George Boldt ran many hotels in New York City, including the infamous Waldorf-Astoria. He vacationed in the region with his wife and two children and fell in love with the area. He began construction of his “summer cottage” on Heart Island in 1900 as a gift to his wife, Louise. Once the main floor was completed, they hosted many parties there; however, Louise passed away suddenly in 1904 and the home was never completed. In fact legend has it, Mr. Boldt never returned to the island after her death. Boldt Castle sat empty for 73 years until it was purchased by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority in 1977 - they have worked at finishing and restoring the structure ever since. Interesting fact - George Boldt is also credited with popularizing Thousand Islands Dressing. While there is some controversy as to whom actually developed the recipe, most agree that demand for the product resulted from Mr. Boldt serving it at the posh Waldorf-Astoria’s restaurant.
Singer Castle Singer Castle is very special to us since it is where we got engaged. Construction of the home on Dark Island started in 1905. The owner, Frederick Bourne, called his hunting lodge “The Towers” but in later years it came to be known as Singer Castle since Mr. Bourne was the President of the Singer Manufacturing Company. His family occupied the home until 1961. It is very well preserved with many of the original fixtures and furnishings. There are hidden panels and passageways that can be viewed during the tour. Singer Castle can only be reached by boat. www.singercastle.com
Uncle Sam Boat Tours (45 James St, Alexandria Bay NY) We highly recommend “The 2 Nations Tour” boat ride through Uncle Sam Boat Tours. It is 2-¼ hours long and travels 22 miles through international waters giving you an up-close look at many of the islands. The narration is very informative. Tickets are $26/adult and it operates every day at 10:00 am, 12:30 and 3:00 pm. There are several other tour options available. www.usboattours.com
Thousand Islands Winery (43298 Seaway Ave, Alex Bay NY) Founded in 2003, the Thousand Islands Winery produces over 50,000 gallons of wine annually. They feature 23 varieties of wine in five categories - dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, fruit and dessert wines. The are home to the NY Wine Slushy - the top-grossing wine slushy at the New York State Fair and featured at stadiums and arenas across New York State. Open daily in the summer 10am - 8pm. www.thousandislandswinery.com
Coyote Moon Vineyards (17371 East Line Rd, Clayton NY) Well worth the trip to nearby Clayton. Coyote Moon has a large variety of red, white and rosé wines ranging from dry to sweet - there is something to suit everyone’s taste. Many of the bottle labels feature illustrations depicting scenes from throughout the Thousand Islands Region - they make great souvenirs and gifts! Open daily 10am - 5pm. They also have a beautiful tasting room in downtown Clayton with a view of the river. www.coyotemoonvineyards.com
Dark Island Spirits (42 Church St, Alexandria Bay NY) They offer tastings of their bourbons, whiskeys, brandies, vodkas, gins and liqueurs. They also offer slushies and delicious cocktails made with their spirits. Conveniently located next to Cavallario’s. Open Mon - Thu, 11am - 7pm, Fri & Sat, 11am - 9pm and Sun, 11am - 5pm. www.darkislandspirits.com
Clayton Distillery (40164 NYS Route 12, Clayton NY) Founded in 2013 and located just a short drive from Alexandria Bay. They produce various flavors of vodka, gin, moonshine, limoncello, flavored liqueurs, bourbon, flavored whisky and flavored moonshines. They offer tastings and also have alcoholic and non-alcoholic slushies. Try a bottle of their newest product - Bourbon Cream (if it isn’t sold out!). Open Mon - Sat, 11am-6pm and Sun 12pm-5pm. www.claytondistillery.com
Downtown Alexandria Bay Downtown Alexandria Bay has many interesting and unique shops. Explore the shops along James, Church and Market Streets for a plethora of souvenirs, clothing, home furnishings and gift items. There also is a Big M Supermarket, Kinney Drugs and Family Dollar located on the outskirts of town in case you need to pick up something you forgot to bring with you. www.visitalexbay.org
Barge & Boat Watching The St. Lawrence Seaway is an international shipping channel providing passage to vessels from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes through a system of locks, canals and channels. It can accommodate ships up to 740 feet long by 78 feet wide and they can travel as far inland as Duluth, MN. Stroll along The River Walk (entrance on James St between Bay House Artisans and A Bay International) and watch for the huge barges coming through carrying a variety of items. Smaller boats constantly travel up and down the river. If you are lucky enough to have a hotel room with a view of the river, watch from your balcony! To view real-time information about the barges - www.marinetraffic.com