Things to Do in Alexandria Bay, NY
Last updated: September 23, 2026
Alexandria Bay is the main US village in the 1000 Islands, just off Interstate 81 at the American end of the Thousand Islands Bridge. Most people come for Boldt Castle on Heart Island, which you can only reach by boat, and the boat tours that leave from James Street. Add Singer Castle, two state parks on the river, a nature centre with 8 miles of trail and a free local museum. The season runs May to mid October. All prices here are in US dollars, and if you are coming from Canada you need a passport or NEXUS card to land at Boldt.
What are the top things to do in Alexandria Bay?
The short list is Boldt Castle, a boat tour of the islands, Singer Castle, a day at Wellesley Island State Park, and the Cornwall Brothers Store Museum on Market Street. Everything below has a 2026 price and season checked against the attraction's own site.
| Thing to do | Type | 2026 season | Price (USD) | Time needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boldt Castle, Heart Island | Castle, by boat only | May 9 to Oct 12 | Adult $14, child (5 to 12) $10 | 2 to 3 hours |
| Boldt Yacht House, Wellesley Island | Antique boats | Same as castle | Adult $8.50, child $6 | 45 minutes |
| Boldt Castle and Yacht House combined | Both | Same as castle | Adult $17, child $10 | Half day |
| Uncle Sam Boat Tours, 45 James St | Boat tour | Regular cruises to Nov 1; Boldt Castle stops end Oct 12 | 2 Nation Tour adult $32 | 2 1/4 hours |
| Singer Castle, Dark Island | Castle, by boat only | May to October | Adult $14.75, child (4+) $7.75, plus boat | Half day |
| Wellesley Island State Park | Beach, camping, trails, golf | Beach Jun 29 to Sep 7; camping May 1 to Oct 11 | $7 per vehicle (peak) | Half day or more |
| Minna Anthony Common Nature Center | Trails, butterfly house | Year round, shorter hours after Columbus Day | Check at the park | 1 to 3 hours |
| Kring Point State Park | Picnic, fishing, boat launch, camping | Day use year round; camping May 1 to Oct 11 | $7 per vehicle | 1 to 3 hours |
| Cornwall Brothers Store Museum, 36 Market St | Local history | May 22 to Oct 11 | Free or donation | 45 minutes |
| Thousand Islands Bridge | Scenic drive, border crossing | Year round | US$4.00 / C$5.50 car toll | 20 minutes |
- Bonnie Castle Resort31 Holland Street, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607(800) 955-4511
- Riveredge Resort17 Holland Street, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607(315) 482-9917
- Thousand Islands Winery43298 Seaway Avenue, Suite 1, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607(315) 482-9306
- Uncle Sam Boat Tours45 James Street, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607(315) 482-2611
How do you get to Boldt Castle?
By boat. Boldt Castle sits on Heart Island in the river off Alexandria Bay and there is no road or bridge to it. You can take a tour boat or shuttle from Alexandria Bay, a stopover cruise from the Canadian side, or your own boat. The castle says it has extensive docking for private craft.
The 2026 season is May 9 to October 12, 10:30 am to 6:30 pm, with the admissions booth closing an hour before. It stays open to 7:30 pm on July 3 and 4. The castle takes major credit cards and US cash, and pets other than service animals are not allowed.
What you are paying to see: six structures on a five-acre island, and a castle with its first floor restored in period furnishings. The Yacht House is on Wellesley Island, reached by a free shuttle boat from Heart Island. It holds antique wooden boats on loan from the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, some from the original Boldt fleet, and the 1892 steam yacht Kestrel.
From Alexandria Bay, Uncle Sam Boat Tours lists a Boldt Castle Shuttle at $10 per adult, and its 2 Nation Tour stops at the castle at the end of the trip. Castle admission is not included in either, so budget the $14 or $17 on top.
Can Canadians visit Boldt Castle without a passport?
No, not if you get off the boat. Boldt Castle is an official US port of entry. US Customs and Border Protection works on Heart Island from 10:30 am to 5:30 pm, and anyone landing there is entering the United States, including people who arrive on a Canadian cruise and go straight back.
Here is what the Canadian operators say:
- Rockport Cruises (20 Front Street, Rockport): passports or NEXUS cards are required for the Boldt Castle stopover. Permanent resident cards are not accepted for US entry. Documents are checked at the ticket office before you get a boarding pass. The 4-hour cruise is C$69 per adult plus HST, with a 2.5 hour stop and castle grounds admission included. Cruises began May 10 and the season runs to the end of October.
- City Cruises Gananoque: the 5-hour Boldt Castle Stopover Cruise includes admission. You need a valid passport, enhanced driver's licence or NEXUS card, and children under 16 may use a birth certificate. Non-Canadian, non-US citizens need an approved ESTA. Check current rates on their site.
- Both operators say US border officers can refuse entry to anyone, and City Cruises says it will not refund you if that happens.
If you do not have the documents, you can still see the castle from the water. The 1-hour and 3-hour City Cruises trips and Rockport's non-stop cruises circle the islands without landing, and no passport is needed for those.
What ID do Canadians need to cross into Alexandria Bay?
Canadians 16 and older entering the US by land or water need a valid passport, a NEXUS or FAST card, an enhanced driver's licence or ID card, or a Secure Certificate of Indian Status, per the Government of Canada. Children under 16 can use a birth certificate or citizenship certificate.
One catch for Ontario drivers: Ontario ended its enhanced driver's licence program in June 2019, so a standard Ontario licence will not get you across. Bring your passport or NEXUS card. Most Canadians are still exempt from US biometrics, but the same advice notes random screening does happen.
By car, the Thousand Islands Bridge runs from Highway 401 at Ivy Lea, near Gananoque, to Interstate 81 at Collins Landing, just outside Alexandria Bay. Canadian customs on the way home is CBSA Lansdowne at 860 Highway 137, with a NEXUS lane into Canada. See Getting to Gananoque for the Canadian side of the drive.
What boat tours leave from Alexandria Bay?
Uncle Sam Boat Tours runs from 45 James Street and has been on the river since 1926, according to its site. Its schedule page lists these adult fares:
| Tour | Adult fare (USD) | Notes from the operator |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Nation Tour | $32.00 | 2 1/4 hours, stops at Boldt Castle at the end unless noted, castle admission extra, no passport needed to stay on board |
| Millionaires Row Tour | $26.00 | |
| Singer Castle Tour | $50.75 | |
| Boldt Castle Shuttle | $10.00 | |
| Lunch, dinner, twilight and sunset cruises | $21.00 to $89.00 | Varies by cruise |
Sailing days change through the season, so check the booking calendar first.
How do you get to Singer Castle?
Singer Castle is on Dark Island in Chippewa Bay, New York, downriver from Alexandria Bay, and like Boldt it is reached only by boat. The castle's own site lists three ways in: Uncle Sam Boat Tours from Alexandria Bay, Rockport Cruises from Ontario, and a shuttle from Schermerhorn Harbor (June 17 to August 29, Wednesday to Saturday only). Private boats can use more than 400 feet of dock.
Guided tours are $14.75 per adult and $7.75 per child 4 and up, with under 4 free. The 2026 season runs from May through October, with the longest hours from June 14 to September 7 and shorter hours from September 8.
What is there to do at Wellesley Island and Kring Point state parks?
Wellesley Island State Park (44927 Cross Island Road, Fineview) is on the US side of the border, a short drive from the village over the American span of the bridge. New York State Parks calls it the largest camping complex in the 1000 Islands: 432 campsites, cabins, cottages, a sandy beach, a nine-hole golf course and a full-service marina with boat rentals. The swimming beach runs June 29 to September 7 in 2026, and day use at the beach is $7 per vehicle in peak season. Trails stay open all year, sunrise to sunset.
Minna Anthony Common Nature Center is inside the park on a 600-acre peninsula, with 8 miles of hiking trail, 7 miles of cross-country ski trail, a butterfly house and four glacial potholes on the Eel Bay trail. From May to Columbus Day it is open Monday to Thursday 9 am to 3 pm and Friday to Sunday 9 am to 6 pm. After Columbus Day it is open Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 3 pm.
Kring Point State Park (25950 Kring Point Road, Redwood) is on the mainland west of the village. It has campsites, cabins, boat launches with dockage, fishing, a playground and pavilions. Day use is open year round, sunrise to sunset, for $7 per vehicle. Camping runs May 1 to October 11 in 2026.
What is there to do in the village itself?
Start at the Cornwall Brothers Store Museum, 36 Market Street, an 1866 stone general store that the Alexandria Historical Society describes as the last waterfront landmark of the 19th century in the village. Admission is free or by donation. In 2026 it opens May 22 and closes October 11. Hours are Friday to Sunday 10 am to 4 pm in May, June, September and October, and daily in July and August (10 am to 4 pm, to 6 pm on Fridays and Saturdays).
From there, James Street and Market Street are where the boat docks, shops and most of the restaurants are. See Where to Eat in Alexandria Bay for food, and Breweries and Pubs of the 1000 Islands for a drink after.
Bonnie Castle at 31 Holland Street is a private resort and marina that looks across at Boldt Castle. Its site lists the Manor House Restaurant, the Riverside Sports Bar and The Pointe Bar and Grill (seasonal). The old Bonnie Castle Greens mini golf on Route 12 is closed. It is private property, so do not go in.
The Alexandria Bay Chamber of Commerce is at 7 Market Street, open Monday to Friday 9 am to 4 pm, phone (315) 482-9531.
- Alexandria Bay Thrift Store42601 NYS Route 12, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607(315) 686-3008
- Buoys Boutique6 James Street, Suite 1, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
- Lil’ River Fudge Co24 James Street, Unit A, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607(315) 482-2188
- River ImageAlexandria Bay, NY
- River Living Furniture & Gift43 Church Street, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607(315) 482-6100
What is the Thousand Islands Bridge?
It is the bridge system that links Interstate 81 in New York to Highway 401 in Ontario, running 8.5 miles from Collins Landing near Alexandria Bay to Ivy Lea near Gananoque across several islands. Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mackenzie King dedicated it on August 18, 1938. The toll for a car, pickup or motorcycle is US$4.00 or C$5.50 (effective January 1, 2026), and E-ZPass, cash and major credit cards are accepted in all lanes.
Is Alexandria Bay worth visiting in October or winter?
Early October, yes. Mid October onward, mostly no, unless you want quiet trails. Here is what closes in 2026:
| Closes | Date |
|---|---|
| State park camping (Wellesley Island, Kring Point) | October 11 |
| Cornwall Brothers Store Museum | October 11 |
| Boldt Castle and Yacht House | October 12 (Columbus Day) |
| Minna Anthony Common Nature Center moves to off-season hours | After Columbus Day: Wednesday to Sunday, 9 am to 3 pm |
| Rockport Cruises (Canadian side) | End of October |
After that, the Chamber's winter guide points to snowshoeing and cross-country skiing at the nature centre, more than 80 miles of groomed snowmobile trail kept by the 1000 Islands Snowmobile Club, and ice fishing for pike, walleye and perch. Kring Point stays open for day use. The village Trick or Treat is Saturday, October 24, 2026, 1 pm to 3 pm, at downtown shops. Many restaurants and bars close or cut hours after Columbus Day, so check the listing before you go. Our fall closing list tracks this across the region, Winter in the 1000 Islands covers the off-season on both sides, and river levels covers the water.
FAQ
Can you visit Boldt Castle from Canada?
Yes. Rockport Cruises and City Cruises Gananoque both run stopover cruises that land at Boldt Castle with admission included. Because Heart Island is a US port of entry, you need a passport or NEXUS card (City Cruises also accepts an enhanced driver's licence) to get off the boat.
Do you need a passport for an Alexandria Bay boat tour?
Not if you board in Alexandria Bay and stay on the boat. Uncle Sam Boat Tours says no passport is needed for its 2 Nation Tour. You do need a passport or NEXUS card to drive over from Canada in the first place.
How much does Boldt Castle cost in 2026?
$14 per adult and $10 per child (5 to 12) for the castle, or $17 and $10 for the castle and Yacht House together, in US dollars. The boat ride is extra unless your cruise includes it.
When does Boldt Castle close for the season?
October 12, 2026. It opened May 9 and is open 10:30 am to 6:30 pm, with the last admission an hour before closing.
Is there a beach in Alexandria Bay?
The nearest public swimming beach is at Wellesley Island State Park, a short drive over the American span of the bridge. The beach is open June 29 to September 7 in 2026 and day use is $7 per vehicle.
See all Alexandria Bay businesses · 1000 Islands events · Things to Do in Gananoque