Nights Out With a Difference in Ottawa

Feature image source Source: Absolute Comedy via Facebook


If you’re scratching your head for inspiration for a night out and can’t get beyond the idea of dinner and a movie, it’s definitely a sign that you’re getting stuck in your ways. If you want to shake things up a little and do something different on an evening out in Ottawa, what’s the best plan?

Have a Laugh…Hopefully at a Comedy Club

A comedy night is just as suitable for a couple on a first date as it is for a group of colleagues out on a work party. At Absolute Comedy on Preston Street, it’s best to reserve your seats as the venue is small and always popular. Risk being picked on as comedy bait by the comedian if you sit right at the front, but you’ll get the best view and the most out of the show. There’s a pre-show buffet if you want to eat first, or finger food is available during the show. Otherwise, just have a few drinks with the show and then head to one of the many restaurants you’ll find in the local area of Little Italy. Shows run seven days a week, and each comedian only takes the stage for five minutes which means you get a good variety during the night; a headliner usually closes the act.

Of course, there are other comedy clubs in Ottawa, and at YukYuk’s, there’s a regular amateur night, so if you think you’re funny enough…

See if Lady Luck is on Your Side

Ottawa is home to one of Canada’s most prestigious casinos – the Casino du Lac-Leamy, located in Gatineau – only ten minutes from Parliament Hill. This is a great choice for a group of friends looking for a fun night out as you can share the highs and lows of your gambling adventures together.

The casino features 64 gaming tables and 1,700 slot machines, so there’s plenty of gaming to be done, but there’s also entertainment that takes place in Le Théâtre du Casino. Recently, it was host to a four-day dance competition. If you’re going in August, make sure to time your visit so that you catch the annual fireworks competition, when the casino plays host to some of the world’s greatest fireworks teams.

For novice gamblers, it’s a wise idea to learn how to play games such as roulette, poker, blackjack and slots online before you go to spend an evening in the Casino du Lac-Leamy. You can have an overview of slots' rules, symbols and strategies over here for example, and learn which Canadian online casinos offer the best bonuses and free spins to get as much experience as possible before hitting the casino floor.

Solve A Mystery to Find Your Dinner

Find out more than you might have previously known about the city of Ottawa and its history if you take part in an Urban Quest. You’ll feel like Sherlock Holmes as you work your way through a series of perplexing clues. Each one you solve will take you closer to your goal – a meal prepared in a mystery restaurant at the end of the clue trail.

Other puzzling nights in Ottawa include working your way out of an Escape Room – it’s certainly a different way to spend an evening!

Observant readers may have noticed that all these ideas do mention dinner – in one form or another. But don’t be too hard on us…we all gotta eat sometime, it’s just that our idea of a great night out includes something else more exciting!