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The capital of Canada is not Toronto or Montreal, but a city that sits in between them geographically, Ottawa. Fittingly, Ottawa is a storehouse of national history and stately architecture that attracts millions of visitors every year including some big name bands. Thanks to Steve Miles, James Hethey and keeponrockin on the Pearl Jam message pit for their input and recommendations.

Pearl Jam’s show in Ottawa in 2005 was one of the best shows of that tour. It had nearly three hours of crowd pleasing songs with a number of rarities thrown in to keep everyone happy. Needless to say, expectations will be high this time around. But as with 2005, this upcoming Ottawa show will take place at the Scotiabank Place in Kanata, which is about a 25 to 45 min drive (depending on traffic) from the city center to the middle of nowhere.

The transit system is pretty good in Ottawa, so taking a bus from downtown is an option but, because it is on the outskirts of town and there is really only one major highway leading to it, there is always bad traffic. However, buses do have a designated lane part of the way down the highway leading to the venue and it will be quicker than driving. You’ll still hit a bit of traffic, but it’s faster and cheaper than a taxi.

About a 10 min walk from the venue is Kanata Centrum, a commercial area/outdoor mall with lots of shops/restaurants/a movie theatre etc. This could be a place to hangout before the show or before you head over to the Ottawa Wishlist Preparty.

There are plenty of good places to stay in town, including the jail hostel. But it might be easier to get a hotel near the venue. There is a hotel right at the end of the street leading to the venue called The Country Inn. It’s only a 5 minute walk plus you’re right by the highway, allowing for an easy drive or taxi ride into downtown if you want to see some sights. Another nearby hotel is the Holiday Inn. These will book up quickly so act on them soon.

Sights

Parliament Hill
This is probably a must if you’re doing the sights downtown. Parliament is the heart of Canada’s democratic system and where representatives meet to make laws that affect the lives of every citizen. Take one of the hourly guided tours of one of the best-known symbols in Canada.

Byward Market
One of Canada’s oldest and largest public markets.

National Gallery of Canada
Located near the heart of the capital, the National Gallery showcases the country’s most impressive collections of art, with both national and international exhibits.

Museum of Nature
Newly renovated, the Museum of Nature provides a look into Canada’s national natural history. It is impressive and enjoyed by all.

Museum of Civilization
Trace Canada’s cultural development by viewing this museum’s vast collection, including presentations at the IMAX and OMNIMAX theaters

Canadian War Museum
The Canadian War Museum displays a large military collection and war memorabilia from their involvement in the World Wars.

Algonquin Provincial Park
It’s a bit of a drive (3 hours) away but, if you have time, Algonquin Provincial Park is a great place to wander around lush maple and fir woods, sparkling lakes, and plentiful wildlife.

Places to Eat

Fraser Cafe – 7 Springfield Rd
A stylist bistro that serves top notch food. You’ll be happy you ate here.

The Wellington Gastropub – 1325 Wellington Street West
A friendly, relaxing, and trendy place. Very good food and highly recommended.

Baton Rogue – 790 Kanata Avenue
A decent place for steak/ribs close to the venue.

ottawafood.com
Ottawa has a great variety of restaurants and hidden gems. This website has a good list of them

Nightlife

The Byward Market downtown is the hot spot for bars/pubs/restaurants. The best live music bar in Ottawa is Zaphod Beeblebrox near the University. But if you’re up for a little adventure, Hull (Gatineau), Quebec stays open later and is cheaper. Many locals make the trek over the river into Hull after bars shut down in Ottawa. If you’re staying near the venue, you’re out of luck and will need to travel into town.

Conclusion

Although the venue is not exactly in Ottawa proper, here’s your chance to visit one of the nicer capital cities.

Have any comments or recommendations of your own? Am I way off on this? Is going to Hull/Gatineau really a good idea for late night? Please post a comment below.

Toronto is not only the largest city in the country, it is also one of the most dynamic. Sometimes known as the center of the universe, Toronto is the financial and commercial centre of Canada and offers fine art museums, suave cafe-bars, and luxury stores. And while Montreal is rich on culture and history, Toronto is rich on culture and modern cosmopolitan living.

With a decent subway system, buses and streetcars, getting around should not be a problem. The city centre consists of a series of interlocking neighbourhoods such as the banking district between Front and Queen Streets (west of Yonge Street). Take a stroll down the boisterous street-life of Chinatown and artsy Yonge Street, which bisects the city from north to south. If you’re into baseball, check out a Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre (formerly known as the Sky Dome) next to the Air Canada Centre. It’s the first stadium in the world built with a fully retractable roof.

The Air Canada Centre, also known as The Hanger, is one of the busiest arenas in the world, home to the likes of the Maple Leafs and the Raptors. It’s connected to Union Station and the underground pedestrian path system and has plenty of parking spaces nearby. Located in the southern part of the city centre, the ACC is very easily walkable from anywhere in the adjacent areas. Be warned that concession prices on food and drinks in the arena are through the roof so prepare for it and have drinks during the Toronto Wishlist Preparty at the Loose Moose instead.

As was the case on the 2005 Canadian tour, at the same time as the Pearl Jam shows will be the Toronto International Film Festival. This may either be a blessing or a nuisance for you, as the Film Festival attracts a ton of tourists that may book up all your hotel spots. So book your accommodations ahead of time. If you are spending some time in Toronto, it is nice to check out some new flicks and, who knows, there may be a certain movie out about a certain band around that time. Also if you’re in Toronto a week or so before the Pearl Jam show, the Canadian National Exhibition will be on until Sept 5. Now on to the goods.

THINGS TO DO

Thanks to local Pearl Jam fan Melanie Fish for a bunch of these recommendations. Go Canucks!

CN Tower
Probably the iconic symbol of Toronto, the CN Tower is the world’s highest free-standing tower. It offers views of up to 160km (100miles) as far out as the US border looking outwards on a clear day and over 550m (1800ft) to the ground through a glass floor section looking downwards. There is a restaurant up there called Horizons which has spectacular panoramic views of the city.

Hockey Hall of Fame
If you’re into hockey, the Hockey Hall of Fame is a must and if you’re not, well, it’s still worth checking out. Located right across the street from Union Station, the hall of fame has the largest collection of hockey memorabilia as well as many interactive exhibits making it one of the best Hall of Fames in sports. While you’re at it, head down to Wayne Gretzky’s restaurant at 99 Blue Jays Way to check out the Great One’s memorabilia.

St. Lawrence Market
The St Lawerence Market is ranked as one of the best markets anywhere, and with good reason. Hit up Buster’s for one of the best fish sandwiches you’ll ever have, or head downstairs to try a healthy sized eggplant and chicken parma sandwich. If you come here on Saturdays, there will be a lovely farmer’s market on the north side. Another cool market to check out is Kensington Market near Spadina Ave and Dundas St.

The Distillery District
Just east of the St. Lawrence market is The Distillery District. There are a bunch of shops and a lot of great food too. Definitely check out Soma for some amazing chocolate, and Balzac’s for some great coffee. Sit on the patio if its nice, and spend an afternoon here.

Queens Street West
An old warehouse area in the 1980s, Queen Street West now buzzes with a young vibe. It is a nice place to hang out along with Yonge Street. If you want to shop, check out Eaton’s Centre.

Art Gallery of Ontario
If culture is more your thing then check out the Art Gallery of Ontario, which holds one of Canada’s most extensive collection of fine art and modern sculpture. Other galleries worth seeing are the Toronto Dominion Gallery of Inuit Art, the Royal Ontario Museum, or the Bata Shoe Museum.

Island Harbour Tour
If you have time, taking an island harbour tour is quite nice. The ride lets you enjoy the scenic Toronto skyline, and gives you a close up look at the beautiful Toronto Islands and waterfront.

Places to stay

This is where it gets tricky around the film festival time. Book your hotels and hostels early or there will not be any vacancies in the entire city.

There is the Delta Chelsea located around College and Yonge area and The Sheridan (Queen and York) among other hotels in the downtown core. There is a hotel that just opened at Maple Leafs Square pretty much right at the Air Canada Centre but don’t know how affordable it is.

Places to eat

Queens Street West has a bunch of great, cheap places West of Spadina Ave and all are one off places with lots of character. More specifically, the places mentioned below are recommended by Brett Bogucki, who is a chef in Toronto and a Pearl Jam fan as well. Thanks Brett.

The Black Hoof – 928 Dundas Street West
If you like meat, mainly pork, have an adventurous (brains anyone?) appetite, then this place is for you. Widely regarded by cooks as the best place to eat in TO, it also sports a pretty kick ass cocktail, beer, and wine list. Go in groups so you can try several dishes, if not 3/4 of the menu. I’ve been 8 or 9 times. I can’t say that about any other restaurant.

Guu Izakaya – 398 Church St
If you like a noisy, energetic place that serves some of the city’s best asian food (also if you like Black
Hoof, you’ll like here). Features several Asian beers on tap, a large sake bar, and again, plates are ideal for sharing. If it’s as good as the Guu Izakaya in Vancouver, then you’re going to love it.

Pizzeria Libretto – 221 Ossington
Simple, done in a wood burning oven, and located close to a tequila bar! Also check out Papa Ceo’s on Spadina Ave near University of Toronto.

The Beast – 96 Tecumseth Street
A great spot for brunch. The menu changes frequently (weekly or so), the food is great, affordable, the OJ is squeezed fresh, and the coffee is french pressed, and comes with timers telling you when to push down.

Woodlot – 293 Palmerston Ave (Little Italy)
For what I would consider a great date place, go here. Simple food, done very well with local ingredients.
Best example of what a locovore restaurant should be.

Japango – 122 Elizabeth Street
VERY (cant emphasize that enough) small place, but with the best sushi in TO one could have without breaking the bank. If you go, you HAVE to get the oyster shooter. HAVE to!

Oliver Bonacini Restaurants
On the more pricey end, check out any of Oliver Bonacini’s restaurants. He has about 7 or 8 one off places that are all great. Canoe has a spectacular view but is one of the more expensive ones.

Parts and Labour
Don’t go here. Vastly over rated. Very inconsistent

Bars and Nightlife

As with most major metropolitan cities, there are no shortage of places to go at night. Most of the good clubs and bars are along Richmond or King Streets.

Horseshoe Tavern
This legendary rock n roll bar is a great place for live music and it just reeks of history. It’s kind of like the CBGB’s of Canada. Definitely have a drink here.

C’est What
What I regard as the city’s best place to grab a pint that you haven’t tried before or hadn’t had in a while. It features Ontario and Quebec craft breweries. Sit at the bar, tell them what you like, they’ll give you a taste of what they think you’ll like, and then order your pint or have another taste.

Smokeless Joe’s
Great place for a pint and also has the city’s best mussels and some pretty good oysters too.

House on Parliament
Best overall pub in the city. Good tap selection, solid food and service. Consistently a good time, and sometimes a great time. Never a bad time.

Real Sports Bar and Grill
It’s HUGE with a screen that any sports enthusiast should check out at least once.

Conclusion

Toronto is a large city, similar to most large cities in the US. You’ll enjoy the ease of getting around and the friendliness of the locals. Pearl Jam enjoys it so much that they are playing 2 shows here.

Have any comments or recommendations of your own? Am I way off on this? Please post a comment below.

Montreal is the second largest city in Canada. It’s official language is French but, being a large international city, everyone speaks English as well – more or less. With the French influence, the province of Quebec has a style closer to Europe than that of North America. But Montreal is more North American than the rest of Quebec.

The city is fun with great food, lovely architecture and an artsy feeling throughout. It’s a little different from other places in the country, but in a good way. You could say that it’s the New Orleans of Canada without “drinking on the streets” being blatantly legal. It was definitely one of our favourite stops on the last Pearl Jam Canadian tour and you can tell that the band enjoys playing here as well. I loved it so much that I moved here for the summer a few years ago because I wanted to experience the festive atmosphere first hand.

Thanks to the two major Universities, McGill and Concordia, being located in the heart of the city, the downtown is very lively. Montreal is known for its street festivals in the summer time such as their world famous Montreal Jazz Festival and Just For Laughs Comedy Festival, which takes up most of the summer, while shutting down major streets to accommodate pedestrian only traffic during these events. And if the weather is nice, other streets are shut down to hold block parties with restaurants and shops spilling onto the streets just because it’s a sunny day. Needless to say, Montrealers enjoy life.

With Pearl Jam’s show being held at the Bell Centre, you will be conveniently located right in the center of the city. It is near all the good stuff – rue Saint-Catherines, rue Saint-Laurent, rue Saint Denis, and Old Montreal – so you’ll enjoy your stay and will want to move here for a summer yourself.

THINGS TO DO

Old Montreal/Old Port
The cobblestones of Vieux Montreal gives it the European character. It’s about a 15 min walk from central or a couple stops on the metro. There are shops, cafes, restaurants, bars and scenery that you will not see anywhere else in North America. Definitely worth checking out. The Notre-Dame Basilica is just on the outskirts.

Mont Royal Park
If the weather is nice and you feel up for it, a fairly easy hike up Mont Royal takes less than an hour and gives you the best view of the city. Don’t worry, it’s not a mountain, just merely a park with a hill. If you’d rather just lay in the park, it is nice for that as well. On sundays there is a massive drum circle that anyone can take part in.

Montreal Forum
Hockey is important in Canada but, in Montreal, it is life. The Montreal Forum is the former arena for the Montreal Canadiens and one of the most renowned venues in North America. Unfortunately, the building has since been turned into a multiplex theatre with shops and restaurants, but there are still pieces of the historic building remaining inside to see. Center ice along with a few seats are still intact. The Bell Centre also has a nice hockey setup outside the building, displaying statues or former hockey greats.

The Underground City
Because of the cold winters, Montreal has an entire underground city in the center to help residents cope with the season. Connecting buildings such as apartments, shops, banks, and museums, it is the largest underground complex in the world.

Atwater Market and Jean Talon Market
These are a bit farther from the center, but they are nice farmer’s markets with fruit, vegetables, cheese, bread and other local goodies.

Museums
If you’re wanting to relax and take it easy in the city, Montreal has some of the best museums in the country. The Museum of Fine and Contemporary Arts, Museum of Fine Arts, Canadian Centre for Architecture, Point-a-Calliere Museum and Holocaust Museum are all within the center of the city.

PLACES TO EAT

Schwartz – 3895 rue St-Laurent
Unless you’re vegetarian, you CANNOT leave Montreal without having a smoke meat sandwich with a cherry coke and a pickle. You’ll have to line up to get in but you’ll thank me afterwards. Sometimes they have their take-away deli opened next door as well. If you don’t want to wait in line, this is always an option but you miss out on the unique Schwartz’s ambience inside.

Ma’am Bolduc – 4351-4355 de Lorimier (just off of the east end of Avenue du Mont-Royal)
It’s a bit of a trek to get here from the center but it’s well worth it. You MUST have poutine while in Quebec and, if you don’t know what poutine is, read the book. During my summer in Montreal, I conducted a poutine excursion with a panel judges as seen in the video below. From this, we concluded that the Poutine Bourguignonne at Ma’am Bolduc was the best poutine in Montreal.

Montreal Poutine – 161 rue St-Paul Est (Old Montreal)
Located in lovely Old Montreal, Montreal Poutine is not just a clever name. They have a beautiful patio (or terrace as they call it) in the back and the setting is very nice. The setting is so nice that I actually worked here for a few weeks for fun. Don’t know if they will still remember me, but you can mentioned Jason from Vancouver with the video camera and see where that gets you. They always thought I was a Chinese spy trying to steal their recipes. They are mostly correct.

Fritz, La Belle Province and Lafleuer – various locations
These are chain places that specialize in poutine. If you’re not able to venture out too far from the center or you only have half an hour before show time, these are good options to give poutine a try.

Au Pied de Cochon – 536 rue Duluth Est (on a small street off of rue Berri)
If you want something more fancier and up scale, Au Pied de Cochon is the place. Their food is outstanding. It’s a little on the pricey side and you’ll have to make a reservation, but you’ll enjoy the food and atmosphere. And if you must have more more poutine, they have the foie gras poutine as an appetizer.

Garde Manger – 408 rue Saint-François-Xavier (Old Montreal)
I’ve not been to Garde Manger, but the celebrity chef there, Chuck Hughes, recently won on the Iron Chef with a lobster poutine. That has me intrigue. If you get a chance, give it a try and let me know how it is.

Other Places
There are loads of brunch places and restaurants on Avenue de Mont-Royal, rue Saint-Dennis and old Montreal. You can’t really go wrong here. I remember getting some killer eggs benedict at a place called Plateau on Avenue de Mont-Royal.

NIGHTLIFE

Montreal has some of the best nightlife in the country and there are plenty of places to go without the hassle that bars/clubs in other cities may have. The main areas for the bars are on rue Saint Laurent, rue Saint Denis, rue Crescent, rue Saint Catherine and their surrounding areas. Old Montreal also has some good places, but they may close a little earlier.

There are so many decent places in these areas that it’s hard to recommended any specific ones. Go out and explore on your own. But if you are too lazy to do this or can’t chose where to go, the Peel Pub off of Saint Catherine is not the classiest place, but it’s cheap and fun, while Bar St Suplice on Saint Denis has a huge patio in the back with a good atmosphere. These are just 2 that are easy to find and have lots of space.

CONCLUSION

Montreal is a great city and you WILL enjoy it.

Have any comments or recommendations of your own? Am I way off on this? Please post a comment below.

May 28, 2011

Pearl Jam will be touring Canada again this September, exactly six years after the last journey that brought on so many memories and good times. That trip was where it all started. That was when we took the Touring Van across the country and didn’t look back. That journey brought on adventures that fill up the book. And that was the beginning of This All Encompassing Trip.

This time, however, Pearl Jam will take on Canada in the opposite direction and This All Encompassing Trip will be your complete guide to each city. Every week there will be a new article posted on here written about a different city on the tour, featuring places to see, restaurants to eat at and things to do. Hopefully you’ll find some time amongst all the driving to explore and discover the great country of Canada.

Pearl Jam 2011 Canadian tour schedule