The best things to do in Almonte include walking the Riverwalk past the falls and historic mills, browsing the independent shops on Mill Street, visiting the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, hiking at Mill of Kintail, and timing a visit around Celtfest, Fibrefest or Puppets Up! Almonte is about 20 minutes from Kanata, which makes it an easy day trip from Ottawa’s west end, and for many visitors it’s the first step toward thinking about living there.
This guide covers Almonte’s main attractions, trails, events and nearby day trips, season by season. Event dates change from year to year, so check each organizer’s schedule before you plan around one.
Walk Almonte’s Historic Downtown
Mill Street and the downtown core
Almonte’s downtown is the heart of the town and the reason many people fall for it. Mill Street and the surrounding blocks are lined with 19th-century stone and brick buildings that now hold independent shops, galleries, cafés, bakeries and restaurants. Much of the core is protected as a Heritage Conservation District, so the streetscape looks much as it did a century ago. Plan to wander without a fixed route.
The Almonte Riverwalk
The Almonte Riverwalk is a self-guided walk along the Mississippi River that starts at the Almonte Old Town Hall. Interpretive boards along the way tell the stories of historic sites like the Victoria Woollen Mill and the Thoburn Mill, and the falls are at their most dramatic during the spring melt.
Monuments and public art
Downtown Almonte honours its most famous sons. A statue of Dr. James Naismith, the Almonte-raised inventor of basketball, stands downtown. Sculptor and physician R. Tait McKenzie created “The Volunteer,” Almonte’s war memorial, dedicated in 1923. A memorial at Bridge and Mill Streets remembers the 39 people killed in the 1942 Almonte train wreck.
Almonte Old Town Hall
The Almonte Old Town Hall on Bridge Street is a landmark heritage building and a regular venue for concerts, lectures and community events.
Museums and Heritage Sites
Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum occupies the Rosamond Woollen Mill, a National Historic Site of Canada, on Rosamond Street East. It tells the story of the mills that built Almonte and hosts rotating textile and fibre-arts exhibitions. It’s the best single stop for understanding the town’s history.
Mill of Kintail
Just outside town, Mill of Kintail is a conservation area run by the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority, centred on a restored grist mill that was once the summer home and studio of R. Tait McKenzie. The site covers more than 60 hectares of forest, river and field with several kilometres of walking trails. The grounds are open year-round, and the museums are open seasonally, typically from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving weekend.
Metcalfe Geoheritage Park
At the west end of Mill Street, near the bottom of Bay Hill beside the river, the Metcalfe Geoheritage Park displays 22 rock specimens that trace hundreds of millions of years of local geology, from ancient seabeds to rocks carried by the last glacier. It’s a short, interesting stop, especially with kids.
The Naismith connection
Basketball fans can explore Almonte’s link to the game’s inventor through the Naismith Basketball Foundation, which celebrates Naismith’s legacy locally, along with the downtown statue and the Naismith 3-on-3 basketball event the town has hosted.
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Parks, Trails and the Outdoors
- Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail: a former rail line maintained by Lanark County that runs through Mississippi Mills. It’s open year-round for walking and cycling, and in winter for snowmobiles.
- Blakeney Park: trails and footbridges along the Mississippi River rapids, a popular spot for paddling, fishing and picnics.
- Almonte Lagoons Birding Complex: an observation tower and viewing shelter where hundreds of migrating ducks and shorebirds stop in spring and fall.
- Almonte Wellness Trail: a self-guided route with outdoor activity stations, a labyrinth and river views.
- Gemmill Park: the town’s main sports park and the home of Celtfest, with the arena, skate park and splash pad nearby.
For a longer hike, the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust protects the High Lonesome Nature Reserve near Pakenham, with about 8 km of trails through forest, ponds and meadows.
Festivals and Annual Events
Almonte punches well above its size for events. Dates shift each year, so confirm details with the organizers or Destination Almonte before you go.
- Almonte Celtfest (early July): a weekend of Celtic music and dance at Gemmill Park. The festival marked its 30th year in 2026.
- Puppets Up! (August, every two years): an international puppetry festival that takes over Mill Street with performances in tents along the street. The 2026 edition ran in August.
- North Lanark Highland Games (summer): a long-running celebration of Scottish heritage with pipe bands, dancing and heavy events.
- Almonte Fibrefest (September): one of the longest-running fibre arts festivals in Canada, hosted by the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, with dozens of vendors, demonstrations and workshops.
- Holiday season: Almonte’s downtown is known for its festive atmosphere through November and December, with seasonal shopping and events.
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Food, Markets and Shopping
Almonte’s food scene is a big part of its draw, with cafés, bakeries, pubs and restaurants concentrated downtown. Rather than list individual businesses, which change over time, we’d suggest a slow walk along Mill Street and the side streets around it.
The Almonte Farmers’ Market runs on Saturday mornings from spring to fall, with local produce, meat, baking, flowers, maple syrup and crafts. Around Pakenham and the rest of Mississippi Mills, farm stands and sugar bushes add seasonal options, especially during maple season in early spring.
Things to Do in Almonte With Kids
Almonte is an easy town to explore with children. The splash pad and skate park beside the arena are busy all summer, and Gemmill Park has room to run. The Metcalfe Geoheritage Park turns a short walk into a geology lesson, and Mill of Kintail’s trails are manageable for younger hikers. In spring and fall, the observation tower at the Almonte Lagoons is a good spot to spot ducks and shorebirds.
Festivals are a highlight for families too. Puppets Up! is built around family audiences in the years it runs, and Celtfest and the Highland Games offer music, dancing and plenty to watch.
Rainy-Day Ideas
When the weather turns, head indoors. The Mississippi Valley Textile Museum’s exhibitions change through the year, the downtown shops and galleries are an easy browse, and the Mississippi Mills Public Library runs programs for children and adults. A long lunch in one of the downtown cafés or pubs is a local tradition on a grey afternoon. In winter, the arena offers public skating, and the Old Town Hall regularly hosts concerts and talks.
Things to Do Near Almonte
- Pakenham: about 15 minutes north, known for its five-span stone bridge over the Mississippi River and Mount Pakenham’s ski and snowboard hills in winter.
- Carleton Place: about 15 minutes south, with its own historic downtown on the Mississippi River.
- Carp: back toward Ottawa, with the Carp Fair, the Carp Farmers’ Market and the Diefenbunker. See our guide to things to do in Carp.
- Kanata and Stittsville: about 20 to 30 minutes away, for bigger shopping, dining and events. See things to do in Kanata and things to do in Stittsville.
Almonte Through the Seasons
- Spring: high water at the falls, maple season and the return of the farmers’ market.
- Summer: Celtfest, the Highland Games, patios, paddling and the splash pad.
- Fall: Fibrefest, colours along the river and at Mill of Kintail, and migrating birds at the lagoons.
- Winter: holiday shopping downtown, skating at the arena, skiing at Mount Pakenham and snowshoeing on local trails.
Getting to Almonte
Almonte is about 20 minutes from Kanata North via County Road 49, which becomes March Road at the Ottawa boundary, and about 45 to 55 minutes from downtown Ottawa outside rush hour. There’s no OC Transpo service, so plan to drive. Downtown parking is usually manageable, though busy festival weekends fill up quickly. Our Almonte to Ottawa commute guide covers the routes.
Thinking About Living in Almonte?
For many people, a day trip to Almonte is how the idea of moving there starts. If the town has caught your eye, our Almonte community guide covers schools, healthcare, housing and the trade-offs of small-town life, and you can browse current Almonte homes for sale. If you’re comparing it with communities closer to Ottawa, see Almonte vs Carp vs Stittsville.
The town offers several kinds of homes: heritage homes near Mill Street, new homes at communities like Weavers Way, and rural properties in the surrounding countryside. To talk it through, contact Jason, your Almonte realtor.
Already own here and thinking about a move? See what your Almonte home is worth in today’s market.
About Jason Polonski
Plenty of Jason’s clients first discovered Almonte on a weekend visit. If a day trip has you wondering what it would be like to live here, he can walk you through the neighbourhoods, explain how heritage, new-build and rural homes differ, and show you what your current home could put toward a move.
Jason Polonski is a REALTOR® with Right at Home Realty, based in Kanata, about 25 minutes from Almonte. With more than 15 years in Ottawa-area real estate and hundreds of buyers and sellers helped, he serves the west end and the communities beyond it, including Almonte and Mississippi Mills.
His construction and electrical trades background, including a technical diploma in construction electricity, helps buyers understand the condition of Almonte’s heritage and rural homes before they offer. He also holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Concordia University with a double major in Marketing and Finance. If you’re thinking about a move to Almonte, visit Jason’s Almonte realtor page or call or text (613) 601-9333.
Things to Do in Almonte FAQs
Almonte is known for its historic mill-town downtown on the Mississippi River, its falls and Riverwalk, the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, and as the birthplace of basketball inventor James Naismith.
Yes. Its walkable heritage downtown, independent shops, river trails and festivals make it one of the most popular day trips from Ottawa’s west end.
Almonte is about 46 km from downtown Ottawa, usually 45 to 55 minutes by car, and about 20 minutes from Kanata North.
Major events include Almonte Celtfest in July, the North Lanark Highland Games in summer, Fibrefest in September and the biennial Puppets Up! festival in August.
Popular options include Mill of Kintail, the Almonte Riverwalk, Blakeney Park, the Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail and the High Lonesome Nature Reserve near Pakenham.
Yes. The Almonte Farmers’ Market runs on Saturday mornings from spring to fall.
