The Ultimate Heart of 1000 Islands Sightseeing Boat Tour
5
The Ultimate Heart of 1000 Islands Sightseeing Boat Tour
By Clayton Island Tours
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About
THIS TOUR DEPARTS FROM THE UNITED STATES
2 Nation Lunch Cruise with stops at Boldt Castle and Rock Island Lighthouse. Join us for the ultimate sightseeing tour on the St. Lawrence River. Designed for those who wish to take in the beauty of the 1000 islands Region and experience the the most attractions from the river in an afternoon. This tour includes lunch, combines our Boldt Castle Tour stopping at Heart Island for a tour of Millionaire George Boldt's Rhineland style castle, a cruise through Millionaires Row viewing magnificent summer homes of the rich and famous of the gilded age, and a stop at Rock Island Lighthouse to visit the "Keepers Cottage" Museum & Gift Shop and climb to the top of lighthouse to enjoy the spectacular view of the St. Lawrence Seaway. NO Passports required!
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 50 per group
Duration: 5h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
- Local naturalist guide
- Sightseeing boat cruise
- Picnic Lunch is included in this tour. Lunches are prepared for each reservation. Contact Clayton Island Tours to confirm lunch choices
- Admission to Boldt Castle
- Admission to Rock Island Lighthouse
- Opportunity to walk along TWO of the 1000 Islands
- Restroom on board
- Entry/Admission - Boldt Castle and the Boldt Yacht House
- Entry/Admission - Rock Island Lighthouse State Park
What's not included- Gratuities
- Start:
- 39611 Chateau Ln, Clayton, NY 13624, USA
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Service animals allowed
- Stroller accessible
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6799P8- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- No passport required
- Please arrive 30 minutes prior to departure to allow for parking and ticket redemption. Boarding begins 15 minutes prior to departure.
- This Tour Departs from and returns to Clayton, New York, United States
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 50 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6799P8
From
$81.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 39611 Chateau Ln, Clayton, NY 13624, USA
- Pass byClaytonThousand Islands New YorkWellesley IslandAlexandria BaySaint Lawrence RiverThousand Islands Bridge
- 1
- 2
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- Holly K0 contributionsFun River AdventureWe enjoyed an excellent tour driven by Captain Jack and narrated by Michele. Michele was extremely knowledgeable about the area and was able to share quite a few personal stories. The boat was comfortable, even for me while using a knee scooter. All employees were able to guide us on best access to Boldt Castle given my accessibility needs. The river got a little rough and splashy, but the boat was perfected and the tour continued. Highly recommend this adventure as part of your trip!Written October 12, 2024
- edriepfeiffer0 contributionsGreat tour optionThis was a great tour. The boat was comfortable. We preordered lunch which allowed more time to walk around Bolt Island. The narration was very good and really pointed out interesting sights as well as giving history.Written October 12, 2024
- Traveler640244565370 contributionsAmazing AfternoonWonderful boat trip with an experienced and pleasant Captain and an AMAZING Guide, Maurice. He shared so much information about the River, homes on the River, history of Boldt Castle and Boldt Boat House, Alexandria Bay, and Clayton. He is most definitely an asset to your Company!Written October 5, 2024
- benjamintR1349XH0 contributionsClayton Island ToutsPerfect weather, great boat, excellent Captain and excellent tour guide Dennis (Rick Steve’s of St. Lawrence River boat tour guides).Written October 4, 2024
- Donald T0 contributionsA wonderful time on the river.We had a wonderful time! The weather was beautiful. Our boat tour with Clayton Tours was very enjoyable. We saw an eagle, a loon and black squirrels. We even passed by a large freighter. Our captain and guide were very knowledgeable.Written October 2, 2024
- GoGiGi70 contributionsAmazing 1000 Island TourMichelle was an amazing and informative guide! He made the entire boat tour out to Boldt Castle and back a treat! His knowledge was extensive and his love of the area apparent. Highly recommend Clayton island tours!Written October 2, 2024
- yma30 contributionsEnjoyable fall cruise and castle tourWe had a beautiful fall day which enhanced our experience. The boat captain and tour guide was knowledgeable and informative. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, we would recommend going with this cruise company.Written October 1, 2024
- Jack B0 contributionsAbsolutely beautiful place a must see!The history the stories was like going back in the early 1900’s and imagining what life was like as a millionaire. Love that was lost and the great efforts to save a national treasure. It’s a must see!Written September 29, 2024
- FarAway164200584650 contributionsBe sure to visit!Beautiful and interesting castle and we have visited many in the world. The grounds are beautiful with plentiful blooms in September.Written September 28, 2024
- Lisa R0 contributionsSuper fun, definitely worth it!1st time doing a boat tour, and this one did not disappoint! Captain Jack and Guide Michael made the trip enjoyable. Michael was extremely knowledgeable about the history behind many of the islands. This trip is definitely worth it - it didn't feel like 3.5 hours, but as the saying goes, "Time sure does fly when you're having fun"Written September 27, 2024
- Eubankspill0 contributionsWonderful boat tour.This was an amazing tour with well experienced tour guides. Also very affordable. The people running the tour were very friendly and helpful. Highly recommend.Written September 27, 2024
- Paradise276900129590 contributionsAmazing Bolt Castle, 1000 Island TourThe tour was great, loved all of the beautiful homes on the thousands islands and the castle and the history that went with it. Very informative guides The weather was wonderful. Loved everything about it. Even got to see an eagle.Written September 25, 2024
- weldona6180 contributionsGreat day on the water!We had a great day on the water. The tour guide and captain were very knowledgeable and entertaining! We learned a few new bits of local history and culture. The shoulder seasons are the best time to kick back and enjoy this area!Written September 21, 2024
- R2634CYchrisp0 contributionsGreat Day for a tourWas a great tour with a Great tour guide, Michell. He was very informative and kept us interested. The views were beautiful and Boldt Castle was amazing. The 3.5 hour tour was just right. A little cooler on the water, as expected.Written September 19, 2024
- FellowTraveler730550 contributionsClayton Island Tours for Boldt Castle and the 2 nation tour is the best.This tour is well worth the time. I would definitely recommend taking this tour. We went with Clayton Island tours. Great company with which to deal. Chris, our guide and Captain Matt were really knew their stuff.Written September 17, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
239 reviews
Excellent
220
Very good
16
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Karen B
Hornell, NY6 contributions
Jul 2021
Our guide Liam was excellent, a great storyteller and knowledgable about the areas we toured. The boat itself was comfortable and it was easy to see out both sides.Our captain was also knowledgeable and friendly.
Lunch was a bagged lunch picked up on the way to board, having given our wrap choice ahead of time. Along with the wrap, which was very good, there was pasta salad, chips , cookies and a drink.Of course there was a bar on the boat with adult beverages and soft drinks.
We had about 1 1/2 hours at Boldt castle. It would have been nice to have a bit more time here, but it is a self guided tour and you can download an audio guide on your phone on the way in.
There was about an hour at the Lighthouse which seemed like longer than needed there. However, only 8 people can go up to the top at a time so if there are a lot of people there it would take longer for all to go up.
We really enjoyed seeing the mansions on the islands and hearing the history of many of them.
We would definitely recommend this tour!
At this time there were no restrictions regarding covid. A few of us did wear masks inside the castle but they were not required anywhere.
Lunch was a bagged lunch picked up on the way to board, having given our wrap choice ahead of time. Along with the wrap, which was very good, there was pasta salad, chips , cookies and a drink.Of course there was a bar on the boat with adult beverages and soft drinks.
We had about 1 1/2 hours at Boldt castle. It would have been nice to have a bit more time here, but it is a self guided tour and you can download an audio guide on your phone on the way in.
There was about an hour at the Lighthouse which seemed like longer than needed there. However, only 8 people can go up to the top at a time so if there are a lot of people there it would take longer for all to go up.
We really enjoyed seeing the mansions on the islands and hearing the history of many of them.
We would definitely recommend this tour!
At this time there were no restrictions regarding covid. A few of us did wear masks inside the castle but they were not required anywhere.
Written July 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the great review! We are happy to hear you enjoyed your entire experience on the Ultimate Sightseeing Tour including picnic lunches from Kay's Kitchen. We thank you for mentioning Liam, we believe he does a great job! Thank you for choosing Clayton Island Tours.
Written July 18, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joseph E
1 contribution
Jul 2022 • Couples
This was a great little day excursion! It was well planned and organized and the lunches were delicious. Captain Steve navigated a busy river and kept is feeling safe while our guide Brad kept us entertained with his vast local knowledge of all things Thousand Islands peppered with dad jokes. Highly recommend for young and old.
Written July 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for taking the time to review us! We are happy to hear you enjoyed our Captain and Crew while exploring the St. Lawrence River.
Written July 11, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Carrie C
Baltimore, MD19 contributions
Jul 2022
First off, the positive: the whole experience was well run with an easy to find location, parking, ticket taking, etc... the captain (Capt. Skip) and the narrator (Brad) were FANTASTIC!!!
A 5-hour tour seems like a long time. It's not. The main part of the trip is going to Bolt Castle/Yacht House. You only get an hour and half total there. To see the yacht house, you have to take a little ferry that only runs at very specific times from the castle: on the :10's & :40's.
So you get the castle at 12:45pm. You barely have enough time to walk up from the boat up to the castle and enter the front door before you have to catch the yacht boat. You are at the AMAZING yacht house with over 60 historical boats for 30 minutes before you have to ferry back. Then you are back at the castle at 1:45 with barely 25 minutes before you have to head back to the dock to get back on the boat.
The castle itself has 4 floors (with a 15 minute movie telling the history) and massive grounds and 3 separate structures to explore. There simply isn't enough time there. You can't explore the castle in 25 minutes.
The boat ride itself is fantastic and gorgeous scenery abounds. The stop at Rock Island to see the lighthouse was great and throughout the whole trip, Brad was an incredible story teller who brought to life the history of the Thousand Island region.
All in all, it would've been 5 stars if the stay at Bolt Castle was longer, even by just an hour.
A 5-hour tour seems like a long time. It's not. The main part of the trip is going to Bolt Castle/Yacht House. You only get an hour and half total there. To see the yacht house, you have to take a little ferry that only runs at very specific times from the castle: on the :10's & :40's.
So you get the castle at 12:45pm. You barely have enough time to walk up from the boat up to the castle and enter the front door before you have to catch the yacht boat. You are at the AMAZING yacht house with over 60 historical boats for 30 minutes before you have to ferry back. Then you are back at the castle at 1:45 with barely 25 minutes before you have to head back to the dock to get back on the boat.
The castle itself has 4 floors (with a 15 minute movie telling the history) and massive grounds and 3 separate structures to explore. There simply isn't enough time there. You can't explore the castle in 25 minutes.
The boat ride itself is fantastic and gorgeous scenery abounds. The stop at Rock Island to see the lighthouse was great and throughout the whole trip, Brad was an incredible story teller who brought to life the history of the Thousand Island region.
All in all, it would've been 5 stars if the stay at Bolt Castle was longer, even by just an hour.
Written July 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We thank you for choosing Clayton Island tours.
Written July 24, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ann M
3 contributions
Aug 2022
We took this cruise on Saturday, August 13th. It was a beautiful day for a boat ride. The tour guide and the captain were great. The stories and the history of the islands were very entertaining. It was easy to hear them and the boat was clean and well stocked with beverages. The meal that was included with our tour was very tasty- a chicken wrap, macaroni salad, chips and 2 homemade cookies.
The 2 stops - one at Boldt Castle on Heart Island and the other at the lighthouse and museum on Rock Island were fantastic. I would have preferred to stay a bit longer at Boldt Castle and limit the Rock Island stop to 45 minutes, but we thoroughly enjoyed both.
We thought it was a great value for the price of the tour to be on the water for over 5 hours with a great crew and a smaller amount of people than some of the larger charter boats from Alex Bay especially during Covid.
I also liked the route this boat tour took. We saw some Canadian islands as well as American ones. Cute little islands as well as mansions on more prominent ones.
We enjoyed it so much that we will be back in the Fall to check out the foliage on the St. Lawrence using the same tour!
The 2 stops - one at Boldt Castle on Heart Island and the other at the lighthouse and museum on Rock Island were fantastic. I would have preferred to stay a bit longer at Boldt Castle and limit the Rock Island stop to 45 minutes, but we thoroughly enjoyed both.
We thought it was a great value for the price of the tour to be on the water for over 5 hours with a great crew and a smaller amount of people than some of the larger charter boats from Alex Bay especially during Covid.
I also liked the route this boat tour took. We saw some Canadian islands as well as American ones. Cute little islands as well as mansions on more prominent ones.
We enjoyed it so much that we will be back in the Fall to check out the foliage on the St. Lawrence using the same tour!
Written August 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jules T
5 contributions
Great tour. Staff excellent, well informed and curteous. Boldt Castle was very good experience. One disaapointment was the lunch sandwich had lettuce, tomato and cheese that i didnt want but only one slice of roast beef i did want. All in all it was a great time on the water seeing natural scenes and beautiful homes.
Written August 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for choosing Clayton Island Tours!
Written August 13, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lauri
Liverpool, NY16 contributions
This tour was absolutely awesome! Our tour guide Dennis was so knowledgeable and really did a great job educating us on the history of the the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the history of Boldt Castle and how it came to be. The stop at the Rock Island lighthouse was beautiful. I wish we were able to go inside the lighthouse but there was a line of people and we felt like there wasn't enough time to wait in line until our turn because we were afraid that we wouldn't be back on the boat in time when they were ready to leave the island. Captain Jack was very experienced with navigating the boat. We enjoyed our visit very much and would go again.
Written August 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for the great review and for mentioning Dennis and Captain Jack!
Written September 2, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Patty M
Creedmoor, NC10 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
We had a spectacular tour with Clayton island tours. The tour guide/narrator, David, was exceptional with all of his information, knowledge, humor, etc.
The smaller pontoon boat allowed for us to get close to islands to see an osprey’s nest, an nest eagle’s nest and the eagle:) Sharing a table with newfound strangers was very nice with fun conversation. The lunch was delicious and very plentiful. It was wonderful to have so much time at Boldt Castle and at Rock Island as well. Cheers to our captain for his great boat navigation!! Highly recommend this tour!!
The smaller pontoon boat allowed for us to get close to islands to see an osprey’s nest, an nest eagle’s nest and the eagle:) Sharing a table with newfound strangers was very nice with fun conversation. The lunch was delicious and very plentiful. It was wonderful to have so much time at Boldt Castle and at Rock Island as well. Cheers to our captain for his great boat navigation!! Highly recommend this tour!!
Written August 20, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Embroiderer1966
Doylestown, PA22 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Wonderful experience! This five hour tour near Clayton and Alexandria Bay included Boldt Castle and the Rock Island Lighthouse, as well as lunch. When you factor in the admission fees for the Castle and the Lighthouse and the price of lunch, it’s quite a good deal. Our tour guide, Dennis, was extremely knowledgeable and very personable. Captain Joe drove as smooth a ride as possible, as there were some challenging areas to navigate. The Thousand Islands is a gorgeous area, and the tour showed them off very well!
Written June 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We love to hear our guests enjoyed the experience with Clayton Island Tours! Dennis and Captain Joe are appreciated by us too!
Written July 9, 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Veronica K
1 contribution
Jul 2022
This tour Group nailed it!! Would not recommend any other. Master Denis was very informative and a bit of a comedian. The boat is nice and clean. The Picnic Bagged Lunch was lovely, nice selection to choose from also the bar on the boat was a nice touch. Ice cold Beer and a Wine who could ask for more.
Boldt Castle is absolutely Beautiful, and the Rock Island Light house was a perfect way to end the day, The children on the island had a great time with the Treasure Hunt that the Light House offers. Highly recommend you will not be disappointed.
Boldt Castle is absolutely Beautiful, and the Rock Island Light house was a perfect way to end the day, The children on the island had a great time with the Treasure Hunt that the Light House offers. Highly recommend you will not be disappointed.
Written July 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience on our Ultimate Sightseeing. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed exploring the beautiful St. Lawrence River with Clayton Island Tours
Written July 24, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
CiaoBella112
Highland, NY74 contributions
Aug 2021
We booked the Ultimate Sightseeing Tour with Clayton Island Tours. This 5-hour tour included a narrated cruise along the St. Lawrence River, a picnic lunch, and admission to Boldt Castle and the Rock Island Lighthouse. The picnic lunch had to be ordered in advance. We had chicken salad wraps which came with chips, a tiny container of potato salad, a drink, and tiny cookies. There were picnic benches at the launch site where we ate before getting on the boat. It was convenient but underwhelming.
The boat itself was fine. The tour narrator pointed out interesting homes, island properties, history and natural features of the river, but it was very difficult to make out what he was saying. The tour company would be wise to invest in a new sound system because it really detracted from the experience.
One of the main reasons we took this tour was because it stopped at Boldt Island and included admission. There was sufficient time there although the island and castle were overrun with tourists with no guided tours of the home. This is a reflection on Boldt Island itself and not on Clayton Island Tours.
We stopped at the Rock Island Lighthouse on the return trip but it seemed like too much time was allocated to this site.
Clayton Island Tours offers a variety of tour options. If we had to do it again, we would have taken a shorter tour that skipped the lunch and the lighthouse. Five hours was just too long.
The boat itself was fine. The tour narrator pointed out interesting homes, island properties, history and natural features of the river, but it was very difficult to make out what he was saying. The tour company would be wise to invest in a new sound system because it really detracted from the experience.
One of the main reasons we took this tour was because it stopped at Boldt Island and included admission. There was sufficient time there although the island and castle were overrun with tourists with no guided tours of the home. This is a reflection on Boldt Island itself and not on Clayton Island Tours.
We stopped at the Rock Island Lighthouse on the return trip but it seemed like too much time was allocated to this site.
Clayton Island Tours offers a variety of tour options. If we had to do it again, we would have taken a shorter tour that skipped the lunch and the lighthouse. Five hours was just too long.
Written September 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for choosing to tour with Clayton Island Tours and we hope you will return for a shorter tour in the future.
Written October 29, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is the tour rain or shine? And is the boat covered and or heated?
Written September 6, 2024
Rosalie F
Cleveland, Ohio
I must cancel - death on family today. Conf # 1295439292 PLS CANCEL TY
Written July 9, 2022
Hello,
Is the guided tour of the Bolt castle can be in French or juste it is just in English ?
Thank you
Written July 4, 2022
What type of vessel will we be traveling on. May I see a picture?
Written May 14, 2022
Hannah W
Pearl City, Hawaii
we are visiting from Hawaii but are only available between the 19 and 23 0f October. When checking availability those dates are not available. Will they open up in the future?
Written January 29, 2022
We’re looking for a small boat and no other passengers other than the two of us. Can u do that and what would it cost?
Written August 16, 2021
Will you be operating the week of September 20th 2021?
Written July 31, 2021
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.