Free
Merrickville locks
Three hand-operated locks on the Rideau Canal in the village.
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Eastern Ontario
Merrickville and the Rideau Canal
A stone village on the Rideau Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site: a big 1830s blockhouse, three locks still opened by hand, mill ruins and streets of old stone shops. Smiths Falls and its canal museums are 15 minutes away.
Photo: Merrickville Blockhouse Rideau Canal, Kenn Chaplin from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Rideau Canal opened in 1832 to link Ottawa and Kingston, and its locks are still worked by hand. Watch the gates swing.
Merrickville's blockhouse is the largest on the canal. The village grew around mills on the Rideau River, and many stone buildings survive.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
Free
Limerick Forest
Trails through a large community forest south of the village.
Free
Baxter Conservation Area
Trails, a beach and boardwalks on the Rideau River near Kars.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
Free
Smiths Falls combined lock
A tall, single combined lock on the canal in Smiths Falls.
Cheap
Merrickville Blockhouse Museum
The largest blockhouse on the Rideau Canal, built in 1832.
Season Seasonal, check official site.
Paid
Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario
A railway museum in an old station in Smiths Falls.
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
St. Lawrence Street, Merrickville
Stone shops, galleries and cafés in the village core.
Free
Merrickville village core
Heritage buildings on Main and St. Lawrence streets.
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.
Also bookable, listed above
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
Part of our Ottawa and the Rideau guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- Small, walkable and quiet in the evening.
- Smiths Falls and Perth make an easy loop.
- Summer weekends bring boaters through the locks.
Nearby and worth the drive
Perthabout 35 min · Guide ↗
A stone town on the Tay.
Ottawaabout 50 min · Guide ↗The capital and the canal's north end.
Ready-made trips with Merrickville and the Rideau Canal
Good to know
- Canal: Lock seasons and hours: Parks Canada.
- 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: Merrickville Blockhouse Rideau Canal, Kenn Chaplin from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Merrickville Locks, Rideau Canal, D. Gordon E. Robertson, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: St. Lawrence Street shops, Merrickville, Kenn Chaplin from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Merrickville village, Kenn Chaplin from Toronto, Canada, CC BY-SA 2.0