Eastern Ontario

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Eastern Ontario's historic heart beats in tandem with its heart of nature.

Known internationally as a region of spectacular vistas and dynamic cities, Eastern Ontario enjoys a reputation as one of Canada’s most historic and happening destinations. It’s easy to see why.

For one thing, Eastern Ontario boasts the fabulous city of Kingston, the first capital of Canada (it was founded in 1673) and the largest port within the world-famous 1000 Islands region. Once a humble fur trading post, Kingston today is the gateway to the mighty St. Lawrence River and to the millionaire’s playground that is the 1000 Islands. Cruising among the islands (there are actually more than 1870 of them) to admire the stately homes of the rich and famous has been a popular pastime among visitors to the region for decades.

The history keeps on coming in the Eastern half of Ontario, with such early Canadian settlements as Napanee (founded in 1785) and Merrickville (founded in 1793) ready to greet groups with a warm welcome.  Residents are always eager to share their unique stories of history and hauntings,  armies and artisans. The remarkable Rideau Heritage Route, which will carry your tour from Kingston to the capital city of Ottawa, is sprinkled with historic towns and villages, each with its own story to tell.

Eastern Ontario’s historic heart beats in tandem with its heart of nature, expressed in such natural wonders as the soaring sand dunes on the Bay of Quinte,  the spectacular wilderness scenery of a multitude of national and provincial parks, the lush countryside of the Ottawa River Valley, and the labyrinthine caves of Bonnechere in Eganville.

Naturally, such spectacular natural surroundings set the scene for four-season adventures par excellence. From white-water rafting, to wilderness trail tromping, this little corner of the world has your group’s adventure covered.

Rideau Canal – an engineering masterpiece

• The canal was built between 1826 and 1832.
• The canal is 202 kms (121 mi) long, from Ottawa to Kingston.
• It includes lakes, rivers, locks, and 29 kms (18 mi) of canal “cuts” known as the Rideau Heritage Route.
• There are 45 locks at 24 lock stations. Two are electrically operated with Canal staff operating the others manually.
• Navigable depth is a minimum of 1.5 metres (5’).
• Boats up to 27.4 metres long and 7.9 metres wide can use the locks.
• The average time to fill a lock with water is about five minutes.
• The average time to pass through a lock is 15 minutes.
• The locks raise boats until they reach Newboro, the highest point in the system.
• The northern canal has a drainage area of 3740 square kilometres; the southern section, 910 square kilometres.
• Lieutenant-Colonel John By supervised the construction of the Canal.