Day Trip to Kingston, Ontario

We Central New Yorkers are fortunate because we have the opportunity for many great day trips including ones to Canada. Getting to Kingston is half the fun.  I like taking the ferry from Cape Vincent to Wolfe Island. The ride is only 10 minutes; the ferry runs frequently until mid-

October and has been family-owned for over 200 years. Customs takes place on Wolfe Island so an enhanced driver’s license or a passport is necessary.  It is a no-stress situation.  Wolfe Island is the largest island in the Thousand Islands and home to a huge wind farm. 

When visiting Kingston, the Limestone City, get acquainted with

the Confederation Trolley Tour. It is the best way to get an overview of Kingston.  Excellent guides share three centuries of the city’s history laced with humor. The 1.5 hour tour makes its way from downtown to Fort Henry to the Penitentiary to Queens College covering all the highlights of the Limestone City with an option to get off at Fort Henry or Bellevue, the home of Sir John A. MacDonald. 

Set sail out of Kingston on one of the several sightseeing river cruises offered by 1000 Island Cruises.  There is a tour to fit everyone’s needs as they range from 1.5 to 3 hours. Some include meals and music.  They all offer headsets for those who wish to hear the narration in French, English, Mandarin, Spanish or German. The tour narration is a lively repartee between

“Sir John A. MacDonald” and the lady narrator, which keeps things interesting.   The tour passes scenic Whiskey and Admiralty Islands along with Half Moon Bay near Ganaoque where boaters have been gathering on Sunday mornings since 1887 to attend religious services without leaving their boats. Learn interesting stories and legends of the islands.

Not to miss is Fort Henry built to protect the area from the Americans during the War of 1812. Visitors can explore the fort, watch demonstrations and historical reenactments, and attend a Victorian school.  Actually, it is worth a day-trip without doing anything else.

I found the Kingston Penitentiary fascination.  It was a maximum

security prison that closed in 2013 and some of the docents are former guards with great stories.  I like the ones about the inmates who were released and then went and committed another crime so they could get back in prison for the “three hots and a cot!”  Equally fascinating are the incredible objects created by the inmates, some fashioned to get out of prison and some as keepsakes. 

Bellevue, the home of Canada’s First Prime Minister, was inspired by Italian Villas and is now a museum with interesting artifacts and informational historical videos dealing with the 1840s. 

Kingston City Hall is just one of the buildings gave rise to the nickname, “The Limestone City.”  The neoclassic building is a National Historic Site of Canada and that dates back to 1844. 

There are guided tours or you can walk around on your own.  When John and I toured the building our guide was a former American who moved to Canada.  I wished I asked him when and why.  The building has many interesting features including a jail. 
There is really too much to see in one day. There are plenty of great places to eat. The next time I go I want to visit the Museum of Health Care with collections that dates back to the 1700s.

visiting Kingston, Canada

Labor Day usually signals the end of summer for most of us but it

is one of the best times to travel especially midweek when the crowds are less.  It is the perfect time to visit Kingston, Canada – for the day or longer.  I love the ferry from Cape Vincent and then the ride across Wolf Island – take note of all the windmills. Some farmer is making a fortune, I think. 

When visiting Kingston, the Limestone City, start with a get-acquainted trolley tour followed by a river cruise. The Confederation Trolley Tour is the best way to get an overview of Kingston.  Excellent guides share three centuries of the city’s history laced with humor. The 1.5 hour tour makes its way from downtown to Fort Henry to the Penitentiary to Queens College covering all the highlights of the Limestone City with an option to get off at Fort Henry or Bellevue, the home of Sir John A. MacDonald. 

Set sail out of Kingston on one of the several sightseeing cruises

offered by 1000 Island Cruises.  There is a tour to fit everyone’s needs as they range from 1.5 to 3 hours. Some include meals and music.  The tour narration is a lively repartee between Sir John A. MacDonald and the lady narrator, which keeps thing lively.   Learn interesting stories and legends of the islands. The tour passes by Half Moon Bay near Gananoque where boaters have been gathering on Sunday mornings since 1887 to attend religious services without leaving their boats. 

Fort Henry will be open until October 31.  They offer a slew of activities such as Artillery firing, the Garrison Parade, Victorian School Lessons, and guided tours.  Like most forts their Haunted Walk is popular and offered from April to October with an especially scary one at Halloween time. 

A do-not miss tour is the one of the Kingston Penitentiary, a former

maximum security prison. The inmates created amazing items not the least of which were weapons and items to aid in escape. There is a haunted room where one of the ghosts of Fort Henry, Nils Von Schultz, was held. In the 1830s Von Schultz led an attack on

Canada in an attempt to free Canada from the reign of the British Empire. He was captured by the British and charged with war crimes. Von Schultz said that he would plead guilty to all crimes as long as none of his men were hanged. It didn’t work; he was hanged along with five of his men. He was held for a time in the Commander’s Room where it has been reported that objects move around and some visitors feel faint and have difficulty breathing.

Kingston is Canada's museum capital with something for everyone

at its 24 museums and historic sites and 3 art galleries. These include two City-owned museums, the Pump House Steam Museum and the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum, and national historic site, Kingston City Hall. At one time Kingston was the capital the United Province of Canada which led to the construction of the impressive City Hall where there are free tours. There is a museum ship, the Alexander Henry, a former Canadian Coast Guard ice breaker and buoy tender that served on the Great Lakes. 

The city is a culinary destination with its many restaurants, breweries and distilleries. Foodies will enjoy one of Kingston Food Tours which offers a local's perspective into Kingston's culture through its delicious food, history and unique architecture. 

Enjoy a drive around Lake Ontario

Fall is a great time to slow down and take a driving trip. One of my favorite drives is around Lake Ontario. There are forts, falls, museums, lighthouses, sand dunes, and more.

From Rochester take the Lake Ontario State Parkway and continue on Route 18. The area is one of stunning views of Lake Ontario, orchards and many beautifully maintained cobblestone houses made from lake-washed stones. In Olcott visit the Lake Ontario lighthouse, a replica of the 1873 Olcott lighthouse that operated for 100 years. At Old Fort Niagara, located at the mouth of the Niagara River, living history presentations will bring a new appreciation for the important role the area played in the development of the United States.

Follow the Niagara Historic Trail south to Niagara Falls, stop on the way at Devil’s Hole and the Whirlpool to look at the swirling Niagara River. People come from all over the world to see Niagara Fall but New Yorkers often take them for granted.

To cross over into Canada one needs a passport or Enhanced Drivers License. The beautifully preserved Canadian village of Niagara-on-the-Lake has boutique shops and horse-drawn carriages trotting down the flower-lined streets.

Toronto is one of our favorite cities. Visit the fascinating Bata Shoe Museum and the baronial mansion of one of Toronto’s “well-heeled” – Casa Loma. When it was built in 1914 the telephone switchboard, used to communicate with the 98 rooms, had more daily activity than the entire city of Toronto. Built at a cost $3 million, the city of Toronto took it over for $27,305 in unpaid taxes 10 years after completion. Views of the city and gardens from the Norman Tower are beautiful. Another great view is from CN Tower with its glass-bottom floor. The multi-ethnicity of Toronto is reflected in its restaurants and Toronto theaters offer world-class presentations.

From Toronto take Macdonald–Cartier Freeway known at the 401. Stop for apple pie at the Big Apple near Coburg, where visitors can watch workers making the pies – over two million so far. Near Trenton drive along the Loyalist Parkway through Prince Edward County. Climb the dunes at Sandbanks Provincial Park for a view of the wide sweeping sandy beach and Lake Ontario. Another great viewpoint is from Lake on the Mountain. Mohawks offered gifts to the spirits of the lake because it is nearly 200 feet above Lake Ontario and receives a constant flow of fresh water with no apparent source. A ferry shortens the connection to Kingston.

The Loyalist highway ends in Kingston, the first Capital of the United Provinces of Canada. Strategically located where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence, it is a gateway city to the famed 1000 Islands and all kinds of boating. Pick up on of the self-guided walking tour brochures of Historic Kingston and visit Fort Henry. Visit the Marine Museum and the Penitentiary Museum. The tour of City Hall is free and fascinating.

Ferries connect Kingston to Cape Vincent in the United States. Drive the Seaway Trail stopping in Sackets Harbor to visit the Seaway Trail Discovery Center and Sackets Harbor Battlefield to learn more about the War of 1812.

The trip, approximately 650 miles has something for everyone. Do the drive in segments or plan a week to really enjoy all the area around Lake Ontario has to offer. Fall is the perfect time for a driving trip.

Visit Kingston, Ontario - The Limestone City

Kingston is a wonderful place to visit. It is called the “Limestone City” because so many of their buildings are constructed of limestone. We decided to make the trip a circle drive so we crossed over the 1000 Island Bridge and headed west to Kingston returning home via the ferries to Cape Vincent. We stayed at the First Canada Inn located conveniently off Highway 401. The price was reasonable and parking, breakfast, and the Internet were gratis. The city bus stop is nearby but it was only a few minutes drive to the city center.

It is usually best to tour a city on Sundays or holidays because there is less traffic and often free on-street parking. Our first stop was the Visitor’s Center where the train that carried the body of Canada’s first Prime Minister home is adjacent to the Center and it is where the city trolley begins.

The Confederation Trolley Tour gave us an excellent overview of the city. The tour allowed us to stop and reboard at Bellevue, the home of John A. MacDonald, the first Prime Minister of Canada. Restored to the 1840s, and staffed by costumed interpreters, the house and gardens are kept much as they would have been during the time that Macdonald lived there with his wife and infant son. No matter how many historic homes I visit there is always something interesting to see and learn. The Italianate-style house has three floors but on seven levels. The wash tub shaped like a boot and covered so as to keep the water warm was especially unique.

After the trolley tour we had just enough time to drive to the Penitentiary Museum located in the former Warden's limestone residence. It is located across the street from the current prison, Canada's oldest penitentiary. Most amazing was the artistic creativity of the inmates and their ingenuity in developing escape plans. If only those traits had been properly channeled. One of the docents was a former guard and shared, “Some of the inmates just could not deal with the outside world and after they were released they were returned. They were glad to be back.”

A visit to the Cathedral of St. George pointed out a Central New York connection. A plaque on the wall told about Molly Brant, sister of Joseph Brant whose statue is at Mexico Point Park. Because the Brants were loyalists during the American Revolution they moved to Canada. Molly bridged the gap between the Indian and white cultures. Molly and her children by Sir William Johnson were key members in the founding of the church with Molly being the only female founder.

We stayed three nights, which turned out to be perfect. We really enjoyed the luncheon cruise on the St. Lawrence that included information on the area interspersed with music. There were many great homes and camps along the shore We were duly impressed by the new multi-million dollar mansion built by an American from Watertown whose wealth came from those green pine tree deodorizers that dangle from car rear view mirrors.

We also visited the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes. The Alexander Henry, an icebreaker, is in the adjacent dry dock. It is being renovated and may be reopened next season as a B&B. That is where I would like to stay on our next visit.