The short answer: 10 things to do in Alexandria Bay
- Tour Boldt Castle on Heart Island, the town's landmark. See our Boldt Castle visitor guide.
- Visit the Boldt Yacht House on Wellesley Island to see antique wooden boats.
- Take a boat tour past Millionaires' Row and the tiny one-cottage islands.
- Go fishing for smallmouth bass, pike, walleye, and perch with a local guide.
- Eat a Thousand Islands shore dinner, a river guide tradition that goes back to the 1800s.
- See Singer Castle on Dark Island, about 10 miles downriver.
- Cross the Thousand Islands Bridge, and go up the observation tower on the Canadian side if you have a passport.
- Hike and swim at Wellesley Island State Park, right across the bridge.
- Spend an afternoon in Clayton at the Antique Boat Museum.
- Watch the freighters pass through the shipping channel from the town docks.
Boldt Castle and the yacht house
If you only do one thing in Alexandria Bay, make it Boldt Castle. George Boldt, who ran the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City, started building it in 1900 as a summer home for his wife, Louise. She died suddenly in 1904, he stopped construction, and the castle sat empty for 73 years. The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority bought it in 1977 and has been restoring it ever since.
The castle is on Heart Island, just off the town docks, so you need a boat to get there. The Boldt Yacht House is a separate building on Wellesley Island with a collection of antique wooden boats, and a free shuttle boat runs there from Heart Island. Both are open from mid-May to mid-October. Our Boldt Castle guide covers tickets, hours, passports, and how to get there.
Boat tours and cruises
You have two kinds of choices. Tour boats like Uncle Sam Boat Tours (opens in a new tab) carry a big group on a set schedule and route, and they also run a shuttle to Boldt Castle. It's an easy, inexpensive way to see the islands.
A private boat tour is just your group with a captain. You choose the pace, stop for photos, and get a closer look at the islands, the summer homes on Millionaires' Row, and the ships in the channel. Richard Drake captained Uncle Sam tour boats for ten years before starting Laurentian Tours, and his private Thousand Islands boat tours run about 4 hours for up to 6 people, from $450.
Fishing and the shore dinner
The St. Lawrence is famous for smallmouth bass, and it also holds northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, and big musky. You don't need experience or gear. A guide supplies the boat, rods, tackle, and bait, and shows you what to do. Most of Richard's customers are first-timers. See fishing charters, family and beginner trips, or the St. Lawrence fish guide to learn what's biting.
The Thousand Islands shore dinner is the local tradition: fish all morning, then the guide cooks your catch over a fire on an island, with all the fixings. It's the most "only here" thing you can do in Alexandria Bay.
Singer Castle, Heart Island, and Millionaires' Row
Boldt isn't the only castle on the river. Singer Castle (opens in a new tab) sits on Dark Island near Chippewa Bay, about 10 miles downriver. It was built in the early 1900s for Frederick Bourne, president of the Singer sewing machine company, and its guided tours show off secret passages. Tour boats leave Alexandria Bay for Singer Castle during its season, which usually runs from May into October.
Between the two castles you'll pass Millionaires' Row, the Gilded Age summer "cottages" that wealthy families built along the river in the late 1800s. Most are private homes today, so the best view is from the water.
The Thousand Islands Bridge and the observation tower
The Thousand Islands Bridge links New York and Ontario a few miles upriver from town. It opened in 1938 and is worth the drive for the view alone. On Hill Island, on the Canadian side of the bridge, the 1000 Islands Tower has observation decks about 400 feet above the river. You'll go through Canadian customs to reach it, so bring a passport or other approved document. The Alex Bay Chamber's border page (opens in a new tab) explains what you need.
Day trips: Clayton, Wellesley Island, and Kingston
- Clayton, about 20 minutes up the river, is home to the Antique Boat Museum (opens in a new tab), one of the best collections of wooden boats anywhere, plus shops and restaurants along the water.
- Wellesley Island State Park (opens in a new tab), just across the bridge, has camping, a swimming beach, hiking trails, and the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center.
- Kingston, Ontario is about an hour away by car over the bridge, with Fort Henry and a historic downtown. You'll need a passport.
Where to eat in Alexandria Bay
Alexandria Bay has a mix of pizza places, pubs, steakhouses, family diners, and resort restaurants, many of them on the water. A few local names from the Alexandria Bay Chamber's dining list (opens in a new tab):
- Dinner: Cavallario's Steak House, Coleman's Dock of the Bay, the River House Restaurant, and the restaurants at Bonnie Castle Resort and Riveredge Resort.
- Casual and pub food: Dockside Pub, Foster's Harbor Inn, The Riverside Sports Bar, and Blu Anchor Bar & Grill.
- Pizza and subs: Cavallario's Bayside Pizza, Josie's Pizzeria, and Jreck Subs.
- Breakfast: The Local 315 Bakery & Diner and The North Star Family Restaurant.
- Something sweet: Lil' River Fudge Co. and The Whole Scoop.
Many restaurants here are seasonal and keep shorter hours in spring and fall, so call ahead or check the chamber's list. And for a meal you won't find on any menu, book a shore dinner cooked on an island, or have Richard cook one at your cottage.
Things to do in Alexandria Bay with kids
- Boldt Castle feels like a storybook to kids, and the grounds give them room to run. Children 4 and under get in free.
- A family fishing trip. Perch and rock bass bite often, which keeps kids busy. Our family charters are built for short attention spans, with life jackets in all sizes.
- The beach and nature center at Wellesley Island State Park.
- Go-karts and the drive-in. The chamber lists Alex Bay 500 Go-Karts and the Bay Drive-In for summer evenings.
- Fudge and ice cream in town, and watching the freighters go by.
Rainy-day ideas
Head to Clayton for the Antique Boat Museum and the Thousand Islands Museum, catch a show at the Clayton Opera House, or visit one of the area's wineries. If you visit Boldt Castle on a cool or wet day, dress for it, since the castle has no climate control. And if weather makes the river unsafe for a trip, Richard reschedules at no charge.
Things to do by season
- Late spring (May–June): Boldt Castle opens in mid-May, crowds are light, and fishing picks up as the water warms.
- Summer (July–August): Peak season. Castles, tour boats, swimming, and bass fishing. Book trips and rooms early.
- Fall (September–November): Fall color, quieter towns, and the river's best musky fishing. Duck and goose hunts start with the fall waterfowl season. Boldt Castle closes in mid-October.
- Winter: Most of the town closes up, but guided ice fishing for perch, pike, and walleye runs when the bays freeze.
Last checked October 2026. Hours and seasons change, so confirm with each business before you go.