Ontario- Lanark County: Discovering Your Backyard- An Historical Tour
October 27-28, 2026
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
Almonte, Perth
This morning, we will depart the Carlingwood Shopping Centre on our journey to Lanark County. Our adventure begins with a visit to the charming town of Almonte in Mississippi Mills. Your Travac Tours Director will bring you to Equator Coffee, the award-winning Hummingbird Chocolate, and the Vodkow Dairy Distillery, where delicious spirits are created from milk sugar. We will then embark on a guided tour of the North Lanark Regional Museum, learning about the Almonte train wreck, the region’s once-thriving textile industry and the workers who helped shape it, as well as the history of Mississippi Mills. We will also explore a variety of regional cultural artifacts from the pioneer era until the present day.
We continue on to Almonte’s picturesque downtown core where you will have a chance to explore Mill Street’s lovely boutiques and historic architecture, as well as view the town’s Hallmark Christmas movie shooting locations. After free time for lunch ($) and to enjoy Almonte’s Riverwalk, we will walk by the Old Town Hall and several monuments integral to Almonte’s history dedicated to the Almonte Train Wreck of 1942; Dr James Naismith, the inventor of basketball; and Dr Robert Tait McKenzie, distinguished sculptor and physician.
After our time in Almonte, will visit Gemmell’s Garden Centre, a destination greenhouse, to explore their seasonal botanical offerings. After an enjoyable day, we will head to our hotel in Perth, The Best Western Perth Parkside Inn overlooking Stewart Park, to check in. Enjoy your included dinner before relaxing in the peace and quiet of your hotel room. (D)
Overnight at the Hotel Best Western Plus Perth Parkside Inn & Spa or similar.
Day 2
Perth, Carleton Place, Smiths Falls
After breakfast and check out at the hotel, we will begin our day with a walking tour of Perth. We first explore Stewart Park, learning about Big Ben’s and Ian Miller’s remarkable achievements and important connection to the town. We will then make our way to Codes Mill on the Park, one of Perth’s most significant landmarks and a designated historic site, to see evidence of the skilled craftsmanship of the early stonemasons of Perth. Afterwards we will continue to the Perth Town Hall, constructed in 1863. We will visit its historic Council Chambers, old courtroom, and original jail cell, learning about the evolution of Perth’s local government and how the town hall has shaped Perth’s civic life for over 160 years. Finally, we will visit Perth Pies Co., Crystal Palace, Mammoth Cheese and the Perth Library. We will also pass The Old Perth Shoe Factory and other historical factories, and learn about Last Duel Park where the last fatal duel in Canada was played out in 1833.
Departing Perth, we will make our way to Carleton Place. Upon arrival in Carleton Place, you will have free time for lunch ($) before we embark on a guided tour of the Carleton Place Town Hall, built in the Richardson Romanesque style of architecture popular in North America in the latter quarter of the nineteenth century. We will continue our walking tour past Moore House, a log cabin formerly owned by one of the first settlers in the area and one of the oldest remaining buildings in Carleton Place. You will then have free time to browse Carleton Place’s local shops and galleries before heading to the Wool Administration Store– a renowned wool processing facility. Constructed in 1890 of local limestone, this building contained the roundhouse and engine repair shops for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) until 1939. In 1940, the building was purchased by the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers. Wool arrives here from across the country and is graded before being shipped out in compact bales. It also houses a lovely shop with a variety of wool, alpaca, bamboo, and cotton products which we will visit.
Our final stop of the day will be at the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario in Smiths Falls, where we will have a guided tour of this National Historic Site dedicated to preserving the history of the Canadian railway.
We will then pass by the lock system of the Rideau Canal as we make our way back to Ottawa for 6:30 pm. (B)
Itinerary and hotel subject to change.
Hotel Information
Hotel Best Western Plus Perth Parkside Inn & Spa or similar
Hotel Address
82 Peter StPerth, ON
K7H 1S2
(613) 326-0082