Free Things to Do in Kingston
Last updated: September 22, 2026
Every item checked against its official source on September 21, 2026.
The short answer: The main free things to do in Kingston, Ontario are the Wolfe Island ferry (free for walk-ons, bikes and cars, all year), the 8 km Waterfront Pathway, Springer Market Square and the public market, a self-guided look inside City Hall, Breakwater Park and its swimming pier, and the Miller Museum of Geology at Queen's. In winter, skating in the square is free. With a Kingston library card you can also borrow free passes to Fort Henry and the PumpHouse. Seasons are in the table.
Everything on this page is actually free. Places that ask for a donation are in their own section, clearly marked, because "by donation" is not the same thing.
Which free things in Kingston are open right now?
This table is the quick version. The sections below have the details.
| Free thing | Where | Season | Allow (our estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfe Island ferry | 295 Ontario St. terminal | Year-round | 20 minutes each way, plus time on the island |
| Waterfront Pathway | King St. W. to Emma Martin Park | Year-round | About 2 hours end to end (trail brochure) |
| Springer Market Square | King St. at Brock St. | Year-round | 30 minutes |
| Kingston Public Market (browsing) | Springer Market Square | Year-round, Tue, Thu, Sat | 30 minutes |
| Memorial Centre Farmers' Market (browsing) | 303 York St. | Year-round, Sundays | 30 minutes |
| City Hall, self-guided | 216 Ontario St. | Year-round, business hours | 30 minutes |
| City Hall, free guided tour | 216 Ontario St. | May to early October (2026: May 19 to Oct 9) | 45 minutes |
| Breakwater Park and Gord Edgar Downie Pier | King St., on the Waterfront Trail | Year-round; swimming in summer, no lifeguard | 1 hour |
| Lake Ontario Park | 920 King St. W. | Year-round; splash pad in summer | 1 to 2 hours |
| City Park | Downtown, west of City Hall | Year-round; splash pad in summer, rink in winter | 1 hour |
| Queen's University campus walk | Around University Ave. | Year-round | 1 hour |
| Miller Museum of Geology | 36 Union St., Queen's | Year-round, Mon to Fri 9 am to 4 pm | 45 minutes |
| Kingston Frontenac Public Library, Central | 130 Johnson St. | Year-round, closed Sundays | As long as you like |
| Library museum passes (Fort Henry, PumpHouse and more) | Borrow through KFPL | Year-round; Fort Henry pass covers its regular season only | A day out |
| Bellevue House, ages 17 and under | 35 Centre St. | May 16 to Oct 14 (2026) | 1 hour |
| Skating in the Square | Springer Market Square | Winter, when the ice is in | 1 hour |
| Movies in the Square | Springer Market Square | Summer Thursday nights | One film |
| Nighttime Santa Parade | Princess St. to Ontario St. | Late November | 2 hours |
Is the Wolfe Island ferry really free?
Yes. The Wolfe Islander III is free for everyone: on foot, on a bike or in a car. It runs all year from the Kingston terminal at 295 Ontario St., at the foot of Barrack St., and the crossing takes about 20 minutes.
A few practical things. Walk-ons wait in the pedestrian area by the ramp and board after the cars, and if the boat is full, pedestrians can be turned away for that crossing. Frontenac County suggests avoiding weekends and weekday rush hours (6:30 to 9:30 am and 3 to 7 pm). Most of the island's shops and food are in Marysville, the village by the dock, and there is no public transit on the island, so a bike is the easy way to see more of it. Check Ontario 511 for ferry status before you head down.
Even if you don't get off, the round trip is a free 40 minutes on the water.
Where can you walk for free in Kingston?
The Waterfront Pathway is the one to know. It is an 8 km path that starts on the south side of King St. across from the Rideau Trailhead and ends at Emma Martin Park. Along the way it passes Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, the old Kingston Penitentiary, Bellevue House, Murney Tower, City Hall and Springer Market Square, the Great Lakes Museum and the Wolfe Island ferry dock. The trail brochure puts it at about 2 hours at an average walking pace. You can do any piece of it.
Parks worth the walk:
- Breakwater Park on King St. has the Gord Edgar Downie Pier, reached by a footbridge, plus sand and pebble beaches and an accessible beach at the pier. There is no lifeguard, so it is swim at your own risk.
- Lake Ontario Park, 920 King St. W., is the City's largest urban waterfront park: a cobble beach (unguarded), sand play areas, a playground, a splash pad and paved walkways to the water.
- City Park, west of City Hall, has playgrounds, a splash pad and an outdoor rink in winter.
City splash pads run daily from 9 am to 9 pm through the summer. Public washrooms in the bigger parks generally run Victoria Day to Thanksgiving.
Queen's University campus is open to the public, and Queen's admissions office publishes a self-guided walking tour you can follow at your own pace. Parking nearby is metered or paid underground at University Ave. and Stuart St., so walking in from downtown is easier.
What free things are there to do downtown?
Springer Market Square and the Kingston Public Market. The square behind City Hall at King and Brock is free to wander any day. The market is there Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays all year: 8:30 am to 5 pm from April to October and 9 am to 5 pm from November to March. The City calls it Ontario's oldest market. Browsing costs nothing.
The Memorial Centre Farmers' Market. Sundays all year at 303 York St., 9 am to 2 pm from May to October and 9 am to 1 pm from November to April. Local vegetables, meat, honey, maple syrup, cheese and bread.
Kingston City Hall. Free, both ways. Guided tours run in the warm months (May 19 to October 9 in 2026), Monday to Friday 1 to 4 pm and Saturday noon to 4 pm, about 45 minutes, up to 20 people. They go into the 1840s jail cells, an old police station and the Victoria Library inside the dome. Outside tour season you can still walk the first and second floors on your own during regular business hours. To book a guided tour, email cityhalltours@cityofkingston.ca or call 613-544-7867.
Martello Alley at 203B Wellington St. is an art gallery and shop with work by Canadian artists. Thrive listing
Which Kingston museums are free?
Miller Museum of Geology at Queen's, in Miller Hall at 36 Union St. There is no admission charge for individuals or groups. Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm. There is no museum parking lot, so use the metered street spots. Thrive listing
Bellevue House, the former home of Sir John A. Macdonald at 35 Centre St., is free for anyone 17 and under, like every Parks Canada site. Adults pay $10. In 2026 it was also free for everyone from June 19 to September 7 under the Canada Strong Pass. The house is open Thursday to Monday until October 14, then closed until May 16.
Agnes Etherington Art Centre at Queen's is free when it is open, but it is closed for its Agnes Reimagined rebuild. Check agnes.queensu.ca for the reopening before you plan around it.
We did not find any regular "free admission day" at Kingston's paid museums. The library passes below are the way to get in free.
How do you get into Fort Henry and the PumpHouse for free?
Borrow a pass from the Kingston Frontenac Public Library. With a KFPL card you reserve passes through the library catalogue and keep them for a week.
- Fort Henry: free admission for up to five people (two adults and three children). It covers the fort's regular daytime season only, not special events.
- PumpHouse Steam Museum: free admission for a group of up to five.
- Museum of Health Care: one person.
- Also on the list: Little Cataraqui Creek and Gould Lake conservation areas, an Ontario Parks day-use vehicle permit, Upper Canada Village, and several Ottawa and Toronto museums.
The Central branch is at 130 Johnson St.: Monday to Thursday 9 am to 8 pm, Friday and Saturday 9 am to 5 pm, closed Sundays. The library itself is free to use, which on a cold or wet day counts.
What is free to do in Kingston in winter?
Skating in Springer Market Square is free, and when the rink is in season it is open daily from 8 am to 10 pm. The City posts a live outdoor rink status map, so check that before you bring skates. City Park also has an outdoor rink.
The rest of the winter list: the Wolfe Island ferry, both markets, City Hall self-guided, the Miller Museum on weekdays, the library and its passes, and the Nighttime Santa Parade in late November. It runs down Princess Street to Ontario Street at 5 pm and ends with the tree lighting in Springer Market Square. (The 2025 parade was on Saturday, November 22.) Downtown Kingston announces each year's date.
What is free in Kingston in summer?
Everything above, plus the splash pads, swimming at Breakwater Park, guided City Hall tours, and Movies in the Square: free films on a big inflatable screen in Springer Market Square on Thursday nights through June, July and August. On summer Sundays an Indigenous Market takes over the square.
Which places are by donation, not free?
These ask you to pay what you can. That is not the same as free, so they are listed separately.
- Canada's Penitentiary Museum, 555 King St. W.: admission by donation. Open daily 9 am to 4 pm until October 30, 2026 (season starts in May).
- Murney Tower Museum, 2 King St. W.: donation, with a suggested $5 a person. Open daily in summer; closed for the 2026 season now, with off-season tours on a week's notice.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do in Kingston, Ontario for free?
Ride the Wolfe Island ferry, walk the 8 km Waterfront Pathway, browse the public market in Springer Market Square, look around City Hall, swim or picnic at Breakwater Park, and visit the Miller Museum of Geology at Queen's. Library cardholders can borrow free passes to Fort Henry and the PumpHouse.
Is the Wolfe Island ferry free?
Yes, for everyone on foot, on a bike or in a car, all year. The crossing takes about 20 minutes.
Are there free museums in Kingston?
Yes. The Miller Museum of Geology at Queen's charges no admission. Bellevue House is free for anyone 17 and under. The Agnes Etherington Art Centre is free when open but is closed for a rebuild.
What is free to do in Kingston in winter?
Free skating in Springer Market Square when the rink is open, the Wolfe Island ferry, the markets, City Hall self-guided, the library and its museum passes, and the Nighttime Santa Parade in late November.
Is City Hall in Kingston free to visit?
Yes. Guided tours are free in the warm months, and you can walk the first and second floors on your own during regular business hours all year.
Want the paid attractions too, with 2026 prices? See Things to Do in Kingston, Ontario. For food nearby, browse Kingston cafes and Kingston restaurants. Thinking of moving here? Read Living in Kingston, Ontario.
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