Cruising the St. Lawrence River with Uncle Sam Boat Tours

New York is home to many beautiful waterways, but few, if any, can rival the beauty of the St. Lawrence River. And, for those wanting to see this scenic river, sailing with Uncle Sam Boat Tours is a great option.

The St. Lawrence River connects Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Atlantic Ocean. Along a little over 100 miles of the river’s length, it forms the border between New York and Ontario, Canada.

This stretch of the river is known for its immense beauty and forms the Thousand Islands region of New York. However, this region is actually home to over 1,800 islands.

Alexandria Bay, New York is a common jumping-off point for exploring this region, and it’s where you can hop aboard Uncle Sam Boat Tours.

Uncle Sam Boat Tours runs a variety of tours from their dock in this quaint village and has been operating since 1926. During the season, which runs roughly from April to October, they offer five different tours, as well as a few dining cruises.

I already had planned to tour Boldt Castle, a once-abandoned island in the middle of the river, and, since I needed a way to get across the water, I decided to book a tour with Uncle Sam.

While I could have simply taken their quick shuttle to and from the island, I opted to take their Two Nation Tour, a roughly two-hour tour that takes you on a guided trip through both American and Canadian waters. No passport required!

One nice thing about Uncle Sam Boat Tours is that all of their tours make a stop at Boldt Castle during operating hours, so you can choose whichever tour option you want and still get transportation to the island. (Note that Boldt Castle charges a separate admission fee should you decide to disembark and explore the island.)

Then, when you are done visiting the castle, you can hop any of their boats back to the mainland.

The Two Nation Tour starts by heading south on the St. Lawrence River towards Millionaires Row.

In addition to the sheer beauty of the river, it’s amazing to see the incredible homes situated on private islands. These are some of the most luxurious spots that you’ll ever see, and it’s truly fascinating to see these islands from up close.

While cruising the river, guides offer narration that goes into the history of the region and what you are seeing from the boat, including a lot of interesting facts about the islands and their inhabitants.

Of course, these homes wouldn’t be here if the St. Lawrence River wasn’t one of the most beautiful waterways in the United States. This is truly a breathtaking spot and the water of the river is nearly crystal clear.

In fact, it’s amazing to look down from the top of the boat while in the middle of the river and to be able to peer all the way to the bottom of the water. In fact, on clear days, you can even see shipwrecks on the riverbed!

After a tour around Millionaires Row, the Two Nation Tour with Uncle Sam heads back north along the St. Lawrence’s shipping lanes. If you’re lucky, you might see some of the massive cargo ships that ply the river, though I was unlucky on the day of my tour.

The boat also passes by Hub Island, also known as Just Enough Room Island. This tiny island, about the size of a tennis court, features a home and a tree. It is considered to be the smallest inhabited island in the world.

From here, the boat passes Heart Island, home of Boldt Castle (it stops at the island on the way back) and heads towards Canadian waters. While there is really nothing denoting that you’ve crossed the border, the boat’s guide does tell you when you’ve entered Canada.

For the next hour, the boat travels through Canadian waters, nearing the shore of Rockport, Ontario. You might even see other boat tours from Canada doing a route similar to the one that you are on.

The tour continues through the many small islands and narrow channels of the St. Lawrence River, even passing under the very large Thousand Islands Bridge that connects to Interstate 81 in the United States.

As you cruise the water, the narration continues throughout most of the tour. Visitors can also spend their time on board enjoying the beauty of the ship, getting a snack or drink from the fully stocked bar, or even driving the boat (if you have kids).

All too soon, the boat turns around and heads back for Alexandria Bay, making its stop at Boldt Castle along the way, before returning to the dock.

I’ve done a lot of boat tours on rivers and lakes throughout the country, including one with Clayton Island Tours just south of here, and I can say without question that the Two Nation Tour with Uncle Sam Boat Tours was the most beautiful one that I have ever done.

The sheer beauty of this region is absolutely worth seeing, and there is no better way to see it than from the water.

So, the next time you find yourself exploring the Thousand Islands region of New York, make sure to take a ride on the St. Lawrence River with Uncle Sam Boat Tours.

For more information on their tours, visit the website for Uncle Sam Boat Tours.

Looking for more things to do nearby? Check out the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, Zoo New York in Watertown, and the Frederic Remington Art Museum in Ogdensburg.