Ottawa
Around Ottawa
Photo: Bohao Zhao · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Illinois · 146k people
Ottawa
Locals say Illinois Valley · “Starved Rock Country”, “The Valley”
Where the river meets the bluffs
Burnt OrangeDeep River BlueForest Green
Welcome to the Illinois Valley! With the river at your doorstep and the canyons just a short drive away, you'll find plenty of ways to get outside. Whether you're here for the small-town charm or the big outdoor adventures, you're in the right place.
Clubs for Ottawa
No clubs for Ottawa yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Ottawa. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Ottawa. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Starved Rock State Park Famous for sandstone canyons, waterfalls, and hiking trails.
- Matthiessen State Park Rugged canyons and scenic overlooks, less crowded than Starved Rock.
- Buffalo Rock State Park Panoramic views of the Illinois River and open prairie.
- Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail Historic towpath for hiking, biking, and birdwatching.
- Ottawa Riverfront Where the Fox and Illinois rivers meet, with parks and event space.
- LaSalle County Courthouse Historic courthouse anchoring Ottawa's downtown square.
- Outdoors Hiking the canyons at Starved Rock
- Outdoors Biking the I&M Canal Trail
- With kids Family bike rides on the canal towpath
- With kids Picnics at Starved Rock State Park
- Evenings Live music at local breweries
- Evenings Trivia nights in downtown Ottawa
- Locals love Riverfront parks
- Locals love Canal towpath trails
Through the year
- PrairieFest June Ottawa's summer festival with music, food, and carnival rides.
- Mendota Sweet Corn Festival August Celebrates the local sweet corn harvest with food, parade, and live music.
- Canal Days September Heritage festival in LaSalle-Peru honoring the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
- LaSalle County Fair July County fair with livestock, 4-H exhibits, and rides.
- Riverfront Concert Series Summer Weekly live music on the Ottawa riverfront during summer.
Humid continental climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. Best: Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to be outdoors.
Talk like a local
- “The Valley”
- The Illinois Valley region
- “The River”
- The Illinois River
- “The Towpath”
- The Illinois & Michigan Canal trail
- “The Canyons”
- The sandstone canyons at Starved Rock
Getaways
Local flavour
Teams
- Ottawa Cannons Prospect League (collegiate summer)
- Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp Prospect League (collegiate summer)
Also rooting for Chicago Bears (NFL), Chicago Cubs (MLB), Chicago White Sox (MLB), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), University of Illinois Fighting Illini (NCAA)
Eat and drink
- Italian Beef A Chicago-style sandwich, popular across the region
- Deep-Dish Pizza Chicago-style pizza, widely available and beloved
- Catfish Fresh from the Illinois River, often fried
- Craft Beer Local breweries and taprooms along the river
Where people go
- State parks Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks are the natural heart of the area
- Riverfronts Downtown riverwalks and boat launches along the Illinois River
- Historic downtowns Ottawa, Peru, and La Salle feature 19th-century architecture and canal-era charm
- Canal towpath The I&M Canal trail offers walking and biking along the historic waterway
Heritage and traditions
The Illinois Valley is proud of its riverfront heritage, the historic I&M Canal, and its role in early Illinois history, including the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the birthplace of the Boy Scout movement in America.
This time of year in Ottawa
- Fall foliage at Starved Rock October The canyons and bluffs are spectacular in October.
Say it like a local: “you guys” — Plural second person pronoun
Festivals
- Ottawa Christmas Walk December A holiday tradition with downtown lights, carriage rides, and shopping.
Landmarks with a story
- Reddick Mansion A grand Italianate mansion in Ottawa, built in the 1850s, now a museum.
- Effigy Tumuli Five massive earth sculptures at Buffalo Rock State Park, created in the 1980s.
- Lincoln-Douglas Debate Site A marker in Ottawa commemorating the 1858 debate between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.
- LaSalle County Historical Society Museum Located in Utica, this museum preserves local history and artifacts.
Food traditions
- Lenten fish fries Churches and community groups host fish fries on Fridays during Lent, a tradition from the area's Catholic heritage.
- Pork tenderloin sandwiches A Midwest staple, often served at local taverns and fairs, with a breaded cutlet larger than the bun.
- Corn on the cob at the Sweet Corn Festival Mendota's festival celebrates the local corn harvest with fresh roasted corn.
A little history
- 1673 Joliet and Marquette explored the Illinois River
- 1848 Illinois and Michigan Canal opened, connecting the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River
- 1858 Lincoln and Douglas debated in Ottawa
- 1910 First Boy Scout troop in the United States was organized in Ottawa
Rivalries
- Ottawa vs Streator Friendly high school football rivalry.
- La Salle-Peru vs Ottawa Cross-river sports rivalry in basketball and football.
- Princeton vs Mendota Long-standing high school rivalry.
- Game day High school football
- Outdoors Hunting for deer and turkey
- Outdoors Birdwatching along the Illinois River
- With kids Exploring the Effigy Tumuli
- With kids Visiting the Reddick Mansion
People here speak with a general Midwestern accent, using 'pop' for soda and 'you guys' for plural you. Vowels are often flat, and there's a slight tendency to drop the 'g' in -ing words.
Only here
- The first Boy Scout troop in the United States was founded in Ottawa in 1910.
- The Starved Rock legend tells of the Illini tribe's last stand against the Ottawa and Potawatomi.
- The Effigy Tumuli at Buffalo Rock are the largest earth sculptures in the world.
- Ottawa was known as a 'hobo jungle' during the Great Depression, and the town celebrates that history.
New here? A few tips
- Get used to hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters.
- Try the local catfish and craft beer – both are regional favorites.
- Take a hike at Starved Rock State Park to see the canyons, especially in fall.
- Learn about the canal and Lincoln history at the local museums.
- Be prepared for spring flooding along the Illinois River – check road closures.
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Part of Chicagoland
Nearby
Every areaPontiacIllinoisPrairie roots, Route 66 spiritRochelleIllinoisWhere the heartland meets the rails.DixonIllinoisWhere the river runs through small-town heart.KankakeeIllinoisWhere the river runs slow and the corn grows tall.SterlingIllinoisWhere the Rock River flows through a hardworking heartland.PeoriaIllinoisRiver city, heartland home.Bloomington–NormalIllinoisHeart of the Corn Belt, home of the RedbirdsRockfordIllinoisWhere the river meets the forest.
Ottawa, IL. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.