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“Your generous spirit was
appreciated—the quality and quantity of food, the rides to the
Rideau Hiking Trail, the comfortable bed ...”
—
L.R. & W.G.
 |
 Ontario’s Rideau
Lakes township is an enticing four-season playground that offers so
many opportunities for relaxation, recreation, and enjoyment that we
can only give you the barest taste here. The area boasts what is
possibly the greatest concentration of heritage attractions in
Canada, not to mention unparalleled opportunities for outdoor
recreation, winter or summer. And Newboro House’s central
location makes it the ideal base for a holiday that combines country
delights with city pleasures, and solitary pursuits with community
activities. Come see what our region has to offer!
Newboro Village | Parks and Conservation Areas
Golfing | Boating and Fishing | Swimming
Hiking and Cycling | Snowmobiling | Ice Skating
Historic Sites and Museums | Nearby Churches
Family Fun | Shopping and Dining | Spa Services | Live Theatre | Local Event Calendars |
Other Accommodation Links
The Village of Newboro
Sandwiched between Upper Rideau Lake and Newboro Lake,
the village of Newboro sits alongside Newboro Lock on the Rideau Canal system, which
in 2007 was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Newboro Lock
marks the watershed of the system. Newboro village, together
with the entire Township of Rideau Lakes, is a popular tourist
destination, offering opportunities for hiking, cycling, picnicking,
swimming, boating, fishing, skating, cross-country skiing,
snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. Gift shops and restaurants are
conveniently located in the village, just steps from Newboro House.
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Provincial Parks and Conservation Areas
Newboro House is located just a short drive from three
beautiful provincial parks and many Ontario conservation areas, all
of which provide extensive opportunities for outdoor recreation,
summer and winter. For more details, follow the individual links:
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Golfing
Within a drive of between ten and thirty minutes, golf
enthusiasts will find a number of courses to challenge their skills.
For more information about facilities, fees, and tee times, follow
the individual links:
Or choose from the
half-dozen or so courses in Kingston, about an hour away.
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Boating and Fishing
Being surrounded by clear, deep lakes, Newboro House
offers easy access to countless forms of water-based recreation. The
best known is, of course, the Rideau Canal waterway, a designated world
heritage site since fall 2007. Boaters who are making a trip along
the canal, and who plan to take a break in Newboro, are always
welcome to make Newboro House their land base for a night or two.
Sport fishers will find lots of nearby opportunities to launch
their boats and drop their hooks for species such as largemouth and
smallmouth bass, walleye, pike, and even lake trout. Check out the
maps for the lakes of Eastern Ontario and the Rideau Canal at Fish-Hawk.net for information about boat launch
locations and species fished in the various lakes. (The lakes closest
to Newboro House include Big Rideau Lake, Newboro Lake, Sand Lake,
Upper Rideau Lake, and Opinicon Lake.) But be aware that fishing is
regulated in Ontario. Here is some basic information on licenses, catch limits, seasons, and so on.
Don’t have your own boat? Consider hiring a boat and guide, or taking a guided cruise.
Or perhaps some personal instruction or a tailored-to-you
nature adventure is what you’re looking for? Then try out Adventure Agent for a paddling experience second
to none. Their mobile service will even come to you.
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Swimming
The local lakes also provide many opportunities for
cooling dips on a hot day. Some of the most popular spots for a swim
include the beach in nearby Portland (where the Welcome Centre was formerly located), Davis Lock off Highway 15 near Elgin, and Jones Falls off Highway 15 about 7 km
south of Elgin.
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Hiking and Cycling
Besides using the hiking trails found in the provincial
parks and conservation areas listed above, hikers can take advantage
of two nearby major trail systems:
Cyclists should check out the extensive list of self-guided and organized bicycle tours listed
at the Rideau Canal Waterway Web site. Newboro House can offer
cyclists sheltered, locked parking for their bicycles in the
carriage house.
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Snowmobiling
Newboro is situated on District 1 Ontario Federation
of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) feeder trail E105. For more information
about trails, events, permits, local clubs, and snowmobiling safety,
visit the OFSC District 1 Web site. Newboro House can
offer snowmobilers sheltered, locked parking for their machines in
the carriage house.
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Ice Skating
The nearby town of Portland hosts its annual “Skate
the Lake” event each January, with both championship races and
fun events for families. For more information, visit the Portland Outdoors Web site. (Note that, because of the 2010 Olympics, Skate the Lake
is taking this winter off. The event will return in 2011.)
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Historic Sites and Museums
Locally, you can take a self-guided walking tour of Newboro that leads you past the
town’s architecturally and historically significant buildings,
including the blockhouse originally built to defend Newboro Lock.
Similar self-guided tours are available for the nearby towns of Portland, Elgin, and Delta. In Delta, the Old Stone Mill museum and
gift shop is open to visitors on Saturdays (09h00 to 16h00) and
Sundays (10h00 to 16h00).
Along the Rideau Canal, the blockhouses and lockmaster’s
houses at many of the lockstations have been restored and are open
to visitors. Some feature mini museums. Lockstations closest to
Newboro include (from north to south) Narrows Lock, Newboro Lock, and Chaffeys Lock.
Significant heritage attractions within an hour’s drive
(or less) include (from nearest to farthest) the Rideau District Museum in Westport, the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario and the Rideau Canal Museum in Smiths Falls,
Matheson House (Perth Museum) in Perth, Old Fort Henry in Kingston, and Upper Canada Village near Morrisburg.
There are many more historically interesting sites nearby
than can be listed here. Some can be found by following the town
links in the “Shopping and Dining” section on this page.
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Nearby Churches
Visitors who want to keep up their religious observance
during their time in the Rideau Lakes area can worship with the local
congregations of these faiths: Anglican (St. Mary’s, Newboro; St. Paul’s, Westport; Emmanuel, Portland), Baptist (Olivet Baptist Church, Westport), Catholic (Saint Edward the Confessor, Westport; Saint Columbanus, Elgin), Free Methodist (Westport Free Methodist), Pentecostal (Bethel Tabernacle, Elgin), Presbyterian (Knox Presbyterian, Westport), and United (Newboro United Church, Newboro; Westport United Church, Westport; Portland United Church, Portland; Elgin United Church, Elgin).
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Family Fun
West Winds Ranch, just outside of Westport,
offers summer outdoor fun for the entire family. From trail rides to
the petting zoo, and from summer day camp to the “Get
Lost!” corn maze, you won’t be bored during a day at West
Winds. Pet boarding service is also available.
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Shopping and Dining
A short walk up the street from Newboro House,
you’ll find
Kilborn’s on the Rideau and Stirling Lodge.
Stirling Lodge is an American-plan resort catering
mainly to the fisherfolk who frequent Newboro Lake. During the summer
season, their Post and Beam restaurant is also open to visits from non-guests.
Call 613-272-2435 for details.
Kilborn’s on the
Rideau is a favoured “destination store” for shoppers
seeking unusual and high-quality foods, clothing, artwork, and
crafts. Among many other name brands, Kilborn’s stocks clothes
from Tilley Endurables, woolen goods from Woolrich, and lotions from Crabtree and Evelyn. Kilborn’s also sells
basic convenience items for boaters, fishers, and campers.
Kilborn’s is open every day of the week, 09h00–21h00 in season
(May 10 through December 24) or 10h00–18h00 in the off-season
(December 27 through May 9)
You may also want to consider making a visit to the Forfar Dairy store, which is just a
ten-minute drive to the east from Newboro. Although the cheese factory is no
longer in operation, the store still sells products from other
small dairies and also a selection of specialty food items.
Also ten minutes away by car (this time to the west), the village of Westport has a larger selection of
restaurants located chiefly along Church and Bedford Streets.
Although The Salmon House is not primarily a sit-down space, don’t miss
their wonderful fish-and-chip (or shrimp-and-chip!) dinners for take-out (sit by the lake)
or counter consumption. The Cove Inn Country Inn dining room, just down the street, offers
special menus and events such as jazz nights and wine tastings.
You can get wonderful pizza at the Tangled Garden and Greek specialities at
Steve’s Rideau Restaurant. Other choices include The Country Kitchen and The Stationhouse.
Westport also offers many shops stocking antiques, artwork,
handcrafts, and collectibles. A grocery store, liquor store, and
gasoline station/convenience store are also situated in Westport.
Farther afield, but within less than an hour’s drive,
you’ll find larger towns, with more restaurants, shops,
services, and historic sites to explore. Follow the links below for
more information:
- Brockville (40-minute drive)
Manoll’s Fish and Chips, just off King Street in the downtown area,
attracts a lot of praise.
- Gananoque (35-minute drive)
Boston Chinese on King Street seems to be a popular choice.
- Kingston (55-minute drive)
Chez Piggy and
the affiliated Pan Chancho are our personal favourites from among a
large selection of very good Kingston eateries.
- Maberly (30-minute drive)
If you are looking for a fine dining experience, the wonderful kitchen of the Fall River Pub and Grill
serves up creative seasonal fare, often from local organic growers, and their pub keeps
excellent microbrew and specialty beers and ales on tap to complement
a respectable selection of wines. In summer, plan to consume your selections
on the outdoor patio, with its small fountain, profusion of flowering plants,
and bird conservatory. The attached gift store offers jewellery,
handbags, linens, gourmet food, handmade truffles and fudge, candles,
baby clothing and gifts, books, stationary and much more.
- Perth (40-minute drive)
Bistro 54 Italiano has a great reputation,
but because the space is small and they don’t take reservations, it can sometimes be hard
to get a seat.
- Smiths Falls (35-minute drive)
The very small (and unlicensed) My Place offers delicious eastern European
specialities such as goulash and schnitzel at remarkably reasonable prices.
To replace a bottle of wine, choose a 1.5 L bottle of the flavoured
mineral water that the owners import from the Czech Republic.
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Spa Services
In Westport, the Sundari Day Spa, operated by Green Medicine of Westport offers
a full range of services, including hot stone massage, reflexology, reiki, ear coning,
manicures and pedicures, facials, body wraps, waxing,
ionic detox foot baths, far infrared sauna, herbal/milk/dead sea salt baths,
and more. Call 613-273-8799 for details.
Alternatively, call Westport Massage Therapy (Westport, two licensed RMTs) at 613-273-2213
or StillPond Massage Therapy
(Crosby) at 613-272-2219 for information about services and appointments.
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Live Theatre
Within about an hour’s drive, several facilities
offer live performance either seasonally or year-round. Follow the
links for more information about production dates and ticket prices:
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Upcoming Local Events
Church suppers, euchre parties, Canada Day festivities,
winter carnivals, art studio tours, antique sales, sports
events — the range of community activities in rural
Ontario is almost endless. For current listings of upcoming events,
consult the event calendar at the Township of Rideau Lakes
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Other Accommodation Links
Looking for accommodation in another area? Here are some of the directories
and listings that we use:
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