Kingston

As you can imagine, it will be quite a change for me moving from New York City to Kingston, Ontario. I've been checking out the Cataraqui River project's webcam, local restaurants (is there not a single sushi bar?) and reading about what Queen's has about the town. Um, well, I'm going for the law school, right? At this point, I'm just looking to find a decent pad near campus and keep my mind open about Kingston.

Escape to Toronto?
I am thinking that I may need to spend some weekends in a proper city. So, anyone know how Queen's students get to Toronto easily and cheaply? (Toronto's comparable to New York, right?) The Queen's site lists flights from Pearson Airport and the "Trentway-Wagar Coach Service" as the 2 options. From that it seems like the cheapest way (round trip) is the coach @ $80. Does anyone know a cheaper way?

Finding a Home
I keep checking back to the Housing Help Centre in Kingston to get a sense of pricing/ neighbourhoods. I also tossed in my hat for the co-op housing run by Science 44. Here's some useful advice from the discussion board:
DrStrangelove divides Kingston into:

North of Princess (aka NOP):
It gets a bad rap. As long as you stay within four or five blocks of Princess Street you will be fine. I lived NOP first year and had no problems. Student housing is starting to creep northward anyway. You can get a three bedroom house for as low as $600 if your lucky. Property standards are not the greatest though. Avoid going beyond this four to five block area and confine yourself between Albert and Colborne Street (ie from West to East).

West of the Ghetto, but not West Campus:
You can find some nice apartments and houses there. Students are mixed in with permanent residents here, so the places are usually nicer. (Cheaper than living above shops on Princess too.) I would look into this, as you are still within a 10 to 20 miniute walk from the school. Far from the bars and a pain in the ass to go food shopping if you do not have a car though. The car applies more to the food I guess.

Above shops on Princess (eg Sleepless Goat):
Nice places mostly, but overpriced for Kingston.

Living in the Townships (ie away from the Ghetto and away from the areas near the Ghetto):
It will be cheap and it will be nicer. However, no one will ever come to your house and parking near Queen's is a giant pain in the a-s-s. Moreover, you will miss out on the Queen's experience. Don't do it. Unless of course your someone with a family.

Thanks Doc!