Thousand Islands

The Thousand Islands archipelago spans a 50-kilometre stretch of the St. Lawrence River along the Ontario–New York border, containing exactly 1,864 islands ranging from uninhabited granite outcrops barely above waterline to sizeable islands with permanent communities. The area takes its name from a geological phenomenon — the Frontenac Arch, an ancient granite ridge connecting the Canadian Shield to the Adirondack Mountains, creates an unusually island-dense river passage. The Canadian gateway town of Gananoque and its US counterpart Alexandria Bay both serve as departure points for the cruise industry that is the primary visitor experience: 1-, 2-, and 3-hour boat tours pass Boldt Castle — a 120-room Rhine-style castle on Heart Island, New York, begun by hotel magnate George C. Boldt in 1900 and abandoned unfinished after his wife's sudden death — and through the International Rift channel where Canada and the US are separated by as little as 30 metres of water. The Thousand Islands Bridge, a two-section international crossing, has viewpoints and is itself a scenic stop on road trips. Boldt Castle is open to visitors during summer by ferry from Alexandria Bay; Canadian visitors can board ferries in Gananoque. Thousand Islands National Park, Canada's smallest national park at just 21 square kilometres spread across 24 islands, provides camping, kayaking, and picnic sites accessible by private boat or charter from mainland marinas.