1000 Islands Cruise: Boldt Castle and Gananoque Views
4.1
116 Ratings
Gananoque
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • The Thousand Islands International Bridge (French: Pont des Mille-îles) is a bridge system maintained by America that spans the Saint Lawrence River, forming a connection between northern New York in the United States and southeastern Ontario in Canada. It was built in 1937 and expanded in 1959, bridging the Canada–US border amidst the Thousand Islands region.

  • Boldt Castle, initiated in 1900 under the auspices of millionaire hotel magnate George C. Boldt, was intended as a loving tribute to his wife Louise and envisioned as their idyllic summer residence. Designed to compete with the grandeur of European castles, it was situated on the St. Lawrence River in the midst of the 1000 Islands. However, the untimely death of Mrs. Boldt just a few months prior to the castle’s completion devastated Mr. Boldt, who immediately halted all construction on Heart Island, leaving the property untouched for over seventy years.

  • Erected on Hill Island in 1965, the 1000 Islands Tower is a concrete observation structure situated essentially on the U.S.-Canada border, albeit officially located within Ontario rather than New York State. Rising 400 feet (120 m) above the St. Lawrence River, it offers wide-ranging views over the Thousand Islands spanning both nations.

  • Zavikon Island houses the world’s shortest international bridge, a mere 32 feet long, linking a Canadian island with an American island in the center of the Saint Lawrence River.

Under the boundary accord agreed upon by Canada and the United States, no island may be divided into twain. While two-thirds of the islands in this archipelago, known as the Thousand Islands, come under Canadian control, the combined area of these Canadian islands is approximately equal to the remaining one-third of the islands, deemed American territory.

What's Included
  • Audio commentary in English and French
  • 3-Hour Cruise; a Canadian Signature Experience
  • Onboard food and beverages available for purchase
  • Paid parking available on-site
  • On-board restrooms
  • Views of the St. Lawrence Seaway, 1000 Islands International Bridge, Millionaires Row, Boldt Castle.
What's Not Included
  • Parking fees
Additional Information

Embarking from Gananoque, the City Cruises Gananoque 3-Hour 1000 Islands Cruise is a distinguished Canadian Signature Experience. The tour, complemented by audio commentary in both English and French, unravels the tale of the 1000 islands region, its past, and accounts of its past and present residents. Spectators will catch a sight of the illustrious Boldt Castle and luxurious residences of the affluent denizens on “Millionaire’s Row.” Uncover the extraordinary engineering accomplishments embodied in St. Lawrence Seaway, 1000 Islands International Bridge, and many other sights! The 3-Hour 1000 Islands Cruise offers an unmatched avenue to appreciate the beauty that has made this region globally acclaimed.

Location
City Cruises Gananoque
Main Street
A paid parking lot is available on-site. Parking passes are available for purchase at the lot or in the ticket office.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.1
(116 Ratings)
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Curtrm61
Oct 22, 2023
1000 Island tour - Trip was a lot of fun. Great sites, great narratives. Staff was nice and friendly. Boat speed was perfect to be able to take the pics we wanted.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Manav_s
Oct 16, 2023
Boldt Castle was the... - Boldt Castle was the highlight of the cruise trip. The weather was also amazing and the staff was really friendly as well.
Review provided by Viator
Elodie_r
Oct 16, 2023
Great tour - Nice day to do the tour, good comments during the tour, really nice houses and islands to see. The castle is amazing
Review provided by Viator
Jim_c
Oct 15, 2023
Beautiful cruise on the Thousand Island tour . - Fun and wonderful memories touring the 1000 islands. Absolutely beautiful! The crew was fantastic, food great and Boldt castle was amazing!
Review provided by Viator
991antonr
Oct 25, 2023
Pleasant trip - The boat was ok but very noisy on the lower deck. One of the seats on the upper deck had a small split which caused a small tear in my wife's trousers. The commentary was reasonably clear and provided some interesting information. It was a pleasant 3 hour cruise, although the amount of development on the islands and along the river bank was surprising.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lan_d
Oct 10, 2023
Perfect trip in fall... - Perfect trip in fall raining. Although It's raining and cold outside. But still worth to visit. Unforgettable experience.
Review provided by Viator
Tina_f
Sep 27, 2023
Beautiful scenery in comfort - Informative and pleasant tour. I gave it one star less because there was no video to accompany the narrative.
Review provided by Viator
Andrew_c
Sep 25, 2023
Good your. Beautiful part of the world. - A very good tour. Lots to see. It’s a beautiful place. We couldn’t do the Boldt castle as that trip wasn’t on that day and that looked amazing from the outside. There were people on the island though so not sure why we couldn’t have done that tour also.
Review provided by Viator
Marisawilson
Oct 17, 2023
Great time - Boat cruise was great and very cool to see and hear the history. Only downside was the audio tour kept saying look at the TV screen to see the under water footage but the video was never even out on. Also small downside no baby change table, had to juggle my baby in the toilet seat. Other than that great trip and beautiful scenery
Review provided by Viator
Anonymous855
Sep 28, 2023
A long 3 hour cruise with not much to see - I was hoping the trees would be turning colors but nope and so until we got to Boldt castle, it was a bit dull. Pretty scenery for about 30 minutes, that's enough. We circled the castle island twice and then came back, of course, the same route. Now I was bored and went down a deck to eat popcorn and check my phone. 3 hours was too long for an adult with a terrific attention span....think about it. Parking was more expensive than the website says too.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
May 2024
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