Rich golds, deep ochres, vivid reds -- the city of Kingston, Ont. is cloaked in a mantle of glory, and from Fort Henry it looks just like a pointillist painting.

Although autumn is the perfect time of year to see its fabulous foliage, we also get a glimpse of the city's true colours: the year-round ones that extend much deeper than its well-rooted trees. Whether you check them out on a guided walk, a trolley tour or, like us, from a rental car, you'll be dazzled by this city's kaleidoscope of history and culture.

Adjacent to our pivotal point is one of the city's most popular attractions. Following the War of 1812, there was major fear that neighbouring Henry Point and the Royal Navy Dockyards would be attacked. Without access to the St. Lawrence River, Kingston would have been cut off from eastern Canada.

Fort Henry came to the rescue. From this elevated bluff, it could protect all three of the city's waterways: the Rideau Canal, St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. And after dolling out 88,000 pounds of sterling, (50 million dollars if it was today's undertaking) it was ready for royal battle. But that day never came. In the end, harmony ruled and there wasn't a fight to be fought.

Military is big business in this lakeside city, and there's good reason for it. Skirting the shoreline across from the fort is the prestigious Royal Military College of Canada. In June 1876, 18 cadets were the first to be inaugurated into these hallowed halls. To this day, acceptance is challenging. But the price is right. For those willing to commit to five service years afterwards, this quality education is a freebie.

Queen's University is another learning institution that Kingston is mighty proud of. Flourishing maples canopy the Romanesque revival edifices that hug up along Union Street.

Yes, the tuition is a tad steeper than at the Royal Military College of Canada, but its reputation has been revered since classes began in March 1842.

Sir John A. Macdonald, Canada's first prime minister, had a keen interest in seeing this university prosper. Though he never attended, he lived in Bellevue House, an Italian villa-like beauty just a few blocks away.

We wander through this home's palatial rooms and chat with a costumed guide who claims to be a maid from the 1840s.

"She's one well-preserved servant," my husband Brent jests, after hearing the inside scoop. In spite of appearances, life was not always easy for Sir John. He lost his wife to polio, a son to sudden infant death syndrome and plenty of income on medical bills.

"It's no wonder he turned to the bottle," I say, when learning about his challenges with alcohol. In spite of his struggles, we discover this founding father was still held in high regard. His portrait dominates a wall in City Hall, his spirit lingers in a dozen or so other homesteads and he poises, immortalized in bronze, at the entrance to City Park, a Parliament Hill would-have-been, had the capital not headed east to Montreal and eventually to Ottawa in 1844.

Penitentiaries are just about as prominent here as politicians. From 1930 to 2000, the Prison for Women housed the country's most infamous females and, to this day, Kingston Pen (aka Alcatraz of the North) is a hangout for the most notorious males, including Paul Bernardo.

Thick limestone walls topped with barbed wire keeps them in and us out, and just beyond is a heritage home where the facts are shared. Out of Kingston's 17 museums, this one wins my vote.

History and culture abound beyond these archives and meld with modern-day comforts. Our chic Radisson retreat and other skyscrapers rise in juxtaposition to limestone-hewn homes. Trendy boutiques that rim Princess Street compete with Canada's longest continually running open-air market. And beyond Confederation Park, where the city's roots were initially planted, is the St. Lawrence River and waterway of the famed 1,000 Islands.

For a grand finale, we board the Island Star, a deluxe cruiser that combines fine cuisine and great entertainment with river views. And while applauding Billy Bridger's impersonations, the setting sun provides an awesome backdrop -- coral pinks, bursts of amber, shots of fuchsia. The beautiful shades stretch over the horizon like a painter's palette -- reminding us once again that we're in colourful Kingston.

If you go:

• For general tourism information on Kingston, visit www.kingstoncanada.com.

• The Radisson Hotel Kingston Harbourfront is located at 1 Johnson St. For reservations, call 1-800-395-7046 or visit www.radisson.com/kingstonca.

• For information on cruises of Kingston's 1000 Islands, visit www.1000islandscruises.on.ca.