Kingston is an easy place to travel with children. The old town is compact and walkable, many of the best activities involve boats, cannon and castles, and a few of them are free. This guide picks the sights that work best for families, with notes on ages, timing and rainy-day alternatives. Most of the outdoor and living-history options run from spring to autumn, so plan a family trip for roughly May to October if you can.
Fort Henry
The fort is the family favourite. Costumed interpreters run drill, musket and artillery demonstrations, and children usually enjoy the cannon firing more than the exhibits. There is plenty of room to run on the ramparts, and the underground passages add a sense of adventure. Allow two to three hours, wear comfortable shoes for the hill and bring a layer, since the wind off the lake can be strong. The fort is a seasonal site that typically opens in mid-May and closes for the winter, so check its website for the current dates, and note that an October Halloween programme runs on selected nights for older children.
On the water
The 1000 Islands cruise from Gananoque is the signature family outing, with island cottages, Boldt Castle and Millionaires Row passing by, and the three-hour sailing is long enough to enjoy but short enough for most children. Boldt Castle itself suits older children and is on United States soil, so every traveller, including children, needs identification. For something closer to home, the free Wolfe Island ferry from downtown Kingston is a mini cruise in its own right, and the island has quiet roads, beaches and the village of Marysville for an ice cream. Avoid the weekday commuter peaks and busy weekends to keep the wait short.
Free and cheap fun
The Kingston Public Market is a good free outing, where children can taste and browse. Kingston Mills, a flight of historic Rideau Canal locks with a blockhouse, is about seven kilometres from downtown, and children enjoy watching the lock gates and boats, with picnic tables and barbecue grills for lunch. Bellevue House has open lakeshore grounds with space to move. The waterfront parks are good for a picnic, and City Hall's free 45-minute guided tours in season are short enough for school-age children.
Easy ways to get around
The Kingston Trolley Tours hop-on, hop-off loop turns sightseeing into a ride, and children enjoy the novelty. Its December Christmas Light Tour is a short, festive option for winter visits. The old town is flat and walkable, though strollers do better on the waterfront paths than on cobbles and stairs. For longer distances, a car is the simplest choice, with child seats arranged ahead.
Rainy-day backups
When the weather turns, try the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, which is free and takes about an hour, or Canada's Penitentiary Museum in season for older children with an interest in history. A hotel pool is a reliable reward: Delta Hotels Kingston Waterfront and Comfort Suites Kingston Central both have indoor pools, and Residence Inn by Marriott Kingston Waters Edge has an indoor pool and whirlpool as well as kitchenette suites, which help with fussy eaters. The evening ghost walk is better suited to older children and teenagers.
Where to stay
Families do well with suites and pools. Residence Inn Kingston Waters Edge has kitchenettes, free hot breakfast and a pool, close to downtown. Comfort Suites Kingston Central offers a free hot breakfast and an indoor pool at a lower price, a few minutes by car from the centre. Delta Hotels Kingston Waterfront is a full-service harbour hotel with a pool and a restaurant. Ask about family rooms and cribs when you book, and confirm parking, which is charged at most downtown hotels.
A sample family day
Start with the Wolfe Island ferry and a morning cycling or paddling on the island, return for lunch at the market, ride the trolley for an hour and finish with ice cream on the waterfront. For a second day, spend the morning at Fort Henry for the demonstrations, picnic at Kingston Mills, and cap it with a pool evening back at the hotel. Pack a windproof layer for everyone, sunscreen in summer and snacks, and keep an eye on the clock for ferry and cruise departure times.
