MERRICKVILLE & SMITHS FALLS FIELD TRIP

Heritage Ottawa is delighted to offer our popular heritage field trip, this time a day-long coach tour to historic Merrickville and Smiths Falls with its Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario. It will include visits guided by local experts and commentary on other heritage sites along the way, via North Gower, Burritt's Rapids, Franktown and Dwyer Hill, by experienced and knowledgeable tour guide David Jeanes.

WHEN: Saturday, 15 June 2023 | 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

WHERE: Meet by 8:30 am at Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue, for an 8:45 am departure to Merrickville by coach.

COST: $75 per person includes round-trip coach transportation, all guided museum visits and professional commentary along the tour route.  Scroll down to register now. 

Please note: Lunch is not included in the price of the trip. We will have an optional reservation at the historic Baldachin Inn and will suggest other eating places in Merrickville, or bring your own lunch.

RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW BY REGISTERING AND PAYING ONLINE using our secure online payment service. You will receive confirmation of purchase by email. Choose the number of registrants in the fly-down menu below (maximum four registrants per purchase). Please note that names and emails of all registrants are required. 

EXCURSION

The charming village of Merrickville, with its Blockhouse Museum National Historic Site and Rideau Canal Lockstation, has an exceptional number of designated heritage buildings. The Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario located at the restored Smiths Falls heritage railway station has a large collection of historic railway buildings, locomotives, train cars, models and artifacts. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and explore with Heritage Ottawa! 

ITINERARY

8:30 am: Meet at Arts Court, 2 Daly Avenue, Ottawa 

8:45 am: Coach departs Arts Court via North Gower, Beckett's Landing, Burritt's Rapids and a loop through Merrickville.

10:45 am: Merrickville Blockhouse Museum, with the Merrickville Historical Society, adjacent to the Friends of the Rideau gift shop and the Rideau Canal lock station.

11:45-1:30 pm: Lunch break and free time to explore. (Walking tour map and restaurant guide provided). Optional group lunch reservation at the Baldachin Inn.

1:30 Coach continues to Smiths Falls, with views of the former Rideau Regional Centre, Hershey's factory, CPR train station Community Theatre, Rideau Canal visitor centre, and Bascule Bridge National Historic Site of Canada. 

2:00 pm: Smiths Falls Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario: guided visit including the station, dining car, dental car, and panoramic scale model of the railway through Smiths Falls, with its creator.

4:30 pm: Coach returns to Arts Court via historic Franktown, Dwyer Hill and Richmond. 

We will provide free bottled water, expert guide David Jeanes who will provide historic commentary, and comfortable coach transportation with PA system and washroom. Washrooms will also be available at all stops.

RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW BY REGISTERING AND PAYING ONLINE using our secure online payment service. You will receive confirmation of purchase by email. 

Registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis until the event is full. Choose the number of registrants in the fly-down menu below (maximum four registrants per purchase). Please note that names and emails of all registrants are required. 

For more information, please contact Heritage Ottawa at info@heritageottawa.org or call 613-230-8841.