We spent a weekend in Kingston with our kids and I was shocked by how fun this Ontario city is for tweens! It was a fairly uneventful road trip from Toronto that saw us enjoying water activities, relaxing at our Kingston hotel, taking ghostly adventures and exploring the city in all sorts of fun ways. If you’re looking for a quick and easy weekend getaway from Toronto, we’re here to tell you exactly how you can spend it in Kingston, Ontario with kids!
Disclosure : This post is in partnership with Choice Hotels Canada but, as always, opinions are TOTALLY ours!
Kingston with Tweens
Where to Sleep in Kingston with Tweens
Kingston is home to many hotels and we chose the Comfort Inn & Suites on Princess Street for our two night stay. This Kingston hotel was a 3 hour drive from downtown Toronto (definitely buffer in an extra hour on long weekends or during rainy days when traffic can be brutal) and I was pleasantly surprised by the spacious rooms on offer here. This newly renovated Ontario hotel is a 2024 Gold Guest Satisfaction Award winner which is a recognition from Choice Hotels Canada for being in the top 10% of its hotels in Canada.
Choice Hotels has nearly 7,500 hotels worldwide, in 46 countries and territories with over 330 hotels from coast to coast in Canada. The best part is that there’s something for everyone as their portfolio spans from Comfort to Quality and the Ascend Hotel Collection. As they say, there really is “a stay for every you”!
As you can see our room was insanely spacious and the kids had plenty of space to bounce around. Each night we’d return late in the evening and we’d all do our own thing to relax. The WiFi at this Choice hotel was insanely speedy so Chris was able to watch the Olympics while I scrolled Instagram and the kids caught up on their silly YouTube shows and downloaded the programs they wanted for the car ride back to Toronto. Also how luxurious is it to have a mini fridge AND a microwave? As much as I love my fancy hotels, I do have to admit that budget friendly hotels really do cater more to families.
The highlight of staying at a Choice Hotels property is that many of their hotels provide complimentary breakfast. We enjoyed the make-your-own-waffle station, fresh eggs, yoghurt, cereal and baked goods each morning. One thing I’d recommend to be mindful of is breakfast timing. Breakfast at our hotel ended at 9 a.m. on weekdays (even holiday Mondays) and goes until 10 a.m. on weekends. Yes you know us well, we totally overslept and missed breakfast on the holiday Monday. Good news is that there were still a few items laying around so we were able to grab some fresh fruit, cereal and boiled eggs to enjoy back in our room. Their coffee machine is available 24-7 and not only makes lattes and cappuccinos but also hot chocolate! Also, the staff were lovely and even helped Apollo when I wasn’t nearby!
It’s also absolutely worth signing up for their free Choice Privileges® loyalty program. It’s a fast and easy way to earn reward nights and personalized perks. You not only unlock member-only rates, exclusive deals and earn perks (we even received our “Your Extras” email for a $5 Tim’s card for staying on a Sunday!) but you can use the points you earn for free nights, gift cards, experiences and more. I was shocked that Comfort Inn & Suites has a noon check out (4 p.m. check-in) and shocked even further when I discovered that Choice Privileges members benefit from early check-in and EVEN LATER check-outs (when available). You can really enjoy a sleep in this way (but maybe go get that free breakfast and come back and snooze). We most certainly appreciate the flexibility and convenience the program offers!
As you plan to book your next family vacation in Canada, remember Choice Hotel’s lowest price guarantee which ensures that you will always find the best price on ChoiceHotels.com. If you find a better price from a qualified source, they will match it and provide you with a CAD50 reward card.
Things to do in Kingston with Kids
I was shocked at how much there was to do in Kingston with tweens. Our weekend in Kingston was not only entertaining and educational, but it was also very fun! While you may just want to chill by the Kingston Waterfront because it’s such a chill spot welcoming families to relax and let loose, you will want to add a few of these Kingston activities to your Kingston Ontario itinerary.
Take a Ghostly Trolley Tour in Kingston
As you know Akira and I are fans of all things spooky and I’m starting to notice that 10 year old Apollo is also coming over to our sinister side. Ghost tours can be hit or miss but we keep trying them. The 90 minute Ghost & Mystery Trolley Tour in Kingston was fantastic! Our tour guide mixed in history with the storytelling and the kids listened with rapture. You get an overview of some historic sites and hear stories of those who once lived there on this Kingston ghost tour.
We opted for a late evening tour for the nighttime spooky vibes and it was great BUT going at dusk would mean that you got to see the buildings in better light. Sit on the right side if you want to take pictures of Rockwood Asylum-apparently you may end up with a shadow of a figure or an orb in your photos of a specific fourth floor window. If the trolley tours are sold out for your visit, having done a Haunted Walks tour in Toronto, I can tell you that you’ll also have a solid experience with them!
Go on an Escape Room Scavenger Hunt around Downtown Kingston
Definitely add this to your list of things to do in Kingston with kids, especially tweens! On a bit of a scorcher of a day our family took part in an Improbable Escapes game. This company offers a variety of activities ranging from indoor and outdoor escape rooms, game nights and more.
Superhero city outdoor adventure took us through the streets of Downtown Kingston, as we explored the beautiful limestone city while solving puzzles and mysteries. Our goal was to outsmart the Confuddler and ensure we found the weaknesses of other villains, to outsmart the Confuddler and bring him to justice. A challenge we were absolutely up for! These experiences are self-guided and run rain, snow or shine… so come dressed for the weather! Expect to be walking around outdoors for 65-90 minutes and definitely bring some water, a hat/umbrella and comfy shoes. Given the heat, we took the opportunity to pop into spots we passed by, grabbing treats along the way and seeking shelter in cool stores.
Tour a Former Maximum Security Prison
My kids aren’t into museums but they were REALLY into this jail tour in Kingston. There are three tours offered at the Kingston Penitentiary and we opted for the Express 45 minute tour because we knew that’s all our kids could handle. Having now done the tour, Chris and I would love to return and do the 2.5 hour one!
Our guide was fantastic and took us through the various sections of the prison, sharing stories of events that took place and what life was like for the inmates who lived there. Akira and Apollo took a lot of interest and actually listened to our tour guide -which shocked me! This prison only closed in 2013 and is now a designated National Historic Site. If time permits you can also cross the street and tour Canada’s Penitentiary Museum that’s now housed within the former Warden’s residence of Kingston Penitentiary. The Kingston Pen tour is a popular Kingston attraction so book your tickets early during the busy summer months – we saw quite a few people turned away at the end of the day.
Get on the Water
Kingston is on the northeastern end of Lake Ontario and sits at the beginning of the St. Lawrence River and at the mouth of the Cataraqui River (south end of the Rideau Canal). Which means you have plenty of opportunities to get in the water and cool down during the hot Ontario summers we’ve been experiencing.
We decided to stand up paddle board and Ahoy rentals made that possible. They offer everything from canoes and kayaks to bikes so you can partake in a variety of activities through them. They even offer sailing classes! Unfortunately for us, a surprise rain squall hit us earlier in the day so the water was a bit rough for us novice SUP-ers so we stayed closer to the shore than initially planned. We still had fun though and the kids are ready to do it again!
Walk into an Old Tower
The Murney Tower Museum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that provides a great opportunity for the kids to learn about the fortifications that were constructed in Kingston in response to the Oregon Crisis. This is the oldest operating museum in Kingston and has a collection of domestic and military artifacts that portray 19th-century life in Kingston. As you walk through this pay-what-you-can Kingston attraction, you will see how the Tower was used for decades as barracks for soldiers and their families-first by the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment of the British army from 1848 to 1870 and later by the Canadian militia from 1871 to 1885.
We spent about 20 minutes roaming around the small tower but ended up spending an hour here because we were visiting during Murney Fest – an annual event held the first weekend in August. This year they were also celebrating the 99th anniversary of the Murney Tower Museum! There will be 100 year celebrations in 2025 so I will mention that there were fun activities for kids ranging from arts & crafts to face painting. Parents could learn how to dance around and paint the Murney tower so you’re not going to be bored if you plan your visit for Murney Fest 2025! This is where we met local artist Elyse Longair who was a gem of a human! She noticed that Akira was having one of her moments and coaxed her into participating in the crafting activity by reading a book to her one on one. A big thank you to her for helping prevent a larger meltdown.
After visiting Murney Tower you could roam towards the gardens and Richardson beach … I highly recommend having swimsuits on because on that hot day, I was so ready to jump into the water and join the other families staying cool!
Get your Shopping On
Downtown Kingston streets are lined with interesting stores and we found a few that got the tweens’ attention. We spotted some of these during our Improbable Escapes adventure and some during our meanderings around on our own. The cool Nexus gaming store is filled with all things that will make your inner game geek smile from cheek to cheek. They also host game board tournaments here so you can join in or watch some folks playing interesting games. Minotaur was another neat store with gifts, games, puzzles, gems and so much more.
We also bumped into some markets by the waterfront where the kids purchased some new stuffies to add to their ever-growing collection.
And as you can see, there are many squares and chill spots to just lounge around at in downtown Kingston when you want a break!
Where to Eat in Kingston with Tweens
With adventurous eaters we’re always on the look out for great places to dine at during our travels. I will be honest that we didn’t get to even half of our “must eat in Kingston” list compiled during our chats with friends. I did my best to dine in as many places as possible and will have to return soon just to eat! That said, below are the spots we ate at in Kingston with our kids but keep in mind that if you stay at a Choice Hotel like we did, breakfast is an easy choice at your Kingston hotel!
Otter Creek : Who doesn’t love a good burger? We popped in here on our drive into Kingston and enjoyed a delicious, freshly made burger. I obviously had to order their popular Wagyu burger made with Otter Creek Farm’s full blood Wagyu Beef from cattle born and raised only 5 km away from the restaurant in Kingston. Chris opted for a seafood bowl and it was massive! Luckily our Comfort Inn & Suites room had a fridge so we enjoyed leftovers as a snack the next day.
Sally’s Roti Shop : Tucked away from the main road, this family run roti-shop serves up some hearty dishes. The kids got Doubles (mild was perfect for ours) while Chris and I got rotis. My Goat Roti was flavourful with chunks of meat but they can’t make things extra spicy here so they will sell you their hot sauce (I’m a hot sauce snob and theirs didn’t hit the spot for me because I’m a wild child with crazy spice needs). They do have a few tables but most folks opt for a grab and go here. We walked in as they were about to close so we took our meals to the square and enjoyed dinner as we listened to live music.
Dianne’s : If you’re looking for a seafood feast with a Mexican twist, this is certainly the spot! Having returned from Halifax just last week, we didn’t try the lobster options but their fish cakes with smoked haddock were delicious as was the refreshing Hokkaido Scallop Aguachile. They also have a kids menu here and the fish and chips was a solid option.
Woodheads : This pizzeria came highly recommended so we enjoyed our last dinner on this family vacation at this Kingston restaurant. The vibe is that of a cozy taverna and there’s a wood-fired oven within your line of sight so you know everything is made to order. What I really liked about the menu here is that you can customize your pizza any which way you want. The custom build options have EVERYTHING you could possibly want so it’s very easy to go over-board- just keep tabs on your price per ingredient tally!
Mio Gelato : We were lucky to swing by here when there wasn’t a huge line because we saw lines going two doors down on multiple occasions. This gelateria is locally owned and operated and features as many local ingredients as possible. They have a variety of gelato and frozen yoghurt flavours in addition to sorbetto for our dairy free friends!
Pan Chancho Bakery : We missed dinning at Chez Piggy but we did get to swing by their bakery! You can find all sorts of local food products here and they had a solid selection of homemade frozen meals too. I bee-lined to their sandwich counter and spotted the soup of the day – a cold almond pear soup. As we were boiling during our Improbable Escapes adventure, this to-go soup was enjoyed on the streets and it cooled me down. They have a sit down area so next time we may pop in for a full meal.
Kingston Weekend Itinerary
Day 1 : Arrive, have lunch, visit Murney Tower and do an Improbable Escapes adventure before spending the evening by the waterfront and roaming around the stores.
Day 2 : Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, visit Kingston Pen, have lunch and then spend some time on the water (shower back at your hotel), have dinner and go on a Ghost Tour
There’s definitely more on offer in Kingston for families and I look forward to returning and exploring more of this fun city with tweens in tow. If you’re looking for a last minute summer getaway, stay twice at participating Choice Hotels before September 4th 2024 and earn enough points to redeem a CAD50 gift card!!
