Looking to unwind after a long, stressful work week? Or fun ways to stay active beyond going to the gym? Check out our ultimate guide to summer wellness in Kingston!
To learn more about Kingston’s scenic beaches and hiking trails, free dance and yoga classes, exhilarating kayak adventure, and relaxing thermotherapy spa, read on!
Hiking trails
Step away from the busyness of the downtown core and step into a green oasis by strolling along one of Kingston’s many hiking trails. Standouts include Lemoine Point, K&P Trail, and Little Cataraqui Creek.
Lemoine Point’s (1140 Coverdale Drive) 11 km hiking trail offers gorgeous lakeside views and an abundance of gorgeous greenery. Along the way, you’re sure to encounter scenic lookouts and beaches perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.
Craving a longer walk or run? Try the K&P 22 km-long trail, featuring wetlands, beautiful trees, and vast, open landscapes. Crossing through urban and rural areas, you’ll never get bored on your hike along the K&P trail. The trail is accessible at multiple points around Kingston.
Little Cataraqui Creek, located just 15 minutes away from downtown Kingston on 1641 Perth Road boasts a diverse array of natural beauty including marches, fields, and forest habitat. The flat, easy terrain trails make it the perfect location for a Sunday afternoon stroll. The trail costs $5 for adults, $3.50 for children, and around $15 for parking.
Lemoine Point and K&P trail are free to walk, run, or bike on. For more hiking trails, check out our list of top hiking spots in & around Kingston!
Salsa in the Square
Break a sweat and show off your spicy dance moves at Salsa in the Square, occurring every Tuesday in Springer Market Square from 6:30 to 8:30 pm from July 9 to August 27.
A salsa dancing instructor will teach you how to connect with Latin music, jive to the rhythm, and navigate the dance floor like a pro. And the classes are completely free!
From 6:30 to 7:15 pm, instructors will teach you how to salsa dance with a partner, mastering the footwork and movement of the hips. Want to fly solo? From 7:15 to 7:30 pm, make your way down to the Square and learn how to salsa line dance.
Show off your newly acquired skills from 7:30 to 8:30 pm when Market Square becomes an open dance floor. Come down and bust a move with your friends and family!
Glow Spa
Take a brain break and unwind at Glow Spa, located at 234 Princess Street. Their Thermotherapy Spa is the ultimate health and wellness experience. Thermotherapy has major health benefits, increasing your quality of sleep, stimulating your immune system, and relaxing muscle tension.
Imagine this–wrapped in a luxurious robe, you step inside a silent, dim room with a large steaming hot tub glowing purple. After 15 minutes of soaking in the hot tub, lounging in the steam room, or relaxing in the sauna, you move over to a 60-second, invigorating cold plunge. Make this luxurious experience your reality.
Glow Spa also offers massages, facials, and skincare consultations. For more on their services, check out their website and book your spa retreat today.
Beaches
Kingston’s beaches make for the perfect staycation. Breakwater Park and Gord Edgar Downie Pier feature an upland sandy beach perfect for tanning, spike ball, or sandcastles. If you want to move away from the crowds at Breakwater Park venture over to Crerar Park and Reddendale Beach.
This hidden oasis located at 39 Park Crescent is the perfect place to have an intimate picnic with family or peacefully unwind while watching the gentle waves lap against the rocky beach.
Other hidden gems include Richardson Beach, offering a gorgeous view of Lake Ontario. Richardson Beach, located at Macdonald Park (King Street East, near Barrie Street), underwent renovations last year to include a new lookout, seating areas, walkways, terraced water access, and a bathhouse.
Also, on the waterfront is Ahoy Rentals, located at 21 Ontario Street where you can rent a kayak, bike, canoe, or standup paddleboard for the day. Check out Ahoy Rentals’ website for more on their rentals and services.
Feeling adventurous? Hop on the ferry located at the foot of The Tragically Hip Way and cross the river to Big Sandy Bay Beach on Wolfe Island, one of the most stunning lookouts along Lake Ontario. With its tranquil and secluded location, this beach will make you feel like the main character in a whimsical movie.
For more lakeside retreats check out our list of the five must visit Kingston beaches.
Blue World Marine Adventures
Traverse Kingston’s blue, tranquil waters and discover its graveyard of ships at Blue World Marine Adventures.
Using clear-bottomed kayaks, tour guides will take you on a journey to see the sunken wooden sails and steamships from the early 1800s. The Clear Blue Kayak Garden Island Ship Graveyard Tour departs from 53 Yonge Street.
When the sun sets, shrouding Kingston in darkness, Blue World Marine Adventures offers kayak waterfront tours. You’ll see what lies beneath the deep blue depths at night, with the help of a light attached to the bottom of the kayak. The Clear Blue Kingston Kayak Tour departs from 21 Ontario Steet.
You don’t need any kayaking experience to participate in either of the adventures!
To get tickets, stop in at the Visitor Information Centre, located at 209 Ontario Street.
Yoga at Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market
Start your Sunday morning on the right foot by heading down to the Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market for a free yoga class.
Sunday yoga classes are provided by Samatva Yoga and Better Balance Massage, starting at 10 am. Yoga is followed by Tai Chi–a form of exercise focused on flowing movements and breath work–offered by the local chapter of Fung Loy Kok Taoist Tai Chi at 11 am.
After downward dogging and tree posing your stress away, pick up some fresh produce from the farmers’ market for your healthy breakfast. If you’re in a rush, grab a ready-made steamed bun from Long Road Ecological Farm’s booth or a gluten-free baked good from Zia Rita’s Gluten-Free stand. Check out our Memorial Center Farmers’ Market vendor roundup (2024) for more information on the 40+ vendors you’ll be able to meet at the market.
Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market is open 9 am to 2 pm every Sunday at the Kingston Memorial Centre (303 York St.)
Collective Joy Farm
For those looking to grow their own produce for their small business or family dinners, check out Collective Joy Farm’s microgreen 101 workshop and consultations with their green experts.
Collective Joy Farm, located at 477 MacDonnell Street, is a local business that doesn’t use herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers to grow its produce, priding itself on its low input and zero waste approach. In addition to sharing their expertise during their workshops, Collective Joy Farm offers customers a variety of ready-made, healthy food options including fresh produce, smoothies, cold-pressed juices, bowls, crackers, flatbreads, fresh dips, salad dressings, and desserts. You can order their products online on their website.
They also have a stand at Memorial Centre Farmers’ Market on Sundays.
Collective Joy Farms provides their microgreens to several restaurants in Kingston. You’ve probably tasted their produce before, so take some home with you today.
