Boldt Castle

What a beautiful place to visit! We had a lovely boat ride over to this castle in Alexandria Bay.
The restoration and story about this castle is remarkable! The ladies at the entrance booth recommended we use the audio tour. We shared the earphones and walked around the castle. It definitely helped to have the audio. We found out a lot of things we wouldn’t have known by just walking around on our own. We then took the quick over to the boat house. Amazing place! Definitely a place to go if you are traveling in upstate NY. Highly recommend this as a great way to spend an afternoon.

A trip to Boldt Castle is worth a visit if you’re in the area. I vacationed in the 1000 Islands as a kid and we went here once or twice by boat. Very cool to see the island and the house. I was back again nearly 20 years later and it was interesting to see the progress on the renovations. Firstly, the house is huge, several floors — 6 stories high with 3ish floors renovated. While it’s a beautiful sight to see, it doesn’t have that tug on the heart strings vibe you get when you visit a house that was actually lived in a hundred years ago (like how I feel when I visit the Eastman House in Rochester). Regardless, I enjoyed reading about the history of the area, other properties, and seeing the setup in a way, «as it was intended.» The dining room was cool though. Still looks almost the same as it did back in the day. Gorgeous silverware on display too. The windows let in a lot of light and it’s just a massive house that’s a sight to see. There’s also the children’s playhouse/​tower, the indoor pool, and the power house to see. The island is well maintained and nice for a stroll on a sunny summer afternoon. It only cost $ 8 to tour the property.

Visited the weekend before they closed for the winter and it was absolutely beautiful! There have been so many renovations since the last time I visited maybe 10 years ago. Absolutely recommend stopping here. We did the hour long Uncle Sam boat tour as well which was really enjoyable.

My group of 4 women Loved Heart Island, the Boldt Castle and other buildings, and landscaping! The beautiful grounds and views of the water were wonderful. Lots of benches to sit on and appreciate the views. The Boldt castle was gorgeous and amazing and well worth seeing. They rooms on the upper floors are still being finished but that did not really matter! We even got to see the huge basement on our «self» tour. Everyone working there was very nice and helpful. We want to return with friends & family.

Didn’t know about this castle in the thousand islands till my boyfriend mentioned it to me. We were on a rode trip coming back from the Niagara Falls in Canada. So… I thought eh… We’re vacationing to enjoy some views and decided «let’s check it out»! I must say… it’s a beautiful view from across. It’s located on its own island. Love the story on why it was built. The castle has been renovated through out the years. Love the before and after pictures. Will probably be visiting it again in the near future to see it fully renovated.

The castle is one of the must sees of the Thousand Islands area. I’m giving 3 stars for the castle. I enjoyed the grounds and gardens more then the actual castle. But over the years it might get even better as they keep ‘restoring’ it. More on that later.
We came in from the Canadian side (at Rockport) on a boat cruise that goes to the castle then goes around to tour the rich peoples’ cottages. (about $ 30 per person).
Arriving at around 1pm we had about 2 hours to explore the castle. Entrance fee is $ 8.50 and extra 2.50 to also see the yacht boathouse but would take at least an extra hr which we didn’t have time for.
Boldt was a really rich guy who began building this castle for his wife (I’m guessing as a summer house) however it never got completed because she died and he halted all construction (sad face). No one lived there except in one of the towers for a short time period. It was abandoned and in the late 70s tourism started and it got ‘restored’.
As you walk through the castle you gaze in awe at the rooms of what might have been. You walk up the first and 2^nd floors and admire the opulence and wish your bedroom looked like that. Then you hit the 3^rd floor and see empty rooms and graffiti. And realize all youve just seen was playing pretend. This is what the castle really looked like when the castle was acquired. The foundation has spent the last year’s in recreating Boldt’s dream for the purpose of tourists. Some was based on plans some based on imagination. There’s something about it not being genuine doesn’t sit well with me and I would rather just enjoy the natural wonder if the gardens.
We were told by someone in Rockport that the hot dogs were a must eat. $ 4USD hot dog wasn’t that epic but the view was pretty nice.
We visited also the other towers including the games room (which had remnants of a real bowling alley) and the power house where it was the generator of power for the castle /​but all just pretend).
We went with a stroller and aside from a few minor places it was all accessible (in an elevator in the castle!)
It was a nice enjoyable excursion at a decent price point.

Before Heart Island and Boldt Castle were acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority in 1977, it was an empty stone castle on a barely maintained private island with a romantically tragic history.
When I was a little girl, my dad would take us out there and we would explore the island and whatever buildings we could gain access to for days. It was a crumbling, grafitti-​covered wreck.
Twenty years ago or so, the last time I had visited the castle, restoration was well underway, but was mainly focused on structural integrity and safety. The first floor was more or less a museum of the castle’s history and the remainder was still a grafitti-​covered wreck, albeit a much cleaner and safer one.
My most recent visit was mind-​blowing. The landscaping, the finishing touches, the thought put into the period decorations and fixtures… it’s absolutely amazing. I was astounded by the work and dedication that the TIBA has directed to Bolt Castle. Seeing what was an abandoned and disintegrating building become a beautiful architectural wonder whose rich history will be conserved for future generations fills me with joy.

What a beautiful place surrounded by a beautiful lake. The house is under renovation but if you’re a history buff, this is a must see if you’re in the thousand island area. The boat tour is great because you get great views of the shore and homes. I highly recommend visiting this awesome American castle.

This castle is stunningly. The renovations they are doing are out of this world. I like how they keep pictures in every room so you can compare between then and now. The love story is sad. Makes the tour more memorable. I highly recommend coming here. It’s not a boring your guide the entire time. You are left alone to roam the castle at your own free will. There are employees in every room to answer any questions you may have. A must see.

Awesome experience. Amazing photo opportunities. Tons of history. Great for kids and adults!

I took a picture on the grounds of the island this castle is on and even though it was a cold and rainy summer day in August, with some help from Instagram it looks like the kind of place you’d dream about– colorfully beautiful.
The castle itself has an interesting story– a rich man built it for the woman he loved but she’d never get there. It was left to deteriorate until locals decided to clean it up and restore it. It’s still being worked on, so there are empty rooms, graffiti on the walls inside, and places closed to the public… that said, it’s actually very cool to be able to see what it looks like when it’s not taken care of versus the rooms and areas that have been lovingly maintained and/​or restored. The whole island is worth walking around to see other structures and buildings. It’s like an escape from the rest of the world, if only for a couple hours.

We went to Boldt Castle directly and not through the Thousand Island Tours.
This was also in the book «Off The Beaten Path» and really a true Gem. You originally go the Harbour and take a boat to Boldt Castle.
The beautiful landscape on Boldt Castle is breathtaking and not overrated. On the Island there are so many beautiful gardens and featured to look at.
In the castle you will see beautiful architecture and also a lot of empty space (you need to read the book) Take a look out as well at all the views from the Castle on the Water.
ADD THIS TO THE BUCKET LIST!

Stunning place to visit with a very interesting history. Great views about in ever direction and there are great photo ops. It is really the center piece of the area. Good place for a wedding proposal… just sayn.

While on the ferry you can already see the picturesque beauty of Hart Island. Before coming here read the history about the place so you can appreciate it a little more.
Upon arriving at the dock you have to pay for admission. $ 8.50 for adults if you want to just check out the island and the Boldt castle’s interior, and $ 11.50 of you want to include the yacht house that houses antique yachts which is in another island.
Beautifully manicured lawns. They really spent a lot of money and time to restore this place to the magnificence it was suppose to have. Great place for weddings or just to take engagement pictures. You can bring your own food too and have picnics at the grounds.

Since I was little I wanted to see this Castle. It was beautiful! The grounds were well kept and full of flowers and beautiful trees.
There were beautiful pieces if furniture in the various room– most of the rooms worth looking at we’re on the main and second floor– the rest was empty and covered in graffiti. The children’s place was nice –my daughter thought it was cool.
This can be a place you can have a wedding– their was one happening when we were there. Definitely was worth it.

This castle is a must-​see if you’re in the 1,000 Islands area. It’s on Heart Island and is accessible only by boat. Admission prices are reasonable.
It has a super depressing love story background. George Boldt wanted to build the castle for the love of his life, Louise, so his contractors were all happily building away with the finest items the world could offer … and then a couple weeks before her birthday (when he was to present the finished product to her), she suddenly died. Boldt then told his men to cease all work, and they left the island. George never returned to Heart Island, they say. Sad music here.
Seventy years went by and then the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority took ownership. Since then, they’ve been restoring away, room by room. So that part is nice. They were actually working on the children’s playhouse while we were there. Spoiled rich kids, they sure were! They were to have a bowling alley and all.
Walking through this half elaborate-​half a work in progress stunning structure is an experience of its own. I definitely recommend checking out the theater room to learn more about the Boldt family story. It’s surprisingly a pretty interesting short film!
This is the type of place where children visit for field trip days (ahem, the day I was there.), but it’s a great day trip for all ages.

Pretty! I saw the outside of the castle during my boat tour and was so excited when we were finally allowed to visit. At $ 8, the admission is very affordable. The outside grounds are beautiful, and you can see the «heart» theme carried out in everywhere from the landscaping to the windows. The views are amazing on all sides, naturally.
The first two floors of the castle are beautiful and opulent, decorated like a Victorian dollhouse. The next three floors after that were incomplete, and were covered in graffiti as the previous reviewers have mentioned. It was a little disappointing to have the illusion of being in a grand castle broken by the sudden change in atmosphere, but I do hope that more restoration is carried out in the future. And while I loved the ability to wander as I pleased during the tour, it would have been nice to have some kind of resource to learn more about the home, the family, and the time period, etc. as there were times when I felt a little lost.
I was sad to learn that they do not do wedding receptions here; as this is a gorgeous location for a lover of all things princess. (Though it makes sense if you consider all the construction, etc…) However they do allow ceremonies; we saw a couple getting married during our tour. Not sure how I personally would feel about tourists wandering all over my ceremony site… but the newlyweds seemed happy enough despite that.

Absolutely stunning castle sitting in the 1000 islands area near Brockville, Canada. I saw this from a charter cruise around the islands and I highly recommend you do the same!
Random tip, eh: You need a passport to enter this small island, as US border patrol deems this island worth checking, while the majority of the southern US border goes unchecked (and it’s attached to the actual USA).

It’s a classic love story of rich hotelier dude meets girl.
Dude wants to build chick a castle.
Girl dies a tragic and early death.
Dude is heartbroken and abandons castle.
Then the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority acquires and restores the castle and it’s now one of the top sights of 1000 islands.
Upon arrival you are greeted by the US customs for a passport check.
Entrance fee is $ 8.
The castle itself is beautiful and the grounds are vibrant and well-​maintained.
It would have been nice to bring a picnic basket, they have lots of areas for sitting outside.
Why am I giving this castle 3 stars?
It may not be a big enough castle for an audio tour, but what about some walking maps or pamplets? There are signs for each room, but it would have been nice for more descriptions.
The main rooms on the first and second floor were staged but there were probably more empty rooms than staged rooms. Exploring empty rooms covered in graffiti is as romantic as it sounds. And the equipment used for maintenance was in plain site, isn’t there a castle shed for these types of things?
Even though this castle may never be Disney Princess worthy, as restoration continues, it can only get better! Here’s hoping for more heart décor, maybe a statue garden, stained glass installations, and a working drawbridge!
Note: Food here sucks. Stick to ice cream while you are waiting for the ferry!

Couple of things I learned:
George C. Boldt built Boldt Castle on Heart Island for his wife Louise, who unfortunately died of tuberculosis before it was finished. Heartbroken, he stopped all construction immediately and never set foot on the island again. Eventually, it fell into ruins and the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority was allowed to buy the property for 1 US dollar as long as they would abide by the following rules:
1. Boldt Castle must be open for world-​view.
2. Since it was only 95% completed when construction was ceased, the castle can never be restored and renovated past 95% completion out of respect for the Boldts.
3. Nobody could ever gain personal wealth from Boldt Castle — so the $ 7 admission rate you pay goes completely to the castle’s restoration and upkeep of the island’s grounds.
Really interesting history. I think I was underwhelmed by the castle itself (only the first two floors were completed and if you’ve seen the Newport Mansions, it probably won’t seem as grand), but you have to appreciate the story behind it.