Kingston in September

May through October gives you the best weather and everything open. July and August mean festival season - Limestone City Blues Festival in July draws decent crowds. September rocks if you can handle Queen's students returning - the energy is infectious but accommodations fill up. October brings fall colors and Homecoming chaos. Winter here is brutal - Lake Ontario winds cut right through you. But December's Victorian Christmas market downtown has charm if you bundle up. Spring comes late, usually not until May. The thousand Islands boat tours only run May through October, so time accordingly.