About Ottawa

Our base in Ottawa is located on Dows Lake, a popular recreation area on the fringes of downtown Ottawa. It’s just a 7 minute taxi ride (or 20 minutes by bike) between the base and the city centre.   By boat it will take 45 minutes to head north and reach the section of canal that runs through the centre of Ottawa city – afterwhich you can go no further. Heading south, you can quite easily reach Long Island (from where you can discover Manotick), and back again, on a 3 night short break. 7 nights will allow you to complete a return journey as far as Merrickville. Or, on  a 7nt one-way to our base in Smith Falls you can combine Canada’s capital with the open waters of Big Rideau Lake, which are a little further south of Smiths Falls.

From Ottawa it is:

  • 20hrs (20 locks) to our base in Smiths Falls

View our Ottawa base on Google Maps

What you get on the base

Facilities

  • Toilets and showers
  • Laundry
  • Parking (unsecure)*

*We have parking located across the street from the Marina available to book.

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 'Vacation Extras' for more details about each extra. Restrictions apply.

 

Practical extras

  • Early check-in & late check-out
  • Boat cleaning
  • Eco cleaning pack
  • L.E.D. lantern
  • Top-deck cushions

Fun extras

  • Bike hire
  • Stand-up paddleboards
  • Kayaks

Opening hours

Open only for booked arrivals and returns | Please contact our Smiths Falls base (number/email below) for arrival queries.

Address

Le Boat, Ottawa
1001 Queen Elizabeth Driveway
Ottawa, ON K1S-5K7
Canada

Telephone

+1 343 881 8800

Email

[email protected]

Travel to Ottawa

View our Ottawa base on Google Maps

By train

Closest train station(s):

Carling Station: 300m

Ottawa Station: 7km

By road

Be prepared

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

Car rental

  • Avis Car Rental - Ottawa airport - +1 613-739-3334

 

Directions

  • From Ottawa Airport: Head southwest on Airport Parkway Private/Airport Pkwy toward Air Cargo Private/Airport 3 Ave.
  • Make a U-turn at Air Cargo Private/Airport 3 Ave. Continue onto Airport Pkwy/Route 79 N (signs for Thad Johnson Road).
  • Take the Alert Rd exit. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Ch. Heron Rd. West and merge onto Heron Rd/Ottawa Regional Rd 16 W
  • Turn right onto Prince of Wales Dr/Route 73 N
  • At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on Prince of Wales Dr/Route 73 N
  • Turn right at Preston St to arrive at the base

 

Distance to Ottawa:

  • Merrickville: 65km
  • Smiths Falls: 68km
  • Perth: 79km 
  • Kingston: 194km
  • Montreal: 200km
  • Ogdensburg–Prescott International Bridge to the USA: 81km 

 

Parking

Limited pre-bookable unsecure parking (a maximum of 2 spaces per booking) within a nearby parking lot, if unavailable or additional parking can be purchased locally on arrival.

By air

Closest airport(s):

  • Ottawa: 12 km
  • Montréal: 185 km
  • Toronto: 448 km

Bus from Ottawa International Airport - (www.octranspo.com/en)

  • Bus 97 from Airport Stop to South Keys 2A
  • Bus 2 from South Keys 2A to Preston / Carling
  • Walk 5 minutes to Le Boat on Dows Lake

Tickets can be purchased from ticket machines or on board the bus.

To book a taxi to or from the base you can contact the number below.

 

 

Rate will vary, please contact a firm for their quote.

Arrival at Ottawa

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.

Local info

Payment Means

Please note that your security deposit, engine hours deposit (see compulsory costs) & any extras added at the base and are required to be paid in local currency by card. Our bases accept Visa & Mastercard, but not American Express. 

 

Hotels

The Westin Ottawa: 11 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON K1N 9H4, +1 613 560 7000

Lord Elgin Hotel: 100 Elgin St, Ottawa, ON K1P 5K8. +1 613 235 3333

Fairmont Château Laurier: 1 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 8S7 +1 613 241 1414

Delta Hotels by Marriott: Ottawa City Centre, 101 Lyon St. N, Ottawa, ON K1R 5T9, +1 613 237 3600

 

 

Restaurants

Mexicali Rosa's: Dows Lake Pavillion, www.mexicalirosas.com, +1 613 234 8156

Dows Lake Pavillion: lagobargrill.com

Canal Ritz: 375 Queen Elizabeth Driveway, Ottawa, ON K1S 5M5, www.canalritz.com, +1 613 238 8998

Giovanni's Restaurant: 362 Preston St, Ottawa, ON K1S 4M7, www.giovannis-restaurant.com, +1 613 234 3156

 

 

Shops

Sherwood Supermarket (near Dows Lake) - 111 Sherwood Dr, Ottawa, ON K1Y 3V1, Mon - Fri: 7am - 9pm | Sat: 8am - 9pm | Sun: 9am - 9pm - +1 613 729 6011, www.sherwoodmarketdeli.com

Rileys Your Independant Grocer - 2241 Riverside Dr., Ottawa, ON K1H 7X5, Mon: 9am - 6pm | Tue - Fri: 8am - 8pm | Sat: 8am - 5pm | Sun: CLOSED - +1 613 733 1590, www.yourindependentgrocer.ca

Farm Boy - Rideau Shopping Centre, Level 1, 50 Rideau Street, Ottawa, open until 8pm - +1 613 244 1033, For fresh produce, natural and organic foods, artisanal cheese, premium meats, sustainable seafood and fresh prepared meals.

 

 

Fishing

Fishing License : https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing

 

Tourist Info

90 Wellington Street (directly across from Parliament Hill:

www.ottawatourism.ca/en/plan-your-visit/visitor-information/tourism-info...  +1 613 236 0044

 

Medical Facilities

911 call for emgency - The Ottawa Hospital General Campus, 501 Smyth Rd, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L6, + 1 613 722 7000 - Emergency room open 24 hours 

 

Electric car charging points

Electric cars can be charged at this address : 800-343 Preston Street, Ottawa, ON, K1S 1N4 (700 meters from the base) or 10 Oak Street, Ottawa, ON, K1R 6S9 (1.4km from the base).

Ottawa has 223 public charging station ports (Level 2 and Level 3) - www.chargehub.com/en/countries/canada/ontario/ottawa.html