Ottawa South travel guide

Ottawa South, Canada

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Ottawa South

Introduction

Ottawa South is a suburban, generally middle-class district of Ottawa, Ontario, and it is notable for having the highest Arab population in Ontario. As a federal electoral district, it has been represented in the House of Commons by David McGuinty, brother of former Ontario Premier and Ottawa South MPP Dalton McGuinty.

The riding has been held continuously by Liberal candidates since it was first contested in 1988, and it is regarded as one of the strongest Liberal ridings in Canada.

Getting around

Ottawa South is a suburban district, so getting around usually means combining modes rather than relying on one. OC Transpo runs the city's buses and the O-Train light rail network, and fares are integrated, so a single fare covers transfers between buses and the O-Train within one journey. Use the O-Train for longer, faster hops along its main corridors and buses for the neighbourhoods and attractions the rail lines don't directly serve. For Ottawa South specifically, the Uplands Line 4 O-Train station serves Ottawa International Airport and connects it to the wider transit network, from which you can transfer onward to downtown or other parts of the city. Buses link Alta Vista, Billings Bridge, Heron Gate, South Keys, Blossom Park and the airport area with each other and with the rest of Ottawa, and some services run overnight — Route 39, for example, connects to the Via Rail station through the night. Para Transpo is available as an accessible option alongside the regular bus and O-Train services.

Taxis and ride-hailing are straightforward in Ottawa South, particularly for trips that are awkward by transit: reaching the airport with luggage, moving between the district's spread-out residential neighbourhoods after bus service thins out, or travelling late at night when you'd rather not wait for a connection. Because the district is large and suburban, a taxi or ride-hail can save considerable time on point-to-point trips that would otherwise require a transfer. Walking is best treated as a way to cover the last stretch of a journey rather than the whole of it, though some areas are genuinely pleasant on foot — Mooney's Bay Park has bike trails, a beach and picnic areas, and the Terry Fox Athletic Centre, and Carleton University sits in old Ottawa South, just minutes from downtown and walkable in its immediate surroundings. A practical approach is to take transit, a taxi or a ride-hail to reach a neighbourhood or attraction, then walk within it. If you're heading to a TD Place event at Lansdowne in the Glebe, your event ticket — paper or e-ticket — doubles as your transit fare on any bus, O-Train or Para Transpo service; show it to the driver, a customer service representative, or via video chat at a ticket machine to pass the fare gates. Because the airport lies inside Ottawa South, visitors whose destination is in the district itself have a particularly short trip from arrivals.

What to see and do

Ottawa South's standout draw is the Dominion Arboretum, a place to slow down and wander among its plantings rather than rush through. Plan your visit around the weather, since the grounds are best enjoyed on foot: summers here are warm and humid, while winters are bitterly cold and snowy, so dress for the season you're travelling in.

Three days in Ottawa South

Day one: Base yourself in Ottawa South and get oriented using OC Transpo buses or the O-Train, which connect the area to the rest of Ottawa. Start with a walk in Mooney's Bay Park, then continue along the water to the Terry Fox Athletic Centre. In the afternoon, explore the neighbourhoods at your own pace: Alta Vista, Billings Bridge, Heron Gate, South Keys and Blossom Park each have their own character. If you are arriving by air, the Uplands Line links Ottawa International Airport with the city, and Via Rail, taxis and Para Transpo are other options for getting around.

Day two: Give the day to Carleton University and its surroundings, walking the campus and the nearby riverside paths. Later, head to TD Place at Lansdowne in the Glebe for a game, a show or a meal, using OC Transpo or a taxi to get there. Because walking is easy between many of these spots, you can link the campus, the Glebe and Lansdowne without much planning.

Day three: Turn to the political side of Ottawa South. The riding has been represented by David McGuinty and, before him, by Ontario Premier and Ottawa South MPP Dalton McGuinty, both of the Liberal Party of Canada. From Ottawa South you can reach the House of Commons in Ottawa, Ontario's capital, to see the national institutions up close. Use the O-Train, buses or a taxi for the trip, and keep the Uplands Line in mind if you are heading to Ottawa International Airport afterwards.

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