A Travel Price Comparison for Canada Calgary vs. Ottawa for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Calgary or Ottawa?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Calgary and Ottawa can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.

Calgary

Calgary is a authentic, western, and local city. It's also popular because of the museums, nightlife, and shopping. See Calgary travel costs.

Ottawa

Ottawa is a friendly, welcoming, and cultural city. And you can't forget about the shopping, museums, and food. See Ottawa travel costs.

Calgary and Ottawa: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Calgary or Ottawa?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Calgary than Ottawa, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Calgary is more popular for its nightlife, while Ottawa is known for its museums and attractions and food. Calgary is more touristy than Ottawa and is popular for its farming and oil industries as well as the Calgary Stampede. It is also home to Calgary Olympic Park. Ottawa is popular for its history, politics, and green space.

How is Calgary different from Ottawa?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Ottawa and Calgary. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Calgary or Ottawa?

Ottawa is well known for its museums and landmarks. Also, Calgary is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

You'll find a good number of museums and monuments packed into Ottawa. As the country's capital, there are a large number of museums to explore. There are summer national museums in town which include the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of History, the Science and Technology Museum, the Aviation and Space Museum, the Agriculture and Food Museum, the Museum of Nature, and the War Museum.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Calgary. It's worth visiting the Calgary Zoo, Fort Calgary, the Hangar Flight Museum, and Heritage Park, among others.

Is the Food Better in Calgary or Ottawa? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Ottawa is a city with good options for its restaurant scene. However, Calgary is not particularly known for its local flavors and cuisine.

Visitors will find a budding food and restaurant scene in Ottawa. The culinary scene highlights many Canadian classics like poutine and maple donuts (and, of course, the classic Tim Horton's), but you'll also find plenty of international options like shawarma.

Calgary may not make the list for most foodies, but you'll find what you need while you're in town. The food scene is constantly evolving and you'll find plenty of casual restaurants. The city is known for its beef, so you should definitely sample a local steak.

Is Calgary or Ottawa Better for Nightlife?

Calgary is a popular place for its evening party scene. However, Ottawa is lacking in good options for nightlife.

With a handful of venues, visitors can find a fairly lively vibe in Calgary. Visitors often head to Stephen Avenue Walk for its bars and pubs. There's also a decent theater scene around town.

Ottawa is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. It's not the first place that comes to mind when you think about partying, but there are live music venues and a some great bars around town.

Is the Shopping Better in Calgary or Ottawa?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Ottawa and Calgary.

Calgary offers some nice shopping areas. There are plenty of independent shops around town as well as some great shopping neighborhoods. Make sure you check out Fourth Street and 17th Avenue. There are also large shopping malls.

Ottawa has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. You'll find large malls, outlets, and shopping streets that are fun to browse. Some of the favorite shopping areas include ByWard Market, Sparks Street, and CF Rideau Centre.

Is Calgary or Ottawa Better for Families?

Both Calgary and Ottawa are good to visit with kids.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Calgary. There are a surprising number of things around town to do with kids such as petting zoos, museums, and even amusement parks. The Calgary Zoo is worth a visit, but also make sure you check out Calaway Park Amusement Park and the Telus Spark science center.

Ottawa offers lots of family activities. As the country's capital, you'll find a number of museums that will keep a kid's attention. In particular, check out the aviation, science, and nature museums. If you have a car, you can head out to Calypso Water Park, which is fun as well.

Is Calgary or Ottawa Better for Couples?

Both Calgary and Ottawa are good destinations for a couple's getaway.

Calgary makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. You'll find outdoor sports, boat tours, and plenty of great restaurants around town. If you're looking for a low key destination with a great vibe, then this is a great city for a weekend trip.

Ottawa is a good city for couples to visit. The city is filled with parks and green spaces where you can enjoy flowers or peaceful walks. Commissioners Park is particularly nice and known for its tulips during the spring season. Dow's Lake is a nice place for ice skating in the winter or kayaking in the summer. The city also offers a number of romantic restaurants and charming hotels.

Is Calgary or Ottawa Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Calgary and Ottawa are good places to visit for backpackers and budget travelers.

Calgary is a good city to visit for backpackers. A surprising number of backpackers end up passing through town, so you'll find a handful of hostels to choose from.

Plenty of backpackers visit Ottawa. Although the city is often overlooked by tourists, there are a surprising number of hostels around town.

Is Calgary or Ottawa Better for Students?

Ottawa is a city with good options for students. However, Calgary is not popular with students.

Ottawa is popular with students. It appeals to international and Canadian students alike. It's known for its livability and diverse cultural scene.

Calgary is not popular with students.

Is Calgary or Ottawa Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

You'll find somewhat comparable public transit options in both Calgary and Ottawa.

You'll find some public transit in Calgary, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. The public transportation system is relatively efficient with both light rail and buses.

While Ottawa offers some public transit options, it might not be your first choice. There is both a public bus and light rail system.

Is Calgary or Ottawa a more walkable city?

Ottawa is a city with good options for its high level of walkability. However, Calgary is not particularly known for its ease of walking around.

Ottawa is a somewhat walkable place. Many of the urban neighborhoods are very walkable.

Calgary is generally not a very walkable city. While there are a couple of walkable neighborhood's around town, it's definitely not the most walkable city.

For even more information, also check out Is Calgary Worth Visiting? and Is Ottawa Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Ottawa or Calgary?

How long in Calgary or Ottawa?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Calgary and Ottawa. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Ottawa than in Calgary. Usually, 1-2 days is a good amount of time for Calgary, and 2-3 days is enough time in Ottawa.

Families should spend more time in Ottawa than Calgary. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Ottawa, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Ottawa than Calgary. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Ottawa that are perfect for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Ottawa than Calgary if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Ottawa.

One day in Calgary or Ottawa?

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Calgary. One day is often enough time to do most activities.

In Ottawa, you'll find museums and food. This city offers something for everyone. One day is usually not enough time for a trip here as there is plenty to do.

A weekend in Calgary or Ottawa?

Calgary is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

In Ottawa, you'll find food and shopping. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. A weekend here is typical. A weekend is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Ottawa has to offer.

Five days in Calgary or Ottawa?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Calgary. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Ottawa is a great place to explore. Five days is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. Anyone can find something fun to do here.

A week in Calgary or Ottawa?

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the local destination of Calgary. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Ottawa. Many people enjoy the museums and food when visiting Ottawa. One week may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Canada, The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Canada, The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Canada, and Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Calgary and Ottawa, we can see that Calgary is more expensive. And not only is Ottawa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ottawa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ottawa and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Calgary would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Calgary than you might in Ottawa.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Calgary Expensive? and Is Ottawa Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Calgary or Ottawa?

Calgary has a larger population, and is about 26% larger than the population of Ottawa. When comparing the sizes of Calgary and Ottawa, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.