Boldt castle was awesome but the boat ride to and from at times was rather boring. Our tour guide would go long periods without speaking of the surroundings of the islands we would pass. Not enough history and info shared that were missed opportunities for the passengers to learn more and stay entertained. This is no fault to the business but some words of advise to parents of babies and small children. This is more for adults and children will get bored! This is a 3 1/2 tour. Babies ears will pop and they will cry making it difficult for others to enjoy the cruise and difficult to hear the guide. Older children were falling asleep as the ride was winding down. The first hour into the boat ride the child in the back screamed and cried the whole way to Boldt Castle and returning from Boldt on the second half of the ride I had to listen to another child screaming the rest of the way back. I could not get off that boat fast enough. My head was killing me. Parents of little ones please think of others before booking this boat ride. Over all this could have been an epic experience if more time could have been spent at Boldt castle. One hour is all you get. We had to hurry through the castle and missed everything else the property had to see and offer. We were constantly looking at our watch as to make sure we made it back on the boat in time. Our guide could have been more exciting and informative during the cruise. No excuse to ride for long stretches of time without commentary of what we were seeing and passing on the water. Overall it could have been a wonderful experience with some tweaking on the companies side and consideration with parents of small children. read more

Title: The Boat Ride Was Just as Good as the Destinations We took Clayton Island Tours' Ultimate Tour on Thursday, July 2, and it ended up being one of the highlights of our trip to the Thousand Islands. From the time we booked until we stepped on the boat, the communication was outstanding. We knew exactly where to park, where to check in, and what time we needed to be there. It made for a completely stress-free start to the day. The tour includes stops at Boldt Castle and Rock Island, and both are absolutely worth visiting. What really made this tour stand out, though, was everything that happened between the stops. Our guide did a fantastic job explaining the geography of the Thousand Islands, pointing out wildlife along the way, and sharing the history behind many of the islands we passed. I especially enjoyed hearing who owns the islands today, who owned them years ago, and some of the stories behind them. It turned what could have been "just a boat ride" into a really interesting experience. As we approached Boldt Castle and later Rock Island, he gave us just enough insider tips on what to see without spoiling anything. It was the perfect balance--helpful enough to make sure we didn't miss the highlights while still letting us discover each place for ourselves. If you're visiting the Thousand Islands and have the time, I highly recommend the Ultimate Tour. Even if you've already planned to visit Boldt Castle, taking the tour adds so much context and history that you simply wouldn't get otherwise. This is one of those experiences that, if we find ourselves back in the area, we'd gladly do again. read more

We took two tours through Clayton Island Tours during our trip to the Thousand Islands. We took the Rock Island Lighthouse Boat Tour and the Boldt Castle Boat Tour. Both trips were fantastic. The captains and tour guides were all wonderful. They provided interesting information to and from the tour sites and were extremely friendly. The boats were not overcrowded which provided a much more intimate experience. In comparison, we took one boat cruise through Uncle Sam Boat Tours in Alexandria Bay. We went to Singer Castle and the experience with them was much different. The boats were extremely crowded which made getting on and off board much more difficult. We also could not even hear the tour guide on their boat. It was frustrating because we arrived early with online tickets expecting to be able to just board. However, because there were several cruises leaving at the same time, we had to wait in a long line just to be told where we were supposed to go. I don't understand why that information wasn't included with our tickets and there was no one there directing guests and letting them know which boat to take. Our experience with Clayton Island Tours was MUCH better. Our only suggestion would be that they also create a tour to go to Singer Castle. If they had offered that, we would have gladly gone through them for our third cruise and we would have been willing to pay more to avoid the mess in Alexandria Bay and the poor experience with Uncle Sam Boat Tours. read more

I've been coming to the 1000 Islands every Labor Day weekend for over a decade. This is my first time doing a boat tour from Clayton Island Tours. We did the trip to the Rock Island Lighthouse with the glass bottom boat. We couldn't have been more pleased with the experience. Our captain, Brian, was friendly and gracious, asking where everyone was from and explaining the detailed itinerary for the trip. Our leader/docent, Matt, was great. I am hard of hearing, but with the microphone and his projection, I could hear everything he said with no problem. I learned so many things about the 1000 Islands that I didn't already know. He was friendly, funny and clearly very enthusiastic about his job. That made for a wonderful experience. I know the staff on the Rock Island are not employees of Clayton Island Tours, but they were wonderful as well. Peter, the historian, was so passionate when he spoke of the honor it is to light the lighthouse. This was an all around great experience and would do it again in a heartbeat. When I return next year, I will definitely be looking at what other tours they provide. read more

I have been on a number of boat tours in the 1000 island area, but this was by far my favorite! I took the "Discover the 1000 Islands Grindstone and Islands North" tour, which is apparently a new one for this company and it was terrific. Because their tour boats are smaller and more nimble than some of the huge tour boats, we got to see some unique sites that I don't think you can get on those bigger boats, including Half Moon Bay and 1000 Island National park (CA) islands. It was a 2 hour tour, which was just the right amount of time, and allowed us to get well into the Canadian islands and many places I had never seen before. Our captain Gary was truly excellent - can't imagine it gets much better than him - and our tour guide Brad was excellent as well. Well worth the $$ and highly recommend! read more

The Clayton Tour was very relaxing and interesting. I have taken the tour boats @ Alexandria Bay, and the Clayton Tour was much more 'laid back' and comfortable--we both decided that the larger boat tours are more stressful and less enjoyable because there are SO many folks on the same tour boat! The captain and mate were very knowledgeable and experienced and because their boat requires less draft, we were able to see new places not available to the other tour boats. We viewed beautiful homes with information provided on the majority of them, and had plenty of time to enjoy Boldt Castle and the grounds. I highly recommend Clayton Tours if you want to enjoy the 1000 Islands in a comfortable, laid-back atmosphere! Amy & Robyn read more

I booked the Two Nations and Boldt Castle Tour with my wife and three of our children, all teens. We had a blast! The food from our lunch was very good (Chicken wrap, Roast Beef, two Salads with grilled chicken, and tender, and not a complaint! The cookies were excellent, too!), Boldt Castle was interesting and kept the kids attention, Rock Island Lighthouse was a big hit, and we enjoyed the tour in general. Our Guide and Captain were a lot of fun and provided safe passage, a lot of knowledge of the islands, and kept it light and entertaining. I would recommend this company and their tours to anyone visiting the 1000 Islands region, and Clayton in particular, you won't regret it! read more

We took the 5 hour tour to Boldt Castle on July 22, 2024. Liam, our 1st mate, was engaging and funny. He clearly had extensive knowledge of the river. Our day was beautiful-not too hot on the water. The packed lunch was fresh and tasty. We had the ham wrap and the roast beef sandwich. The boat was clean (didn't use the head-so can't speak about that) and well maneuvered by our captain. We had about an hour at the castle. As a history buff, I would have enjoyed more time there, but understand that it would make the day exceedingly long! The lighthouse stop was also interesting and informative. All in all, a great day! Thank you Clayton Island Tours! read more

During the tour, Brad and Brian's engaging storytelling brought the history of Boldt Castle to life. Their passion for the area was evident, and they shared fascinating anecdotes and insights that we would have missed on our own. Brad and Brian provided an exceptional experience that exceeded all our expectations. Their professionalism, personalized attention, engaging storytelling, meticulous planning, and warm hospitality made our trip to Boldt Castle truly special. We wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone looking to explore the Thousand Islands region. A big thank you to Brad and Brian for making our trip an unforgettable adventure! read more

Our first tour on a Clayton Island Tour Boat was a great experience. Capt. Chuck and our guide Dennis were the added personal and human touch you look forward too on one of these tours. The tour boat was a low to the water, patio-style boat with more than ample seating and a very close feeling to the river. This tour, in my opinion, was much better than previous tours on the Uncle Sam or Gananoque multi deck tour boats and my family has done them all. Our 5 hour tour included stops at Boldt Castle and the Rock Island Lighthouse. If I'm ever in the mood for another leisurely tours around the islands, Clayton Island Tours will be my choice. read more

the tour was fantastic and the guide was very informative. He gave just enough history with little side stories to keep it very interesting. The time allotted for the tour of Bolt Castle was perfect. I was a bit disappointed in the time used for the Rock Island Lighthouse. I think the time could have been better spent if they had told the entire group everything they wanted us to know while in the keeper's home and then took just and up and down tour of the lighthouse. Standing in line for over a half an hour was a bit too much and then the last group to go up had a very quick up and down in order to get back on the boat. read more

We were visiting the 1000 island region with zero intentions of going on a boat tour however I am so happy we did! Denise and Captain Jack were great!! The entire boat ride either Denise was providing a short history of each of the properties we boated by or Captain Jack was telling a joke. Would highly recommend going on the self guided tour of Boldt Castle. There is an app that provides audio description at each point on your tour. Also, would recommend bringing your own lunch, nice to have a snack on the way back. If you like history, boat rides and exploring castles then this is the tour for you. read more

We went on the Boldt Castle and Two Nation tour. It was amazing. It was a beautiful day to be on the water. Captain Matt was a great driver and Brad was an amazing guide. He filled the entire tour with very interesting facts about the area we were in. The time we spent at Boldt Castle was just as great. It was so worth the amount of money we spent. We also got a picnic lunch from Kay's Kitchen located at the site. The food was really good and the price was great. You can preorder online, but if you wait to order when you get there, you have more choices. I can't recommend this tour enough. read more

5 of us took the tour as a "pre-deployment memory-making" day for a friend. Everything was great starting with the greeting at the ticket booth. All staff (including those at the Rock Island stop) were very cheerful and helpful. We brought our own "salad buffet" and were able to picnic on CIT grounds although we started the morning with very good breakfast sandwiches by their concession on site. We were especially lucky with a tour guide who was a local gal and really knew the history. For all of us... definitely on the list when we have friends and family visit the North Country. read more

We had a great time on the Island river cruise to Boldt Castle. Our Captain did a great job navigating the waters. Tour guide explaining the islands and history that goes along with it was fantastic. I was told by one of the crew that he was 18. I was very impressed with his knowledge and enthusiasm. All three gentlemen on board did an awesome job. Very organized, friendly and affordable. Boldt Castle is beautiful. I could have stayed there all day exploring. Got to see some huge freight ships up close which was also cool. I would recommend Clayton Island Tours to everyone. read more

This was so much fun. You ride the boat to what ever island you are going to and get the history and stories of the islands. Then at the island you are going to tour, you get an in person tour and history. We went to the rock island on a glass bottom boat. The captain and tour guide were wonderful and so knowledgeable about the islands. At rock island we saw a light house and got to tour inside and had a little history lesson about it. The staff are all wonderful and patient. We will definitely do another boat tour. Thank you for such a wonderful experienc. read more

My husband and I purchased a place in Cape Vincent. Each weekend we are in the Cape we bring family and friends to see how beautiful it is on the St. Lawrence River. There is no better way to see the beauty and hear the history. Clayton Boat Tours are not only kind, courteous, and friendly but also very knowledgeable on the history of the area and the islands. Our captain Scott and assistant Liam were just fantastic. If you haven't done so already - this trip is a MUST!! We have our fifth and sixth tour coming up soon!! read more

Loved it! Very relaxing! Smaller groups which made it a more personal experience. Everyone was very friendly. A nice simple picnic lunch was provided (easily accessible in a cooler to grab. Many drinks to choose from in another) Less traffic in the area too! Also, one of our people in our group woke up not feeling well and could not attend. We were refunded, no questions asked. Was well worth the cost. We do a day trip here every year and we will be using this company exclusively from now on!! Just a great time! read more