The Thousand Islands

I've driven across the country three times while on vacation - stopping here and there, visiting the national parks, enjoying the diversity of the landscape. It's a beautiful country.

But of all the places I've visited, none holds a draw for me more than the Thousand Islands region in upstate (and I mean to the Canadian border) NY. Maybe because I grew up near that area - maybe because I like small towns (the three towns in the area where I've spent time are all very small - Alex Bay, Clayton and Cape Vincent), maybe because fishing was a favorite pastime, maybe because I just like the water and the air in the combination the Islands provide.

The vacation season is pretty short - it's cool or cold there anytime outside the months of June, July and August - the towns dry up to a trickle in the off months, but the fishing is still good and the accommodations are a bit cheaper. But there are a few good restaurants and the Uncle Sam boat torus are always a fun time. But mostly, it's just sitting at the water's edge and watching the waves lap up on the shore - or renting a boat and taking a ride out between the islands.