Fort Henry National Historic Site

Fort Henry National Historic Site

Fort Henry National Historic Site
4.5
About
Once inside the wooden gates, visitors enter the realm of 19th century military life, experience guided tours, scenic views, heart-pounding musical performances and precision military demonstrations by the Fort Henry Guard. You will also see people representing the civilian population of the Fort as schoolteachers and soldiers' wives. The Fort also plays host to numerous special ceremonies and events that take place all season long.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Justin C
    Wetaskiwin, Canada75 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing piece of history with stunning views
    This was an amazing experience as I use to live nearby but never went until I moved away. The views are amazing and the interpretation and demonstrations were amazing. Definitely need to go and see it if you are in the area. Make sure to see the schedule of activities and plan accordingly.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 8, 2024
  • Patrice L
    Verneuil-l'Etang, France348 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very well maintained and well explained
    Ana delighted us with her explanations of life in those times. Beautiful place well maintained volunteers are invested and very committed to make us live this time. Life in this fort must have been rough it is a beautiful reminder of history.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 9, 2024
  • backwoodzman
    Woodville, Canada12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome
    Awesome adventure, the Fort Henry Guard are very special, intelligent, knowledgeable and treat guests like family. I have visited many Fort's, and Fort Henry ranks among the top. To have conversation with a top ranking officer of the Guard was something I'll never forget.
    Visited August 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 18, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,627 reviews
Excellent
881
Very good
518
Average
162
Poor
51
Terrible
15

Mississauga-Chick
Mississauga, Ont241 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
This impressive fortification is a must for all military and history buffs. While you’re welcome to do self guided tours, the free guided tours, which leave every half hour and take just over an hour, are totally worth the time. Our tour guide, who is dressed in appropriate period costume, and spoke as if she were in the time, was a plethora of information helping to bring to life what life in the fort would have been like. While the tour gives a great overview, it doesn’t give you time to explore every room, so for those who are into military and history, plan an extra hour to explore each of the rooms independently. However, during warm days it’s easy to overheat, so before exploring the rest of the fort, as the tour ends near the commissary, be sure to either stop in to the commissary to purchase cold drinks and bread, or top up your water bottle for free with the refill taps in the washrooms just to the other side of the commissary. They also have multiple displays during the day so be sure to check out the times at the gate before you enter, and plan for some extra time if you want to see those as well. In our case, there was the cannon firing at noon, and the trooping of the bands at 3 PM, both very enjoyable experiences.
Written July 10, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you kindly for your review and sharing your experience of Fort Henry.
Written July 28, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

ptrs
Mississauga, Canada24 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
Not only is a visit to Fort Henry a great experience, the staff are informative with all the information. We stayed for the Fort Henry Tattoo which was amazing with the bands and dancers and fireworks at the end. I would recommend looking for any special things they have going on, they put on a great show.
Written July 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you kindly for your review and attending our annual Fort Henry Tattoo performance this summer season.
Written July 28, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

mizdot
Brockville, Canada198 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
We enjoyed our visit. At this present time, tickets need to be purchased ahead of time with an entry time. Masks were required in buildings (shops, food vendors and toilets). Tour is self guided, you can peek inside a few of the open doors such as the schoolroom, the bakery, the privys and the family quarters. There is a section roped off for artillery demonstrations (firing of cannons and rifles). We were able to walk the upper part of the fort and my preschooler enjoyed looking at all the cannons and jumping from their platforms. Scenic views from the top are just as beautiful as always and it was quiet on the site due to limited entry. We enjoyed the quiet visit. Costumed guides were stationed throughout the fort to answer questions.
Written July 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Debbie J
62 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Couples
Self guided tour (not sure if that is just because of Covid)
At the entrance you are told there are guides offering short explanation about various aspects of Fort Henry life, approx every 15 mins. The big problem is that there are 2 parts to the fort, but there is no signage, or times anywhere to direct you when and where these events are occurring. You arrive in the upper fort, where there are cafes, beaver tails (go figure) and a few retail stores. The views from the ramparts are spectacular but again no signage. You can walk into the patio of the restaurant and go to the walls for some amazing views, but it’s not obvious you can do that.
There is a ramp to the lower (more important part of the fort) but you would never know if you allowed down there) again no signage. Once in this part, there are guides who provide the information about life in the fort (the 15 minute presentation). The girl who spoke about the musical instruments and the role it played in entertainment as well as communication was a talented musician and played several instruments. But without signage you never knew what was coming up next or what time. From here you enter into the walls of the fort where there are some mundane rooms about life at the fort. By accident we came across, tucked in a corner a selection of rooms that showed the living quarters of the various officers and commanders, you exit unexpectedly into a working bakery, where you are instantly asked “do you have any question?” I’ve only just walked in the room, you tell me about this!! You could have easily missed this part of the fort.
As a visitor to Kingston, yes visit Fort Henry, but to the people organizing this, it really is very poorly done, I understand the Covid restrictions but surely you can have better signage ( that is not a touch point), times of the events ( canon, rifle firing etc) recommended routes through the fort ( the map doesn’t do this).
Written August 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kelli M
Kingston, Canada40 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
This is a fun location for the whole family. Steeped in history it overlooks the city of Kingston and is a great vantage point for travellers to see the town from overhead. Check their event schedule to see what is upcoming. Fort Fright is fun for Hallowe'en and they have musical performances and reenactments throughout the summer months. The large hill is fun for toboggoning in the winter and they may still offer an obstacle course to run during the summer. Ample parking on site and a nice restaurant that overlooks the water.
Written January 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

satch a
15 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021 • Family
We visited this site near the end of June. Due to the pandemic, we had to book appointments to enter, so it wasn't much crowded. The staff and guards are very friendly. They had a lot of information and they were ready to answer any questions and have nice conversations with us. Every 15 mins they have alternating presentations such as rifle firing. The drawback is, due to the pandemic most of the areas were closed and there was poor maintenance. By maintenance, there were many spiderwebs on the bleachers and other places where we walked in the lower fort.
Written July 7, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eric_the_Bish
Plymouth, UK906 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2021 • Couples
Very pleasantly surprised at the understated but effective interpretation of this historic site. We actually only went there because we missed the turning for the ferry to Wolfe Island (!) but in the event it was a really great visit. The demonstration firing of an historic rifle, accompanied by a most interesting description of the weapon’s development and utility, was a highlight.

I would say it’s not well set up to entertain small children, but for adults interested in some of the background and history of the area it was really interesting. And I think small children would enjoy the visit as long as they were not expecting video games and virtual reality shows.
Written September 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jo S
Canada14 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022 • Family
We visited Fort Henry two days in a row in July and were very impressed with everything we saw and experienced. The level of commitment shown by everyone is admirable and the attention to detail, to ensure historic accuracy, is quite remarkable. The musical and artillery drills were very interesting to follow and there were also some opportunities for interactive participation, for instance in the school room. Mrs Schneider was brilliant as the school mistress! The staff at the ticket booth were welcoming, Olek at the bistro provided great service, and the shop selling Indigenous handicrafts carried some beautiful pieces. All in all, Fort Henry is a must for anyone interested in history - the history of the military, the history of Kingston, and the history of Canada. The view of the city and Lake Ontario from the fort is amazing.
Written July 18, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Michael A
Toronto, Canada638 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
The bleached limestone lock walls are amazing. The dark, cool rooms on the lower level are serenely beautiful, and the views from up top are great. You have a vista over the river to one side, and the city on another. Sailboats, ferries, birds....there is so much to enjoy form your perch.
And inside the museum, where there is a self-guided tour due to covid, you'll see the enlisted mens rooms, officers mess, bedrooms, the kitchen, a common room where officers socialized, and you'll learn what an officer did to "purchase" his rank. Amazing, interesting and news to me.
There is a beautiful (amd extensive) collection of old guns and photos....its really wonderful.

Enjoy.....
Written August 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hobbit Honey
Canada313 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
We did this on the way back from the Rockport Cruise to Bolt Castle (a must). $20 CA to get in a little much compared to $12.50 USD for the Bolt Castel entrance fee. Not much to see but if you like history then I would say check it out. Those poor employees in that wool in the heat.
Written July 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Fort Henry National Historic Site - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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