Experience in Kingston, Canada by Despina

What is it like to live in Kingston? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Kingston is a beautiful relatively small city in Ontario, only about 2 hours away from Toronto and Ottawa. The student life there is amazing, there are many restaurants, amazing parks for outdoor walking and there are nice pubs and bars for all ages. I loved Kingston. Accomodation is cheaper than other bigger cities. It has very nice architecture as it was the first capital of Canada. The view of the lake is magic and in Winter and in Christmas the city is beautiful with cute little Christmas markets and festivals all year round. Queen's university is also very nice and gives a great vide in Kingston.

What is the student lifestyle like in Kingston?

The student lifestyle in Kingston is definately characterized by its night life, many partys in both bars, clubs and houses. There is a strong sense of community and most people there are very firendly and nice! Recommended!!!!

How much does it cost to live in Kingston?

The living costs of course depend on whether you want to live alone or in a shared house/apartment. If you live alone the costs are around CAD 1500 per month for accomodation and food and some other expenses you may have. If you live with other people you may pay around CAD 1000 per month, all included.

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Kingston? Is there any advice you can give?

It is not very difficult to find accomodation in Kingston, but you need to look for it pretty early as all students are moving in September. All good places will not be available if you start looking in August. You need to search for accomodation as early as possible if you want to find a nice place. I would say April is a good month to start looking and book the latest in May. There are many places, so it is not very difficult to find, but if you are late all the expensive or small ones are left.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The food is great, but if you are coming from Europe it is not excellent. you may know what I mean. Grizzly Grill has amazing food, ribs and steaks. There are also good Indian and Korean restaurants. The best thing is that you can find all kinds of food from most of the countries of the world. East side Mario's is also very good for Italian dishes. Namaste Kingston has amazing Indian food as also Crave Coffee has amazing coffee and cinamon rolls.

What places would you recommend visiting in Kingston?

The parks are very nice in the summer and fall. The ice rink in front of the city hall is also a must see if you visit Kingston in the winter. Queen's Uni has amazing architecture (classic) so you should go there too. You can also walk down Princess Street to look around all the small stores and eat in restaurants there! Jack Astror's has amazing views of the central square for drink and food (try the chicken wings with a cocktail).

Is it good to eat out in Kingston? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Grizzly Grill, Crave Coffee, Jack Astor's, Chez Piggy, Namaste Kingston, The Keg, Tango Nuevo, Grecos, Dim Sum Kingston

Is the nightlife good in Kingston? Where is good to go?

The nightlife is very good, many pubs and a few cluds. Stages is the most famous club, it is for students, everybody goes there, try to get there early so there are no long lines. The Kingston Brewing Company is amazing for beers and something to eat, go definately there in Christmas the decor is amazing!

What advice would you give future students heading to Kingston?

Kingston is one of the top student cities in Canada! Definately Recommended, everybody in my Master's degree loved the city. It is also very convenient to travel around in Ontario and Quebec from Kingston. It is pretty much in the middle between Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal. Quebec City is further away but it is reachable.