Small, Private Tours of the Thousand Islands

Come explore the sparkling fresh water and the beautiful, charming islands large and small with 1000 Islands Water Tours and your captain Andrew Driver.

Small, Private Tours of the Thousand Islands

Come explore the sparkling fresh water and the beautiful, charming islands large and small with 1000 Islands Water Tours and your captain Andrew Driver.

Custom Tours Made Just for You

IT’S YOUR DAY AND YOUR CHOICE OF THE BEST SITES IN THE 1000 ISLANDS!

Choose from Boldt Castle and Yacht House, Singer Castle on Dark Island, Rock Island Lighthouse, the Thousand Islands Bridge, Wellesley Island, luxurious private homes, and many more. Cruise over historical shipwrecks and hear the stories of the A. E. Vickery, a three-masted schooner that sank in 1889, and the Roy A. Jodrey, a 640-foot bulk carrier that sank in 1974 in 250 feet of water.

1000 Islands Water Tours takes you to the must-see sights in the 1000 Islands including Boldt Castle, Millionaire’s Row, and the tiny island with the tiny house known as “Just Room Enough” Island. See the many back waters and other lesser-known areas where only shallow-draft boats like ours can visit. You may even pass by one of the huge freighters that makes trips between the Great Lakes and Atlantic Ocean. Our tours are customized for you.

Book a sunset cruise to end your day or as the start of a romantic evening. There’s nothing like celebrating a special occasion by spending it on the water surrounded by the beauty of the Thousand Islands.

It’s your choice on a 1000 Islands Water Tours custom tour!

Contact Captain Andrew to book your private tour.
Email: andrew@1000islandswatertours.com
Call or message: +1 917-207-2181
SMALL & PRIVATE
UP TO 6 GUESTS PER TRIP
CUSTOM TOURS ONLY $175 PER HOUR
Boldt Castle
Rock Island Lighthouse
Singer Castle
Tiny house on a tiny island in the 1000 Islands region of the St. Lawrence River

Make Yourselves Comfortable

We are based in Alexandria Bay, New York, a bustling tourist town with many nicknames (Alex Bay, A Bay, or just The Bay), home of Bill Johnston’s Pirate Days, the Annual Powerboat Poker Run, Blues in the Bay, Fourth of July Fireworks over Boldt Castle, Fish Day in the Bay, and the Roaring ’20s Weekend.

1000 Islands Water Tours has two 6-passenger boats, a 34-foot Parker and a 25-foot center console Olympia, which can can travel distances quickly if needed or just putter slowly to take in the scenery.

The charming village of Clayton, New York, is only 10 miles upstream from Alexandria Bay and is filled with quaint shops, galleries, antique stores, and the world-class Antique Boat Museum.

Bring drinks and food and and keep them on ice in our cooler. Don’t forget your swimsuit and towel so that you can take a refreshing swim in the clean freshwater of the river. We have swim ladders on both of our boats, and there are quiet bays perfect for taking a dip.

Book a cruise for your special occasion: birthday, anniversary, proposal, graduation.

Rates for a private tour are $175 per hour.

Water taxi service can be arranged to go to an island or out for dinner in Alex Bay or Clayton.

All 1000 Islands Water Tours captains are USCG Masters with 100 ton licenses and extensive knowledge of the St. Lawrence River and its history.

Happy family group on a private tour with 1000 Islands Water Tours
Photo of family with Captain Andrew enjoying their private tour with 1000 Islands Water Tours on the St. Lawrence River
Photo of passenger with cargo ship in the background on the St. Lawrence River during a tour with 1000 Islands Water Tours
Photo of group enjoying a day on the water with 1000 Islands Water Tours
Photo of woman with a tall ship sailing the St. Lawrence River in the background during a private tour with 1000 Islands Water Tours
View of one of the islands in the 1000 Islands region
Stately home on one of the islands in the 1000 Islands region. Seen from 1000 Islands Water Tours boat.
Photo of a family having a great day on their private tour with 1000 Islands Water Tours
Photo of customer swimming in the St. Lawrence River during a tour with 1000 Islands Water Tours
Four happy customers sightseeing with 1000 Islands Water Tours

Wonderful Variety of Wildlife and Bird Species

The Thousand Islands is a Common Tern nesting area supporting hundreds of pairs and a Bald Eagle wintering area with 8-12 individuals seen each winter, especially near Wellesley Island.

Mammal species commonly seen include white-tailed deer, woodchucks, raccoons, red squirrels, beavers, otters, and mink.

Go for a snorkel and see if you can spot a bass, northern pike, or the famous muskie.

Bird species commonly found in the Thousand Islands:

  • Great Blue Heron
  • American Black Duck (winters and breeds)
  • Common Loon (breeds)
  • Least Bittern (possible breeder)
  • Osprey (breeds)
  • Bald Eagle (winters)
  • Northern Harrier (breeds)
  • Red-shouldered Hawk (possible breeder)
  • American Woodcock (probable breeder)
  • Black Tern (historic breeder)
  • Whip-poor-will (probable breeder)
  • Red-headed Woodpecker (possible breeder)
  • Willow Flycatcher (possible breeder)
  • Wood Thrush (probable breeder)
  • Cerulean Warbler (confirmed breeder, two nests observed on Thousand Islands Land Trust property)
  • Vesper Sparrow (possible breeder)

(National Audubon Association)

About Your Captain

Andrew Driver, the owner of 1000 Islands Water Tours, was born 50 meters from the English Channel and has spent his life in or on the water ever since. He has worked extensively as both a dive boat captain and tour boat captain, sailed across the Atlantic twice in one year, and delivered boats to many locations throughout the world. Andrew has a USCG 100-ton master license as well as being a UK licensed master of motor and sailing vessels up to 200 gross tons and has spent time on many different vessels including super yachts, research vessels, dive boats, a year on a war ship and most memorably 2 weeks on a tall ship. He has visited over 50 different countries.

A scuba diver since he was 12 years old, Andrew now trains others to be instructors and has dived throughout the world from the high Arctic, to the Amazon rain forest to the wrecks of Asia. As a professional diver he has done work for the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, National Geographic, and other TV production companies. Andrew’s most recent diving trips have been with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Papua New Guinea and Palau recovering the remains of servicemen from World War II.

Andrew also owns a company that rents, sells, and operates recompression chambers (portable chambers in particular) for divers. He uses his knowledge as an International Board of Undersea Medicine chamber instructor and operator to educate divers on hyperbarics as well as making dives from his dive boat safer.

As an officer in the Royal Marines Commandos for 8 years, Andrew served on various appointments at sea and on land including tours for which he received extensive training in parachuting, Arctic survival, and combat swimming with oxygen rebreathers. He was a member of the British National Parachute team and commanded the world-record-holding Royal Marines Free Fall Team.

After many visits over the years to the Thousand Islands, Andrew made it his home more than 10 years ago. He loves its history as much as its unparalleled beauty.

What are you waiting for?

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"Can't Miss" sites and wildlife photos by Creative Commons license. See the list of photographers.

All other photos by 1000 Islands Water Tours.

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