Instead of taking the 1000 Island Bridge near Alexandria Bay to Canada, we take the little international ferry at Cape Vincent in the United States to Wolfe Island which is the largest island in the 1000 Island group. It’s a more laid back way to travel (which is why we went on vacation in the first place) and you get two “cruises” on the way to Kingston. Wolfe Island is in Canada so one must stop at customs after you drive your car off the ferry. You then head across the island to Marysville to catch the bigger 80 car ferry to Kingston. This ferry is operated by the City of Kingston and is free! (When was the last time that you went on a beautiful boat ride for free?)
The City of Kingston is a very historic city and has much to offer visitors in terms of restaurants, parks, colleges, historical sites, and sports. We love the little park along the St. Lawrence River in Kingston and it’s always our first stop when we visit. The locomotive engine there at the park was one of more than 3000 steam engines built in the city of Kingston. At one time the Canadian Pacific Railroad ran along the St. Lawrence River front in Kingston and connected Toronto to Ottawa. The old railroad station in Kingston now serves as a tourist souvenir shop. It is here that you can buy a bus ticket which will take you on a tour of the city. The bus tour is a tourist ‘must do’ as they take you around the city in an air-conditioned bus to see the historical sites, the colleges, and tell you a little about the history of this beautiful city. The tour is worth much more than the fourteen dollar price for a ticket!
James R. Bupp