Things to Do in Kingston, Ontario
Last updated: September 22, 2026
Prices, hours and seasons checked September 21, 2026.
The short answer: Kingston's big draws are Fort Henry, guided tours of the old Kingston Penitentiary, 1000 Islands cruises from the downtown waterfront, and the free 20-minute ferry to Wolfe Island. Most paid attractions run spring to fall, and several close in October, so the table below shows 2026 prices, what is open this fall and winter, and how long each one takes. Free things, ideas for kids, and what's on in Kingston this weekend are further down.
What are the top things to do in Kingston?
One day? Walk the downtown waterfront, take a cruise or the Wolfe Island ferry, and book Fort Henry or a Pen tour. The longer list:
Fort Henry National Historic Site. Run by the St. Lawrence Parks Commission, at 1 Fort Henry Dr. Summer admission in 2026 was $20 for adults (25 to 64), $13 for students 13 to 17, $11 for ages 5 to 12, free under 5, or $60 for a family of two adults and three kids. The daytime program ended for the year on September 27. In October the fort runs Fort Fright, a haunted evening event (details below). Drawback: outside summer and October, check before you drive up.
Kingston Penitentiary tours. Guided tours inside the former Kingston Penitentiary, 560 King St. W. Three tours in 2026, all prices including fees and HST: Express, 45 minutes, $27.13; Standard, 1.5 hours, $42.13; Extended, 2.5 hours with stairs, $81.13. Kingston residents and local post-secondary students get 20% off with ID. Tours run daily until October 31, 2026, then close for the season. Parking on site is free. The subject matter is aimed at adults, and the operator advises parental discretion.
Canada's Penitentiary Museum. Across the road at 555 King St. W. Admission is by donation. Open daily 9 am to 4 pm until October 30, 2026.
Bellevue House National Historic Site. The former home of Sir John A. Macdonald, run by Parks Canada, at 35 Centre St. Adults $10, seniors $8.50, 17 and under free. Open Thursday to Monday, 10 am to 4 pm, until October 14, 2026, then closed until May 16.
Kingston City Hall. The domed building at 216 Ontario St., facing the water. Free guided tours (about 45 minutes, including the 1840s jail cells) ran May 19 to October 9 in 2026. You can still do a free self-guided look at the first and second floors during regular business hours.
Springer Market Square and the Kingston Public Market. The square behind City Hall at King and Brock. The market runs Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays all year: 8:30 am to 5 pm from April to October, 9 am to 5 pm from November to March. The City calls it Ontario's oldest market. In winter the square becomes a free outdoor rink.
PumpHouse Steam Museum. The City's steam museum at 23 Ontario St. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, for the rest of 2026. The museum posts its admission prices as an image, so check current rates at kingstonpumphouse.ca. Kingston library cardholders can borrow a free pass for up to five people.
Great Lakes Museum. Marine history on the waterfront at 55 Ontario St. Adults $11, seniors and ages 5 to 16 $6, 4 and under free. Open daily 9:30 am to 6 pm until November 15, then Thursday to Monday 10 am to 5 pm. Guided tours of the S.S. Keewatin ship run May to November only.
Kingston Trolley Tours. The red trolley that leaves from 209 Ontario St., in front of the Visitor Information Centre. The one-hour City Tour is $40.50 for adults and $32.50 for ages 2 to 15, plus HST, with departures at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm from October 13 to November 1. The Hop On Hop Off loop ended for 2026 on October 12. A Christmas Light Tour ($38 adults, $19 kids, plus HST) runs in December; dates are posted on kingstontrolley.ca.
Martello Alley. An art gallery and shop at 203B Wellington St. selling local art, handmade gifts and souvenirs by Canadian artists. Thrive listing
Kingston Frontenacs hockey. Ontario Hockey League games at Slush Puppie Place downtown. October 2026 home dates are October 2, 4, 16, 23 and 30. Tickets are on the team site.
What's open in Kingston this fall and winter, and what does it cost?
Prices are 2026 rates from each attraction's own site. "Allow" is our estimate of time on site, except where the operator publishes a tour length.
| Attraction | Type | 2026 price (adult) | October 2026 | November to April | Allow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Henry (day program) | History | $20 | Closed after Sept 27 | Closed for day visits | 2 to 3 hours |
| Fort Henry: Fort Fright | Evening event | $25 (Oct 2 to 11), $30 (Oct 16 to 31), plus HST | Evenings Oct 2 to 31 | No | 1 to 1.5 hours (operator) |
| Kingston Pen tours | History | $27.13 to $81.13, HST in | Daily to Oct 31 | Closed | 45 min to 2.5 hours (operator) |
| Canada's Penitentiary Museum | History | By donation | Daily to Oct 30 | Closed | 45 minutes |
| Bellevue House | History | $10 (17 and under free) | Thu to Mon to Oct 14 | Closed to May 16 | 1 hour |
| City Hall | History | Free | Self-guided only after Oct 9 | Self-guided, business hours | 30 to 45 minutes |
| Kingston Public Market | Market | Free to browse | Tue, Thu, Sat | Tue, Thu, Sat, 9 am to 5 pm | 30 minutes |
| PumpHouse Steam Museum | Museum | Check current rates | Tue to Sat | Tue to Sat | 1 hour |
| Great Lakes Museum | Museum | $11 | Daily | Thu to Mon from Nov 16 | 1 to 1.5 hours |
| Heart of the Islands cruise | On the water | $59.50 plus HST and fuel surcharge | To Nov 1 | No sailings | 3 hours (operator) |
| Discovery cruise | On the water | $39.50 plus HST and fuel surcharge | 4 pm sailing to Nov 1 | No sailings | 1 hour (operator) |
| Wolfe Island ferry | On the water | Free | Year-round | Year-round | 20 minutes each way |
| Trolley City Tour | Tour | $40.50 plus HST | 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm to Nov 1 | Christmas Light Tour in Dec | 1 hour (operator) |
| Springer Market Square rink | Winter | Free | No | When in season, 8 am to 10 pm | 1 hour |
| Frontenacs home game | Sport | See team site | 5 home dates | Through the winter | 2.5 hours |
What can you do on the water in Kingston?
The two main options are a 1000 Islands cruise from the downtown wharf and the free Wolfe Island ferry.
Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises sails from Crawford Wharf at 1 Brock St., beside the ticket office at 248 Ontario St. The 2026 fall schedule runs to November 1.
- Discovery Cruise: 1 hour along the Kingston waterfront past Fort Henry, Garden Island, Royal Military College and Kingston Penitentiary. Adults $39.50, ages 2 to 15 $29.50. One 4 pm sailing from October 13.
- Heart of the Islands: 3 hours out into the islands. Adults $59.50, ages 2 to 15 $47.50.
- All fares are plus HST and a fuel surcharge of $1.75 to $2.75 a person. Tickets are non-refundable; you can reschedule up to 24 hours ahead. There is no parking at the dock; the operator points people to the Hanson Memorial Garage at 105 Brock St.
The Wolfe Island ferry (the Wolfe Islander III) is free for walk-ons, bikes and cars, runs all year, and crosses in about 20 minutes. It leaves from the Kingston terminal at 295 Ontario St., at the foot of Barrack St. On foot you board after the cars, and walk-ons can be turned away if the boat is full, so avoid weekday rush hours (6:30 to 9:30 am, 3 to 7 pm) and summer weekends if you can. Most of the island's shops and places to eat are in the village of Marysville, near the dock. There is no public transit on the island. Check the ferry status on Ontario 511 before you go.
Swimming and the shoreline. Breakwater Park on King St. has the Gord Edgar Downie Pier, sand and pebble beaches, and an accessible beach at the pier. There are no lifeguards, so you swim at your own risk. Lake Ontario Park (920 King St. W.) has a cobble beach, also unguarded.
- Confederation ParkKingston, ON K7L 2Z1, Canada
- Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises1 Brock Street, Kingston, ON
- Kingston Trolley Tours248 Ontario Street, Kingston, ON K7L 5P7(613) 549-5544
- Martello Alley203 B Wellington Street, Kingston, ON K7K 2Y6(613) 767-2966
- The Miller Museum Of Geology36 Union Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2N8(613) 533-6767
What free things are there to do in Kingston?
The short list: the Wolfe Island ferry, the 8 km Waterfront Pathway, Springer Market Square and the public market, a self-guided look through City Hall, Breakwater Park, the Miller Museum of Geology at Queen's, and free skating in the square in winter. Kingston library cardholders can also borrow free passes to Fort Henry and the PumpHouse.
We keep a full list, with seasons, in Free Things to Do in Kingston.
What can you do in Kingston with kids?
In fall and winter, the reliable picks are the PumpHouse (steam engines, open Tuesday to Saturday), the Great Lakes Museum, a Discovery cruise before November 1, the free ferry ride to Wolfe Island, a Frontenacs game, and skating in Springer Market Square once the rink opens.
A few things to know:
- Bellevue House and all Parks Canada sites are free for anyone 17 and under.
- Fort Henry charges $11 for ages 5 to 12 in summer and is free under 5. Fort Fright is a different story: Fort Henry says it is not recommended for children, under-13s need an adult, and one part is 16 and up. A $5 "Scare Shield" add-on lets a guest opt out of direct scares.
- The Kingston Pen tours are built for a mature audience. Use your judgement for younger kids.
- In summer, Lake Ontario Park has a splash pad and playground, and City splash pads run daily 9 am to 9 pm.
- Cataraqui Golf and Country Club32 Country Club Drive, Kingston, ON K7M 0K1(613) 546-1753
- Kingston Frontenacs1 The Tragically Hip Way, Kingston, ON K7K 0B4(613) 542-4042
Where can you eat and get coffee near the attractions?
Most of the list above sits within a few blocks of Ontario, Brock and Princess streets downtown, so food is rarely far away. Browse Kingston cafes and Kingston restaurants, or see every Kingston business on the Kingston hub.
- CRAVE Coffee House & Bakery166 Princess Street, Kingston, ON K7L 1B1(613) 766-7766
- Juniper Cafe, King St370 King Street West, Unit 118, Kingston, ON K7L 2X4(613) 344-1736
- NORTHSIDE espresso + kitchen198 Princess Street, Kingston, ON K7L 1B2
- Tea Room45 Union Street West, Kingston, ON K7L 2N8(613) 533-6008
- The Elm Cafe303 Montreal Street, Kingston, ON K7K 3G9(613) 767-8999
How do you get to Kingston?
Kingston sits on Highway 401 roughly halfway between Toronto and Montreal. Visit Kingston puts the drive at about 2 hours from Ottawa (196 km), about 3 hours from Toronto (274 km) and about 3 hours from Montreal (274 km).
- By car: for downtown and the waterfront, take Highway 401 exit 615 (Sir John A. Macdonald Blvd.), go south about 6 km, then turn left on King St. W., which becomes King St. E. downtown.
- By train: VIA Rail stops at 1800 John Counter Blvd. (401 exit 613), about 15 minutes from downtown. Kingston Transit Route 18 links the train station, the bus terminal and downtown, seven days a week.
- By bus: Megabus, FlixBus and Red Arrow all serve Kingston.
- By air: Air Canada runs a Landline coach connection from Toronto Pearson to Kingston's airport (YGK).
- From the US: the nearest crossing is the Thousand Islands Bridge at the Lansdowne port of entry, about 51 km east on the 401. You need a passport or other approved travel document to enter Canada. Syracuse is about 3 hours away.
Coming from Gananoque instead? See Things to Do in Gananoque. Thinking about staying longer than a weekend? Read Living in Kingston, Ontario.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kingston, Ontario worth visiting?
Yes, for a day or a weekend. Between May and October you can fit in Fort Henry, a Pen tour, a cruise and the Wolfe Island ferry. From November to April most of the big paid attractions are closed, so a winter trip is more about the museums that stay open, the market, a hockey game and skating downtown.
What is there to do in Kingston in October?
Fort Fright at Fort Henry runs evenings from October 2 to 31, 2026. Kingston Pen tours run daily until October 31, and cruises and the trolley City Tour sail and roll until November 1. Bellevue House is open Thursday to Monday until October 14. The Frontenacs have five home games in October.
What is there to do in Kingston in winter?
The PumpHouse (Tuesday to Saturday), the Great Lakes Museum (Thursday to Monday), the public market three days a week, the Sunday farmers' market at the Memorial Centre, free skating in Springer Market Square when the rink is open, Frontenacs home games and shows at the Grand Theatre. The trolley's Christmas Light Tour runs in December.
Is the Wolfe Island ferry free?
Yes. It is free for passengers on foot, on bikes and in cars, runs all year, and takes about 20 minutes each way. Walk-ons board after the cars and can be turned away when the boat is full.
How much time do you need in Kingston?
One full day covers the downtown waterfront, one paid attraction and a cruise or the ferry. Two days lets you add Fort Henry, a Pen tour and Wolfe Island without rushing.
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