This weekend I will be going on a road trip to Canada with my friend and his wife. We will be leaving New Jersey on Friday night and arriving in Kingston early Saturday. We will be leaving there some time on Sunday for us not to arrive too early Monday because we all have work. I know this is short notice by anyone in that area want to meet for drinks?
What part of Canadian Culture should I not miss?
Donuts. Tim Hortons. 
In Kingston? I dunno… Queen’s? Kingston Pen?
In Kingston, the Tragically Hips of course !
Kingston?.. Dude, a mini-Dopefest would be cool, but Kingston?
Pick up The Crackwalker by Judith Thompson. If I’m not mistaken, that play is set in Kingston. Great read, better performance. Creepy all way 'round!
Sorry thats where my friend is going,
I lived in Kingston for a year. I liked it very much. Get yourself to Chez Piggy for dinner, or the Toucan for drinks. The thing you absolutely must do while there is visit one of the eleven (as of 2000) Tim Horton’s, and have a cup of coffee. Then buy some coffee grounds and bring it back to me since I’m running out and the next Mom-shipment isn’t on its way yet.
What else in K’ton? Well, Fort Henry is kinda cool. You’ll probably see the sculling team on the lake. Canada’s military academy is also there. I suppose to someone from New Jersey, the historical aspect of the old buildings and such isn’t going to be interesting, but to a Western Canadian girl it was a total joy to just wander around and look at them.
Sculling? In December? Skating maybe…
Kingston is loverly, you can go and hang out at the Cataraqui mall. There is this food place there with the absolute best pizza…at least I thought so.
When I lived there, they were still sculling in December.
Well Kingston tends to have lots of bars/eateries due to 2 Universities (Queen’s and RMC) and a college (Champlain IIRC). So downtown near the lake you can hit the Toucan (good Guinness), the Brew Pub, Chez Piggy, Royal Oak etc. There was a really nice bookstore called the Bookmark but it may have up and vanished by now.
Food wise grab a poutine, salt and vinegar chips (no ketchup), wander through Queen’s and along King Street (there are some nice limestone buildings/homes). There is the Pen but I’d skip it, though if you’re a Tragically Hip fan a quick look at Milhaven might be required. Fort Henry is a nice historic tourist trap.
Personally I used to wander along the lake front.
Try the Chinese Laundry Cafe, if it’s still around, for great deserts, full bar service, (nice single malt selection) in a really comfy, studentish atmosphere, with decent prices.
Kingston was where we would go for some “culture” and big town shopping when I lived in Belleville…
Have a good time, mate.
Oh yeah! Monk’s blend tea was excellent and so was the cheesecake.