Small Towns, Big Character

Operating for nearly 30 years. Flagship: Last Duel Lager (named after the last fatal duel fought in Canada, which took place in Perth in 1833). Tasting room and brewery tours available.

Located next to the heritage swing bridge near Crystal Palace. Beers include Walk Don’t Run Pilsner. Views of the Tay Canal from the patio.

Craft distillery producing Perth Canadian Whiskey (Gold Medal, 2020 Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition), vodka, gin, and liqueurs. Tastings and tours.

Café Hideaway, Fieldhouse, North Folk Café, Perth Pie Co., and Perth Pizzeria among others. Walkable downtown with heritage architecture. Perth Night Market runs September 12, 2026.

18-hole course established in 1890 — the oldest in the region. Full driving range. Historic and scenic.

Family-owned restaurant and resort on Upper Rideau Lake. Seasonal menus, classic and creative dishes, patio with views of two bodies of water. Live music performances. Lunch and dinner, dine-in and takeout.

Local craft brewery in the heart of Westport village.

One of Ontario’s most scenic year-round lookouts. Panoramic views over Upper Rideau Lake and the Rideau Canal from atop the Shield. Short hike to the viewpoint. Free.

Boutiques, galleries, and artisan shops — fashion, gifts, home décor. Browse Life is Good, Pinecone Westport, and Village Green. Small-town charm at its finest.

Award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate maker. Handcrafted in small batches. Factory tours and tastings. A genuinely world-class artisan operation in a small Ontario town.

State-of-the-art craft distillery producing Vodkow — vodka made from unused milk sugar (lactose). Tasting room with craft cocktails, tours available. A genuinely unique Canadian innovation.

Almonte’s historic Mill Street is lined with restaurants: Café Postino (Italian, in a vintage post office), Joe’s Italian Kitchen (Canada’s first certified Pinseria), Mill Street Crepe Company (French crêpes), The Monte Lounge (seasonal fine dining with river views), and The Barley Mow (pub with patio overlooking waterfalls).

Housed in a former woollen mill, interpreting the history of the textile industry that built Almonte. The town was once one of Canada’s largest wool-producing centres.

Craft brewery with events like taco nights and games. Located in the charming downtown core.

Hosts trivia nights and live music. German-inspired brewing tradition.

Dining: Black Tartan Kitchen, Waterfront Gastropub, St James Gate, Thirsty Moose, Boulton House, Good Food Co. Heritage: Captain A. Roy Brown museum (the WWI pilot who defeated the Red Baron). Riverside Park with beach, splash pad, and picnic areas on the Mississippi River.

9-hole course in the Carleton Place area.

The “Jewel of the Rideau” — a charming canal-side village with three locks (25-ft total lift), a restored Parks Canada blockhouse museum, artisan shops, a caramel shop, a glass-blowing studio, and Mrs. McGarrigle’s (famous house-made mustards, fine foods, charcuterie).

The Combined Locks and Visitor Centre (housed in a 19th-century stone mill) are the centrepiece of the Rideau Canal. Explore by boat, canoe, or kayak through Parks Canada’s historic lock system.

Restored rolling stock and a STEAM Train experience (introduced 2025). The K&P Railway that once ran past Big Gull Lake is part of this story.

An 1861 historic house depicting upper-middle-class life in Canada circa 1865–1875.

18-hole course established in 1953 with a driving range.

Casual 9-hole course in the Smiths Falls area.

9-hole course near Smiths Falls.

Built in 1903 by Scottish stone masons. Five stone arches over the Mississippi River — believed to be the only bridge of its kind in North America and the only one in the world outside Russia.

Eastern Ontario’s longest hiking trail — 300 km through forests, farmland, canal lock stations, and Shield country. Can be done in sections. Passes through Perth, Westport, Smiths Falls.

A curated craft beverage trail connecting breweries, distilleries, and cideries across Lanark County. Includes Perth Brewery, Top Shelf Distillers, Dairy Distillery, Stalwart Brewing, Braumeister Brewing, Cartwright Springs Brewery (Pakenham), and more.