Where in Ontario for a short boat trip?

July 2, 2008 8:14 AM

I'm planning a two night boat trip in Ontario with my son. Any ideas on a waterway that will keep us occupied while we aren't fishing? We have a 16 foot boat so I need a fairly calm lake or river system.
posted by Scoops to Travel & Transportation around Ontario (4 answers total)

Ontario is a big province — what general area were you thinking? Closer to Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, or Sudbury?
posted by Johnny Assay at 9:41 AM on July 2, 2008

Have you considered Algonquin Park?
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 10:05 AM on July 2, 2008

The Rideau Canal is nice. You can overnight at the lock stations (most have shoreline power, and will also let you set up a tent if you want), and there's usually something to do at each of them as far as hiking, historic tours, museums, etc. If you do decide on the Rideau, I'd recommend arranging it so that you pass through the Jones Falls lock, which is pretty incredible.
posted by drycleanonly at 10:30 AM on July 2, 2008

2nding the Rideau Canal. Some friends and I were boating along the St. Lawrence near Kingston a couple of years back, and made a day trip up through the first set of locks. Their boat was 21'-ish, but rough water was not a problem even out on the St. Lawrence -- we did stay along the north shore well east of the lake proper, though. Furthest west we went was to tie up overnight Confederation Basin in Kingston. No idea about the fishing.

We also took a trip up the Ottawa River, along the Quebec border several years earlier. I forget the name of the town where we launched the boats, but we motored up the river for about five hours to some utterly beautiful cliffs on the Quebec side, which we hiked up.
posted by Alterscape at 12:45 PM on July 2, 2008