The best things to do in Kingston, Ontario

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How on earth do I sum up all the things to do in Kingston, Ontario, in a single post?

The short answer is, I can’t. There’s so much to see and do in the Limestone City—a nickname inspired by its many beautiful stone buildings—that I can really only hit my personal highlights. So if I’ve forgotten your favourites, please forgive me.

With that disclaimer out of the way, let’s delve into what makes this city of about 135,000 people, about two hours southeast of Ottawa, such an appealing weekend getaway destination.

Table of contents

Seven great reasons to visit Kingston, Ontario

Stroll the lakefront

First, it has a stunning location on the shore of Lake Ontario, just where the lake empties into the St. Lawrence River. The waterfront is easy to reach from any point downtown, and there are lots of park benches and paths allowing you to enjoy the view.

Soak up the youthful vibe

Second, Kingston has that indefinable college-town vibe. Every year, about 30,000 students in total attend Queen’s University, St. Lawrence College and the Royal Military College (RMC). They come from all over Canada and abroad, and some of them stay on after graduation, infusing the place with lots of enthusiasm, energy and ideas.

Enjoy some of the many events

Third, Kingston always seems to have something going on. The Leon’s Centre (1 Tragically Hip Way) hosts rock concerts, Kingston Frontenacs hockey games and other arena-sized events.

The Kingston Grand Theatre (218 Princess Street) has two performance spaces—the Regina Rosen Auditorium and the smaller Baby Grand—where it stages professional plays, concerts and more. At Queen’s University, the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts (390 King Street West) presents a similarly wide range of performances. The Kingston Symphony performs at both the Grand and the Isabel.

Theatre buffs can also see plays put on by the community-based Domino Theatre at the Harold Harvey Centre (52 Church Street). And annual festivals include the Kingston Canadian Film Festival (February–March), Kingston Buskers Rendezvous (July), Limestone City Blues Festival (August) and Kingston WritersFest (September–October).

Sign up for an art class

Fourth, Kingston is a great place to get artsy yourself. The Tett Centre for Creativity and Learning (370 King Street West) is a gorgeous waterfront building that hosts workshops, talks, classes and other events. At the Kingston Glass Studio (56 King Street), you can take glass-blowing lessons.

Take a guided tour

Fifth, so many people are eager to give you a guided tour. The choices include the Haunted Walk of Kingston, Kingston Food Tours, Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises, Kingston Trolley Tours and Kingston Bike Tours.

Get outdoors

Sixth, Kingston has lots of options for enjoying the outdoors, including sailing, paddling or fishing on Lake Ontario. If you need equipment, Ahoy Rentals (21 Ontario Street) can set you up with a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard, sailboat or bike; the company also runs sailing charters.

The province-wide Great Lakes Waterfront Trail for walkers and cyclists runs through the city. In Kingston’s west end, you can hike 11 kilometres of trails at Lemoine Point Conservation Area (1441 Coverdale Drive). Just a few minutes north of the 401, Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area (1641 Perth Road, Glenburnie) runs lots of public events, including a maple syrup festival and forest therapy walks.

Starting in Kingston, you can hike the Rideau Trail (which runs all the way to Ottawa) or the K&P Trail (which will take you to Sharbot Lake and beyond). About 40 minutes north of the city, you can pick up the Cataraqui Trail (leading to Smiths Falls or Strathcona) or visit Frontenac Provincial Park (6700 Salmon Lake Road, Sydenham).

Visit historic sites in Kingston

And my final reason for loving the city (at least, in this post): Kingston is like catnip to a history buff like me.

One of the main historic sites in Kingston is Fort Henry (1 Fort Henry Drive), a restored 1830s British fort at the point where the Rideau Canal meets Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Today, you can learn about 19th-century military life from costumed tour guides. The main opening hours are from late May until early September.

You can also check out Kingston’s landmark Martello towers—four sturdy round structures with conical red roofs built in the 1840s to defend the strategic harbour from attack. Two of them now house museums: the Murney Tower Museum (2 King Street West), which focuses on Kingston’s military and civilian history, and the RMC Museum in the Fort Frederick Martello tower (RMC, Highway 2 East).

Kingston was the capital of the United Province of Canada—a union of much of what is now Ontario and Quebec—from 1841 until 1843. One legacy of this period is Kingston’s huge, domed City Hall (216 Ontario Street), designed to reflect the community’s stature as a national capital. Unfortunately, by the time the building was finished, the capital had already moved to Montreal.

However, the Limestone City got the last laugh. When the larger country of Canada was founded in 1867, Kingston politician Sir John A. Macdonald became its first prime minister. One of his many homes, Bellevue House (35 Centre Street), is now a National Historic Site. There, you can learn more about his life and times, which have recently been the subject of much discussion.

Another history-related topic that often sparks debate is the growing field of prison tourism. Some feel that visiting former jails can help us understand the past and improve the future. Others believe such tours glamorize places where inmates suffered. So you may or may not be interested in touring Kingston Penitentiary (560 King Street West), another National Historic Site. Built in 1835, it remained open until 2013. Tours are extremely popular, so check the website (kingstonpentour.com) and book far in advance if you are interested.

Some of the many other Kingston museums that might be of interest are the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes (55 Ontario Street), the PumpHouse Steam Museum (23 Ontario Street) and the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum (2993 Highway 2 East).

 As if that all that weren’t enough to keep you amused for the weekend, Kingston is also a great place to shop and eat.

Kingston shopping

When it comes to independent shops, Kingston really punches above its weight for a city of its size. It’s easy to spend all day meandering along downtown streets, admiring store windows and wandering into boutiques. Here are some of the many retailers worth a look.

It’s easy to breeze right past the narrow entrance to Martello Alley (203B Wellington Street), a small passageway that local gallery owner David Dossett has painted to look like a cobblestoned street in Paris. But don’t walk by—instead, stroll down the alley, which is hung with works for sale by local artists. It leads you to a courtyard painted to look like a French square and the door to Dossett’s gallery, which showcases more pieces by local creators.

Speaking of art, Cornerstone Canadian Art & Craft (255 Ontario Street) has been a downtown Kingston landmark for decades. As the name implies, every item your eye lands on here is Canadian made. You’ll find paintings, glass art, cards, carvings, ceramics, jewellery and more. For a wide selection of contemporary Canadian fine art, you can also visit Studio 22 (320 King Street East, 2nd Floor).

Over the years, I’ve found many lovely gifts for the wee ones in my life at Rocking Horse Toys (193 Princess Street). For board and card games for people of all ages, drop into Minotaur Games and Gifts (78 Princess Street). In between the two, Novel Idea (156 Princess Street) is an excellent indie bookstore that also sells cards, magazines and other paper products.

I love browsing for chocolates, sauces, oils and more at Cooke’s Fine Foods & Coffee (61 Brock Street), housed in a building that has been a food shop since 1865 (yes, the pressed tin ceiling and massive counters are original). And I’ve always had good luck finding fun, well-priced women’s clothes and accessories at Fancy That (48 Princess Street) and The Roundstone (50 Princess Street), and beautiful purses and wallets at nearby Bagot Leather Goods (34 Princess Street).

Truly, these are just a few of the many cool shops to check out downtown. Put on your walking shoes and just set out; you’re certain to find many others.

Markets and restaurants in Kingston, Ontario

One of my favourite restaurants anywhere is Tango Nuevo (331 King Street East). The concept is simple—tapas-sized dishes from around the world—but it’s the execution that makes it work. The dishes are always inventive and packed with flavour (try the spicy sambal shrimp and the patatas bravas), and the portions are big enough to share. On top of the excellent food, Tango Nuevo has just the right combination of dim lighting, just-loud-enough music, stone walls and burnished leather seating to make eating here feel like an event.

Fond as I am of Tango Nuevo, there are lots of other excellent restaurants in Kingston. Olivea (39 Brock Street) makes wonderful Italian food, but my favourite dish there is actually the truffled frites with parmesan.

Kingstonians have been celebrating special occasions at Chez Piggy (68 Princess Street) for years. The setting, in a converted limestone stable, is gorgeous, and the menu ranges from Thai trout salad to mushroom gnocchi and beef tenderloin. The same owners also launched the lovely, sunny Pan Chancho Bakery (44 Princess Street), where you can enjoy a hearty brunch or sandwich, and get fresh breads of all sorts to go.

AquaTerra in the Delta hotel (1 Johnson Street) is a fine-dining spot that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. It regularly holds special events featuring visiting chefs working with AquaTerra’s Brent McAllister.

For pub fare with live (often Celtic) music, a good bet is Tír nan Òg (200 Ontario Street). The Kingston Brewing Company (34 Clarence Street), the province’s oldest brewpub, serves up its own raspberry wheat beer, dark lager and other brews, along with burgers, salads, and fish and chips.

Speaking of Ontario’s oldest things: Kingston is also home to the province’s oldest farmers’ market, dating back to 1801. You can visit the Kingston Public Market in Springer Market Square, behind City Hall, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from April to November. On Sundays from May to October, you can also check out the Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market (303 York Street).

Did you know? The Original Hockey Hall of Fame

Kingston lays claim to the world’s oldest ice hockey rivalry, dating back to a game between students from Queen’s and RMC on the frozen surface of Lake Ontario in 1886.

So perhaps it isn’t surprising that Kingston was the original choice for the Hockey Hall of Fame. The city got the nod in 1943 and locals spent 15 years prepping. However, in 1958, the NHL changed its mind and tipped Toronto as the site instead.

No matter. Kingstonians just kept working on their own competing hall, which opened in 1965. It stayed in that building for almost half a century, then moved in 2013 to a new space on the second floor of the INVISTA Centre Arena (1350 Gardiners Road), with some fundraising help from hometown son Don Cherry. Today, you can visit the cheekily named Original Hockey Hall of Fame for free, although donations are appreciated. Artifacts include a square puck from that 1886 game, jerseys worn by Wayne Gretzky and Rocket Richard, and one of the gold medals from Canada’s 1924 victory at the first-ever Winter Olympic Games.

Side trips from Kingston, Ontario

There are all kinds of great side trips you can take from a base in Kingston. Right downtown, you can hop aboard a ferry to Wolfe Island. Driving west from the city, you can wend your way along the scenic Loyalist Parkway to visit cute villages such as Bath and take a ferry to Amherst Island. And a half-hour drive east of Kingston brings you to the Thousand Islands hub of Gananoque.

If you go: Getting there and accommodations

Kingston is 197 kilometres southwest of Parliament Hill. Take Highway 416 south, then follow Highway 401 west. Seven exits will take you into the city; exit 617 (Division Street) is one of the most useful exits for visitors.

Multiple VIA Rail trains connect Ottawa and Kingston each day.

Kingston is packed with hotels, inns and B&Bs. I’m working on a post about some of my favourite places to stay in the Limestone City—including the Rosemount Inn, the Secret Garden Inn, the Holiday Inn Kingston-Waterfront, the Delta Hotel by Marriott Kingston Waterfront and the Courtyard by Marriott Kingston Highway 401—and I’ll link to it in this post when it’s done. You can also use the map below to find and book accommodation. (Disclosure: If you do book something using the map, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

For more information, pop into the Visit Kingston information centre (209 Ontario Street) or check out the Visit Kingston website.

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.

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.