Located to the west of downtown Ottawa, Hintonburg’s eastern boundary is marked by O-Train tracks, with the neighbourhood of Centretown West beyond. To the west is Holland Ave, to the south, the Queensway (Hwy 417), while the northern periphery of the Transitway, is shared with the Mechanicsville neighbourhood. Southern Hintonburg adjoins the Civic Hospital area, and is largely middle to upper- middle class residential.

One of Ottawa’s oldest neighbourhoods, it was named after the original civic official and long time shopkeeper, Joseph Hinton. From the original subdivisions in the 1850’s, this community became a part of Ottawa in 1907, enjoying a long history of industrial development and prosperity.

Despite their modest size, many of the original working class homes in this area have become very expensive due to their proximity to the trendy restaurants and shops of neighbouring Wellington Village. This urban renewal will continue as nearby neighbourhoods of Westboro and Wellington become more affluent. Five schools and a public library are the pride of the active community association, who help support this artful and historical community.

On Parkdale Avenue, the popular warm-weather Parkdale Market, a farmer's market, just north of Wellington is the home of about 20 stalls, of local and imported produce and flowers.

Several galleries have opened since 2006 in the vicinity of the Parkdale Market.

Within walking distance to all the amenities on Wellington St., and a quick drive to the downtown core and the Hwy 417, the rest of the city is easily accessible. With one of the city’s main O-Train stations located at the north east corner of the community, an excess of bus and train routes are available.

Hintonburg is very mixed in its character. The land use is very mixed, and this is due to its predating land zoning rules. The area has a mix of heritage buildings and recent additions.