A weekend mix of city and nature in the Kingston region
My arrival in Kingston started with a chilled glass of rosé at the Frontenac Club enjoyed as the afternoon sun set over the city. The newly renovated hotel has made the most of the building’s first iteration as one of the country’s first branches of the Bank of Montreal. There’s a historian on site should guests want a guided tour of the hotel and all its nooks, and the old bank vault is available for booking for wine tastings.
It’s an ideal modern base to explore the region’s natural gems. A 30-minute drive along the north shore of the St. Lawrence takes you to the heart of Gananoque and the Thousand Islands. Many take to the skies via helicopter to see the 1,800-plus islands that populate Thousand Islands National Park. I opted to get up close at their level – at least as level as I could be while paddling around the islands in a kayak.
The half-day excursion with 1000 Islands Kayaking took our small group of paddlers around several islands, and our two guides explained the ecological characteristics of the region, a peaceful introduction to this unique environment.
In the afternoon, I saw the land in a very different way – amid the company of very friendly donkeys at Berry Homestead Farm. Thirty minutes north of Gananoque, this off-the-grid farm is run by a couple who seek to maximize their land in every possible, from donkey-powered farming to water collection to interactive visits for guests. Guided tours, by appointment, include an explanation of the evolution of the farm and its comprehensive and self-sustaining production systems as well as quality time petting and brushing with the donkeys.
The next day I headed north of Kingston to Frontenac Provincial Park for a guided walk with Firefly Adventures, an outdoors education company that specializes in canoe trips and wilderness trips. Walt Sepic, the company’s founder, knew the trails to take to avoid other hikers so that it felt like we had to the park to ourselves.
The park, which sits on the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, doesn’t have the same name recognition as Algonquin or Sandbanks, but is deserving of attention. It’s the result of glaciers scraping away at mountains that at one point were higher than the Rockies, and today is filled with canoe routes, hiking trails, fishing spots and campsites.
Returning to the city each night was energizing. Unplugging and immersing myself in nature during the day meant I was ready to plug in to downtown’s buzz, visiting places like Stone City Ales and Bayview Farm Restaurant for indulgent meals. It’s all about balance, after all.