Rideau Canal Cruise

You will spend your first night at Chaffey’s Lock, between Lake Induan and Opinicon on the Opinicon Isthmus. After resting on your boat, you will have the opportunity to take a leisurely stroll around the area and have dinner at the Opinicon Resort.

An Adirondack style fishing lodge is located on the shores of Opinicon Lake, you will find a pub, restaurant and ice cream shop on site. The pub also serves some local Ontario wines, including an excellent pinot noir.

After spending the night at Chaffey’s Lock, cruise back to Westport. This is a cruise of approximately two hours on the canal. The lock keepers are on site to guide you through the canal.

Once in Westport, hike to the Foley Mountain Nature Centre, where you can take a trail that leads to a beautiful view of the town.

Next, visit the Westport Brewing Company, a small village brewery located on Main Street and surrounded by water. The back porch overlooks Westport harbour and the views are magnificent. They offer several types of beer.

Some of the main beers to try are Upper Rideau Blonde Ale, which is a balanced light beer, Lakeside Lager, which is a golden German lager and Rideau Lakes Red Ale, which has hints of sweet caramel.

After tasting their beers, take the time to visit Scheuermann’s vineyard and winery. During your visit you will have a wine tasting. You will also have the choice to eat on site. Taste the wonderful pizzas baked over a wood fire in an oven designed by the owner, accompanied by wines from the vineyard ranging from Vidal to Cabernet Franc.

The next morning you will travel down the canal for four hours to Lower Beveridges to visit the city of Perth, which is about 15 minutes drive from where you parked the boat. The city is 200 years old and is known for its limestone architecture.

Highlights of the visit include the Perth Chocolate Factory. Here you can see how hand-made chocolates are made.

Don’t forget to stop at the Perth Cheese Shop, where you can taste all kinds of cheese. You can also pick up a board of deli meats to take back to the boat or enjoy in the city’s lush Stewart Park. Try the Triple Chocolate Cheese from the United Kingdom and the Black Truffle Mountain Oak Gouda, which is made near London, Ontario.

And then there’s the self-made Perth Pie CO, which is owned by a self-taught woman who worked at Beaver Tails. Here you’ll find locally made candy and kombucha. There are six types of pies with flavours ranging from sour cherry to raspberry mint. There are also pies infused with moonshine such as rhubarb pie with strawberry moonshine.

Speaking of contraband alcohol, you can also visit the Top Shelf Distillers who make everything from gin to vodka to whisky. They also sell 100-degree contraband alcohol called Reunion, which is available in a variety of flavours from maple to cherry. After your visit, you can enjoy a homemade cocktail.

On the last day, you will return to Smiths Falls where you will visit the Eastern Ontario Railway Museum. The station building was built in 1912 by the Canadian Northern Ontario Railway and is now a Canadian National Historic Site. The museum houses an extensive collection of rolling stock and inspection vehicles with over 10,000 exhibits.

The next stop is the town of Merickville, which is about a 15-minute drive from the museum. It is a charming little town with a historic atmosphere, with a main street full of shops and restaurants. Take a break at Stella Luna to enjoy an Italian ice cream which is made locally in small quantities each day with some ingredients imported directly from Italy.

You can also choose to dine in an Italian restaurant for your last dinner before returning to Smith Falls. DiLuCa is a family restaurant. You can order homemade pasta or lasagna, which is the restaurant’s specialty. It is a best-seller made from a special family recipe. After dinner you will cruise to Smiths Falls and dock there for the last night.

You can take advantage of spending a few days in Ottawa to discover Canada’s capital. The main attractions in Ottawa are Parliament Hill, Byward Market and the Canadian Museum of Nature.

The Terrace is an excellent dining choice. Come at sunset where there is a triple bonus: a spectacular sunset, views of a lock station and Parliament Hill. The food is also amazing.

You will spend 2 nights at the hotel. The Fairmont Château Laurier is a grand old hotel in a limestone building built in the style of a French Chateau facing the Rideau Canal in the heart of downtown Ottawa. It recently underwent a multi-million dollar renovation that completely revamped the rooms and suites.