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Wooded islands and shoreline cottages on the St. Lawrence River in peak October color, light mist on the water

ClickNNY Travel · Northern New York & the Thousand Islands

Discover Northern New York

The local guide to the Thousand Islands, Tug Hill, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and the western Adirondacks.

Stay somewhere unforgettable. Eat somewhere local. Find the places most people drive past.

AI-generated illustration based on the real location; not documentary photography.

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Featured destinations

Five regions, one backyard

From island villages to plateau woods, Northern New York is several very different getaways within a couple of hours of each other.

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Wooded islands and shoreline cottages on the St. Lawrence River in peak October color, light mist on the waterIllustrationJefferson · St. Lawrence countiesThousand IslandsGranite islands, river villages and the St. Lawrence at its most famous.
A waterfront cottage and small dock at Henderson Harbor, gold maples against the Lake Ontario horizonIllustrationJefferson CountyLake OntarioBig-water sunsets, harbor villages and War of 1812 history.A practical log cabin in dense maple forest with a stone fire pit and split firewoodIllustrationLewis · Jefferson countiesTug HillDeep woods, gorges and the snowiest country east of the Rockies.A modest cabin seen through red and gold hardwoods on a misty lake, a canoe pulled up on shoreIllustrationSt. Lawrence CountyWestern AdirondacksRemote lakes, old logging hamlets and real quiet.A two-lane country road through maples opening onto farm fields and the St. Lawrence RiverIllustrationSt. Lawrence CountySt. Lawrence RiverRiver towns, farm country and college-town weekends.

Stay somewhere different

The night is part of the trip

Island cottages, plateau cabins, camps with a dock. We're verifying the best individual places now; start with where to find them.

Weekend escapes

One night or two

Short trips that start close to home.

More trip ideas

A ClickNNY collection

Hidden Gems

The places locals mention quietly and visitors drive straight past. We add to this list all year.

All hidden gems
  1. The Wanakena footbridgeA walking suspension bridge over the Oswegatchie.Wanakena, NY · Western Adirondacks
  2. Lyons FallsFalls right in the village, where two rivers meet.Lyons Falls, NY · Tug Hill
  3. Chaumont’s stone housesOld limestone homes on a quiet Lake Ontario bay.Chaumont, NY · Lake Ontario
  4. Chippewa BayThe downriver end of the islands, and a castle offshore.Chippewa Bay, NY · Thousand Islands
  5. Stone ValleyA river trail past the Raquette’s falls and rapids.Colton, NY · Western Adirondacks
  6. The river roadOgdensburg to Waddington, through open farm country.Lisbon, NY · St. Lawrence River

Explore by season

Every season is a different trip

From the locals

Things we tell our friends

  • Color climbs down the map

    Tug Hill and the western Adirondacks usually turn first. The river and the lakeshore often hold their color a little later, so a late trip can still catch it.

  • Call ahead after mid-October

    Plenty of island tours, seasonal restaurants and camps shorten hours or close for the year in October. A two-minute call saves a long drive.

  • The hill has its own weather

    It can snow on Tug Hill while it rains in Watertown. Check the forecast for where you’re going, not where you are.

  • Carry small bills

    The best apples and squash in the North Country come from back-road farm stands, and a lot of them run on an honor box.

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New guides to your own backyard, as we publish them.

Cabins, waterfront stays, hidden gems and seasonal guides from Northern New York. Know a place we should write about? Tell us.

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