Budget-friendly vs. Splurge-worthy: The 1000 Islands

In this series, I’ll introduce one fabulous destination and show you where to stay, savor and play on two different budgets. Splurge-worthy picks are all about luxury resorts, fine dining and individualized experiences while budget-friendly ideas offer bargain digs, cheap (but good) eats and free or inexpensive activities to enjoy. I’ll provide money-saving tips (even for the splurges) and ensure that whatever your budget is, you’ll be able to make the most of your vacation.

Highlights of a 1000 Island Vacation on Two Budgets

There’s a tinge of magic in the 1000 Islands. It’s as though the rosy hues of their famous sunsets gives us the lens to experience its allure no matter what your budget.

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Luxury

• Stay:
  • Suite at a AAA Four Diamond property with a jacuzzi tub and a balcony overlooking the St. Lawrence River($350)
• Play:
  • Helicopter tour for a birds-eye view of the  islands and Boldt Castle ($250)
  • Wine cruise of Grindstone Island or a sunset cruise ($160)
• Savor:
  • Surf and turf paired with a local wine at Clipper Inn, a local favorite in Clayton, NY ($140)
  • Herb-crusted walleye with a glass of sparkling on a gorgeous patio at the Waterfront Restaurant at the Gananoque Inn and Spa ($110)
• Total Cost: Just over $1,000

Budget

• Stay:
  • Rustic roofed accommodations at a national or state park with beaches, hiking trails and views of the river ($80)
• Play:
  • A day at the Antique Boat Museum, including a motorboat tour in a shiny 1930s mahogany Hacker Craft ($80)
  • Hiking the UNESCO-recognized landscapes in the national and state parks (free or nominal entry fees)
• Savor:
  • “Wine and Dine at 5 Special” at the Clipper Inn with Shrimp Scampi, salad and glass of wine ($42)
  • 16-hour smoked Brisket Hash with Fried Eggs at Laverne’s in Gananoque ($22)
• Total Cost: Just over $300

Prices are approximate and in US dollars. Please check websites.

Stay: Where to sleep in the 1000 Islands

Our splurge-worthy choice is the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel. This AAA Four Diamond property, located in Clayton, New York, is right on the river and a short walk to the shops and galleries in the center of town. There are a variety of room choices, but the most luxurious is the Commodore Suite, which features a sleeping and living area, a bathroom with a jacuzzi tub, a wine cooler and two balconies overlooking the river. Hotel amenities include indoor swimming pool and hot tub, fitness center and a boat dock. And for dining there’s the Seaway Grille and the Riverside Patio, where guests can enjoy its Adirondack chairs and fire pits that offer a relaxing oasis with an expansive view of the river. Plus, 24-hour room service is also available.

An alternative splurge choice to consider is Singer Castle, where you’ll feel like a queen in their Royal Suite, which is an entire wing of the turn-of-the-century castle. Once the daytrippers leave in the evening, the entire 28-room castle and seven-acre island becomes yours for the evening.

SheBuysTravel Money-saving Tip: Hotel rates vary widely and going mid-week can save hundreds of dollars. Suites at the Harbor Hotel can be as low as $250 and rooms less than half that rate IF you book during the week outside of peak season.  Combine that with special offers like: stay two nights and get the third for half-price, and you have a splurge-worthy stay for a bargain price.

Budget-friendly picks for accommodations are abundant in the 1000 Islands, as the region has over 100 private and public campgrounds, many with full amenities and extras such as play areas, marinas and stores. And if you’re not into tenting, there are also rustic and not-so-rustic cabins and other roofed accommodations.  Our recommendations are Wellesley Island State Park for its beautiful river views, hiking trails and nature center, Parks Canada’s 1000 Island National Park for its immersive natural sites, especially on McDonald Island; and Canoe Point State Park, which offers a secluded camping experience.

SheBuysTravel Tips: Choice campsites book up quickly, especially the specialty accommodations like Parks Canada’s yurts called oTENTiks and Wellesley Island Chipmunk Cabins. Be sure to find out the exact time and date reservations open (which is early January for Parks Canada and nine months in advance for New York state parks) and be ready with all your information and camping site choices to book online the minute it opens. Having multiple family members try at the same time increases your odds and one hack is to have one person calling the reservation line while the other attempts to book online.  Also, cancellations mean spots open up all the time, so check the websites often.

Keep in mind that some island campgrounds, including McDonald Island and Canoe Point are reachable only by water, so be sure to factor in the cost of water taxi and book ahead.

Savor: Where to eat in the 1000 Islands

Clayton has a culinary scene that goes way beyond what you might expect from a place with a population of 5000 people. We recommend Clipper Inn, a local favorite, which can be splurge-worthy if you indulge in their surf and turf, or budget-friendly if you take advantage of their Wine and Dine at 5 special, when you can enjoy a dinner, soup or salad and a glass of vino for about $20.  In fact, many of Clayton’s restaurants have offerings for different budgets, even those with prime locations by the water, like DiPrinzio’s Kitchen Bella’s, Channelside Restaurant and Foxy’s.

For special occasions and indulgent splurges elsewhere in the region, try the Thousand Islands Club or the Chateaux in Alexandria Bay, New York. Gananoque, Ontario, has several fine dining establishments including the Gananoque Inn & Spa and Riva.

Gananoque is also a great choice for budget-friendly eateries, especially when you take into account the Canadian dollar exchange rate which makes everything 30% less expensive. A couple of suggestions are Panache Bakery & Café and Laverne’s Eatery.

SheBuysTravel Money-saving Tip: Opt for lunch instead of dinner at more expensive spots,  as many high-end restaurants offer the same quality food at lower prices during lunch hours or with early bird specials.

Play: What to do in the 1000 Islands

For a splurge, hover above the Saint Lawrence River with 1000 Islands Helicopter Tours.  The birds-eye view of the tree-clad islands circled with rings of turquoise as well as Boldt Castle. It’s a high to remember.

But cruising is the quintessential way to see the islands and I’d suggest 1000 Islands Excursions wine tours of Grindstone Island and Sunset Cruise for a luxury experience. Fishing charters are also available if you want to try your luck catching one of the river’s famous muskies.

If you want the glamor, but not the high price tag, take a spin in a gleaming 1930s mahogany Hacker Craft at the Antique Boat Museum.  In this luxury motorboat, volunteers zip small groups of visitors through the channels and point out highlights, like the Rock Island Lighthouse and multi-million-dollar summer homes. The $50 price tag for the excursion not only includes the boat ride but also all-day admission to the museum, which has an extensive collection of more than 320 pleasure boats and interpretive displays of the history of the 1000 Islands. You’ll also have the chance to take the oars of a skiff, a traditional flat-bottomed boat built especially for the region, and row the St. Lawrence River.

SheBuysTravel Money-saving Tip: Choose places where you can spend the whole day instead of just doing a short tour. Uncle Sam Boat Tours, for example, let passengers spend as much time as they want at Boldt Castle (though admission to the castle is extra). Bring your own lunch to enjoy at their picnic areas to save even more.

The best things in the 1000 Islands are very budget-friendly—they’re free: hiking, swimming, strolling on boardwalks, enjoying scenic lookouts and the gorgeous sunsets. We recommend hiking at Landon Bay, a 225-acre property that is part of Parks Canada 1000 Islands National Park. The trails traverse old growth forest, ancient granite outcroppings and marshlands before leading to a lookout with a panoramic view of the river and a few of its 1864 islands. Wellesley Island State Park has public beaches and trails that circumnavigate the reserve. Clayton’s Riverwalk is a boardwalk that hugs the river and leads to Clayton’s former train station, which is now a gathering place for locals and tourists alike to chillax on the Adirondack chairs and watch the river, enjoy pizza and ice cream and maybe even jump off into the water.

SheBuysTravel Money-saving Tip: Look for free events in the community that coincide with your visit. The Antique Boat Museum, for instance, has free sailing and rowing on Tuesday summer evenings when experienced staff and volunteers take beginners out on a 30-minute sailboat ride.  Gananoque hosts a free art walk on the last Friday of every month, when participants can visit galleries and take part in interactive activities.  

Did you know….?

• there are 1, 864 islands in the archipelago.
• in order to be considered an island it needs to stay above water for 365 days a year and support a living tree.
• Wolfe Island is the largest at 18 miles long while the smallest inhabited ile is Just Room Enough Island, which is a mere 1/13th of an acre.
• the glacially-sculpted landscape that combines hardwood and pine forests, rocky outcrops and cliffs is recognized by UNESCO.
• the region has been attracting vacationers since Victorian times when the likes of George Pullman, creator of the railway sleeping car, Nathan Straus of Macy’s and President Ulysses S. Grant holidayed here.
• comprising of more than 21 different islands (or parts of islands) and three mainland properties, Canada’s 1000 Islands National Park was the first established east of the Rockies and one of the oldest in the country.
• there are more than 15 New York State Parks along Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and on islands.
• small towns like Clayton, Alexandria Bay, and Gananoque harken back to an era of white-picket fences and a sense of community in which residents of all ages gathered to watch the sunset, jump off docks and eat ice cream.
• despite its popularity, it’s rarely crowded and there’s an island-time vibe even on the mainland.
• the sunsets are legendary.

When you go: The 1000 Islands are located along the border between New York state and southeastern Ontario, Canada, where the St. Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario.  It’s very much a driving destination though there are many operators who run tours. The closest major airport is Watertown International Airport (a 40-minute drive). Passports are required for border crossings.