Sounds like a plan  

Can anyone suggest any places to stay / things to do while in Ottawa?  I think the wife and I are looking for somewhere kinda central in the city so we can hop around and check out the sites (whatever they may be)

Thanks  

If it is your first time to Ottawa, you should do the Parliament, Canal, and byWard marketplace circuit. It's a great walk.

http://www.byward-market.com/en/maps/area-map.htm

I'm sure there is a ton of things to do in Ottawa but the main tourist area in the downtown quarter. I'm thinking your driving a large truck, so if I were you I would be looking for a hotel right off the 417, and I'd bus or taxi it around the city. Ottawa is not as tight and conjested as Ottawa or Montreal, but if your driving a large vehicle, you don't want to be driving it downtown.

When my wife and I stay in Ottawa we stay at Monterey inn; It's clean and affordable, but it is way out of town. I'm not sure it would even be on the bus route.

And if your wife is a cat lover and you do go down town, you should check out the Parliament Cat Sanctuary. As you look at Parliament it is to left and rear of the center block just behind the iron fencing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Parliamentary_Cats

Thanks, man!  We'll be driving a cargo van by the looks of it, but we'll be walking / busing around the city.  Preferably walking.

I'd also recommend a boat tour on the Rideau Canel. I did that when I first visited Ottawa. Nice and relaxing. There are also bus tours -- double decker I believe. They might be cool. I've done that type of thing in other cities and it gives you a quick lay of the land.

Cheers,
Duane

Quoted from machine.slave

Thanks, man!  We'll be driving a cargo van by the looks of it, but we'll be walking / busing around the city.  Preferably walking.

Plenty of hotels downtown and prices vary.  Some are very close to the parliament etc.  If you need more help just PM me I will guide you through it or answer questions.

take care

If you're just coming for the one night, grab someplace downtown and pay the premium.  The Minto Suites aren't that relatively expensive and are close enough to walk around market and parlement.  Unless you have something specific you'd like to see (War Museum, etc) you'll have more than enough to see just around downtown I would think.  The Monterey Inn that Pete mentioned is nice and will save you $30 or so a night, but it's a good 25min express bus ride to downtown, and at $3.25 each one way you're not saving that much in the end.

Yeah so far we're thinking either the Arc or the Crowne Plaza.  Downtown is definitely where we want to be so we can make the best of our mini vacation.  

Yeah, with a cargo van downtown hotels would be the way to go. I was picturing you with a U-haul cube van trying to get around downtown. While not impossible, it definitely wouldn't be fun; especially if you don't know the area.

Do you like hot sauces. There is a place called Chilly Chiles, just outside of Ottawa, fantastic selection.

http://www.chillychiles.com/about/about_frame.html?submenu=about

Also, It may be worthwhile to hop the border to Hull and stock up on cheap Quebec beer. If it was any cheaper they would be giving it away.

Quoted from machine.slave

Yeah so far we're thinking either the Arc or the Crowne Plaza.  Downtown is definitely where we want to be so we can make the best of our mini vacation.  

Crowne Plaza is a good hotel and not too far from the parliament etc also you are close to the war museum which is pretty good.  Right near by (two streets up) is the Delta in case you want to check prices.