If your idea of the perfect summer vacation revolves around the lakeside, you're not alone. The lake is a bastion of peace and tranquility in an otherwise hectic, over-scheduled and over-stressed world. Ideally, many of us would love to live by the lake all year round, but of course, the weighty practicalities of day-to-day living make this improbable, if not all out impossible for most. Still, this doesn't mean you can't enjoy a healthy hit of perspective a few times a year by taking a lakeside vacation. It is a well-known fact that stress is one of the major contributing [...]

The Thousand Islands (1000 Islands)are by far one of the most popular tourist attractions in Kingston, Ontario. They are made up of 1,864 diverse islands in the Saint Lawrence River as it comes out of the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. These islands begin in Kingston, Ontario and stretch 80kms downstream. Some of the islands are over 40 square miles, and others may only be big enough for a single home or even a single tree. The islands where highly popularized as a summer resort in the late 19th century and early 20th century by admiring (and rich) visitors. Some of [...]

Chez Piggy is the pinnacle of restaurants in Kingston. This hot-spot is both trendy and totally unique – and the food has earned the restaurant international accolades. There is no single element that makes Chez Piggy so popular. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, yet the experience is also reminiscent of many fine dining establishments. The restaurant is tucked away in a vine spangled courtyard, and the building is actually a renovated limestone stable. There is a patio, a long bar, and an upstairs dining area. It’s perfect for an intimate evening for 2, or even a large family dinner. [...]

The best hiking in Ontario can be found close to home, so make a date with your boots and hit the trails! Hiking is one of the most popular forms of outdoor physical activity. Most people already know it is great cardiovascular exercise, but there are some other not-so-commonly touted benefits of hitting the trails. It's Affordable Who says the best things in life aren't free? Hiking in Ontario is one of the most inexpensive physical pursuits.  Many of the trails in Ontario are free to use - all you need is a good pair of supportive hiking shoes or boots, [...]

Hiking Ontario trails isn't exactly as physically demanding as traversing the Alps, but this doesn't mean you should just pick a trail and start walking aimlessly. When planning any kind of outdoor excursion, it is always best to adopt the Boy Scout motto and be prepared. This isn't to say you've got to map your exact route and pack a week's worth of provisions - merely that you should give some consideration to a few key factors. Duration How long are you going to be out? An hour, a few hours, overnight? Obviously, what you would bring for an overnight [...]