Kingston (Ontario)

Kingston is one of the most historic cities in Canada with many churches, old buildings, picturesque neighbourhoods, and 19th-century fortifications. The city provides venues for nightlife such as clubbing and pubbing, and provides weekend escapes for people living in the neighbouring cities of Ottawa, Montreal and Toronto. There are ample historic sites and museums to visit, and many lively summer events.

Understand
Kingston is a city of 133,000 people (2021) in Eastern Ontario. It is on the north shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence, halfway between Montréal and Toronto.

Kingston is the home of two universities (Queen's University and Royal Military College) and one community college (St. Lawrence College). Along with tourism, these educational institutes and the students they attract provide much to the city's local economy. Kingston is also the home to a number of prisons.

Kingston is nicknamed the "Limestone City" because of the many heritage buildings constructed using local limestone.

History
The group that first occupied the area before the arrival of the French was probably the Wyandot people (Hurons), who were later displaced by Iroquoian groups.

At the time the French arrived in the Kingston area, Five Nations Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) had settled along the north shore of Lake Ontario. Although the area around the south end of the Cataraqui River was often visited by Iroquois and other groups, Iroquois settlement at this location only began after the French established their outpost. By 1700, the north shore Iroquois had moved south, and the area once occupied by the Iroquois (which includes Kingston) became occupied by the Mississaugas who had moved south from the Lake Huron and Lake Simcoe regions.

Growing European exploration in the 17th century and the desire for the Europeans to establish a presence close to local Aboriginal occupants to control trade led to the founding of a French trading post and military fort at a site known as "Cataraqui" (generally pronounced "kah-tah-ROCK-way") in 1673. This outpost, called Fort Cataraqui, and later Fort Frontenac, became a focus for settlement. Cataraqui was renamed Kingston after the British took possession of the fort and Loyalists began settling the region in the 1780s.

In 1783, the British governor of the Province of Quebec established a settlement for displaced British colonists, or "Loyalists", who were fleeing north because of the American Revolutionary War. The British Crown entered into an agreement with the Mississaugas in October 1783 to purchase land east of the Bay of Quinte.

During the War of 1812, Kingston (with a population of 2250) was a major military centre. It was the base for the Lake Ontario division of the Great Lakes British naval fleet, whose aim was to control Lake Ontario. Fort Henry was built on Point Henry in 1813. The present limestone citadel, constructed between 1832 and 1836, was intended to defend the Rideau Canal at the Lake Ontario end, the harbour and the naval dockyard.

Kingston became an important port for commodities shipped along the lake from the west. Wheat, flour, meat, and potash were unloaded and stored at Kingston to await transfer to vessels that could navigate the risky St. Lawrence.

Queen's University, originally Queen's College, one of the first liberal arts universities, first held classes in March 1842; established by the Presbyterian Church, it later became a national institution. The Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) was founded in 1876.

Kingston Penitentiary, Canada's first large federal penitentiary, was established in 1835 and operated until 2013. Several more prisons were established later in the greater Kingston area.

Kingston was chosen as the first capital of the united Canadas and it served in that role from 1841 to 1844. The city was considered too small and lacking in amenities, however, and its location near the border made it vulnerable to American attack. Kingston's growth then slowed considerably and its national importance declined.

Get in
Kingston is fully accessible by road, air and water. There are no scheduled connections by bus, train or air to any point on the US side from Kingston, despite its proximity (50 km) to Interstate 81. However, ferry by car from the United States is possible by taking Horne's Ferry (May–October) from Cape Vincent, New York state to Wolfe Island (Ontario). By driving the short distance across Wolfe Island, you can get to downtown Kingston via the free Wolfe Island Ferry.

By car
Driving into the Kingston area is usually done on Highway 401, although this highway does not go downtown.

Times from major cities are:
 * Ottawa, 2 hours to the northeast via Ontario Highway 416 to 401 exit 721, or via Hwy 7 and Hwy 15 for a more direct route.
 * Montreal, 3 hours to the east on Ontario Highway 401 (Québec Autoroute 20)
 * Toronto, 3 hours to the west on Highway 401
 * Syracuse, 2½ hours to the south on Interstate 81

The 401 is easily reachable from Interstate 81 (Watertown, Syracuse, Binghamton) at exit 661.

Kingston may be reached in an hour or less from:
 * Napanee and Belleville to the west on former Highway 2 or the 401
 * Prince Edward County to the southwest on Highway 33 (the Loyalist Parkway)
 * Smiths Falls to the northeast on Highway 15
 * Sharbot Lake and the southern branch of the Trans-Canada Highway via former Highway 38
 * The Thousand Islands. A year-round ferry to Wolfe Island and a group of seasonal tour boats leave directly from downtown Kingston.
 * Gananoque, Leeds and the 1000 Islands, Brockville to the east on former Highway 2 or the 401

By carpool
The Poparide carpool service facilitates share a ride with another driver going the same way. It is often cheaper than taking the train or bus, but one gets to travel in a private vehicle, which is often more comfortable. There are usually plenty of rides from Toronto or Ottawa, often used by Queen's University students. Rides from Toronto range from $30-40, from Ottawa range from $25-35.

By bus

 * Megabus Service from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Cornwall, and Brockville. Also a daily bus from Pearson International Airport. This carrier services . Travellers can get downtown by taxi, or by local transit (a taxi and bus stand can be found on the bus station property, across from the Tim Horton's). By bus, the #2 Division Street travels to the downtown core every half-hour (every hour evenings and weekends); the routes serving the train station (#7, #16, #18) also all stop at the bus station. Travel time to Kingston from Toronto is 2.5-3 hours and from Montreal is 3-3.25 hours.
 * Rider Express is another service in competition to Megabus. It runs a Toronto-Belleville-Kingston-Ottawa route, often at prices lower than Megabus. (Toronto-Kingston is usually $40, as opposed to Megabus's $70). However, it runs fewer services compared to Megabus. It also drops passengers off at a gas station, which is an unpleasant 20-minute walk to the Kingston Bus Terminal where one can connect to Kingston Transit services. However, if you're lucky with the schedules, you might be able to catch the #7 bus to get you to the Bus Terminal for further connections. Travel time to Kingston from Toronto is 3 hours and from Ottawa is 2 hours.

By train

 * The following routes serve Kingston:
 * Between Montreal and Toronto including stops in Dorval, Cornwall, Brockville, Kingston, Belleville, Cobourg, and Oshawa. Travel time to Kingston from Montreal is 2.5-2.75 hours and from Toronto is 2.25-2.5 hours. Operates multiple times daily.
 * Between Ottawa and Toronto including stops in Smiths Falls, Brockville, Gananoque, Kingston, Napanee, Bellevile, Trenton, Cobourg, Port Hope, and Oshawa. Operates daily.Travel time to Kingston from Ottawa is 2-2.25 hours and from Toronto is 2.25-2.5 hours. Operates multiple times daily.
 * Between Ottawa and Toronto including stops in Smiths Falls, Brockville, Gananoque, Kingston, Napanee, Bellevile, Trenton, Cobourg, Port Hope, and Oshawa. Operates daily.Travel time to Kingston from Ottawa is 2-2.25 hours and from Toronto is 2.25-2.5 hours. Operates multiple times daily.

Other airports
The closest major international airports are all two to three hours distant by road:
 * Ottawa Uplands (, 175 km/110 mi) is closest by road.
 * Montréal-Dorval (, 275 km) has both an easy shuttlebus connection to VIA's passenger rail service (which runs Montréal-Kingston-Toronto) and connecting flights which reach Kingston (on Pascan Aviation).
 * Toronto Pearson International Airport (, 275 km) has direct scheduled bus (Megabus), or can be reached by transferring from downtown Toronto's Union Station Bus Terminal to the UP Express train. It has the largest selection of flights.
 * Syracuse NY USA (, 215 km/130 mi) has a seven-seat shuttle van (+1-800-731-6335), but at more than $200 (one way) its cost wipes out anything US travellers might have saved by flying domestic. Tiny Watertown International Airport, while closer, has the same cross-border transportation issues.

By boat
The Rideau Canal goes from Kingston to Ottawa. Quite a few people travel it in pleasure craft. Kingston is also the starting point of the St Lawrence River and the eastern endpoint of the Great Lakes, a strategic position which has afforded it a key military vocation since 1673.

Kingston has a number of marinas to accommodate boaters in boats of all sizes. These include

Get around
The most interesting area in Kingston for out-of-town visitors is near the downtown core of the city, which includes Queen's University and the waterfront. As such, the best areas of the city are better seen on foot or by bicycle.

By taxi
Taxi fares from the bus and train stations are approximately $10-15 depending on the number of passengers per car and luggage stowage. All cabs are licensed and metered.



By rental
It is also possible to rent bicycles and sailboats in Kingston. (Additional providers are in Gananoque and the Thousand Islands.)



Various dive charters run from Kingston (or its suburbs) into the islands:



Do

 * A K-Pass (issued for 1, 2 or 3 days, $78-162/adult, $48-120/child) bundles one of the Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises with Kingston Trolley Tours, Fort Henry, Bellevue House, the Pump House Steam Museum and Marine Museum of the Great Lakes, Murney Tower, the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum, a three-hour bicycle rental from Ahoy Rentals and admission to Morrisburg's Upper Canada Village.
 * Additional tour options for the Thousand Islands are available in Gananoque (about 32 km east of Kingston). Visitors looking primarily to tour Boldt Castle (which is near Wellesley Island and Alexandria Bay on the US side) may be best served by tours departing from that area. There is also a river tour in Brockville.
 * Skating (in winter): operating dates are dependent on the weather.
 * Water sports
 * Kingston is considered to have some of the best freshwater sailing in the world, and hosted the sailing events for the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
 * Wind-surfing and kite-boarding are also popular.
 * Scuba diving: Kingston has among the most and best fresh water wrecks in the world.
 * Skating (in winter): operating dates are dependent on the weather.
 * Water sports
 * Kingston is considered to have some of the best freshwater sailing in the world, and hosted the sailing events for the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
 * Wind-surfing and kite-boarding are also popular.
 * Scuba diving: Kingston has among the most and best fresh water wrecks in the world.
 * Water sports
 * Kingston is considered to have some of the best freshwater sailing in the world, and hosted the sailing events for the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
 * Wind-surfing and kite-boarding are also popular.
 * Scuba diving: Kingston has among the most and best fresh water wrecks in the world.



Outside the city

 * Pick your own strawberries (usually around the Canada Day (July 1) weekend) and apples (late summer/fall) in season in Adolphustown and Prince Edward County, less than an hour to the west.
 * Pick your own strawberries (usually around the Canada Day (July 1) weekend) and apples (late summer/fall) in season in Adolphustown and Prince Edward County, less than an hour to the west.
 * Pick your own strawberries (usually around the Canada Day (July 1) weekend) and apples (late summer/fall) in season in Adolphustown and Prince Edward County, less than an hour to the west.
 * Pick your own strawberries (usually around the Canada Day (July 1) weekend) and apples (late summer/fall) in season in Adolphustown and Prince Edward County, less than an hour to the west.
 * Pick your own strawberries (usually around the Canada Day (July 1) weekend) and apples (late summer/fall) in season in Adolphustown and Prince Edward County, less than an hour to the west.
 * Pick your own strawberries (usually around the Canada Day (July 1) weekend) and apples (late summer/fall) in season in Adolphustown and Prince Edward County, less than an hour to the west.

Events
The city hosts events in summer and fall:



Eat
Kingston has among the most restaurants per capita of any city in Canada, with restaurants to fit anyone's budget.

Alcohol
There is a relatively healthy pub scene in Kingston with many high quality establishments. Many bars and pubs cater to Kingston's strong university & college student population. All pubs in Kingston are non-smoking.

Sleep
Kingston is separated from Barriefield (Fort Henry, military base and Royal Military College) by the Cataraqui River, part of the Rideau Canal system. Most of the popular Kingston attractions, including the downtown core, are west of the bridge; most travellers, therefore, seek lodgings in or west of downtown.

There are also some franchise chains (food, fuel, lodging) near the freeway (401 exit 617, Division St.) which serve highway travellers; if it's near the 401, it's not near the main attractions (museums, universities, the downtown waterfront, tour boats, ferries or points of historic interest) as 401 is a bypass road.

Downtown
The area near the downtown waterfront is the most favourable location (as many but not all activities are within walking distance) but also the most expensive. Accommodations range from large chain hotels with full facilities to smaller historic properties, to a niche market of small but upscale bed-and-breakfast style inns. There is plenty of good accommodation to be had in the downtown and waterfront area if one is willing to pay top dollar.

Princess Street
Princess Street is Kingston's main street, and outside of the downtown core, the majority of non-freeway-exit lodging is on Princess Street.

West End
Kingston's train station is at the northwestern edge of the city far from the centre (the tracks were the pre-1998 town line); a few hotels serve this area:

West of Sydenham Road, the selection is dominated by low-priced (or at least under $100) suburban motels on the old Highway 2 (now Princess Street), with many small independent operators. Most small, independent roadside motels in this area pre-date the freeway and the economy limited-service hotel chains, but the majority are reasonably-well maintained (with a few unfortunate exceptions) at moderate prices.



There are no hotels, motels or other services around the airport.

Near Highway 401
As with many freeway exits, there are several hotels and motels that serve motorists looking for somewhere to stay the night, but are also good choices should you not mind commuting into the city, as these are cheaper but can offer just as good amenities as the downtown hotels.

Gardiners Road Exit

 * There are two limited-service hotels (a Motel 6 and a Quality Inn) near the factory park on exit 611, Hwy 38/Gardiners Road.

Division Street Exit

 * A few moderately-priced chains (Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn Express, Days Inn, Comfort Inn, FirstCanada Inns) sit among the fast-food emporiums, highway services and outlet stores at Division & 401 (exit 617). These primarily serve motorway traffic.

Highway 15 Exit

 * There is a pair of independent motels on exit 623 (Highway 15).

University & college summer accomodations
It is possible to rent short-term residence/dormitory accommodation at Queen's University and St. Lawrence College during the summer (usually from May to August); these are unavailable during the main fall/winter academic term as the students return. The university may be able to provide conference facilities for large groups.

East End
As most of the attractions (except for Old Fort Henry and the military base) are on the west side of the Cataraqui River, the east end has relatively little to offer in travel accommodation. There are a few low-end motels on old Highway 2 near the base and a couple of independent motels at the Hwy 15/401 crossroads.

There are additional options across the county line into Gananoque, a population-5500 town where properties ranging from small B&Bs to hotel/motel chains serve visitors to the Thousand Islands region. Leeds and the Thousand Islands has a number of campgrounds available during the warmer months.

For those cruising on small craft, sleeping on a boat docked at one of the 1000 Islands National Park islands may also be an option.

Connect

 * Wi-fi and public access computers are available at all Kingston Frontenac Public Library branches. The hotspots are shut down when the library branch is closed. The Central branch (130 Johnson St, +1 613-549-8888) is open six days a week, as are suburban branches in Calvin Park (88 Wright Cres) and Bayridge (935 Gardiners Road, near the mall). West of the city, there's a county library branch in the recreation centre in Amherstview (322 Amherst Drive, ).
 * Open Wi-fi is available throughout the Cataraqui mall (945 Gardiners Road) in the west end. Coffee shops and fast-food chains (Tim Horton's, Wendy's, Harvey's, McDonald's) operate Wi-Fi hotspots in many locations.
 * Postal service is available from the main post office (120 Clarence St, downtown) until 4:30PM weekdays. Some drugstores operate retail postal outlets with extended hours. The UPS Store (427 Princess St downtown, 829 Norwest Road in the west end) provides commercial parcel receiving services and photocopies.
 * The four main domestic mobile telephone companies (Bell, Telus, Rogers, Freedom Mobile) are readily available. Kingston is not close enough to the border to directly receive US-domestic cellular signals (Sprint, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile) as it's separated from the US mainland by Wolfe Island.

Go next

 * Rideau Canal - Canada's historic scenic waterway, that connects Kingston to Ottawa through Smiths Falls, passing through peaceful lakes and villages of Eastern Ontario.
 * Gananoque and Leeds and the 1000 Islands - the Ontario side of the Thousand Islands region along the Canada-US border. Gananoque serves as a gateway and for the island group, with shopping and services close to Highway 401 and the Thousand Islands Parkway. Marinas and boat tour operators are found in town on the St. Lawrence River. Leeds and the 1000 Islands is the rural area that surrounds Gananoque, home to Thousand Islands National Park.
 * Napanee - the next town heading west toward Belleville. Home to small museums celebrating focused on local history. Depending on the season, the countryside offers fresh produce, wines, and cider.
 * Battersea and Verona - part of the cottage country north of Kingston. Outdoor enthusiasts can launch a boat or canoe into dozens of lakes, camp and explore Frontenac Provincial Park, or rent a cottage for a quieter retreat.
 * Prince Edward County - a rural area on a peninsula almost entirely surrounded by the Bay of Quinte and Lake Ontario. Farms, wineries, cider mills and artisanal local food producers complement a growing restaurant scene throughout the county. Sandbanks Provincial Park is a popular boating, birding, camping and swimming destination - some swimmers claim it to be the best white-sand beach in Canada.