Thousand Islands

The count is over eighteen hundred, using a definition requiring an island to stay above water year round and support at least one tree. The border runs through the archipelago, so tours cross between countries. Boldt Castle on Heart Island is the set piece: George Boldt, who ran the Waldorf-Astoria, was building a six-storey house for his wife Louise when she died suddenly in January 1904; he telegraphed the site to stop all work that day and never returned. It stood open to weather and vandals for seventy-three years until the bridge authority took it over in 1977 and began restoration, which continues. The Antique Boat Museum in Clayton holds a large collection of wooden craft.

What you'll find

• Over eighteen hundred islands - by a definition requiring a tree.
• Boldt Castle - work stopped in a single day in 1904.
• A border running through the archipelago - tours cross it.
• The Antique Boat Museum - wooden craft at Clayton.

When to go

June to September; boats stop for winter. A full day.

Practical notes

Boldt Castle is on an island - a boat ticket and a separate entry fee. Crossing the border on some tours needs a passport. The season is short. Winter closes nearly everything.

Nearby

Clayton and Cape Vincent are downriver; Kingston is across in Canada.