An Ottawa weekend that starts on Albion Road

First, the geography

The hotel sits in the rural south end of Ottawa. By our road routes, Parliament Hill is about 19.7 km away (some 24 minutes with no traffic) and the ByWard Market about 20.4 km (26 minutes). The O-Train is the other option: the hotel shuttle to Leitrim, Line 2 north to Bayview, then Line 1 into downtown. Whichever you choose, plan Saturday as a day out rather than a series of trips back to the room.

Friday — the show

1. 3–4 PM · Arrive Check in (ask for the time when you request the room), park, and leave the city for tomorrow.
2. 5 PM · Dinner Council Oak opens at 5 PM from Wednesday to Saturday; its menu list includes a Pre-Show Prix Fixe. Brick'd and YOUYU open at 5 PM on Fridays.
3. Doors · The show Listings for the 2026–27 season mostly open doors between 6 and 7:30 PM. See the calendar.
4. After · Late food On a Friday the Hard Rock Cafe after-hours menu runs 10 PM–1 AM, and the free lounge stage often has a 9:30 PM set.

Saturday — the capital

Parliament Hill and Wellington Street. Parliament's official address is 111 Wellington Street, and the Peace Tower was dedicated on 1 July 1927. Start here and walk east.

Sparks Street. Close to the Hill, Sparks Street was established in 1961 as North America's first permanent outdoor pedestrian mall, according to Ottawa Tourism. It is an easy stretch for coffee and a look around.

The ByWard Market. Just east of Parliament Hill, the market was established in 1826 and is one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets. Lunch here, and walk on to Rideau Street and the Rideau Centre if you want shops.

The Rideau Canal. The canal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, in winter, becomes an outdoor skating rink when conditions allow.

If there is a second show on Saturday, head back by late afternoon. If not, eat downtown and return by car or by train and shuttle; remember that the shuttle's last run from Leitrim leaves at 12:30 AM, and the overnight runs go from Uplands Station.

Illustration made for this guide — not a photograph of the hotel.

Sunday — slow

Council Oak's Sunday brunch runs from 10 AM to 3 PM. Hard Rock Cafe opens at 7 AM if you need an early start. Check-out time is not published; ask for a late one when you request the room, especially after a Saturday show. The airport is about 9.4 km away by road if you are flying out.

In winter

Winterlude, the federal winter festival, is held in late January and February. When we checked, the dates for 2027 had not been confirmed by the organiser, so look them up before you plan around it. The Hard Rock LIVE calendar has shows on several January and February weekends; see our winter notes.

What we left out

Ottawa has a long list of museums, galleries and neighbourhoods. We have only included places we could confirm from official tourism or government pages. For everything else, Ottawa Tourism is the best starting point.