We are far from pros at this racket but I think we get some things right. Hope these notes help if you're headed to the capital or a similar route.

• For a family in Ottawa, the Museum Passport was a perfect solution to attractions and value ($75) . An excellent deal for us, and we used all tickets except the Agriculture Museum (and only because we ran out of time).
• Travel routes and accommodations go hand in hand when planning. Explore multiple options when researching highways as well as public transportation/walking distance, then link to where you'll stay. Our accommodations in Ottawa / Montreal were perfectly located in regards to the attractions we wanted to see!!!
• Early bird gets the worm when traveling... with less people on the move line-ups are light and opportunities to speak with guides/information sources are increased.
• Having pools (with lengthy hours) at the accommodations we select has become a necessity... the late evening swim (after attractions have closed but before Monica crashes) is a great way to end the day.
• Once again we kept a log book to warehouse important travel documents. My book had an itinerary, budget, checklist, attraction and ticket confirmation numbers, copy of passports, reservations, specific maps as well as on site information to support visits. It also had a sealable plastic sleeve for tickets/receipts. It kept us very organized.
• Check with your card company before leaving so they know the card may be used abroad. Nothing worse than spending valuable travel time sorting out banking issues.
• We drove a long way, slightly over 3600 kms. To pull this off with a couple of youngsters took some doing. See below;
  • Take a GPS!!! We kept maps/google directions but the GPS was great and reduced a lot of road stress.
  • When the wheels felt like they were coming off, it's a good sign that they were. We took time to get out and stretch/snack/bathroom/etc. at obvious points.
  • We kept a cooler at all times filled with water and goodies while maintaining a knapsack with healthy treats. Worked well on the longer car trips.
  • A DVD player helps on the "long haul" with kids.