Panic at the Back
Registered User
My 2 cents on Fall vs Spring -- Spring really is nice here, late April and May are my favorite times of the year. BUT -- if you want to guarantee yourself of seeing a Sens game, then you would have to come in early April, and at that time of year the chances of a winter storm are pretty high. (We almost always get a snowstorm in the first week of April, and people are almost always surprised... despite the fact that it happens every year).
So, if I was you I'd come in early October, just after the start of the regular season. Weather will still be nice, the fall colors will be out, and you'll be able to get tickets.
As for stuff to do, spend as much time in and around the dontown core as possible -- the canal, the Chateau Laurier, the Parliament buildings, the locks ... these are the things that are unique to Ottawa. If you're in to biking, there are lots of great pathways that take you by these things and the views are beautiful.
For museums: the National Gallery is nice for art and it's got this fantastic giant spider statue outside it, but the one reason to make sure to go to it is the great hall right inside the entranceway that provides a spectacular view of the parliament buildings.
If you're at all interested in airplanes then the Aviation Museum is definitely worth doing as they have alot of great WWI and WWII military planes. You can also do helicopter tours of the city from there.
For pizza, most of the places in the link you sent I have tried and they are good ... but there is a newer one that isn't on that list "Roberto's Pizza" on Preston St. I think it's now the best of the wood oven pizza options in the city.
Fantastic info! The aviation museum sounds amazing.
Roberto's... oh man. I'm ready.
Fall is the winner for every reason you mentioned. Hopefully we can find a deal on the flights.