About Smiths Falls
Smiths Falls is our base on the Rideau Canal. Its central location gives you fantastic choices for your cruising route; either head North to Merrickville, 6hrs from Smiths Falls and voted Canada’s prettiest village in 2017, or head south to the Big Lakes this region is so famous for. Lively Perth, with its famous brewery, is 4.5hrs from our base and a week’s cruise will get you as far as Seeley’s bay and back. You’ll need at least 10 to 14 nights to visit Ottawa or Kingston on your boat.
What you get on the base
Facilities
Wifi (available in base building)
Extras & options for your cruise
The following extras are available to prebook or purchase locally at this base. A reduced fee will apply to items that are prebooked. Please see 'Holiday Extras' for more details about each extra. Restrictions apply.
Practical Extras
- Early check-in & late check-out
- Boat cleaning
- Parking - (see 'Travel info' tab)
- Car transfer (see 'Travel info' tab)
- Eco cleaning pack
- L.E.D. lantern
- Top-deck cushions
- Grocery packs
Fun Extras
- Bike hire
- Special occasion gift baskets
- Gas barbecues
- Stand-up paddleboards
- Kayaks
Payment Means
Please note that payment of fuel, deposit & any extras booked and paid locally are required in the local currency of the base. Our bases accept Visa & Mastercard, but not American Express.
Hotels
Best Western Colonel By Inn : 88 Lombard St, +1 613-284-0001
Best Inn Motel: 241 Lombard St, +1 613-284-0464
Roger's Motel: 178 Lombard St, +1 613-283-5200
Restaurants
Fort Hemlock : 32 Beckwith St S, +1 613-283-2000
Café Whim : 7 Russell Street West, + 1 613 283 3008 [email protected]
Noal Pantry: 6 Russell St East, + 1 613-706-2188 My Place : 2 Main St W, +1 613-284-4696
The Roosteraunt : 60 Lombard St, +1 613-283-7151
Matty O'Shea's Pub : 12 Chambers St, +1 613-283-6363
C'est Tout Bakery : 14 Beckwith St South, + 1 613-284-0774
Bakers Fries : 44 Chambers St., +1 613 485-2260
Shops
Andress' Your Independent Grocer – 25 Ferrara Dr, Mon-Sat : 7am – 9pm, Sun : 7am – 6pm https://www.yourindependentgrocer.ca
Modern Thymes Natural Foods - 11 Russell St E, Mon-Thur: 9am-5:30pm, Fri: 9am-6pm, Sat:9am-5pm http://www.modernthymes.com/
Garden Market - 115 William St W, Mon-Tue & Sat: 8am-6pm, Wed: 8am-7pm, ThurFri: 8am-9pm, Sun: 8am-5:30pm https://www.gardenmarketsmithsfalls.com/
Walmart - 114 Lombard St, Mon-Sun 7am to 10pm https://www.walmart.ca/en/smithsfalls/5811
Giant Tiger - 29 Chambers Street, Mon-Fri : 8am – 9pm, Sat: 8am-6pm, Sun : 9am – 6pm
Valley Custom Cutting: 1-613-205-1111 Tues-Fri 10-6 Sat 10-5 Sun 11-4
Food Basics - 275 Brockville St, Mon-Sat : 8am – 9pm, Sun: 8am – 5pm
Fishing
Fishing Licence : Canadian Tire, 10 Ferrara Drive, Highway 15, + 1 613-283-3906
Cost:
- Conservation (catch & release): seasonal price $17
- Sport: (keep the fish): seasonal price $30, Daily rate $13
Tourist Info
Parks Canada Rideau Canal Visitors' Centre, 34 Beckwith Street South, + 1 888 773-8888
Town of Smiths Falls Visitors' Centre: Beckwith St North https://www.smithsfalls.ca/ + 1 888 983 4124
Medical Facilities
Perth & Smiths Falls District Hospital 60 Cornelia St W, Smiths Falls +1 613 283-2330
Opening hours
Address
Telephone
Travel to Smiths Falls
To book a taxi to or from the base you can contact the number below.
Access Taxi, 5 Chamber St. (+1 613-283-1441 or +1 613-283-1212)
The Country Shuttle (+ 1-613-552-0432 | [email protected] | www.thecountryshuttle.com)
Coventry Connections (+1 613-523-1234 | www.coventryconnections.com)
Approximate price (4 passengers) from:
- Ottawa Airport (YOW) CA$240
- Kingston CA$360
By Road
Be prepared
It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with local road rules and abide by them.
Directions
From Ottawa Airport: Head southwest on Airport Parkway Private/Airport Pkwy toward Air Cargo Private/Airport 3 Ave. Make a U-turn at Air Cargo Private/Airport 3 Ave. Continue onto Airport Pkwy/Route 79 N (signs for Thad Johnson Road). Take the Alert Rd exit. Turn left onto Lester Rd. Turn right onto Albion Rd S/Ottawa Regional Rd 25. Turn right onto Leitrim Rd/Ottawa Regional Rd 14. Turn left onto River Rd/Ottawa Regional Rd 19. Turn right onto Vimy Memorial Bridge. Use the left 2 lanes to turn left onto Prescott Highway/Prince of Wales Dr/Route 73 S. Turn left onto Fourth Line Rd/N Gower Rd/Route 5. Turn right onto Roger Stevens Dr/Ottawa Regional Rd 6, Continue to follow Roger Stevens Dr. Continue onto Cornelia St E/Route 4, Continue to follow Cornelia St E. Turn left onto Elmsley St N/ON-15 S (signs for County Road 29/Regional Road 43 E). Turn right onto Beckwith St N/ON-15 S.
Distance to Smiths Falls • Merrickville: 18km • Perth: 19km • Ottawa: 80km • Kingston: 95km • Montreal: 245km • Toronto: 350km • 1000 Island Bridge to the USA: 60km
By train
Closest train station(s):
- Smiths Falls: 2 km
By air
Closest airport(s):
- Ottawa: 80 km
- Montréal: 245 km
- Toronto: 350 km
Arrival at Smiths Falls
When to arrive
Your boat will be ready to depart for 16:00 - 18:00. We recommend that you arrive 60 minutes earlier for check-in and instructions. If you have booked an Early Check-in Service, please arrive at the base ready to depart between 11:00 and 12:00 or from 14:00.
Late arrivals
If you are going to be arriving at the base late, you will need to inform the base directly or our UK/IRE sales team. When you arrive at the base there will be a note on the reception door informing you where your boat is. The boat will be left open for you to stay on board that night. The base staff will do the full briefing the following morning.
Upon arrival
Our base staff look forward to welcoming you to their cruising region and aim to make your arrival and holiday as smooth and enjoyable as possible.
When you arrive our base staff will:
- Take a deposit to cover the fuel and gas you use during your holiday as well as engine wear and tear. Any extra fuel used will be charged on your return or we will refund the difference for fuel you have not used.
- Take a refundable collision damage deposit. This will be refunded if you return your boat and its inventory undamaged at the end of your holiday. The amount collected (and thus your liability) can be reduced by purchasing a Collision Damage Waiver in advance. Please contact our sales team for details.
- Familiarise you with your waterways guide, maps and other helpful documentation provided to help you plan where you want to go and where you’d like to stop.
- Brief you about your boat, the equipment on board, and the cruising area (places to visit, etc.).
- Give you a boat handling demonstration on the water with one of our technicians.
Your return
Your boat should be returned and unoccupied by 09:00 on your last cruising day (or by midday if you have booked a Late Check-out).