If you live in Ottawa or the Ottawa area, then Arnprior is just a few minutes driving distance away from you. It is a small town where you can spend a very nice day with your family or even alone.
Arnprior is a town in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada, located 65 km (40 mi) west of Downtown Ottawa, at the confluence of the Madawaska River and the Ottawa River in the Ottawa Valley.
In this blog post, I will share what I learned about the town on my first visit there.
As many of us do, I opened Google Maps and typed in Arnprior. This gave me directions to the center of the city. So I hit enter and arrived at the Public Library. Let’s talk about it first.
Public Library of Arnprior
Address: 21 Madawaska St, Arnprior, ON K7S 1R6
The public library has a small parking which is just enough for ten cars or so. Luckily for me, it was Saturday evening. The library was closed, and the parking space was available. Parked my car and decided to walk around.
But if you decide to visit the library then below are its hours of work:
| Sunday | Closed |
| Monday | 11 a.m.–7 p.m. |
| Tuesday | 11 a.m.–7 p.m. |
| Wednesday | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Thursday | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Friday | 10 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10 a.m.–2 p.m. |
Phone number: 613-623-2279
Next to the Public Library, you will see a directions stand. This will suggest a few directions to walk to see the main attractions.
For some reason this directions stand does not mention Daniel McLachlin Park & Bell Tower and the Arnprior City Hydro Park. But it is right next to it, and you will undoubtedly see it.
Arnprior City Hydro Park
Address: 70 Madawaska Blvd, Arnprior, ON K7S 1S5
Hydro Park is located on both the east and west sides of the Madawaska River/Madawaska Boulevard. There is a walking trail called Gillies Grove with benches facing the water. The trail is actually pretty long. It goes along the riverbank through the Marina, Robert Simpson Park, and the Grove; Sergeant Howard Slater Park. I will tell you more about these parks in this blog post below.
The Hydro Park waterfall is very small. But if you enjoy waterfalls and you live near Ottawa, check out my blog post about Waterfalls near Ottawa. I have visited them all and have uploaded many photos 🙂.
On the other side of the public library is the Arnprior and District Museum.
Arnprior and District Museum
The museum is located under the clock tower in the heart of downtown Arnprior. It’s an old building that used to be a post office, so it has a lot of character.
The exhibits are really interesting and cover all aspects of life in an Ottawa Valley town, from the lumber industry to the 1869 Royal visit.
If you’re ever in Arnprior, I definitely recommend checking it out!
Address: 35 Madawaska St, Arnprior, ON K7S 1R6
Phone: 613-623-4902
Hours of work:
| Sunday | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Thursday | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Friday | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. |
| Saturday | 10 a.m.–4 p.m. |
The museum is located on the main street that leads to Arnprior Downtown.
Arnprior Downtown
Arnprior downtown is primarily centered around one main street, which is bustling with activity and lined with numerous stores and establishments. The town has a rich history and is home to a vibrant community. Although it only takes about 10 minutes to walk from one end of the street to the other, the wide array of shops along the way will likely entice you to spend more time.
The O’Brien Theatre
If you have a little more time to spend you can watch a movie at the local theatre.
The theatre was originally built in 1919 and was both a cinema and a venue for vaudeville performances. It was owned by the Ottawa Valley Amusement Corporation, which owned several cinemas in the Ottawa Valley. It has undergone several renovations over the years, including a major refurbishment in 1999-2000 that added a second screen upstairs where the balcony once was, new paint, seats, heat, A/C, snack bar, bathrooms, and more.
In 2012, the theatre underwent another significant upgrade to update all of its equipment to Christie digital projectors and Doremi servers, providing new sound and pictures.
Today, the O’Brien Theatre is an independent cinema that shows an eclectic mix of popular movies and art films. It is no longer affiliated with the Renfrew O’Brien Theatre and is owned by Kevin Marshall.
If you want to visit O’Brien Threatre, check their rates and what’s now playing below.
Address: 147 John St N, Arnprior, ON K7S 2N8
Phone: (613) 622-7682
Rates: http://www.obrientheatre.com/site/index.cfm?TID=1&page=Rates
What’s now playing: Show times.
The Rocky Mountain House Restaurant
And of course, there are restaurants you can stop by and eat 🙂. It looks like the Rocky Mountain House Restaurant is the biggest restaurant in town. They serve a variety of dishes like burgers, sandwiches, salads, and pasta.
Address: 129 John St N, Arnprior, ON K7S 2N5
Phone: 613-623-3373
Robert Simpson Park and Beach
One other place you do not want to miss when visiting Arpnprior is Robert Simpson Park.
Robert Simpson Park has a rich history that spans over 130 years. In the early 1820s, the Laird of McNab and his Scottish settlers transformed the waterfront when he built his first house on the present-day site of the Galilee Centre.
The beach has facilities for lifeguards and is accessible(access mat) for people with special needs. However, when I was there, there were no lifeguards on duty. I guess lifeguards are there during the summertime only.
There are also large publish washrooms and change room facilities.
Although I haven’t visited the park on a busy day, I’ve noticed it has ample parking, which is a significant advantage for me as a driver. The fact that parking is free only enhances its appeal. 🙂
There is also a very nice trail that goes along the river all the way to Arnprior boat ramp.
Arnprior Boat Ramp
If you are a boat owner and are looking for boat launch access, then Arnprior boat ramp is located at 17 Ottawa St. It is actually a good ramp.
Boat launch and fueling rules
As a boat owner, you will most likely be interested to learn about the boat launch and fueling rules.
- Maintain a two-meter distance from others,
- Only one boat at the launch is permitted at a time,
- Only one boat at the dock is permitted at a time,
- Only one boat for fueling is permitted at a time.
Fuel is available Friday-Sunday 8:00 am – 7:00 pm only.
Also, no fishing and no swimming are allowed at the boat ramp.
Final words
I’ve shared most of the details about Arnprior in this post, but nothing beats experiencing it firsthand. I encourage you to visit the town and discover its charm for yourself.
If you enjoyed reading my blog post about Arnprior, I’d love to hear about your travel experiences too! Follow me on Twitter and let’s stay in touch 🙂.
