Off again, leaving our Airbnb early to explore since we had two or three destinations on the list for the day. First off, a little detour: Almonte. It's a really small town, and I don't think it should be a destination in itself, but after the drive from Gatineau, it was nice to stretch our legs.
Our next stop was in the Thousand Islands, Gananoque (Gah-nah-naw-kway). I really wanted to get on a cruise because, hey, it's called Thousand Islands, must be cool to go through with a boat! This meant we would see Millionaire's Row, where you can imagine the houses on the islands are pretty impressive, and the cruise itself was really smooth and informative. Also, we got free popcorn. Hehe.
We were in time to get tickets from Gananoque Boat Line for the 5-hour cruise to Heart Island, so we had a chance to visit Boldt Castle. It really was incredible, the opulence, the feeling when exploring the grounds, the awe when looking out the windows... it was magical and very romantic. Mr Boldt started building this castle on an island (he had it reshaped as a heart, by the way) for his beloved wife, who unfortunately died a little before completion of the project. Really, it's a sight to behold. Make sure to bring your passport if you want to visit, though, it's on US territory.
If you're wondering, that last picture is the Yacht House for the castle, because of course, when you live on an island, you need a ton of boats to drive around...
We also enjoyed a nice bowl of Mac 'n Cheese from Laverne's Eatery, which was very welcoming and where the food was delicious. We finally set off for Kingston, where we slept in the library's parking lot. Yup, luxury at its best. 😜
So you already know the next post will be about Kingston, eh? Make sure you don't miss it! Stay tuned, folks! 💜
TL;DR: Almonte's nice if on the road, if not, meh. Gananoque was awesome, and you should definitely get the long cruise to go visit Boldt Castle! The 2-hour stopover will seem like a very short time to explore, and you'll have your jaw dropped the whole way. Well worth the price of the tickets! Don't forget your passports, Heart Island is on US territory. 😉
Comments