Kingston Trolley Tours runs narrated tours of the old town aboard trolley-style vehicles, and it is the easiest way to get your bearings in a city whose sights are spread between the harbour, the lakeshore and the fort. The main product is a hop-on, hop-off tour with stops across downtown, sold as a pass that lasts 24, 48 or 72 hours. It departs from the Visitor Information Centre at 209 Ontario Street, beside the waterfront and City Hall. The same operator runs a one-hour City Trolley Tour of the historic old town and shopping district, a 90-minute evening Ghost and Mystery Trolley Tour that visits neighbourhoods off the beaten path, and a Christmas Light Tour in December. Each tour has its own season, so the product you want depends on when you visit, and tickets are sold through the operator's own reservation page.
What to do
The hop-on, hop-off tour is a guided overview of Kingston's history and attractions, and its value is flexibility. Ride the whole loop once for the commentary, then get off where something catches your eye, whether that is the waterfront, the limestone streets around City Hall or the market square, and board a later trolley when you are ready. The one-hour City Trolley Tour is a continuous ride with no stops, which suits visitors who want the story of the old town and its shopping district without leaving their seat.
The evening Ghost and Mystery tour covers the darker side of Kingston's past from a seat rather than on foot, which many people prefer on a cold night, and the December lights tour is a short family outing.
Seasons and planning
The tours are seasonal and each runs in a different window. The hop-on, hop-off tour operates from about May to October. The ghost and mystery tour runs from about June into early November. The one-hour City Trolley Tour is offered on weekends in March and April and again from mid-October into early November, so it fills the shoulder seasons.
The Christmas Light Tour runs in December. Check the operator's reservation page for the current schedule and for the pass options before you plan around a particular tour, and confirm the meeting point when you book, because the departure point on the visitor pages and the business address differ slightly.
Fitting it in
Allow about an hour for a single loop, and plan a half day if you intend to hop off and explore. The trolley is a good first-morning activity in the warm months because it shows you where everything is before you commit your time. It is also a useful way to reach spots a little outside the compact core without taking a car, and it works on a showery day when you want commentary and a seat.
Tickets can be reserved in advance and are worth securing for July and August. If you are visiting in winter, check whether the City Trolley Tour or the evening tour is running on your dates before you rely on either.
A few practical notes help
Wear layers for changeable lakeside weather, bring a camera for the waterfront and limestone streets, and listen for the commentary on the buildings you will otherwise walk past without noticing. If mobility is a concern, ask the operator about boarding and accessibility when you reserve, since arrangements vary by vehicle. The tours also make a useful rainy-day fallback in the shoulder seasons, as you can see a good deal of the old town while staying dry, and they are an easy way to give older relatives a gentle introduction to the city's history.
What to expect
The experience
A narrated trolley tour of Kingston's old town, either a hop-on, hop-off loop or a one-hour continuous ride, with seasonal evening and holiday tours.
Best time
May to October for the hop-on, hop-off pass, with the City Trolley Tour in the spring and autumn shoulder seasons and a December lights tour.
How long
About an hour for one loop; longer if you hop on and off.
Tips
Board at the Visitor Information Centre on Ontario Street, reserve ahead for July and August and confirm the meeting point when you book.
Quick picks
- Best for
- First-time visitors who want an orientation and commentary on the old town.
- Families
- Children enjoy the ride, and the hop-on, hop-off format lets you stop at the waterfront whenever they need to move.
- Couples
- The evening ghost and mystery tour is an easy way to see Kingston after dark without a long walk.
- Pair with
- Kingston City Hall, the Public Market and the waterfront are all beside the departure point.
- Time needed
- An hour for a single loop, or a half day with stops.
Good questions
What kinds of trolley tour are there?+
The operator runs a hop-on, hop-off tour, a one-hour City Trolley Tour, a 90-minute Ghost and Mystery tour in the evening and a Christmas Light Tour in December.
When does the hop-on, hop-off tour run?+
It operates in the warm months, roughly May to October. Passes last 24, 48 or 72 hours, so check the reservation page for the current options.
Where does the trolley depart?+
The hop-on, hop-off tour departs from the Visitor Information Centre at 209 Ontario Street, beside the waterfront and City Hall. Confirm the meeting point when you book.
Is there a trolley tour in winter?+
The City Trolley Tour runs on weekends in March and April and from mid-October into early November, and the Christmas Light Tour runs in December. The rest of the winter has no trolley service, so check the schedule.
How long do the tours last?+
The City Trolley Tour is about an hour, the Christmas Light Tour about 75 minutes and the Ghost and Mystery tour about 90 minutes. The hop-on, hop-off loop takes as long as you spend at each stop.
