Having officially been dubbed as Canada’s prettiest village and with more designated heritage buildings than any other Ontario community of like size, Merrickville is a unique and vibrant Victorian village.

Idyllically situated along the historic Rideau Canal, less than an hour’s drive from both Ottawa, the nation’s capital, and the U.S.-Canada border, Merrickville loves to celebrate its history and culture and heartily invites everyone to join in!

To enjoy its heritage, natural attractions, delightful restaurants and shops, its small town hospitality, and its all-round, year-round enchantment.

Rich vintage architecture. Leafy canopied streets flowing to the Rideau’s edge. Visitors strolling down those shaded streets at a leisurely centuries-past pace.

A poetic Towne Crier, dressed in regalia of yore, issuing his spirited warm welcome. An osprey, a great blue heron gliding over the Merrickville locks, part of the oldest continuously operating Canal in North America, a designated National Heritage Site and a Canadian Heritage River . . . these are just some of the treasures which singularly and as part of a special blend, help preserve bygone days and keep alive the lore and the lure that is Merrickville.

Yes, a 19th century ambience envelops the village; but so does a new spirit and vitality.

For here you can also watch as boaters using navigational charts little changed over the past 160 years navigate sleek yachts and commanding catamarans through locks that are still-hand operated. Modern Merrickville, locals laughingly say, is not without its traffic jams.

They occur during Canal season, whenever the bridge spanning the Canal swings open, and road traffic over the Canal is halted until the boats filling the lock pass through!

Or you can rent a canoe or kayak, and like other modern-day adventurists take a glimpse into the past as you wind your way down the Rideau waterway. And birdwatchers, with the latest in binocular equipment flock here, to the only water-based bird sanctuary on the Rideau.

You can spend the day shopping for intricate lace, antique china, antiquarian books or quilts. But your purchases might also include more contemporary items such as locally blended mustards like tangy Lime Chipotle, (a winner at the Worldwide Mustard Competition in Napa, California) accessories emblazoned with portraits of Marilyn Monroe, or locally crafted leather knapsacks and water bottle holders.

Traditional British pub food and libation, afternoon tea, and fine wining and dining are on the menu. But so are brunch buffets, patio dining, Thai, Cajun and Caribbean cuisine or a hot dog and fries to go from one of several roadside chip stands.

If yours is an overnight or weekend getaway, you have a legion of lodging establishments from which to choose: A four-star country inn and spa. Over a dozen B&Bs. If you’re an RV’er or fifth-wheeler, you can "set up house" at the campground along the Canal – in the centre of Merrickville yet still secluded. Whether yours is a romantic escape, a planned family excursion or a happenstance adventure, whether you prefer to stay in the village or the surrounding countryside, whether you are looking for a camping or pampering experience, whether you’re drawn to classic or contemporary decor, you’re sure to find lodgings to suit your physical needs, personality and fancies.

And there’s plenty of reasons to linger longer in Merrickville. Throughout the year, but especially during Canal Season – May Long Weekend to Canadian Thanksgiving– Merrickville is abuzz with celebration: The annual Merrickville Agricultural Fair and Steam Show, which has now spanned three centuries, a summer farmer’s market honouring the old rural tradition, antique and craft shows, community theatre productions, as well as contemporary add-ons such as artists’ studio tours and art festivals, and craft shows, the annual community-wide garage sale, a postcard exhibition, a classic car show, Canalfest, a fun-filled weekend of activities celebrating the Canal’s heritage, and a host of other events combine to produce a calendar as jam-packed as the Rideau locks in peak season.