Every generation has its own version of what it means to be an Ottawa kid.
My parents have their list of classic Ottawa memories, I have mine, and kids growing up in the city today will eventually have their own, too.
So while this list is definitely shaped by the era I grew up in, there are a few experiences that seem to come up again and again whenever Ottawa locals start swapping stories.
Maybe you didn't do every single one of these nine things (that's okay, you can be a local too), but chances are, at least a few of them will feel pretty familiar.
1. Skating on the Rideau Canal and grabbing a BeaverTail
I had to start with an obvious one.
Even people from outside of Ottawa make the trip to skate on the Canal.
It's one of the city's most famous attractions, after all.
Growing up, though, it didn't feel like a special event. It just felt like something you did every winter.
For me, that usually meant starting somewhere near Carleton University and skating all the way downtown with family or friends, followed by the mandatory BeaverTail and hot chocolate.
And when you already owned skates, it was a pretty affordable way to spend an afternoon as a kid.
2. Going to Ottawa's classic field trip destinations
I can still remember the excitement of finding out we had a field trip coming up.
Spending the school day somewhere other than a classroom always felt like a treat.
Over the years, I visited Parliament Hill, the Canadian Museum of History (which will always be the Museum of Civilization in my mind), the Museum of Nature, Experimental Farm, MacSkimming, and plenty of other Ottawa staples.
My favourite was always the children's museum inside the Museum of Civilization.
The costumes, the bus near the entrance, stamping your "passport", the crane, the pyramids — it felt like the coolest place in the world when I was a kid.
And of course, no Ottawa field trip discussion would be complete without mentioning the Crazy Kitchen at the Science and Tech museum.
3. Spending Canada Day downtown
For years, Canada Day meant putting on a red-and-white outfit and heading downtown.
I can still picture the flags, temporary tattoos, Canada stickers, face paint, and crowds everywhere.
Going down to Parliament and staying for the fireworks was a yearly tradition throughout my childhood.
As I got older, though, my Canada Day celebrations changed a bit.
Sometimes we'd watch the fireworks from other parts of the city, and when I lived in Barrhaven as a teenager, I'd go to Clarke Fields Park for the carnival and activities there.
But when I think back on Canada Day as a kid, I always picture spending July 1st downtown with my family.
4. Manifesting a snow day
I think every Ottawa kid knows the feeling of waking up and immediately checking whether the school buses had been cancelled.
The night before, you'd hear about an incoming snowstorm or freezing rain warning and start hoping for the best. Then came the suspense of waiting to see if you got a surprise day off. At that point, it all came down to your parents.
From what I saw, there were two main camps.
The ones who let their kids stay home when the buses were cancelled, and the ones who sent them to school anyway.
I've experienced both versions, and I can confidently say I preferred the first one.
If you got the day off, it meant spending the day watching movies, playing outside, or doing absolutely nothing at all — no complaints from me.
5. Spending summers at Ottawa's festivals and fairs
Summers always made Ottawa feel alive.
Growing up, I remember going to Italian Week, Buskerfest, Ribfest, the Tulip Festival, Greekfest, and plenty of other events across the city.
Can you tell I've always been a foodie?
I also spent a few years at the Ex and, later on, the Capital Fair.
Between the rides, games, performances, and food stands, that was my ideal way to spend a summer day.
Back then, I was surprisingly brave when it came to roller coasters and would happily line up for the biggest (and scariest) rides.
These days, I get nervous just watching them from the ground...
6. Fully embracing Ottawa winter activities
I'm not even a winter person, but when you grow up in Ottawa, you eventually have to accept that winter is a major part of life.
I have so many memories of snowball fights, building snowmen, climbing giant snowbanks, and going tobogganing at spots like Bruce and Conroy Pit.
Then there was Winterlude.
Whether it was checking out the ice sculptures, running around the snow playgrounds, tubing, or just spending the day outside, Winterlude became a regular part of my Ottawa winters.
And honestly, tobogganing is still just as fun as an adult.
7. Hanging out at Rideau Centre and the ByWard Market
When I was a teenager, Rideau Centre felt like the place to be.
After school, on weekends, or whenever there was nothing else going on, my friends and I would end up wandering around the mall or heading into the ByWard Market.
We'd walk around for hours, grab a $5 meal at Warehouse — basically the perfect high school budget meal — and take photos on the roof or do a bit of window shopping at the mall.
I think a lot of Ottawa teenagers go through a phase where the Rideau Centre becomes one of their most visited destinations.
8. Spending summers by the water
Ottawa summers can get pretty hot, which always meant finding good ways to cool off.
For me, that usually meant afternoons at local neighbourhood pools, splash pads around the city, trips to Splash Wave Pool, or jumping into the lake at family and friends' cottages.
If I was lucky, I’d also get trips to Mont Cascades or Calypso — I still remember the first time I tried the Aqualoops and genuinely thought I was going to die when it dropped me in.
It was worth it in the end, though.
The water parks were fun, but some of my favourite summer memories were the day trips to Sandbanks Provincial Park with my family.
I always loved going there as a kid, and still do.
Looking back, there was never a shortage of things to do in or near the capital during the summertime.
9. Going to birthday parties at the classic kid spots
Birthday parties came in all shapes and sizes growing up, but there were a few places that seemed to host every celebration.
I've either attended or had birthdays at spots like Midway, Cosmic Adventures, Funhaven, Laser Quest, and Sky Zone.
Those places were definitely childhood staples.
That said, I was equally happy with a backyard party — as long as there was good cake involved.
What it means to be an Ottawa kid
In a city as big as Ottawa, no two childhoods look exactly the same.
Depending on your neighbourhood, age, interests, and family, your experience growing up here might've looked completely different from mine.
But if you found yourself nodding along to a few of these, it's probably because Ottawa childhoods have a few common threads running through them.
And that's part of what makes growing up here so unique.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
