Free
Blockhouse Island
A harbour island and waterfront park, with a river walk, docks and a view of the shipping channel. Connected to downtown.
Thousand Islands, Ontario
Brockville
A stone river city at the east end of the Canadian Thousand Islands, with a free waterfront walk, Canada's first railway tunnel, a harbour island and boat tours among the islands.
Photo: The Brockville waterfront at Blockhouse Island, BrockvilleFact, CC BY-SA 4.0
Brockville sits on the St. Lawrence where the Canadian Thousand Islands begin to thin toward the east. Blockhouse Island and the Brock Trail give you the river without a ticket. The restored railway tunnel, Canada's first, runs under downtown from the waterfront, seasonal, and free when it is open.
The Aquatarium is on the same waterfront. Fulford Place, a Gilded Age house, looks over the river at the edge of town. Boat tours leave for the islands in season.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Brock Trail and waterfront parks
A paved trail and a string of parks along the river and Buell's Creek, linking Blockhouse Island toward St. Lawrence Park.
Free
St. Lawrence Park
A riverside city park east of downtown, with a beach, shade and a look at the islands.
Paid
Thousand Islands cruises from Brockville
Sightseeing cruises among the islands from the Brockville waterfront.
Season Seasonal (check before you go).
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Brockville Railway Tunnel
Canada's first railway tunnel, restored as a lit, walkable passage under downtown from the waterfront. Free (donations welcome).
Season Seasonal; the official page currently says the tunnel is closed for the season (check before you go).
Free
Historic downtown Brockville
A compact core of stone buildings around the Court House green, a short walk up from the river.
Free
Court House green
The formal public square in front of the courthouse, a place to sit among the older stone streets.
Cheap
Aquatarium
An interactive waterfront centre on the river, with exhibits on the St. Lawrence and the Thousand Islands.
Cheap
Fulford Place
A Gilded Age mansion and garden on the river, an Ontario Heritage Trust museum at the edge of town.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Cheap
Brockville Museum
The city's museum in a historic waterfront-area building, with local river and railway history.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Downtown shops and cafés
Independent shops and cafés in the streets between the Court House and the river.
Free
Waterfront shops near the harbour
Cafés and shops along the river walk, a short stroll from Blockhouse Island and the tunnel.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Aquatarium
Admission to the interactive waterfront centre on the St. Lawrence.
Fulford Place
Admission to the Gilded Age house museum on the river.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
Part of our Thousand Islands guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The tunnel, the waterfront and a boat tour are a full day, not a stop on the way to Kingston.
- The tunnel's sound-and-light walk is better when you are not racing the next town.
- Gananoque and the American river villages are close, but each deserves its own evening.
Nearby and worth the drive
Gananoqueabout 40 min · Guide ↗
Boat tours and the heart of the Canadian Thousand Islands.
Kingstonabout 80 min · Guide ↗A limestone city at the head of the river.
Alexandria Bay and Claytonabout 50 min · Guide ↗The American river villages and Boldt Castle. A passport is required.
Cornwallabout 1 h 30 · Guide ↗Ontario's easternmost city, a St. Lawrence waterfront and a seaway town farther downriver.
Ready-made trips with Brockville
Good to know
- Tourism: brockvilletourism.com is the official visitor site.
- Railway tunnel: Admission is free (donations welcome). It is seasonal and is currently closed for the season; check the official tunnel page before you go. The walking surface can be wet.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: The Brockville waterfront at Blockhouse Island, BrockvilleFact, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The municipal harbour at Blockhouse Island in Brockville, Ontario, BrockvilleFact, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The south portal of the Brockville Railway Tunnel, – Wladyslaw, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: The Brockville Court House and green, Wladyslaw, CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Photo: Fulford Place in Brockville, AilisNicGabhain at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0