Ottawa with Kids

Albert Y.S. Chu, B.A., M.A., M.Div., is a pastor in Edmonton, Alberta.

In addition to their regular travel guides, Frommer now produces guides
specifically for families with children. Both Ottawa with Kids and
Vancouver with Kids are easy-to-use handbooks for parents who plan to
visit these cities with their children. In both guides, the authors
effectively share their personal experiences and advice on their
hometown.

The guides begin with the basics of planning a family trip to these
cities, advising on what to bring, when to go, and how to get there.
They then suggest a number of places where families can stay, eat, shop,
and play. Descriptions of the hotels include whether they have cribs or
rollaway beds, activity rooms, swimming pools, and in-suite
entertainment systems such as Nintendo. Information about restaurants
includes their main menus as well as the cost of items found on the
children’s menus. In a chapter entitled “What Kids Like to See and
Do,” the authors list the top 10 attractions for kids; they even
suggest itineraries for one-, three-, and four-day visits that are
divided into age groups (preschoolers, ages 6 to 8, ages 8 to 10,
preteens).

Every hotel, restaurant, and attraction described is rated on a scale
of zero to three stars. The scale can be confusing, however, as the
number of stars given depends on whether the hotel or restaurant is
found under the “Very Expensive,” “Expensive,” “Moderate,”
or “Inexpensive” categories. Including more maps in the guides would
have been useful.