Located on the Tay River, 83 kilometres southwest of Ottawa, Perth is the heart of Lanark County. It’s home to a slew of beautiful heritage architecture and tons of quaint park space, both of which lead to it being named the Prettiest Town in Ontario by TV Ontario in 2000.

Besides being the maple capitol of Ontario, Lanark County is home to myriads of outdoor adventures including canal boat rides, hiking trails and on-farm festivals. Check out the Lanark County Outdoor Adventure Map for some excellent opportunities to explore and experience Perth & District.

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So with that, we give you — the most curious of culinary travelers — our perfect weekend in Perth, Ontario:

  1. Start your day with coffee or a cup of tea at Baker’s Bean Village Cafe on Sherbrooke Street. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, try of the English pasties. Grab it all to go and wander along the river or visit the Friendship Fountains.
  2. The recent arrival of guided boat tours on the Tay Canal has revived a tradition that dates back to the Perth area’s late 1800s. On the tour, you get to view the site of the last fatal duel in Upper Canada, the original 1834 Tay Canal and its tow path, and the Tay Marsh — home to many a black tern. The Classic 24 foot tour boat, ‘Blue Goose’, will provide two tours daily, at 10:00am and 1:00pm, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
  3. No trip to Perth is complete without a visit (or paying homage?) to The Mammoth Cheese. Produced through the combined efforts of the Dominion Department of Agriculture and the Canadian cheese industry for the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893, this big cheese was made from 207,200 pounds of milk and weighed 22,000 pounds.
  4. We’re head over heels for Stewart Park. This 5.24 acre greenspace behind the Town Hall has majestic maples, rock wall gardens and the pristine Tay River meandering through it. It also plays host to the annual Stewart Park Music Festival, attracting 20,000+ people for a free, 3-day music festival.
  5. Breakfast, lunch or dinner — you’ve got to put The Masonry Restaurant & Market on your list.  Chefs Kyle Woods and Jesse Francis are showcasing the best of Ontario on their ever changing menu. All of their creations (like our favorite Griddled Lamb Burger!) pair perfectly with their huge selection of craft beer on tap.

To find out more about Perth, Ontario and Lanark County, visit: lanarkcountytourism.com

 

 

Originally published as part of the Perfect Weekends series on OntarioCulinary.com

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