Over the years, I was lucky enough to grow up and live in a handful of Ottawa neighbourhoods, each during a completely different stage of my life.
Of course, what makes a neighbourhood "great" depends a lot on what you're looking for.
Some people care more about affordability (which, let's be honest, is hard to come by anywhere these days), while others want great nightlife, easy transit, or somewhere to raise a family.
I think every spot on this list has something going for it, and this ranking is completely based on my own experience — no shade if your favourite one ends up near the bottom.
So without further ado, here's how I'd rank the five Ottawa neighbourhoods I've had the chance to call home.
5. McCarthy / Hunt Club
McCarthy Road is where I spent most of my childhood, so I'll always have a soft spot for it.
And looking back, it was honestly a great place to grow up.
I spent hours playing in the woods (which I'd think twice about now with all the coyotes around...), walking along the train tracks with my friends, hanging out at the community centre after school, and biking to nearby parks.
If you're raising a family or looking for somewhere with more of a suburban feel, I can absolutely see the appeal.
But that's not the stage of life I'm in personally.
These days, I find myself gravitating toward neighbourhoods with more restaurants, local shops, and things to do within walking distance.
To be fair, South Keys is close by and pretty convenient for the essentials, but it's not somewhere I'd go just to spend time.
So even though I have tons of good memories growing up in the McCarthy area, it lands at number five for me.
4. Barrhaven
I spent my teenage years living in Barrhaven, and there were definitely a lot of things I liked about it.
One of the biggest perks was that you didn't have to leave the area for much.
Between Chapman Mills Marketplace and the surrounding plazas, you've got shopping, restaurants, a huge Walmart, a movie theatre, and just about anything else you need nearby.
I also have great memories of the Canada Day fair at Clarke Fields and spending weekends at the neighbourhood parks.
What ultimately pushed Barrhaven down to fourth was the distance, though. Since my high school was on the other side of the city, I spent a lot of time on OC Transpo while here.
And if you're relying completely on public transit, it feels like everything takes forever.
Trips that would've taken 20 or 25 minutes by car could easily turn into an hour and a half by bus, so getting around the city could be pretty time-consuming if you didn't have a car.
Even once I started driving, traffic into and out of Barrhaven could be pretty brutal, too.
And if I'm being honest, whenever my friends wanted to hang out, we almost always ended up making plans downtown instead.
3. Osgoode
My grandparents lived in Osgoode and played a huge role in raising me, so I spent a lot of time there growing up.
Unlike Barrhaven, Osgoode doesn't feel "suburban" to me. It has that small-town community vibe that you don't always get in the city.
People wave as you walk down the street, you get to know your neighbours and local shopkeepers, and everything moves at a slower pace.
You won't be surrounded by malls or a bunch of restaurants, but that's kind of the point.
Instead, you end up loving local spots like the Red Dot Café and Sweet Peas Pantry, spending time in the conservation area or parks, and heading over to Manotick, which is still one of my favourite day trips from Ottawa.
If I ever decided to settle down somewhere quieter, I'd pick a place like Osgoode over suburbs like Barrhaven and Orléans any day.
2. Lowertown / Sandy Hill
I lived in Lowertown for about four years, and I think it earns second place here, despite having a few downsides.
One of my favourite things about living there was how walkable everything was.
From my apartment, I could be in the ByWard Market in about 10 or 15 minutes. It was easy to grab dinner, meet friends, check out the Rideau Centre, or head out for the night without worrying about transportation.
Since I lived closer to the Sandy Hill side, I also had some really nice parks like Strathcona and MacDonald Gardens nearby.
Plus, I was a student at the time, so being surrounded by all the cheap eats didn't hurt either.
I loved how easy it was to get around to nearby areas without a car, too. I could walk across the St. Patrick Street Bridge into Beechwood, wander through Centretown, or spend time walking and biking along the Rideau River pathway.
Living in a more central area isn't perfect, though. There were definitely nights when things got pretty loud outside, and over time, I started noticing some of the realities that come with being closer to the downtown core.
1. Heron Park / Mooney's Bay
A few years ago, I never would've guessed this neighbourhood would be in my number one spot.
But after spending a year living around Heron and Mooney's Bay before moving abroad, it totally won me over.
I could walk to Billings Bridge in about 10 minutes for groceries (or the occasional McDonald's run), catch the LRT from Walkley or Mooney's Bay stations, and there were plenty of restaurants and dessert spots close by.
I also lived right beside the Brookfield Pathway and across from a big open field, so I could play frisbee in the summer, relax outside, or just enjoy all the local green space.
Going for walks, bike rides, and sitting by the water after work were a big part of my everyday routine.
The only downside was the major Bank Street and Heron Road construction.
Heron went from a pretty normal drive to a road where you'd find yourself stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic every day.
Still, if I ever moved back to Ottawa, this is probably the area I'd look to first.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
