When people talk about the best cities in Canada, the conversation always comes back to Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal. Don't get me wrong — Toronto is an incredible city, and there are definitely plenty of things it does better than Ottawa.
But after growing up in Canada's capital, I also think it gets a lot of things right. So before you write Ottawa off, here are seven low-key ways I think it actually beats Toronto.
1. The traffic isn't nearly as stressful
I feel like one thing almost every Ontarian can agree on is that driving in Toronto isn't exactly fun. No one enjoys sitting in traffic on the 401 for what feels like forever, only to get into Toronto... and immediately hit even more traffic.
Sure, Ottawa gets traffic too. If it's rush hour or there's construction on the Queensway, things can definitely slow down.
But compared to Toronto, it's honestly not even close.
I've sat in Ottawa traffic plenty of times, and it usually won't eat up hours of your day. You just crank up the music, wait it out for a while, and the cars start moving again. Personally, I'd take driving — or even taking public transit — around Ottawa over doing the same in Toronto any day.
2. You're never far from nature
If you're someone who enjoys spending time outside, I think Ottawa has Toronto beat by a mile.
The 6ix definitely has beautiful parks, and I always enjoy spending time at spots like Trinity Bellwoods whenever I'm there.
But Ottawa just offers so much more.
Within about 15 minutes of downtown, you've got Gatineau Park, some of my favourite hiking trails, beautiful conservation areas, beaches, boardwalks, and tons of parks.
Even in the winter, there's cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, skating, and downhill skiing pretty close by.
If you're a nature lover like me, you'll probably enjoy Ottawa a lot more than Toronto — or at least I think so.
3. Life feels a little more relaxed
Every time I'm in Toronto, I can feel the hustle and bustle. People are constantly on the move, the streets are busy, traffic never really seems to stop, and there's always something going on.
I think the high cost of living there also means people are juggling multiple jobs or side hustles, too.
To be fair, that definitely exists in Ottawa — but overall, life in the capital feels a little slower and more relaxed.
The city is less congested, people spend a ton of time outside, and Ottawa has that "small world" feeling where you're constantly running into someone you know.
4. The museums are actually incredible
Toronto definitely has some great museums. But being Canada's capital definitely gives Ottawa an advantage here.
We have so many great national museums, and some of them are among my worldwide favourites.
Whether it's the Canadian Museum of History, the National Gallery of Canada, the Canadian Museum of Nature, or the Canadian War Museum, there's so much to see if you're into history, art, science, or just learning something new.
You could easily spend an entire weekend museum-hopping and still not see everything.
5. The day trips are amazing
If you're someone who loves a good road trip, I honestly think Ottawa has the edge. To be fair, Toronto has some really solid day trips too. I'm definitely not going to pretend it doesn't.
But I think Ottawa's location gives it a huge advantage.
Since we're right beside Quebec, you can easily spend the day in Montreal, Montebello (hello, Parc Omega), Wakefield, or even Mont-Tremblant without spending forever in the car.
Then on the Ontario side, you've got spots like Prince Edward County, Kingston, Perth, and so many other great small towns nearby.
A lot of those are places people from Toronto love visiting too, so being able to access them so easily from Ottawa is a pretty big perk.
6. Ottawa really knows how to celebrate the seasons
Of course, every city has festivals. But I think Ottawa does a really good job of celebrating every season.
There are the big national events like Canada Day on Parliament Hill and the Canadian Tulip Festival, but the fun doesn't stop there.
Once summer rolls around, there's always something good happening, whether it's Bluesfest, Ribfest, patio season, or another festival popping up somewhere in the city.
Then winter means Winterlude and skating on the Rideau Canal — while fall is all about pumpkin patches, apple picking, and haunted hayrides at Saunders Farm.
Toronto obviously has some amazing events too, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't super jealous of Caribana.
I just think Ottawa has a really nice mix of national celebrations and seasonal traditions that keep the city feeling alive year-round.
7. It costs less to actually enjoy the city
I'm not necessarily talking about rent or the overall cost of living here. I'm talking about actually getting out and enjoying yourself day to day.
The last time I stayed in Toronto, restaurants and cafés cost more than what I was used to paying in Ottawa, parking added up pretty quickly, and even a casual day out could end up costing quite a bit.
I've also heard the same thing from friends and family who actually live there. Sometimes it feels like just making plans comes with a pretty hefty price tag.
In Ottawa, I always felt like there were plenty of ways to enjoy the city without spending a ton of money.
You can have a picnic in the park, hike the nearby trails, visit museums during free admission times, or grab a coffee and wander around one of the city's neighbourhoods for hours.
Sometimes the best days in Ottawa don't really cost much at all.
If you ask me...
Toronto is an incredible city, and there are definitely things it does better than Ottawa.
But growing up in the capital helped me appreciate all the little things that make the city special.
So even though Toronto tends to steal the spotlight, I think Ottawa deserves a lot more credit than it gets.
The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
