SACKETS HARBOR BATTLEFIELD IS A MUST VISIT…read more======================================= Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Site is on the waterfront in Sackets Harbor. The War of 1812 battlefield was located here. The War of 1812 was between the U.S. and Great Britain and lasted from 1812 until 1815. There are lots of historic monuments and buildings around this area along with lots of walking paths along Lake Ontario. It can be really cold with the wind blowing off the lake so bring layers. We stayed in an Airbnb in April for several days and the downtown area has a few really good restaurants. We love Good Fellos and have been there multiple times. The Whiskey Coop is another good restaurant. Bring comfy shoes and walk all over the battlefield area.

Ah! I wish I took more photos. Sackets Harbor is such a quaint and quiet North Country town in the…read more1000 Islands region of NY. After a long day at the battlefields for a lacrosse tournament, we went across the harbor to visit the Naval Yard, Commander and Lieutenant homes and walked the trail. I can't believe I didn't take more pics, but was soaking it all in. Sackets Harbor has so much history, yet is such a sleepy little town. If you're into history, Sackets Harbor is a place to visit.

Free to enter and tour. Very peaceful place to sit and relax and enjoy the lake/river and breeze…read more Plenty of parking and seating. History museum with a telescope on the outside. Gift shop on site to support the lighthouse.

BEAUTIFUL LIGHTHOUSE IN CAPE VINCENT, NY…read more====================================== My husband and I drove out to Tibbetts Point Lighthouse on Friday, November 15, 2024 while my son was at work. We should have checked the hours a bit better because Google said it was open, but it was closed for the season. It was still pretty from the outside, but very cold with the wind. This lighthouse is located at the end of the Great Lakes on Lake Ontario and the beginning of the St. Lawrence River. The property consists of three acres of land that was donated by Captain John Tibbetts in the early 1820's. In 1985 the new tower was built and is still in operation today. It has the only Fresnel lens still in operation on Lake Ontario. It can be seen from sixteen miles away. A foghorn was added and put into service in 1896. Down below there is a telescope that visitors can use. Points of interest are marked on the railing. If you are visiting the North Country I highly recommend a visit to Tibbetts Point Lighthouse.

This ferry crossing is a great example why you must do your due diligence prior to taking a…read morevacation to a place you've never been. This international border crossing is like no other and I mean like no other - first of all it's a water crossing which by no means makes it rare but this small family run operation is very rare, they are in the history books as the oldest ferry in the United States. For more than 200 years, the Horne family has been shuttling people from Cape Vincent, New York, to Wolfe Island, Ontario, Canada across the St. Lawrence River. The ferry was chartered in 1802 and today, still in the family, they continue to pack up to a dozen cars on their little ferry built back in 1952 for the short trip to Canada and back. Fortunately on this day we were the single passengers, my rental and the captain's aging old pickup truck were the only vehicles on the deck. Boarding on the Canadian side was quite the adventure with the high water level they have been experiencing, it was my first ferry boarding where I had to maneuver through a flooded ramp with the choppy river water threatening. A little nerve racking but vacations are suppose to be filled with adventure right? I'm told many travelers use this as a convenient "back door" entry to and from Canada for its ease and convenience however this wasn't the case today thankfully. Horne's is the only international ferry in the region and is located at one of the narrowest crossing distances between the two countries. The ferry ride, which takes all of 10 minutes to cross the seven miles is like no other, it's very small and rolls with the waves but the crew takes great care ensuring it's a safe voyage so pay attention to the crews instructions, back in 2013 a minivan rolled through the gate and plunged off the ferry mid river - fortunately no one was inside, the genius rent a wreck driver had failed to set the parking brake and left the van in neutral before exiting, no injuries from the spill but the captain did suffer a heart-attack and fortunately survived. The schedule of trips begins at 8 am and ends daily at 7:30 pm. Everything is small at Horne's ferry. The ferry boat itself, the family operation, the duration of the trek to Canada and even the fare. Coming in at $18 for a car and driver, plus $2 for each passenger, you cannot find a cheaper, quicker, fun and hassle-free way to go from the U.S. to Canada.

Be prepared to take a bumpy ride. In comparison with the Ferry from Kingston to Wolfe Island this…read moreis a miniature. A very small, private owned and operated ferry. Costs you $15 or CND 15 a vehicle. And then the adventure starts. Although it's a short ride, it can be a very bumpy ride because of the size of the ferry. But you can see the other side from the departure. So no worries. You'll survive. I did. A plus to the ferry / ferries is that their time tables match. That's probably no coincidince. And please excuse any grammar and spelling mistakes. English is not my first language. And my Apple device keeps changing English words into 'proper Dutch', my first language.

If you're ever in Kingston, be sure to stop by the Martello Alley to see some great local artists…read morework and meet some very friendly artists! We came for a quick visit I think it was November, so it was quite chilly and snow-y outside. Thought the alley might be closed but as you walk in, the sensored lights turn on and greet you with beautiful works of art. Infact, the entire alley itself IS a work of art. David, the owner, has, in his own genius, turned what use to be a shabby dark alley, into a whole new scenery!! It's such a delightful little space that I think artists would love to gather, especially in the summer as he has a patio space. Sip some coffee, make some art, admire some beauty. :) David was so friendly too! He showed us all the "behind the scenes" of the pieces in the alley. The befores and afters are quite remarkable. As a very creative and resourceful individual myself, I truly appreciate the thought that went behind creating something so amazing out of seemingly not much. David is very passionate and proud of his work, and rightfully so! I hope more people come visit this alley and support the local artists!

David is a great guy with more stories than I had time for. The Alley is such a neat and local…read moreplace in the heart of Kingston that combines retail with art. From the decorations outside to the art inside, there is something for everyone. Highly recommend!

Its over 1000, and you ll encounter some beautiful small islands…read more.. We took a boat tour of this island 1000 Island and guide were well aware of what he was doing. He informed us about each and every island on the route. This boat tour was on Saint Lawrence river which comes from Canada. It was thrilling to know one side of the river is the USA and another side is Canada and houses on Canada side were so close, the person sitting on his patio can even wave us. Guide told us, for being an island, it should have 3 criteria, tree-house and the third thing I don't remember. We were amazed to see island having just one house and no space at all. Wondering how a person living there was able to stay there so long. Guess they are done with humans: P The beauty of Thousand Island is the bunch of unique small island in a vast water zone. The islands were super clean and have millionaires staying there. The staff was amazing and snacks on board we all reasonably priced. Our tour included 3 hours of time to get to the island and have a 1-hour stopover. Which was plenty of time. The way home included a stop to Bolt Castle with the option of catching any other Uncle Sam boat back to shore. The scenery is magnificent; the choice of things to do is great, but mostly it is a relaxing time. Enjoy both a sunrise and a sunset over the St. Lawrence.

The 1000 Island Bridge is old and showing it's age. Built in 1937 the bridge deck is riddled with…read morepatches and therefore rough. We paid $7.00 US$ to cross with the motorhome. This bridge should be replaced. The natural beauty of the area is great but in no way offsets the need for a new bridge.

Beautiful mansion. After Louise Boldt's death, her husband stopped all work on the mansion, as the…read morethought of staying here was too painful for him. Yet, he purchased other properties in the area and built at least one other house and a large farm, and came to those properties to spend summers, every year. Boldt Castle is still in the process of being finished, so the 3rd and 4th floors are pretty much white washed plaster walls in the rooms, with no fireplaces. But the ground floor and 2nd are done and are spectacular. The grounds are beautiful! A great way to spend an afternoon. Snacks and drinks are available.

Went on a tour of Boldt Castle/Heart Island this past weekend and it was easily the most beautiful…read morearchitecture I've seen with my own eyes. The entire island is perfectly maintained with vibrant flowers and gardens that looked immaculate even in late September. There is so much to see and its much bigger than it looks. There is so much attention to detail you can still miss things even after walking around for hours. I saw a couple get married while I was there and I can't even imagine how stunning those photos will turn out! A lot of people have already mentioned the beautiful and tragic history of this castles creation. I love that you can still go tp the upper floors of the castle that are not yet renovated and see the graffiti and signs of decay. The layout of the castle really tells a story and the classical music played in the background really adds to the immersion. There are also audio tours available. So much love was put into the original vision and execution of this project as well as the restoration. There are even heats all over the island. 10/10 would recommend spending a few hours here if you're ever visiting the area.

At the end of Liberty Street in Dexter and just west of the bridge over the Black River, this small…read morepark has a pier/dock on the river. A few folks were here doing some fishing while I visited. I did not see anyone take advantage of the boat launch as the water was running quite high and fast today. The park has a Level 1 charger on one of the light poles and so I ended up spending about two hours here, plugged in. It's been quite cloudy the last couple of days, which is a challenge for the solar panels on my roof. When I departed at 4:30 pm, I was at 60% battery. Yay! [Review 1561 of 2024 - 477 in New York - 22584 overall]