A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Ensenada vs. Ottawa for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Ensenada or Ottawa?

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

Should I visit Ensenada or Ottawa? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Ensenada

Ensenada is a outdoorsy, historic, and cultural city. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See Ensenada 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.

Ensenada and Ottawa: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Ensenada or Ottawa?

Travelers will generally find more things to do in Ensenada than Ottawa. While Ottawa is larger than Ensenada, Ensenada has more sights and attractions for tourists. Ensenada is more popular for its food, nightlife, and beaches, while Ottawa is known for its museums and attractions. Ensenada is more touristy than Ottawa and is popular for its local cuisine, golf, and outdoor sports. It is also home to Avenida Lopez Mateos. Ottawa is popular for its history, politics, and green space.

How is Ensenada different from Ottawa?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

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

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

Ottawa is a great destination for its museums and landmarks. Also, Ensenada is still popular, but not quite as popular for its historical sights.

Ottawa offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. 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 Ensenada. There are several good museums in town such as the Museo de Historia and Caracol Museo de Ciencias.

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

Ensenada is a very popular place for its restaurants. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

Ensenada has a number of nationally recognized food spots and restaurants. The town is known for its seafood, and fish tacos is one of the most popular dishes. You'll find seafood markets and street cards selling fresh and local items. Sample your way through the city and enjoy all of the local specialties.

Ottawa offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. 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.

Is Ensenada or Ottawa Better for Nightlife?

Ensenada 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 Ensenada. There are a number of bars and nightclubs around town. Head to Avenida López Mateos for many of the best restaurants and bars.

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 Ensenada or Ottawa Better for Beaches?

Ensenada is a decent place to visit for the beach. However, Ottawa is not a beach destination.

The beach in Ensenada is worth checking out. It's a working port town and the beaches in the area aren't great. You'll find the best options to the south of the city.

Ottawa is not a beach destination.

Is the Shopping Better in Ensenada or Ottawa?

Shopping is a popular activity in both Ottawa and Ensenada.

Ensenada offers some nice shopping areas. Avenida López Mateos is the main shopping street in town. You'll find many shops, but be prepared to pay more than you might elsewhere because shopkeepers are used to cruise ship riders who are willing to pay a high price tag.

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 Ensenada or Ottawa Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Ensenada or Ottawa.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Ensenada. You'll find ziplining, horseback riding, and surf lessons in the area. Kids will also enjoy seeing the Water Show or going whale watching.

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 Ensenada or Ottawa Better for Couples?

With fun activities for couples, both Ensenada and Ottawa make for a good place to visit.

Ensenada makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. The city has an authentic atmosphere that will let you experience a more genuine side to Mexico.

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 Ensenada or Ottawa Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

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

Plenty of budget travelers visit Ensenada. There are a few hostels and a number of cheap hotels around town.

Ottawa is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Although the city is often overlooked by tourists, there are a surprising number of hostels around town.

Is Ensenada or Ottawa Better for Students?

Ottawa is a popular place for students. However, Ensenada 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.

Ensenada is not popular with students.

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

Ottawa is a popular place for its public transit. However, Ensenada is a city with minimal options for times when you don't have a car.

You'll find some public transit in Ottawa, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is both a public bus and light rail system.

Public transit is mostly limited in Ensenada. Public transit in the area is limited.

Is Ensenada or Ottawa a more walkable city?

Ensenada is a very popular place for its ease of walking around. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its walkability.

Ensenada is a very walkable destination. The downtown area is walkable and easy to explore on foot.

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

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

Should I spend more time in Ottawa or Ensenada?

How long in Ensenada or Ottawa?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Ensenada and Ottawa. In our opinion, Ensenada has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Ensenada than Ottawa. However, 2-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

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

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

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Ensenada than Ottawa 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 Ensenada.

One day in Ensenada or Ottawa?

Many travelers enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting the destination of Ensenada. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

The city of Ottawa offers food and shopping. With so much to do, one day is probably not enough time to see everything. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

A weekend in Ensenada or Ottawa?

Ensenada 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.

Ottawa is a popular place that is full of things to see and experience. If you have a weekend, this city makes for a great vacation. While some people choose to spend more or less time in Ottawa, a weekend is sufficent for most. Take your pick from the many activities offered here.

Five days in Ensenada or Ottawa?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Ensenada. 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 popular choice for travelers. Five days is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A week in Ensenada or Ottawa?

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

Ottawa is a great place to explore. One week is more than enough time to enjoy everything. Take some day trips to nearby places to fill the extra days. This city offers something for everyone.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Food and Culinary Tours in Mexico, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Ensenada and Ottawa, we can see that Ottawa is more expensive. And not only is Ensenada much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Ensenada would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ensenada 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 Ottawa would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ottawa than you might in Ensenada.

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

Which is Bigger, Ensenada or Ottawa?

Ottawa has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Ensenada. When comparing the sizes of Ensenada 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.