The Heart of the Thousand Islands

Boldt Castle: A legacy of love

Boldt Castle and its tragic love story put Alexandria Bay on the map. George C. Boldt, the proprietor of the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York City, started building the fairy tale castle in 1900 for his beloved bride, Louise.

Boldt purchased the island, once called Hart, and changed its name to Heart Island. The castle was designed with a ballroom and a palatial playhouse for the couple’s two children. Boldt halted construction of the castle in 1904 when Louise died of a heart condition at 41. Heartbroken, he never returned to Heart Island. The castle was left vacant for 73 years before it was gifted to the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority.

Since 1977, millions of dollars have been invested in the restoration of the castle and the Boldt Yacht House on nearby Wellesley Island.

Boldt Castle is the major tourism attraction in the Thousand Islands today, attracting over 200,000 visitors annually. You can actually boat up to the castle and dock here for a tour. Visitors arriving by personal watercraft can dock at both Boldt Castle and Singer Castle for tours during the summer season, from May through October.

Singer Castle: The castle of mysteries

Singer Castle is the only lived-in castle in the Thousand Islands. Sewing machine mogul Frederick Bourne was one of the richest men in the world when he built the 28-room castle on Dark Island in 1904 with his own yacht house. Bourne referred to it as his “hunting and fishing lodge.” A self-made multi-millionaire, Bourne served as the commodore of the New York City Yacht Club. Originally called The Towers, it was designed as a medieval castle with turrets, secret passageways and even a dungeon. In 1905, the New York Times dubbed Singer Castle “The Castle of Mysteries.”

It remained in the Bourne family for six decades. When Bourne died in 1919, his daughter, Marjorie, inherited Singer Castle. In 1961, she donated it to La Salle Military Academy in Oakland, New York, for less than $100, but the academy could not find an appropriate use for the island. It was sold to a Montreal couple and an evangelical society in 1965. They renamed Singer Castle Jorsdadt Castle and held church services there for many years.

Dark Island Tours, Inc. — operated by several European businessmen, including Farad Vladi of Vladi Private Islands, the largest broker of private islands in the world — acquired Dark Island in 2001. After undergoing massive restorations, Singer Castle reopened as a tourism attraction in 2003. Dark Island Tours now rents out its Royal Suite for overnight stays at Singer Castle, including a guided tour of its spooky secret passageways.

Lively river village

Today, Alexandria Bay boasts a new modern harbor with dockage just steps away from nautically themed shops and restaurants. In just a few blocks, you’ll find everything from fine dining to pizza and casual pub fare.

Cavallario’s Steakhouse is a local traditional favorite specializing in seafood. 1864 Steak House, aptly named after the region’s 1,864 islands, is a steak house that serves up brunch, lunch and dinner, along with artisanal cocktails. The Blu Anchor Bar & Grill is known for its fish tacos and smash burgers. The River Watch restaurant serves signature cocktails alongside a menu including seafood, braised ribs and pasta. Top of the Bay Bar and Tex Mex Bistro offers scenic views of the St. Lawrence River on its open-air deck, a menu made from locally sourced ingredients and hand-crafted cocktails.

Looking for some casual pub fare and local craft beer? Check out Coleman’s Dock of the Bay, The Dockside Pub or the Sunken Rock Pub. Skiffs bar features live music. Sample craft spirits at Dark Island Spirits, a distillery with a tasting room featuring its in-house spirits, as well as craft wines and beers from local brewers and wineries. The historic Thousand Islands Club and Marina features a lounge and fine dining on nearby Wellesley Island overlooking Millionaire’s Row. It offers dockage and a 135-seat waterfront patio for prime ship watching. Enjoy fine cuisine, including seafood, steak and tapas, in the “river casual” atmosphere.

Pop in to Nav’s Popcorn in Alexandria Bay or The Whole Scoop Ice Cream Stand and Grill for a treat after a hot day on the river.

For a tasty souvenir, take home a bottle of authentic Thousand Island dressing sold here. Boldt has been widely credited with introducing the dressing to Alexandria Bay and the world. In one version of the story, his chef is said to have created it aboard Boldt’s yacht in a pinch with ingredients he had on hand. Boldt enjoyed it so much he named it after the Thousand Islands and served it at the Waldorf Astoria hotel.

Whether you come for the castles, the boating, the fishing, the waterfront village atmosphere or even the salad dressing, Alexandria Bay offers an ideal starting point for exploring the history, beauty and unique character of the Thousand Islands.