The native peoples called this region the “Garden of the Great Spirit.” The French explorer Jacques Cartier discovered the St. Lawrence River in 1535, and early explorers made use of the St. Lawrence River as a highway to the interior of Canada and the United States. In 1687 Jean Desbayes made the first reliable charts of the area, naming it “Les Milles îles,” or translated to English, the 1000 Islands. Vacationers discovered the islands in the 1870s, when wealthy people began to build summer homes while other travelers came to stay in large hotels.
Now, visitors and residents alike still remark that this gorgeous garden of woods and waters that is the 1000 Islands is truly one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
The region offers a bounty of recreation experiences that span two nations. It is here that the province of Ontario, Canada and New York State, USA meet—their cultures blending in the waters of the mighty St. Lawrence River and Great Lake Ontario. While it hasn't always been idyllic times—the region was host to many battles during the War of 1812—today you will find a friendly atmosphere, laid-back pace and fresh outdoors that just may remind you of your vacations of yesteryear...and perhaps give your family something wonderful to remember, too. Something…timeless.
