Discovering the beauty in your backyard is part of a new travel trend for the Summer of 2021. Rediscovering nearby natural beauty and attractions is the new way to see the world around us to experience the appreciation that what is just a road trip away. Every state is chocked full of natural beauty, historical sites, and recreation-oriented destinations. From New York City, our backyard is vast and stunningly beautiful. We recently visited Clayton, New York, a town on the historic and vital Saint Lawrence River in The Thousand Islands region of upstate New York. This area, consisting of more than 1,800 islands, is on the US and Canadian border, and this summer home and summer retreat area draws visitors nearly year-round. Each season offers stunning new vistas of colorful leaves, snow-covered fields, and shade dabbled waterside walkways, all entwined with the Saint. Lawrence River and its tributaries and wetlands.
With the fantastic 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel perched on the banks of the Saint Lawrence River as our home away from home, we discovered what riverfront relaxation is all about. From our spacious balcony and the colorful Adirondack chairs out on the lawn, we marveled at the gigantic passing freighters, daredevil jet-skier, classic wooden pleasure and fishing boats of all sizes, and wondered about the trials and joys of living on an island in Saint Lawerence.

This 105-guest room and suite riverfront, AAA Four-Diamond property anchors the village of Clayton. Quaint shops, waterfront-dining venues, vineyard tasting rooms, and craft breweries line the streets of this intimate enclave. After strolling the shops in Clayton and stocking up on aged New York Cheddar cheeses and local maple syrup at River Rat Cheese, we were ready to set sail. We jumped on the Boldt Castle Tour (seasonal), by Clayton Island Tours.

Our jovial young guide shared historical information and modern antidotes about life on the river. We shared the shipping channel freighters and sailed past gilded-age mansions, vacation communities, and small islands with complete with a single home. Touring Boldt Castle and spending ‘island’ time amid the immaculate gardens and grounds was so relaxing. While seeing the sights from the water is spectacular, the countryside is also beautiful. Rolling hills, farms, vineyards, orchards, small towns, and riverside attractions fill the landscape. As the day nears an end, we are anxious to return to the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel for pre-dinner caramel apple martinis, which we enjoyed outside, next to the roaring fire pit overlooking the river. 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel.

More About 1000 Islands.

Empire State Road Trip.

Photography by David Lewis Taylor.