Want to know what the 1000 Islands experience is all about but don’t want to rely on us tourism folks who get paid to make things sound good?

Check out this story published in September by the Washington Post. Reporter Andrea Sachs spent four days touring the 1000 Islands — both sides! — and heard the tales of mystery and passion that make the 1000 Islands so special. Andrea learned pretty quickly that every island has a story, and not all can be believed!

Read about her adventures in the 1000 Islands and decide for yourself if it’s worth a visit. Then come back to this site to find all of the lodging, entertainment and dining information you need.

Autumn has been an increasingly popular time to visit the 1000 Islands. Warm days and cool nights have combined with the beautiful reds, oranges and yellows to create a great “second season.”

While you’re here to enjoy the colorful, reflective boat tours, the fresh-pressed cider and fall festivals, enjoy the great outdoors without breaking the bank. Haul the RV, camper or even your tent to one of New York’s state parks staying open through October.

Open through mid-October are: Cedar Point, Kring Point, Southwick Beach and half of the loops at the great Wellesley Island State Park.
Jacques Cartier and Westcott Beach are open through mid-September, as are all of Wellesley Island’s loops.

Fall camping is a perfect way for visitors to enjoy a quieter, naturally beautiful 1000 Islands. Click here for a full list of state parks.

This just in: The play is getting great reviews. Check it out!

Focused on children, the Up the River Festival promises family fun based on the adventures of Toad and his friends! The playhouse will present “Up the River: A Family Musical” throughout the month at its unique Springer Theatre on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. This locally-written production is adapted from “Wind in the Willows” and was given a local twist! The production begins on the playhouse dock before heading into the theatre. It shouldn’t be missed! Click here for pricing and ticket information.

Events built around the production throughout the month include soapbox derby races, historic boat tours, geo-cache treasure hunts and more!

Echoes of Ireland combines the Magic of Ireland’s sounds with the comic blarney and guttersnipe grit of the Emerald Isle’s favorite sons Frank and Malachy McCourt. Playing at the Brockville Arts Centre Aug. 25-29, this is one musical not to be missed! Click here for admission rates and schedule.

Who says the end of summer can be marked by only the blues? Alexandria Bay in the heart of the 1000 Islands is introducing a new event this August: Rockin the Bay! Relive the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s with four days of live downtown concerts Aug. 27-29. Oh yeah…it’s free. No charge to rock. Classic car enthusiasts will want to hit this one too.

Alas, all good things must come to and end. In the 1000 Islands, we mark the end of summer with the blues. There’s a full slate on tap for 2010.
Kingston’s popular Limestone City Blues Festival brings four days of great music (Aug. 26-29) to scenic waterfront venues like Confederation Park, the Princess Street Stage and downtown pubs and restaurants. The whole thing caps off with a spectacular jam in the Market Square.

On the American side, there’s Blues in the Bay to get you through the end of summer. It’s the same recipe for success: great blues music in scenic venues overlooking the water! Sept. 2-6. Click here for a schedule and venues. Blues in the Bay is complemented by Blues at the Winery, Sept. 4 at the Thousand Island Winery. Enjoy the blues with wine made from 1000 Islands grapes!

Sixty-four Great Lakes Seaway Trail geocaches are now in place, with another 11 to follow soon, for those who enjoy exploring with their GPS (Global Positioning System) unit in hand.

At least 10 ammo boxes emblazoned with the new Great Lakes Seaway Trail logo have been placed in each of five regions (Lake Erie, Buffalo/Niagara Falls, Rochester/Central Lake Ontario, Eastern Lake Ontario, and 1000 Islands/St. Lawrence River) comprising the 518-mile America’s Byway that parallels the freshwater shoreline of New York and Pennsylvania.

Each cache has a uniquely-shaped punch that cachers will use to mark their Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail logbooks. Once cachers find 10 caches in a region, they can have their logbook validated to receive the distinctive Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoCoin for that region.

The series of five elegantly-designed antique-metal finish coins features the Flagship Niagara, Niagara Falls and the Maid of the Mist tour boat, Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, historic Fort Ontario, and an oceangoing ship on the St. Lawrence River.

Great Lakes Seaway Trail GeoTrail developer James “Boots” Hooper believes this is the longest linear geotrail in the U.S.

Logbooks and coins for all five regions are available at the Seaway Trail Discovery Center in Sackets Harbor, NY.

Logbooks and coins for individual regions are found at:
Lake Erie Region
• Tom Ridge Environmental Center, 301 Peninsula Drive, Suite 1, Erie, PA 16505

Buffalo/Niagara Falls Region
• Niagara USA Official Visitor Center, 10 Rainbow Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY 14303

Rochester/Central Lake Ontario Region
• VisitRochester, 45 East Avenue, Suite 400, Rochester, NY 14604
• Wayne County Tourism Office, 9 Pearl Street, Suite 3, Lyons, NY 14489

Eastern Lake Ontario Region
• Cayuga County Office of Tourism, 131 Genesee Street, Auburn, NY 13021
• Oswego County Tourism, 3rd Floor, County Office Building, 46 E. Bridge St., Oswego, NY 13126
• Screwy Louie’s Sport Shop, 596 Main St., Fair Haven, NY 13064

Thousand Islands/St. Lawrence River Region
• Seaway Trail Discovery Center, Ray & West Main Streets, Sackets Harbor, NY
13685
• St. Lawrence County Chamber, 101 Main St., Canton, NY 13617
• 1000 Islands International Tourism Council, 3373 Collins Landing, Alexandria Bay,
NY 13607.

Race fans have a pair of events to choose from Aug. 13-15.

Clayton, NY, hosts its Antique Raceboat Regatta this weekend. Come watch as the past comes alive when some of the best-known antique boats in America take to the St. Lawrence River for a traditional run through the islands! The regatta is a sanctioned competition of the APBA Vintage Race Boat Circuit. More than 150 vintage boats are expected to compete and give demonstration laps.

It all happens at the Antique Boat Museum campus. Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for children. Families admitted for $45.

Kingston, ON, will treat visitors to more than 100 powerboats from across North America during the Kingston/1000 Islands Poker Run.

Come see these speed demons fly across Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Live entertainment on Kingston’s shore adds to this outstanding event.

The 1000 Islands is a playground for everything from powerboats and cabin-cruisers to open-bow pleasurecraft and wooden classics.

Few waterways match the diversity of the 1000 Islands and eastern Lake Ontario. Where else can powerboaters make helicopter-timed runs within sight of kayakers watching from sheltered coves? On the St. Lawrence River, pleasure boaters don’t have to worry about huge rollers from cruising yachts. They’re here, but there’s plenty of room to spare.

Castles, lighthouses, golf courses, theatre houses and more dot the St. Lawrence River shoreline. This magazine report outlines a perfect weeklong 1000 Islands motorboat cruise. Looking for boat launches and service marinas? Find a rundown of gas pumps, marine equipment and repair services here.

For centuries, the 1000 Islands has been a recreational boater’s dream. That tradition lives on today among the many “river rats” and seasonal visitors who cruise the river and lake waters for fun. Enjoy!

Come learn about curious alpacas, find out what goes into homemade goats’ milk and pick-up organic vegetables when you stop at farms that encourage visitors to discover what goes into the region’s long-standing industry. Just look for the roadside signs advertising a farm as part of the Ag Tour. Ag Tour brochures are also available at each location as well as at the New York State Welcome Center as the foot of the Thousand Islands Bridge. The brochure includes a map highlighting each location.

A cell phone audio tour allows visitors to hear about each location before visiting. Simply dial 315-221-5101 and the corresponding stop number found on the map, roadside sign and at the Tour web site here.

Focused on children, the Up the River Festival promises family fun based on the adventures of Toad and his friends! The playhouse will present “Up the River: A Family Musical” throughout the month at its unique Springer Theatre on the banks of the St. Lawrence River. This locally-written production is adapted from “Wind in the Willows” and was given a local twist! The production begins on the playhouse dock before heading into the theatre. It shouldn’t be missed! Click here for pricing and ticket information.

Events built around the production throughout the month include soapbox derby races, historic boat tours, geo-cache treasure hunts and more!

The Williamstown Fair has been held every year since 1812! Things don’t last that long without a good reason, and at the fair, the reason is Great Family Fun!

Located between Cornwall and Lancaster, Ontario, in the scenic Seaway Valley, the Williamstown Fair brings hometown charm to a quaint, pine tree-lined community.

Livestock shows, antique auto displays, courteous vendors and a parade highlight this year’s attractions. Entertainment includes folk and classical performers and Irish and Highland step dancers. Fire-up your competitive spirit with volleyball competitions, chili cook-offs and family tug-o-war battles.

Admission is $8 per person, children 12 and under are free. A weekend pass is $15 per person. Click here for directions. For more information on the surrounding Seaway Valley including hotels and campgrounds, click here.