Our base in Smiths Falls

About Smiths Falls

Smiths Falls is our base on the central section of the Rideau Canal. Its central location gives you fantastic choices for your cruising route; either head north to pretty Merrickville, 6hrs from Smiths Falls, or cruise right into Canada’s capital city, Ottawa, on a 7nt one-way trip. Or head south to the Big Lakes this region is so famous for. 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 Kingston on your boat.

From Smiths Falls it is:

20 hours (20 locks) to our base in Ottawa

What you get on the base

Facilities

• Wifi (available in base building)
• Parking (unsecure)*

*We have parking both on-site AND off-site parking at Smiths Falls. We will try to offer an ‘on-site’ space to at least one vehicle per booking, although capacity is limited and this is not always possible. You will not be expected to park offsite, until you have checked-in and unloaded your vehicle(s). It is approximately a 10 minute walk back to our base from our off-site parking facility.

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.ply to items that are prebooked.

Travel to Smiths Falls

By train

Closest train station(s):

• Smiths Falls: 2 km

By Road

Be prepared

It is your responsibility to familiarise yourself with local road rules and abide by them.

Directions 

From Ottawa Airport to 1 Jasper Ave., Smiths Falls, ON K7A 4B5: Approx 1h 4min

1000 Airport Parkway Private, Ottawa, ON K1V 9B4

• Head southwest on Airport Parkway Private toward Air Cargo Private/Airport 3 Ave (400 m)
• Turn right onto Tracker Private (450 m)
• Tracker Private turns right and becomes Silver Star Private (94 m)
• Turn left onto Paul Benoit Driveway (1.8 km)
• Turn left onto Hunt Club Rd/Ottawa 32 W (10.1 km)
• Turn right onto Cedarview Rd/Ottawa Regional Rd 23 (signs for ON-416 N/Ottawa) (240 m)
• Turn left to merge onto ON-416 N toward Ottawa (400 m)

• Travel on the ON-416 N 1.9 km
• Use the left 2 lanes to take exit 75A to merge onto Trans-Canada Hwy/ON-417 W toward Kanata Pembroke (14.9 km)
• Use the right 2 lanes to take exit 145 for Ontario 7 W toward Carleton Place/Toronto (1.7 km)
• Continue onto Trans-Canada Hwy/ON-7 (20.9 km)
• Turn left onto ON-15 S (signs for Smiths Falls 26.4 km)
• Turn right onto Cornelia St W/ON-15 S (signs for County Road 29/County Road 43 -550 m)

• Turn left onto Elmsley St N/ON-15 S (signs for County Road 29/Regional Road 43 E) This is at a set of traffic lights with the a hockey arena ahead and a hospital to your right. Turn left at these lights onto Elmsley N. (400 m)
• Slight right onto Beckwith St N/ON-15 S (signs for County Road 29 – 900 m)
• Travel down Beckwith Street through Smiths Falls until you cross over a bridge with a set of lights. Turn left at the lights onto Jasper Street.
• Turn left onto Jasper Ave (signs for County Road 17)
• Take a quick left onto River Street to access Emerald Star parking.
• Destination will be on the left (51 m)

Distance to Smiths Falls • Merrickville: 18km • Perth: 19km • Ottawa: 80km • Kingston: 95km • Montreal: 245km • Toronto: 350km • 1000 Island Bridge to the USA: 60km 

Car rental 

• Avis Car Rental – Ottawa airport – +1 613-739-3334 
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car – Smiths Falls – +1 613-283-3700 
• Budget Car Rental – Kingston – +1 613-546-3231

Parking

Pre-bookable parking onsite (limited spaces)

By air

Closest airport(s):

• Ottawa: 80 km
• Montréal: 245 km
• Toronto: 350 km

Arrival at Smiths Falls

For more details about:

• when to arrive at our bases
• what to expect when you arrive 
• how to prepare for check-in
• what happens on your final day when you return your boat

visit our ‘arrivals‘ page.

Map of Smiths Falls

Emerald Star base

Point of interest