One would need more than two or three weeks to only visit the 20+ Museums that are dotting the former Canadian capital on Lake Ontario. So it's worth traveling several times a year to see all the gems that Kingston has to offer in each season: Art Galleries, Historic Buildings and Sites, Dining and Sightseeing cruises, Trolley Tours, the many parks along the waterfront, Fort Henry, and the Haunted Tours, the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Public Market (8:30 am - 6 pm).
So Much to See and Do
Don't miss to see the almost 200-year-old cathedrals and churches in town. UNESCO World Heritage sites include Fort Henry, the Martello towers, and other fortifications located at the foot of the Rideau Canal that connects Kingston through waterways with the new capital Ottawa. Paddle, kayak, or use a standup paddle to see the city shores from the water.
Go scuba diving on the west side of downtown, on Lake Ontario, next to the Kingston Penitentiary Museum, or play golf on one of the several courses that dot the Kingston area. Or take a 2 1/2 hour-long guided tour that starts at 11 a.m. from the Visitor Welcome Center (209 Ontario St).
The "Classic Kingston" tour offers a local's perspective into Kingston's culture through its delicious food, history, and unique architecture. It includes exclusive tastings at some of the very best local restaurants and specialty food shops in downtown Kingston. Or take a tour of Kingston's world-class craft beer microbreweries.
The Outdoors in Kingston
Waterfront Rentals include paddle boats, SUPs, kayaks, and sailing charters. Or you can rent a bike or e-bike from i-cycle on Fort Henry Drive or from AhoyRentals on Ontario St. and cycle Kingston's historic neighborhoods, the waterfront bikeway, or explore Wolf Island on two wheels.
Boat Tours take you from the Ferry Dock to Wolfe Island or into the world of 1000 Islands. Half a dozen marinas and boat launches invite those who come to Kingston via the waterways. And just last week I saw a large cruise ship anchoring close to the city harbour site.
Wolfe Island Ferries
The Wolfe Islander III Ferry operates all year hourly between Kingston and Wolfe Island, Ontario, holding approximately 55 cars and 330 passengers per trip. Twenty-minute crossing time, at no cost!
Birders love to stop at the island's Big Sandy Bay Beach, a popular spot for walking and beach combing. A quick 3-kilometer return trail takes you to the secluded shores through a protected ecological area. Want to travel from here to America? A 10-minute seasonal ferry, which operates from the spring to mid-October (call before! 1-315-783-0638 or 1-613-385-2402), sails from Port Alexandria on the island’s southern side to Cape Vincent in New York State, U.S.
1000 Islands
In 1900, George C. Boldt, millionaire proprietor of the world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New Your City, built a full-size Rhineland Castle in Alexandria Bay, on picturesque Heart Island – for his wife Louise. But she died before it was finished, so he abandoned the project completely and left it to ruin.
Recently restored, Boldt Castle represents an example of the elegance of a bygone era as seen from the best vantage point – the air. At the airport you can board a small plane to see Kingston from the air: Fly over the small cottage islands of the Admiralty group featuring Napoleon’s Hat, Wanderer’s Channel, the Bateau Channel, and the Nokomis Lodge.
The Kingston Flight Club offers Private Pilot Flight training - you can even get your pilot license here. If you aim for higher altitudes and want to become an airline pilot: CygnetAviation partnered with world-famous airline training CAE and offers an Integrated Airline Transport Pilot License in a 20-month course in Kingston.
Open Doors at the Airport in September
Should you be in Kingston on a Saturday in mid/end of September, check for the airport event: The city of Kingston and the Canadian Force Base Kingston and Trenton combined forces to present the "Wheels on the Runway" event. The public got an opportunity to an up-close look at several aircraft on the tarmac, including a massive CC-130 H Hercules aircraft from CFB Trenton and other military and emergency vehicles.
Sweet Snacks Between Sightseeing
Stop at the Pan Pancho Bakery & Cafe, 44 Princess St., or Coffee Way Donuts, 427 Division St. (open 24 hrs!), or the Bread & Butter Bakery, 1530 Bath Rd. Enjoy coffee or brunch at the Northside Espresso & Kitchen, 281 Princess St.
The Secret Garden Inn, 73 Sydenham St, is your best bet for a classic afternoon tea. My absolute favorites however are the sensational ice creams from Mio Gelato, 178 Ontario St., or Churn Small Batch Ice Creams on 320A King St East.
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Restaurants & Accommodation
Kingston is known for having the highest number of restaurants per capita of any city in Canada. Here are some that are located in downtown:
- Enjoy some quiet time and Austrian-German dishes on the backyard patio of the Amadeus Cafe. Enjoy some quiet time on the backyard patio of the Amadeus Cafe, 170 Princess St.
- Mesa Fresca - Fine Mexican & South American dining with local ingredients, 1347 Gardiners Rd.
- Toast & Jam brunch restaurant, 1530 Bath Rd., open til 3 pm
- Sima Sushi, 66 Princess St., freshest Sushi in Eastern Ontario!
- Chez Piggy restaurant and bar, 68 Princess St., delicious lunch, dinner, and brunch
- Tango Nuevo, 331 King St. East, stellar restaurant with a huge selection of meat, seafood, and veggie tapas
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From family-friendly hotels and dog-friendly motels to charming historic Inns, there is a variety of options to make your stay comfortable:
- The Secret Garden Inn - a lovely boutique urban retreat on Argyle Place/73 Sydenham St.
- Hochelaga Inn, 24 Sydenham St., elegant rooms in a Victorian B&B
- Two-bedroom apartment with living room, kitchen, and backyard, downtown, www.booking.com
- Best Western Fireside Inn, 1217 Princess St., Senior Rates
Kingston's History
The area was settled by Europeans in the 17th century and became the First Capital of a United Canada in 1841. It is referred to as the “Limestone City” and a place where “history and innovation thrive”. Kingston is home to Queen's University, the Royal Military College of Canada, and St. Lawrence College - which means the most Ph.D. graduates per capita and the "smartest" workforce in Canada.
The Kingston region has been home to Indigenous People since time immemorial. Many different Nations and people have existed or co-existed in this area over time. Today, it is home to a growing urban population of over 7,000 residents who identify as First Nations, Inuit, or Metis. It is the traditional homeland of the St. Lawrence Iroquois, Anishinaabe, Haudenosaunee, and the Huron-Wendat tribes.
Haunted Fort
Kingston's Fort Henry is Not Only Haunted in Halloween Season ...
Nils Von Schultz was the leader of a group that attempted to "liberate" Canada from what he viewed as British oppression in the 1830s. After losing the Battle of the Windmill near Prescott, Von Schultz was hanged at Fort Henry -- and, they say, continues to haunt the Fort to this day. At Fort Fright, Fort Henry's haunted walk in Kingston, you can listen to his story. You follow your guide into the depths of the fort and listen to the stories, each is verified by at least two sources - by lantern light.
Each year, part of the Fort is taken over by ghosts, skeletons, and zombie soldiers -- sort of an outdoor haunted house. Visitors can follow a set route through the Fort if they dare. There's also a guided ghost tour available, on which visitors can hear ghost stories from Fort Henry's history, in the actual rooms where the supernatural occurrences took place.
On the haunted walk through Fort Fright, you never know what might pop out at you, or when. It's loud fun and suspenseful. For the haunted walk, each visitor can go at their own pace. The ghost tour, on the other hand, creates a different kind of tension. The guided ghost tour takes about 45 minutes.
Fort Fright is open from 6 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday until Nov. 15. Last entry is at 9:30 p.m. The guided tours run on the half-hour and can be signed up for at the Fort entrance. Entry to Fort Fright costs $7.35, or $14.70 if you'd like to try the guided tour as well.
Fort Henry is located beside the Royal Military College, just east of downtown Kingston. It's well-signed. From Ottawa, take the 416 to the 401, then head westbound until you reach Exit 623, Highway 15. Turn left on 15, and then take a right on Highway 2, and a nearly-immediate left onto Fort Henry Drive.
If you're arriving in time for the sunset, don't forget your camera. The views from Fort Henry over Kingston and Lake Ontario are wonderful. Also, be sure to bring warm clothes. Much of the tour takes place outdoors, and there's a cold breeze up there on the cliffs above the lake. Or maybe that's just a chill in the air from all those unfriendly spirits ...
How to Get There
Sure, you can reach Kingston via the highways 401 from the east or west, or the 416 from the north. If you come from the west, instead of driving the highway you can choose the "Loyalists Parkway" #62 and #33 from Belleville/Prince Edward Island to Kingston. If you have more than one or two days and you are driving from Ottawa, take the slower journey along the Rideau Canal. I drove it a dozen times on small winding roads and visited each of the many locks along the way to the delight of my dock, with whom I walked almost more than I drove. A delightful way to travel, especially in spring and early fall. You can even cruise with your boat or paddle from Ottawa all the way down to Kingston. Sometimes it is more about the journey than the destination ...
About The Rideau Canal
Between 1826 and 1832, an old Indian canoe route along the Rideau and Cataraqui Rivers was transformed at the command of the British government from untamed wilderness rivers and lakes into the 202 km long Rideau Canal Waterway. The purpose of this remarkable engineering achievement was to provide the British army with a safe route for supplying its inland garrisons, avoiding the direct but exposed and dangerous route along the St. Lawrence River.
The canal was designed by Lt. Colonel John By of the British Royal Engineers. It was built, for the most part, by independent contractors under the supervision of Colonel By and his staff. Hundreds of Irish and French Canadian laborers, Scottish stonemasons, and British sappers and miners battled the Canadian wilderness, nineteenth-century working conditions, and malaria to complete this wonder of a canal system in less than six years.
Resources for Your Visit:
https://www.visitkingston.ca/see-do/
https://www.KingstonFoodTours.ca
https://www.tourismkingston.com
https://www.KingstonMuseums.ca
https://www.forthenry.com/
https://hauntedwalk.com/experience/ghosts-of-fort-henry/
https://hauntedwalk.com/
https://altitude36000ft.blogspot.com/2023/04/ygk-airport-in-kingston-on-canada.html
https://www.cityofkingston.ca/explore/culture-history/history/indigenous-people
https://www.destinationontario.com/en-ca/attractions/wolfe-island
https://kingstonflyingclub.com/sightseeing-tours/
https://southeasternontario.ca/listicles/southeastern-ontario-foodie-kingston/
https://www.amadeuscafe.ca/menus
https://www.mesafresca.ca/
https://thesecretgardeninn.com/rooms/
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