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Tibbetts Point Lighthouse in Cape Vincent, NY.
(Visit1000Islands.com)
In the farthest, northwest corner of Northern New York, where Lake Ontario meets the St. Lawrence River, visitors can find the quiet and close community of Cape Vincent. Many tourists pass through the village each summer, catching the ferry to Canada's Wolfe Island. Some are wise enough to slow down and explore this historic village and discover one of the Thousand Islands' great places.
1. Visit Tibbetts Point Lighthouse
Just two miles west of Cape Vincent, down a thin road that traces the river's edge, visitors will find the Tibbetts Point Lighthouse. While the first lighthouse here was erected in 1827, the current one was built 1854. Standing 69 feet above the water, it marks the actual point where Lake Ontario ends and the St. Lawrence River begins. Getting to this remote location can be part of the fun, with many adventurers choosing to bike or walk the road from the village. Once there, visitors find a real working lighthouse, a fog signal building, a visitor's center and the old lighthouse keeper's quarters, which today operates as a hostel.
2. Check out the Aquarium
Located on the eastern edge of the village, right on the water, is the Cape Vincent Fisheries Station run by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The station features an aquarium with five large viewing tanks allowing visitors to learn about the various fish species common to the area. Visitors can access the aquarium daily between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. And there's no charge -- unless you count our tax dollars.
The French Festival in Cape Vincent, NY.
3. The Annual French Festival
It's hard to understand Cape Vincent without considering the strong French influence in the region. Two French missionary priests, Father Chaumonoit and Father Dablon, were among the first non-native people in the area. Among the first big land owners was a man by the name of James LeRay Chaumont. Names of residents to this day show that same heritage. In 1968, the local residents decided to celebrate this heritage, holding the first French Festival. This year, the 47th annual French Festival will happen July 11-12, featuring arts and crafts, music, fireworks and a parade led by Napoleon.
4. Ship Watching
One of the favorite pastimes for many visitors to the Thousand Islands is watching the massive "lakers" and ocean going vessels moving their cargo up and down the river. While closed to traffic in the winter months, when the St. Lawrence opens each spring it becomes a major thoroughfare for commerce between Montreal and Great Lakes cities like Buffalo, Chicago and Detroit. While the shipping channel ducks behind some islands further up the river, it passes right between Cape Vincent and Wolfe Island. Pack a lunch, head to the green space just east of the village, and wait for the big ones to roll by.
5. Enjoy Award-Winning Red Wine at Cape Winery
When in Cape Vincent, visitors aren't too far from the newest stop on the Thousand Islands-Seaway Wine Trail. The owners of The Cape Winery planted their vineyard in 2007. After a few years perfecting their wine-making - and selling excess grapes to other wineries - they opened their doors in 2013. Amazingly, their Frotenac already received a Gold Medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. The Cape Winery, complete with tasting room, is less than 5 minutes from the village.
6. Take the Ferry to Wolfe Island
It's hard to ignore the proximity to Canada while in Cape Vincent. Visitors quite literally can see it. Visitors should bring a passport or an enhanced license and make their way via Horne's Ferry over to Wolfe Island, Ontario. From there visitors can explore via bike or car, or hop a bigger ferry to Kingston. It's what people in the Cape do for fun, too. Horne's Ferry leaves hourly from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. between May and October.