feels a lot more tight-knit and calm than other parts of Ottawa.
At the same time, it doesn't feel completely cut off. If you have a car, you're only about 25 to 30 minutes from downtown, which honestly doesn't sound too bad to me.
I don't plan on living in Ottawa again any time soon, but if we're talking hypotheticals, I could totally see myself settling down in Manotick.
It makes a lot of sense if you want more space and a quieter lifestyle without leaving the city altogether.
And even if you couldn't be persuaded to move here, Manotick is still one of my favourite day-trip spots in Ottawa, so I'd definitely recommend spending an afternoon there at the very least.
Centretown
I mean, how could I not mention Centretown?
When I was growing up — and honestly, even now — everyone wanted to live downtown.
I remember visiting my aunts' apartments there as a kid and thinking, yes, this is adulthood.
What I like about Centretown is that it doesn't feel quite as hectic as the ByWard Market, but you still have tons of good restaurants and local gems along Bank and Elgin.
I've also always loved wandering down Somerset into Chinatown for food, then heading over to Little Italy for dessert after.
And if you're a walker like me, you can keep going west toward Wellington and Westboro, stopping at farmers' markets, secondhand stores and plenty of other fun spots along the way.
Westboro is definitely pricey these days, so for me, Centretown feels like the perfect middle ground.
You still get that lively downtown energy, but you're close enough to Westboro and everything that side of the city has to offer.
It's kind of the best of both worlds!
In the end, there are plenty of great places to live in Ottawa, but these are the five that stand out most to me.
Whether I wanted the energy of downtown, easy access to green space or a quieter, small-town feel, I could happily find a home in any of them.
Now, would I REALLY move back to Ottawa? That's a question for another day!
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
