10 Hidden Gems Things to do in Thousand Islands New York That You Shouldn't Miss

October 8, 2021 Enedina Augsburger

Discover the best top things to do in Thousand Islands New York, United States including Antique Boat Museum, Your Wave Tours, The Cape Winery, Dark Island Spirits Distillery & Winery, Fibonacci 321 Art Gallery, The Escape Works Inc., Tibbetts Point Lighthouse, Wellesley Island, Boldt Castle and Yacht House, Cornwall Brothers Store & Museum.
Restaurants in Thousand Islands New York

1. Antique Boat Museum

750 Mary St, Clayton, NY 13624-1119 +1 315-686-4104 http://www.abm.org
Excellent
83%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 423 reviews

Antique Boat Museum

This museum houses an impressive collection of wooden sea vessels.

Reviewed By spanglyanimal - Clayton, United States

Really amazing museum in the small vacation town of Clayton. Be sure to take an antique boat ride and to check out the race boat building. Wood Boat brewery is just across the street with amazing pizza and beer.

2. Your Wave Tours

Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 14 reviews

Your Wave Tours

Enjoy a tour of the 1000 Islands and the St. Lawrence River. Whether you want to cruise the islands, go to a beach, explore castles or relax at the end of the day and take a sunset cruise. We have your ultimate personal tour.

3. The Cape Winery

2066 Deerlick Rd, Cape Vincent, NY 13618-3167 +1 315-654-3218 [email protected] http://www.thecapewinery.com
Excellent
83%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
3%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 30 reviews

The Cape Winery

Family owned and operated farm winery specializing in wines made from the Cold Climate grapes. Currently the Tasting Room is closed, but re-opens on 30 Mar (2018) and is open 11 - 5 until December 31st (Closed Christmas Day

Reviewed By StephenB527 - Churchville, United States

My wife and saw the winery sign while motorcycling on Rt. 12E and decided to stop in. We were happily greeted by the owner and enjoyed sitting in the yard, learning the history of this vintage 1830’s homestead while being served some wonderful tasting wines. Visiting the inside tasting area provided an introduction to some interesting soaps and oils. This hard working family has definitely set the bar high for wineries in the region.

4. Dark Island Spirits Distillery & Winery

42 Church St, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607-1841 +1 315-482-2059 [email protected] http://www.darkislandspirits.com
Excellent
88%
Good
9%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 65 reviews

Dark Island Spirits Distillery & Winery

A Craft Distillery with a beautiful co-located Tasting Room that features In-house distilled spirits as well as craft wines and beers from local brewers and wineries. Local artists are also on display, as well as local farm to market products such as NY State cheeses, jams, honey, maple syrup, etc..

Reviewed By 758vanessam - Ithaca, United States

My husband and I drove past this and thought, hmm, maybe we should stop? We are glad we did! Because of Covid, things were a little different but the staff was so friendly and accommodating. You can do liquor tastings or flights if you take them outside on the deck, and the bourbon was wonderful (says my husband) - he even bought a bottle to take home. They also have a huge assortment of slushies that you can add your choice of liquor too, so good and refreshing on a hot day. Very affordable as well, nice deck to sit on and watch people in the town. You can bring your own food if you'd like. I would definitely stop here if you're in Alex Bay or nearby.

321 James St, Clayton, NY 13624-1011 +1 315-686-7069 [email protected] http://www.Fibonacci321.com
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 15 reviews

Fibonacci 321 Art Gallery

6. The Escape Works Inc.

140 Stone Street 2nd Floor, Watertown, NY 13601 +1 315-771-0787 [email protected] http://www.theescapeworks.com
Excellent
95%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 41 reviews

The Escape Works Inc.

Premier Escape Room Experience!​ Escape rooms are immersive physical adventure game in which you are locked in a room with friends, relatives or coworkers and you try to escape in 60 minutes. Our rooms are themed around a storyline in which you participate by following clues, solving puzzles and accomplishing tasks in order to succeed. Come escape with us! It's a great thing to do with friends and family when you are looking for fun things to do in Watertown!

Reviewed By 613jeremyd - Pound, United States

We had an opportunity to take the soon to be groom to an Escape Room the day before his wedding! We were greeted with a big smile. We ran a few minutes late and were thankful that the owner was kind enough to still give us the full time for the room. We did the Bank Heist room and were pleased with the elements in the room. We were a little nervous with a 30% success rate but we still ended up completing the room! We had a blast and continued discussing the room for days. You won't be disappointed in any of the rooms that are offered here! Have a blast, hopefully you make it out before the time runs out! Enjoy!

7. Tibbetts Point Lighthouse

Cape Vincent, NY +1 315-654-2700 http://www.capevincent.org/lighthouse/lighthouse_001.htm
Excellent
50%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
14%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 133 reviews

Tibbetts Point Lighthouse

This lighthouse was erected in 1827 when its first lamps were fueled by whale oil; today the buildings and grounds serve as an historical and educational resource for the public to enjoy.

Reviewed By jtdriver - Amsterdam, United States

A great spot! We were fortunate to spend about an hour on a mild and sunny day with a breeze kicking up the waves from Lake Ontario. We enjoyed the exhibits in the building that housed the fog horn and looking through the "telescope" out across the lake and the river. It's too bad the area needs to be so fenced in and that walking to the top of the lighthouse is not permitted (as far as we could tell). Maybe in the future the big chain link fence can be replaced with something equally protective of visitors' safety but be much more attractive. In any case, well worth a visit.

8. Wellesley Island

Alexandria Bay, NY +1 315-507-0755 http://www.wellesleyisland.net/
Excellent
57%
Good
35%
Satisfactory
8%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 162 reviews

Wellesley Island

Wellesley Island is home to a state park, a nature center and museum – with trails taking you through marshland, forest and shoreline – and three golf courses.

Reviewed By SharonH764

This former Methodist camp is a must see. There are beautiful Victorian houses, historic buildings and views.

9. Boldt Castle and Yacht House

Heart Island, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607 +1 315-482-9724 [email protected] http://www.boldtcastle.com/visitorinfo/
Excellent
73%
Good
22%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,953 reviews

Boldt Castle and Yacht House

A visit to the magnificent Boldt Castle offers a glimpse into one of the most compelling love stories in history. At the turn-of-the-century, George C. Boldt, millionaire proprietor of the world-famous Waldorf Astoria Hotel in NYC, set out to build a full-sized Rhineland Castle in Alexandria Bay, on Heart Island. The grandiose structure was to be a display of his love for his wife, Louise. Beginning in 1900, Boldt's family shared four summers on Wellesley Island while 300 workers, stonemasons, carpenters and artists fashioned the six story, 120-room castle, complete with tunnels, a powerhouse, Italian gardens, a drawbridge and a dovecote. In 1904, tragedy struck. Boldt telegrammed the island and commanded the workers to immediately "stop all construction." Louise had died suddenly. A broken-hearted Boldt could not imagine his dream castle without his beloved. Three hundred workers laid down their tools. Boldt never returned, leaving behind the structure as a monument of his love.

Reviewed By burr6013 - Mississauga, Canada

Boldt Castle is the former, private mansion of American millionaire George Boldt, the past general manager of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and the past manager of the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. Built between 1900 and 1904 on Heart Island (part of the Town of Alexandria in Jefferson County) in the St. Lawrence River, the six-storey mansion, built in the Châteauesque architectural style, is maintained by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority and is both a tourist attraction and a major landmark. Boldt engaged the architecture firm of G. W. & W. D. Hewett and hundreds of workers to build the “castle” as a gift to his wife, Louise Kehrer Boldt. Construction ceased abruptly in early 1904 after the unexpected death of Boldt’s wife. Boldt never returned to Heart Island. Heart Island was later acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority in 1977, along with the nearby yacht house on Wellesley Island, for one dollar. Since then, the Thousand Islands Bride Authority has spent over $15 million restoring and improving the site. Boldt Castle is open to guests mid-May through mid-September. It is accessible by ferry, private boat, and by tour boat. For a fee ($13.00 for adults [13+] and $7.50 for children [5-12]), guests can explore most of the site’s buildings (Boldt Castle, Power House, Alster Tower, and George C. Boldt Yacht House) and grounds (operating hours vary by the time of the year). There is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection office on Heart Island as visiting the island is considered entering the United States (guests visiting from Canada require appropriate documentation). Most of the rooms on the castle’s first floor and many of the rooms in the second floor are furnished with modern pieces. Some of the rooms from the second floor up to the top floor house exhibits related to the Thousand Islands region during the era in which the Boldts lived. The basement is largely unfinished with a swimming pool, a bowling alley, and a long passageway to the Power House. Built to hold a generator to supply the island with power, the Power House now serves as a museum. Exhibits detail how power was obtained in the early 1900s. There are also exhibits in the Power House on how tools and equipment got to Heart Island to enable construction efforts. Budget about 90 minutes to appreciate everything Boldt Castle offers. A shuttle boat links Heart Island to the George C. Boldt Yacht House. Be aware that a visit to Boldt Castle involves extensive walking and stairways. Docking at Heart Island is free.

10. Cornwall Brothers Store & Museum

36 Market St, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607-1301 +1 315-482-4586 [email protected] http://alexandriahistorical.com/
Excellent
48%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
16%
Poor
0%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 44 reviews

Cornwall Brothers Store & Museum

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