Three days is the sweet spot for Kingston and the 1000 Islands. It is enough to see the old town properly, spend a full day on the river and still have a flexible day for the sights that depend on the season or the weather. This plan is built around the warm months, roughly May to October, and it notes what to swap if you visit in winter, when several of the biggest sights are closed.
Day one: the old town on foot
Start at Kingston City Hall, a limestone landmark on the waterfront, and take the free guided tour in season or the self-guided floors out of season. Cross to Springer Market Square, which hosts the Kingston Public Market on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and buy picnic food or coffee. Walk the waterfront, then spend the afternoon at the Agnes Etherington Art Centre on the Queen's campus, which is free and open in every season. If you want an overview first, ride the Kingston Trolley Tours hop-on, hop-off loop in season. Finish with dinner downtown and the evening ghost walk, which runs through much of the year.
Day two: Gananoque and the islands
Drive east to Gananoque, about 30 minutes from Kingston, and take the three-hour 1000 Islands cruise past island cottages, Millionaires Row and Boldt Castle. Have lunch on the riverfront and explore the town, then continue to the 1000 Islands Tower on Hill Island if you have the energy and the weather is clear, where an elevator lifts you to observation decks with a view over the whole archipelago. In summer, finish with a show at the Thousand Islands Playhouse, a riverside theatre in a former canoe club. If you want to land at Boldt Castle on a stopover cruise, carry a passport or NEXUS card for every traveller, since the castle is on United States soil.
Day three: choose your own adventure
The third day depends on your interests and on the season. History readers should head to Fort Henry, with its costumed garrison demonstrations and ramparts, and add Bellevue House, the Italianate villa where Sir John A. Macdonald once lived, both of which are open in the warmer months. Families and cyclists can take the free Wolfe Island ferry from downtown and spend the day exploring the island's quiet roads, beaches and the village of Marysville. Heritage fans can drive to Kingston Mills, a flight of historic Rideau Canal locks with a blockhouse and picnic tables, about seven kilometres north of downtown, and combine it with a lakeshore ride. Canada's Penitentiary Museum, also seasonal, suits a wet afternoon.
If you visit in winter
From late autumn to spring, Fort Henry, Bellevue House, Boldt Castle and the Penitentiary Museum are closed, and cruises are not running. Swap day two for a long morning at the Public Market and the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, then follow it with the self-guided floors at City Hall, a spa afternoon and a ghost tour. The Wolfe Island ferry runs through the year and makes a bracing winter outing, and the town of Gananoque is quiet but not closed. Check each site's hours before you go, and leave room in your plan for cold, windy weather.
Getting around
Downtown Kingston is compact, and the waterfront, City Hall, the market, many restaurants and several hotels are within a few hundred metres of each other, so you can walk on day one without a car. For Gananoque, Hill Island and Kingston Mills, a car is the easiest way, though the trolley helps in town and the ferry reaches Wolfe Island without one. Parking downtown is usually charged by the day, so park once and walk. If you prefer not to drive, concentrate day two on a Gananoque stay, since the town has a VIA Rail station and the cruises, theatre and river walks are close together.
What to book ahead
In July and August, reserve your hotel, the cruise, the trolley tour and any evening tours before you leave home, and book theatre tickets for weekends. The market, City Hall's self-guided floors, the art centre, the Wolfe Island ferry and the lockstation need no booking, but check each site's current hours. Pack a windproof layer in every season and comfortable shoes for stone floors and hills, and keep your passport with you if there is any chance you will join a Boldt Castle cruise.
Where to sleep
For a walkable three days, choose a downtown hotel such as The Belvedere, Kingston Marriott, Delta Hotels Kingston Waterfront or Hochelaga Inn, and use the car only for day two. If the islands are the point of your trip, spend a night in Gananoque instead and stay on the river. Our where-to-stay guide compares the options in more detail, and the first-time guide covers seasons and logistics.
