A Complete Guide to Kingston, ON

Kingston has been my home for the past two years. The “Limestone city” is quaint town in south east Ontario, on the shores of lake Ontario. Surrounded on all sides by some truly scenic country, it is a great little weekend escape. I’m leaving Kingston now, moving on to start the next adventure, so I wanted to share what I’ve loved about it in today’s post.

Since two years is a long time to collect all of Kingston’s gems, I’ll save you the trouble of sifting through paragraphs of my rambling and simply list everything I think is worth seeing/doing/eating/instagramming/taking your friends to/going on your own cause you deserve to #treatyoself after a particularly tough Tuesday.

Alright [*insert sound of knuckles cracking*] you ready? Here we go.

What to do

Kingston is one of those relatively quiet towns perfect for a relaxing stay. Still there’s almost always something going on, be it a festival at Skeleton park, a show at the Grand Theatre, a concert at the K-Rock center, just to name a few.

The first thing I’d do when visiting, then, is to check facebook or posting boards in cafes/shops to see what’s going on while you’re in town!

Below is other stuff you can do pretty much year-round.

Shopping

Quirky Gifts

• The Minotaur (they also host game nights)
• Midori Gifts

Books

• Berry and Peterson Book Sellers (used books, chatty knowledgeable staff, one of my favourite book stores in Ontario)
• Novel Idea (new books, definitely go there instead of Chapters!)

Berry & Peterson is easy to miss but that’s a bad idea if you want some good book recommendations and a great selection.

Art

• Martello Alley (a must visit when you’re in Kingston)

Martello Alley is the thing to see for lovely work by local artists! It’s also next to the Delightfully Different Tea room that serves some delicious and unique food.

Music

• Musikii Cafe
• The Mansion
• The Toucan

Activities

• Improbable Escapes and Sherlock Escapes escape rooms
• visit the Penitentiary (there is a wait list so book in advance)
• Fort Henry
• chill on the many patios around town
• hit the market in Springer Market Square in the summer or skate here in the winter

Antique market in Springer Square on Sundays during the summer

Day trips from Kingston

To the south - Thousand Islands for some outdoor adventures, Wolfe Island for the festival

To the north - Bon Echo Provincial Park, Rock Dunder Nature reserve

To the west - Prince Edward County, Sandbanks Provincial Park

Rock Dunder is a great hike only half an hour north of Kingston.

Where to eat

Kingston has the most restaurants per capita in Ontario. I’m not joking when I say my favourite thing to do in Kingston is eat. There is so much variety, from cambodian to german to american dive bar, it’s impossible to get bored going out for a bite (and next to impossible to choose where to eat). In no particular order, here are my favourite places.

Seafood Diane's Fish Shack and Smokehouse

Italian Woodenheads

Tapas Tango Nuevo

Flight of seasonal beers plus my favourite, Ships in the Night Stout, from Stone City Ales.

Beer Kingston Brewing Company, Stone City Ales

The Kingston Brewing Company make a slew of great beers, try the Dunkelnacht!

Beer + Quality Pub Fare The Red Door (a favourite of mine)

Lunch at the Red Door

Burgers and Hotdogs Harper’s Burger Bar (the best greasy spoon)

Coffee & baked goods  Crave, Small Batch Cafe and Eatery

Small Batch’s lavender latte (and pretty much anything they make) is to-die-for. Everything is done in, you guessed it, daily small batches so you know you’re in for some good treats.

It’s called Crave for a reason.

Fancy fare (aka impress a date and destroy your bank account) Le Chien Noir. Chez Piggy

Great patio Lone star, Jack Astors (rooftop!), Chez Piggy

Rooftop patio at Jack Astor’s overlooks the town square! It’s very busy so make reservations if you can.

Pizza Adonis (not downtown but it’s the B E S T pizza in town. I will fight anyone who

says otherwise)

Thai/Cambodian Royal Angkor (another favourite)

Indian Flavours of India

Sushi Sima Sushi (so fresh!), Kame (sushi burritos at lunchtime)

Sima’s got a great lunch deal, so pretty!

German Amadeus cafe (authentic german, huge portions)

Afternoon tea Delightfully Different Tea Room

Eclectic lunch selection at the Delightfully Different Tea Room

Princess Street in Kingston

Breakfast Toast & Jam

Frozen treat Mio Gelato

Mio Gelato has lots of interesting flavours such as the pictured strawberry balsamic and the lemon basil.

Where to stay

Hotels on the waterfront are the go-to, nice rooms with great views. There are also some Airbnb options, both in town and on the outskirts. Or if you’re feeling a bit more rugged, go camping on the outskirts or the Thousand Islands!

I’ve had a great time in Kingston in the moments between all that darned school-related stress. It’s a bittersweet goodbye, made sweeter still by the specialty coffee and baked goods from my favourite places I’m treating myself to before I leave. #noregrets #maybesomeregretscomeseptember

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