Ottawa residents don't have to go far to find some of Eastern Ontario's most iconic scenery, and a growing conversation in the region's tourism industry is about what comes after the postcard photo.
The Thousand Islands' pull
Along the St. Lawrence River, more than 1,800 islands rise out of the water, their granite shorelines cut through by narrow channels. Pines cling to bare rock, and cottages, docks, and old summer homes line a river that's carried travellers through this landscape for thousands of years. It's a scene that's drawn visitors for generations — but tourism voices in the region say the postcard view is no longer enough to build a sustainable industry around.
Rethinking the visitor experience
The push now is toward tourism that goes beyond snapping a photo at a lookout and moving on. That means slower travel: multi-day boat trips through the islands, guided history walks, local food and drink experiences, and itineraries that connect smaller Eastern Ontario towns rather than funnelling everyone to the same handful of landmarks. The goal is to get visitors to linger — and spend — in communities that don't always make the highlight reel.
Why it matters for Ottawa
For Ottawa, this shift is more than a regional curiosity. The Rideau Canal — a UNESCO World Heritage Site that runs right through the capital before winding down to Kingston and the Thousand Islands region — is part of the same tourism corridor. Visitors who fly into Ottawa or road-trip through the city often use it as a launch point for exploring the rest of Eastern Ontario, and a healthier, more diversified regional tourism economy means more reasons for travellers to build extra days into an Ottawa-based trip. Local operators, from canal boat tours to Byward Market food vendors, stand to benefit when the region markets itself as a connected experience rather than a set of standalone attractions.
What's changing on the ground
Eastern Ontario tourism groups are increasingly packaging the Rideau Canal and the Thousand Islands together, encouraging visitors to treat a trip to the region as a loop rather than a single stop. That includes promoting canal-side towns like Merrickville and Smiths Falls alongside the river towns further south, and leaning into the area's history — from the canal's original construction in the 1830s to the shipping and cottage culture that shaped the islands.
For Ottawa travellers looking to explore closer to home this season, the message from the region is clear: there's a lot more to see between the city and the St. Lawrence than the well-known viewpoints suggest.
Source: Ottawa Life Magazine
