Welcome back to Kingston! Like many others, we are thrilled to see how lively campus is so far this semester, and we are excited to get back to a relative “normal” in Kingston this year! We know there are many first and second year students coming to Kingston for the first time, so we’ve pulled together a list of classic must-see places.
Please feel free to leave a comment with your must-see Kingston location down below!
Our Guide to Exploring Kingston:
Study Spaces:
Coffee Shops
· Crave Coffee House & Bakery
· Grocery Basket’s Rooftop Patio
· Juniper Cafe at the Isabel Bader Centre
· Balzac’s
· Kingston Coffee House right across from City Hall
· Coffee & Company
Outdoor
· Breakwater park (picnic tables and grassy waterfront area)
· Victoria Park (Corner of Brock and Alfred)
On-Campus Study Spots:
Stauffer Library
· If you are able to find a seat during exam season, GOOD FOR YOU! Stuaff is a great place to go to grind out those assignments and study for your midterms, but it can be a real pain trying to find an open seat.
Douglas Library
· If you are still waiting for your Hogwarts acceptance letter to come flying through the mail, then Douglas’ Harry Potter room is for you!
Law Library
· This library is usually less busy than Stuaff or Doug. The main floor has large tables and lots of natural lighting. The upper floor is more secluded with individual cubbies.
Bracken Library
· Found in the basement of Botterell Hall. This library has lots of comfy seating and you are usually able to find a seat easily.
Others: You can find good study spaces at Cogro (the top two floors of the ARC), Mitchell Hall, and the Bioscience Complex!
Places to Eat:
Kingston-specific Restaurants
· Olivea (great Italian food!)
· Tango Nuevo (fancier place with tapas)
Hometown Classics
· Jack Astors (who doesn’t love a good rooftop patio?!)
· The Keg
· Milestone’s (I’m always down for a round of apps and belini’s)
· Lone Star
Pizza
· Wooden Heads Gourmet Pizza
· Score Pizza (pick your own toppings!)
Brunch
· Northside espresso + kitchen (adorable brunch place)
· Geneva Crepes
· Toast & Jam
Sushi
· Sima Sushi
· Choi’s roll (relatively cheaper option)
· Jina Sushi (very close to campus, located at Johnson and University)
Good vegan options
· Atomica (great pizza)
· Copper Branch
Hikes:
Lemoine Point
· Located approximately 10 km away from campus. Make sure to bring some bird seed, the chickadee’s love to eat out of your palm.
Rock Dunder
· This one's a bit further away located about 40 km away from campus. The insta-worth view at the top of the hill is 100% worth the trip.
Marble Rock Conservation Area
· Located in Gananoque (~30km from campus). This is a lesser known hiking trail, with routes that can take anywhere from 2 - 6 hours to complete.
Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area
· Located 6km north of campus. In the winter cross country skis and snowshoes are available for rental on weekends.
Support Local Kingston Businesses:
Improbable Escapes
· An escape room is the perfect distraction from the stress of school and a fun challenge for your friend group!
4Cats Art Studio
· All art experience levels are welcome.
Modo Yoga
Plant Shelf
· Located in Portsmouth Harbour. Cute store for buying a variety of houseplants and pots.
The Jungle
· Located in downtown kingston. Lots of variety for house plants.
Wilton Wheat Kings
· Amazing bakery located in Portsmouth Harbour
Pasta Genova
· Little shop for all of your Italian ingredients. If you are planning on having a homemade pizza night this is the place to go!
Tara Natural Foods
· Natural food store located in the heart of downtown Kingston.
Barcadia
· Craft beer combined with vintage arcade games is the perfect recipe for a good time
Novel Idea
· Bookstore located at Princess and Bagot. They sell fiction and non-fiction novels, including books written by local authors.
Camera Kingston
· Whether you are looking to get film developed or to shop, Camera Kingston is the place to go!