Ottawa is about 95 km from Brockville, a small city on the St. Lawrence River in eastern Ontario with roughly 22,000 people. It calls itself the City of the 1000 Islands and was the first incorporated town in Ontario, in 1832.
The downtown is old and walkable, with handsome heritage buildings, and the waterfront at Blockhouse Island has a marina and the Aquatarium. The star attraction is Canada's first railway tunnel, which now hosts a light and sound show. You can also tour the Fulford Place mansion, cruise the Thousand Islands, or dive shipwrecks in the river. Upper Canada Village is about 55 km away. Life is calm and reasonably priced for Ontario, though homes rose quickly in recent years and are easing now. Winters are cold and snowy, and crime is near average, with some property theft and downtown drug issues.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
June to September and long weekends
Quieter season
Winter
Nearest airport
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International (YOW), 95 km north (about 1 hour by car
Highlights
Brockville Railway Tunnel (first railway tunnel in Canada, light and sound show)
Thousand Islands cruises and Blockhouse Island waterfront
Fulford Place historic mansion museum
Brockville Museum
Brockville Arts Centre
Brockville Waterfront and marina
Aquatarium (Brockville Aquatarium) and Tall Ships Landing
1000 Islands Parkway and Thousand Islands National Park (Landon Bay)
Canada Water Front Trail
nearby Upper Canada Village (about 55 km) and Rockport boat tours
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
5.9/10Good
Connector Score7.4
14 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road and intercity train; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety7.3
Crime Severity Index around 75; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability6.9
Cost of living index about 96, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation5.5
Reachable by: road and intercity train. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness5.5
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability6.7
A walkable downtown. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do5.1
Known for 6 kinds of attraction, with 7 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining3.4
Estimated from city size and dining listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay4.9
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors5.5
Known for national & state parks, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value5.8
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness5.5
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness6.2
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife3.3
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness4.6
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
14 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience8.0
Intercity train service, with 14 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience1.5
No intercity bus service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
City of the 1000 Islands; Ontario's first incorporated town (1832); home of Canada's first railway tunnel; Eastern Ontario St. Lawrence River city; Brockville Railway Tunnel
Founded
1785 first Loyalist William Buell settled the area; 1832 incorporated as a town (first in Ontario); named after Sir Isaac Brock after the War of 1812; 1862 rai…
Languages
English (de facto working language of Ontario); French services available federally and in some offices but not widely spoken locally; French spoken by a minority in Eastern Ontario; small immigrant communities
Airports
Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International (YOW), about 95 km north (about 1 hour by car); Montreal-Trudeau (YUL), about 200 km east; Syracuse Hancock (SYR) NY, about 170 km south via the Ogdensburg-Prescott bridge; Brockville Regional Tackaberry Airport (CNL3), general aviation only; VIA Rail station in Brockville on the Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal corridor
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (HST 13% is added on top of listed prices); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; Ontario HST is 13% on top of listed prices)
About this data
Population 22,116 (city) and Brockville census agglomeration 31,661 are 2021 Census figures per Wikipedia (fetched); land area 20.91 sq km from the same page; founding facts (1785, 1832) from Wikipedia, while the 1906 city status is recalled and unverified. Elevation about 95 m and coordinates are approximate. visitor_website and event_calendar are brockville.com pages recalled from the city's site pattern and were not confirmed by page fetch; treat as unconfirmed. Event names and months, hotel ranges, cost of living, crime index, rent, prices, distances and airport drive times are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified. All money in CAD.
Last updated September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
6 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Downtown Brockville and King Street
Historic core
Blockhouse Island and the waterfront
Marina, Aquatarium
Brockville East and West
Residential
Brockville North
Shopping, Highway 401 corridor
Stewart Boulevard commercial strip
Maitland and Prescott side communities nearby
No neighborhood matches that.
Suburbs and neighboring towns
Elizabethtown-Kitley (5 km; car); Leeds and the Thousand Islands (10 km; car); Prescott (25 km; car); Augusta (15 km; car); Gananoque (40 km; car); Ogdensburg NY (30 km; car via bridge)
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Downtown and waterfront Brockville for walkability, restaurants and river views (heritage inns, B&Bs)
chain hotels near Highway 401 and Stewart Boulevard
Thousand Islands area lodges and cottages east and west along the parkway. Tiers: motels and B&Bs
mid-range chains
few luxury options (boutique inns and waterfront rentals)
No places to stay are listed yet.
What a visit costs
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$99/day
Lodging about CA$120 a night
Mid-range
$140/day
Lodging about CA$175 a night
Luxury
$217/day
Lodging about CA$250 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
96 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$1,350a month
Research notes
Roughly 0-8% below the Canadian average and about 15-25% below large US metros (approximate); typical 1BR rent about $1,200-1,500 CAD per month on listing sites (approximate)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before 13% HST): budget $100-140; mid-range $140-210; upscale $200-300 for waterfront or boutique. Peak season is June to September and long weekends; winter is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $80-140 CAD
Top sights
Brockville Railway Tunnel (first railway tunnel in Canada, light and sound show)
Thousand Islands cruises and Blockhouse Island waterfront
Fulford Place historic mansion museum
Brockville Museum
Brockville Arts Centre
Brockville Waterfront and marina
Aquatarium (Brockville Aquatarium) and Tall Ships Landing
1000 Islands Parkway and Thousand Islands National Park (Landon Bay)
Canada Water Front Trail
nearby Upper Canada Village (about 55 km) and Rockport boat tours
scuba diving in the St. Lawrence shipwrecks
Known for:National & state parksLakes & riversMuseums & galleriesHistoric sitesLive musicShopping
Things to do
3 listings in Brockville, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
7.3
Very good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 75; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
Statistics Canada and Brockville Police data put the Crime Severity Index near or slightly above the national average (roughly 60-90, approximate); main risks are property theft, vehicle break-ins and drug-related disorder. Health care: Ontario OHIP does not cover visitors, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospital: Brockville General Hospital (Brockville Hospital), with emergency department. Hazards: cold snowy winters (-10 to -20 C), freezing rain, summer heat, river currents and boating hazards on the St. Lawrence. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No areas widely flagged for visitors; use ordinary caution late at night around some downtown bar areas and older apartment blocks near King and Perth Streets where street disorder and drug use are occasionally reported; the riverfront and Blockhouse Island paths can be icy or windy
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
