Still can’t find those last few perfect presents? Gift shops in Eastern Ontario are ready to come to your rescue, with everything from clever gadgets and gourmet jams to cozy sweaters and wooden children’s toys. Plus, discovering them is a great excuse for a road trip to Lanark County, Prescott-Russell, the Rideau Valley or Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry! Here are just five of my favourite gift boutiques.
L.G. Lee and Sons, Almonte, Ontario
Honestly, picking just one shop in Almonte—a village packed with beautiful boutiques—seems unfair. But if I had to choose a single one to appeal to a wide range of gift shoppers, L.G. Lee and Sons would be right up there. Launched by the same company that founded Lee Valley Tools, it offers items in Lee Valley’s traditional areas of hardware and garden gear, but goes beyond them with an ever-changing selection of cool goods from around the world. On any given day, you might find kites, mixing bowls, wooden sleds, sweatshirts, tote bags, clocks and all sorts of clever gadgets—like a clamp to keep your tape dispenser hooked on a shelf, exactly where you need it.
That’s just one of the many cool things you can do in this Lanark County town, just 25 minutes west of Kanata. Planning to spend the day in Almonte? Check out my detailed guide to the village.
Vankleek Cottage, Vankleek Hill, Ontario
Country-style decor, kitchen items and gourmet foods are among the highlights in the Vankleek Cottage Gift Shop in Vankleek Hill, about an hour east of Ottawa in Prescott-Russell. Located in a big old Victorian house with a huge porch and second-floor balcony—all festooned with the gingerbread trim for which this town is famous—it’s one of those shops that just seems to go on and on. One room packed with goodies often leads to another packed with different treats.
See my post on day tripping from Ottawa to Vankleek Hill for tips on other things to see and do en route (not all are open at the minute, but you could plan a side trip to the Cumberland Heritage Village Museum to enjoy the Vintage Village of Lights event, which runs until December 19).
Priest’s Mill Arts Centre, Alexandria, Ontario
More than just a gift shop, the Priest’s Mill Arts Centre in Alexandria supports regional artists and offers art classes. As well as picking up paintings, cards, ornaments, ceramics, jewellery and other items, you may well see glass blowers at work in the huge open workshop.
While you’re in the Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry area, about an hour southeast of Ottawa, why not check out some nearby restaurants and sites? I featured quite a few in the Alexandria itinerary in this post about great fall drives. (Don’t let the name put you off; many of the featured businesses are open year round.)
Jubilee Bakeshop, Delta, Ontario
It might seem odd to include a bakery in a list of gift shops, but the Jubilee Bakeshop—which opened in 2021 in the small Rideau Lakes community of Delta, about 90 minutes southwest of Ottawa—is much more than a purveyor of tasty carbs. (Although it is a darned fine takeout place; the hearty Tuscan chicken sandwich is a steal, and the chocolate chip cookies melt in your mouth.) Under the carefully restored pressed-tin ceiling, you’ll find jams, cooking oils, ornaments, mugs, tea towels, pillows and lots of other gift-worthy items. Plus, the displays are gorgeous.
The Green Gecko, Lyndhurst, Ontario
Even smaller than Delta is the village of Lyndhurst, eight kilometres to the south (click on the map in the Jubilee Bakeshop section above, and you’ll see it). There, in an old Victorian house on the main drag, you’ll find The Green Gecko.
Owners Terri and Peter Dawson have filled it with unique clothes, accessories, jewellery, decor items and more, sourced from Canadian and international makers. You never know what you might find here; I always go in intending to buy gifts for others and emerge with something for myself as well. On my first trip, it was a frosted glass candle holder decorated with an intricate painting of a bird in a tree; during my visit a few weeks ago, it was a ceramic serving dish.
As I mentioned at the top, these are just a few of my favourite gift boutiques in Eastern Ontario. You’ll find lots more shopping tips in these posts:
- Merrickville, Ontario: A must-visit artsy village near Ottawa
- Perth, Ontario: A great day-trip destination
- Why you need to visit Arnprior, Ontario
- Carleton Place, Ontario: Your ultimate day trip guide
P.S.: This post isn’t an ad! None of these shops have paid any sort of fee to be included, and all opinions are my own.
Looking for more ideas for fun in Ottawa and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your 100-km Getaway Guide.
As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.
2 comments
Did you not notice that 2 of the shops you visited (in my area of Delta and Lyndhurst) and so favourably commented on, are not wheelchair accessible ?? Unacceptable in 2021.. nearly 2022 !
That is a very good point, Catherine, and an oversight on my part. I will try to do better in 2022 to note the accessibility of places I mention, as it is a crucial detail. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!