When someone says Upstate New York, most people think of the Finger Lakes, Syracuse, Rochester, Albany, Buffalo - that region - but if you take a look at a map, you'll see these cities are actually closer to the center of the state than they are the northern tip.

My theory for this misunderstanding comes from the tendency for those that live in Manhattan to label anything north of New York City as "upstate," a mindset that is somewhat understandable and somewhat counterproductive to the state's fruition as a whole.

For now, I suppose we can refer to the northern most part of the state as "Upper Upstate."

The St. Lawrence River begins at the northeast corner of Lake Ontario, snaking its way toward Quebec City through Montreal, and serves as the border between Ontario and New York. Known as the Thousand Islands Seaway or the St. Lawrence Waterway, the region consists of 1864 islands, and the US/Canadian border zig-zags through the middle of it all. What constitutes an island? Two things: It must be above water 365 days a year and support at least two living trees.

Two of the more well known islands house Boldt and Singer castles, which I will feature in a story tomorrow along with my favorite town in the area, Alexandria Bay. But no matter where you launch from, getting out on the water is a necessity. If not, you're missing out on what makes the destination worth visiting - a boat rental or tour should be your first priority.

Some of the islands are open to the public for camping or cottage rentals, others are open for historical tours (such as Boldt and Singer). That said, I found myself really enjoying the private islands as well - it was sort of like driving through a wealthy neighborhood to admire houses I could never afford, or walking the streets at dusk to peek into the windows of houses I'll never step foot in (and I mean that in the most innocent, non-creepy way possible). Seriously, you can cruise right by some of these multi-million dollar properties, and it was hard not to daydream about what life upon one of these islands would be like.

Here are a few photos of the Seaway. It's incredibly clean and crisp, the water blueish green at times, and we were treated to incredible weather in the mid-70s.

I'll be honest: When I was told that Oswego was considered by many to have some of the prettiest sunsets in the country, I was skeptical. Really? A town in northwest New York is competing with the likes of the west coast? Of Florida? Hawaii?

I had to do some research. Word on the street was that National Geographic did an article a while back that ranked Oswego right up there with Hong Kong as one of the best places in the world to catch a sunset, but I was unable to confirm that claim.

But the more I poked around, the more I realized that there was indeed a fair amount of chatter out there surrounding the sky in the small town on Lake Ontario. It seems the locals are not jaded in the least - applause-worthy sunsets were #1 on Oswego University's list of 150 things to love about the area.

“When the last bit of sun had sunk below the horizon, one person — God knows who — began to clap and the whole group, a couple of hundred people, stood up and applauded the sunset."

When I eventually caught a glimpse of one myself, all doubt was quickly washed away and all the rumors I had heard were confirmed. Yesterday I shared a preview photo of the sunset in Oswego, a shot I was able to take from my dinner table along the water. Sometimes the timing simply doesn't work out, but that's one of the perks of Internet writing, the ability to gather assets after the fact. I was able to get permission to publish the ones that you'll find below, and you can also see a boatload more on Facebook.

My trip to Upper Upstate New York and the Thousand Islands began in a small town called Oswego, right on the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. It's known for its sunsets, believe it or not, and hopefully I'll be able to show you a few examples in another post. I was privileged to a beautiful pink sky on my only night there, but because we were in the middle of dinner I did not get a chance to take many photos. There's one example below, but I'm working on getting the rights to a few more - stay tuned.

Alexandria Bay, NY

No worries on feeling crowded as the town has the infastructure to support it - restaurants with boat parking, harbor activity, riverside lodging, and plenty of nightlife in the form of both live music and clubs. If you don't rent a boat, tours leave the harbor throughout the dayto cruise amongst the islands, and we caught a ride with Uncle Sam to two of the most well-known icons of the Seaway: Boldt Castle on Heart Island and Singer Castle on Dark Island.

Let's start with Boldt Castle, a tragic story when you step back and look at it. Boldt worked his way up from dishwasher to hotel owner, made a bazillion dollars, and found the gal of his dreams. In 1900, he began building the mother of all Valentine's Day gifts for that aforementioned woman, a 120-room castle upon a heart-shaped private island. One would assume that his entire self looked forward to the project's completion, to the rest of his life with his wife.

Boldt Castle on Heart Island as it appears today.
 

But then the worst case scenario occurred for Mr. Boldt - his wife suddenly passed away, and the promised land fell right out from under his feet. Boldt immediately halted all construction on the island, leaving the unfinished castle behind as nothing more than a remembrance of his affection. It was deserted for about seventy years, minus the people who snuck in to party. On the top floors of the castle (which are still being renovated), you can see where hundreds of people had made note of their presence.

Most of the castle has been restored today based on information gathered about Boldt's plans for the property. It's beautiful, for sure, but perhaps the coolest aspect is walking around and thinking about the life that would have been lived had things gone according to plan. When I visited Hearst Castle in California, the phrase "if these walls could talk" often came to my mind, thinking about all the people and parties, the fun that must have took place. As I explored Boldt Island, a part of me felt sad knowing that what I was seeing was the result of a man's dream that had come crashing down.

Singer Castle: It's almost a tease touring these incredible properties, ropes and restrictions preventing full exploration. Singer Castle, built by the President of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, is one of the few that will let you stay the night in what they refer to as the "Royal Suite."

It can sleep up to six people - $700 for the first two and $50-$60 a person thereafter. Seems expensive, but the sticker shock wears off when you divide $900 by six and realize that you're staying in a four-story castle in the middle of the Thousand Islands Seaway.

Check out a few photos of these ridiculous estates. The power house on Heart Island is literally nicer than anything I'll ever own, and to Mr. Boldt, it was only a power house.

When I woke up and saw the dusting of snow on the ground (Philly area), I brewed a hot cup of coffee and began looking over my plans for the next two months - specifically my two-week trip to St. Maarten/St. Martin in the middle of February.

I might have mentioned that I just relocated back east from California, and all my friends think it's funny to send me the weather report from Santa Barbara: 70s and sunny today. 

That's all right - no seasonal depression here, however I do require a touch of warmth in my life - and I'll have details of my island plans for you in the beginning of February.

Before that (end of January) I get another shot of the cold when I visit the Finger Lakes to check out Wine on Ice and take a scenic flight over the area.  I was there recently to check out the fall colors, and now I'll see what the winter is like in Upstate New York. The Rosewood Inn (bed and breakfast) will be my home for the weekend. 

It's a long way off, but I confirmed the other day that I will be headed south in April to check out the King and Prince Beach and Golf Resort on St. Simons. More info to come on that - I believe I will wrap it in a trip to check out Savannah as well. 

Stay warm, kids. 

The beautiful harvest colors were truly impressive, stirring memories of growing up on the East Coast (Philadelphia). You'll never hear me complain about the weather in Southern California, yet I do now have a much deeper appreciation for the feel of a crisp, fall day in the woods. 

Check out the photos - the colors are ridiculous:
 

"Freddy Zen"

"Hidden Waterfall" 

 

 

 

"On the Road Again"