St. Lawrence River -  For centuries this river has been used as a highway.  Natives and early settlers used skiffs and canoes to move fur, logs and other commercial goods.  Later the St. Lawrence became a waterway of war as the British fought US forces to take control of it.  Today a pleasant blend of recreational boating and commercial shipping coexists.  Lighthouses were added to assist safe navigation for all as they traversed between the islands and shoals.  Clayton Island Tours provides narrated boat cruises and tours that provide transportation to an island lighthouse.  Rock Island Lighthouse has an amazing history to be told.  The lightkeepers home offers a chronological view of her caretakers and a walk up 54 stairs will take you to the top of the lighthouse to the lantern room for a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

 

Raquette Lake –  Raquette Lake is home to several Great Camps built during the Gilded Age.  William West Durant, general manager of the Union Pacific Railroad owned hundreds of thousands of acres of land that included the entire lake.  His son took over the reins to develop the property and oversaw the construction of over 100 buildings at 3 camps.  Aboard Raquette Lake Navigation’s boat named in his honor you will hear more about him and the lifestyle of others that call Raquette Lake their home.  

 

Lake Placid –   The village of Lake Placid has played host for alpine events for two Olympics, 1932 and 1980.  The town however was popular long before the Olympic committee fell in love with it.  Join a cruise from Lake Placid Marina & Boat Tours for a fun and informative tour of Mirror Lake.  You’ll see the beautiful camps and cottages and hear the stories of their history on the lake.

 

Lake Champlain -- The sixth largest lake in the U.S., the historic waters of Lake Champlain stretch 125 miles north to south with almost 600 miles of pristine shoreline.  Lake Champlain features 490 square miles of surface area carving through the Adirondack Mountains of New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont.  Lake Champlain has been connected to the Erie Canal via the Champlain Canal since the canal's official opening in 1823, the same day as the opening of the Erie Canal from Rochester on Lake Ontario to Albany.   It connects to the St. Lawrence River via the Richelieu River.    Its connectivity between Canada and New York City made it a pivotal waterway during both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812.  Sail to Valcour Island and tour Bluff Point Lighthouse, overlooking the site of the first U.S. Naval battle where Benedict Arnold managed to successfully delay a British invasion and change the direction of the Revolutionary War.