At over 200 km long, I run as a vessel through Canada’s heart, flowing with rich history and locking secret tails along the way. Humans made me, Mother Nature fills me, and hands control me. Where am I?
Explore the oldest continuously operating canal system in North America and follow its path as it ebbs, flows, and locks between its starting point in Ottawa and its end at Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in Kingston.
…I am the Rideau Canal
Leave your itinerary behind and enjoy the bright sun, lapping water, and cooling breeze along the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Steer your way through locks systems, and take time off the boat to explore the towns dotting this waterway, like Smiths Falls and Rideau Ferry, at your own pace.
Smiths Falls may be a small town, but as the new home of the first North American base of operations for Le Boat, there are certainly big things happening. Wander through history as you explore the life of a wealthy Victorian mill owner and his family at the Heritage House Museum; discover the story of the Canal and its construction at the Rideau Canal Visitor Centre; and learn about the historic significance of the rail line, or even spend a night bunking in a caboose, at the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario. Give your ‘sea legs’ a break from the water to explore the lush land around the town with a hike or cycle along the Rideau Trail, or leave your reality behind and get lost during one of the town’s ‘Movie Under the Stars’ nights in Centennial Park on select Thursdays.
Discover the scenic southern gateway between Big and Lower Rideau Lakes that is Rideau Ferry. Pull up a chair lakeside at CC’s on the Rideau to sip a cold drink under the warm sun and indulge your taste buds with house cooked meals. Wander through the Rideau Ferry Yacht Club Conservation Area to disconnect and let the lapping water of the beach wash your worries away, or venture just outside of town to Coutts Country Flavours to satisfy your sweet tooth with home baked goods and organic maple syrup, or embrace the savoury side of life with marinades and mustards.
If you’re wandering the Rideau Canal, don’t miss the chance to check out additional hidden gems along connecting waterways. We promise these are worth the trip:
- Have your breath taken away by The Seven Wonders of Lanark County
- Feel the rapids rumbling beneath you while whitewater rafting in the Ottawa Valley
- Spend a day peddling your way around Perth or the surrounding countryside with Heritage Bikes and Rentals
- Leave your worries in the hands of your wilderness butler during a stay at Elements Tented Camp & Nature Spa
- Take time to explore the tempting restaurants and beautiful boutiques in Mississippi Mills
- Discover the story of our Earth as you travel underground at the Bonnechere Caves
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Ontario’s Highlands Insiders
Knowledgeable in uncovering hidden gems, making fresh tracks, embracing new perspectives, and disconnecting from the everyday, this group of experts is happy to share their wisdom with you. With a passion for local stories, a love of delicious food, and a thirst for unrehearsed days, this team is made up of creative minds and wandering souls.