Bearings' 8 Favourite Places in Ottawa

Bearings are an indie/pop punk band who hail from the nation's capital. Together for close to five years now, their most recent album, Blue In the Dark, came out in October on Pure Noise. Bassist Collin Hanes took us on a tour through some favourite Ottawa spots. Location photos by Chris Bubinas.

House of TARG (1077 Bank St.)
What do you get when you combine arcade and videogames, live music, European cuisine and a wide selection of alcoholic beverages? House of TARG! With dozens of different pinball tables and arcade machines, live shows every week, and their signature pierogi, this place is amazing (and fun for the whole family before 9 p.m.).

Vertigo Records (193 Rideau St.)
This record shop is home to classic and new records that span across all genres. With it being a primary spot to pick up CDs, vinyl, posters, concert tickets and more, you're bound to find something you love.

Dows Lake Pavilion (1001 Queen Elizabeth Dr.)
This beautiful location overlooking Dow's Lake is extremely popular during the summer, and has a wide array of restaurants, including one that has a great outdoor patio. You're also able to paddle boat along the river, which is delightful.

Beavertails (69 George St.)
These Ottawa-born snacks are a hand-stretched deep fried pastry that resembles a beaver's tail. They come in a variety of flavours, the most common being cinnamon sugar. They now have many locations now, but the prime one is in the heart of the ByWard Market. You'll most likely be in that area visiting Ottawa anyways, so definitely give one a try!

Canadian Museum of Nature (240 McLeod St.)
There are plenty of great museums in Ottawa, but the Museum of Nature is my personal favourite. They consistently have new exhibits and it is very affordable. You'll have fun for hours here!

Rideau Canal
This body of water winds its way through the heart of Ottawa and is 7.8 km long. During the winter it is the longest skating rink in the world, and in the summer it is a passageway for boats.

Hog's Back Park (600 Hogs Back Rd.)
One of the most beautiful parks in Ottawa, it has a beautiful 60-foot waterfall where the Rideau River and the Rideau Canal split. It's a must-see for any park lover.

Pure Kitchen (340 Elgin St.)
One of the best vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Ottawa, it has become a staple and expanded to three locations across the city. I'm not even vegetarian, and I eat there on the regular.

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