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Major city · Canada

Prescott

Give Prescott one night, or a half-day stop on Highway 401: Fort Wellington, the windmill and the riverfront fill 3–4 hours.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
May–Oct
avoid Nov–Apr (forts closed, cold)
Airports
YOW · OGS · YUL
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Prescott is a town of about 4,000 on the St. Lawrence River in eastern Ontario, directly across from Ogdensburg, New York. It is a War of 1812 and 1838 rebellion site with two national historic sites, a small walkable waterfront and Highway 401 exit 714. Most travellers pass through between Kingston and Montréal; one night is enough, and a half-day stop covers the forts.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Prescott, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeC$2–5 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Sit-down mealPub main courseC$18–28 (≈ US$14–25)
  • Beerdraught in a pub / can at a storeC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)C$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across towncheckC$10–15 (≈ US$8–11)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$20–40 (≈ US$15–30)
  • Budget bedRiverside cottage or B&B suite, a night, per roomC$180 (≈ US$140)
  • Mid-range bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomC$160 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedMotel or inn double room, a night, per roomC$240 (≈ US$180)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$160 (≈ US$120) · High C$260 (≈ US$190)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Fort Wellington National Historic SiteBattle of the Windmill National Historic SiteSt. Lawrence River waterfrontSt. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival
Airports
YOW Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier (About 40 min north by car; the closest major airport.) · OGS Ogdensburg, NY (Small airport across the bridge; a few flights a day (check).) · YUL Montréal-Trudeau (Alternative; about 2 h by car.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Prescott: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−3°C

−12°C

12 rd

Feb

−2°C

−11°C

10 rd

Mar

4°C

−5°C

10 rd

Apr

12°C

2°C

11 rd

May

19°C

8°C

11 rd

Jun

24°C

13°C

11 rd

Jul

27°C

16°C

10 rd

Aug

26°C

15°C

10 rd

Sep

21°C

11°C

10 rd

Oct

14°C

5°C

11 rd

Nov

7°C

0°C

12 rd

Dec

0°C

−8°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is walkable in 15–20 min. Fort Wellington and the windmill are about 2 km apart on Highway 2 (King St E), so a car or taxi helps. Two local taxi firms serve the town. VIA Rail no longer stops in Prescott; the nearest station is Brockville, about 25 min west.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Brockvillego

Door to door: About 30–40 min

River Route bus or 25 min west on Highway 401

Tunnel, railway museum and the VIA station for onward trains.

Morrisburg

go

Door to door: About 35 min

Highway 401 east, about 30 min

Upper Canada Village is the draw; a half-day.

Ogdensburg, New York

caution

Door to door: About 20 min plus border time

Cross the international bridge at Johnstown, then NY 37

Bring a passport; check current US entry rules.

Kingston, Ontariogo

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Highway 401 west, about 1 h

Better base for a full day; waterfront and Fort Henry.

Gananoque

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Highway 401 west, about 45 min

Boat cruises into the Thousand Islands.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

King Street West / downtown

Walk to the waterfront, pubs and restaurants; Zens Inn and B&Bs here.

Highway 2 west of town

Riverside motels and cottages; you need a car.

Johnstown / near the bridge

Closest beds to the Ogdensburg crossing; motel-style.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$140–220 (≈ US$110–160) excl. bed
High
C$220 (≈ US$160)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel or inn double room1 × 1 night × C$160C$160
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × C$160C$320
Fort Wellington entry2 × C$4 · checkC$8
Battle of the Windmill entry2 × C$2 · checkC$4
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$54
Trip total≈ C$298 per person per day, bed includedC$596≈ US$450

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$2–5 (≈ US$2–4)
Pub main courseC$18–28 (≈ US$14–25)
Fish and chips, takeoutC$14–20 (≈ US$11–15)
Beer: draught in a pub / can at a storeC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7) / C$2–4 (≈ US$2–3)
Taxi across towncheckC$10–15 (≈ US$8–11)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$20–40 (≈ US$15–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet, low-crime small town; the real risks are winter driving on Highway 401, river currents at the waterfront, and border paperwork at Ogdensburg.
  • Fort Wellington is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays except in July and August; check before you drive out.
  • The national historic sites run May–October only; off-season the forts are exterior-only.
  • Highway 401 exit 714 is the town exit; the 416 from Ottawa joins at exit 721 near Johnstown.
  • The border crossing at Ogdensburg needs a passport or equivalent; check current US entry rules.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Fort Wellington NHS
+1 613-925-2896
Prescott Taxi
+1 613-925-2228

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

PrescottPrescott

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Fort Wellington NHS+1 613-925-2896
  • Prescott Taxi+1 613-925-2228

Embassy

No embassies in Prescott; the US consulate-general is in Toronto and most others are in Ottawa (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Taxi across town: C$10–15 (≈ US$8–11) (check)
  • River Route bus from Brockville: check the operator for the current fare and timetable
  • Highway 401, Prescott to Kingston: about 1 h by car

Say or show

  • Thank you — Thank you
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?

English is the working language; no phrase card needed.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Prescott. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Oct · avoid Nov–Apr (forts closed, cold) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YOW: drive time, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters: waterfront and Forwarders Museum, King Street pubs, Fort Wellington and the windmill.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Fort Wellington, Battle of the Windmill, Forwarders Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Border-crossing fixture for the Ogdensburg bridge so gate D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources