St. Lawrence River Tours &

Motor Coach Excursion

Clayton Island Tours, the 1000 Islands Premier Group Tour Receptive is pleased to offer multi-day Motor Coach itineraries. We can put together a made to order St. Lawrence River tour and combination Motor coach excursion itinerary.

Singer Castle Tour

A custom planned tour designed for our Charter and Group Tour clients, Singer Castle, located on Dark Island near Chippewa Bay is a prominent feature of the St. Lawrence Seaway. 

Singer Castle is the only existing castle on the river that was completed, fully furnished, and resided in during the heyday of the great builders and industrials in New York. The Scottish-style castle was built in 1905 and was designed for use primarily as a hunting lodge. Most of the architectural work at Dark Island is attributed to the prominent American architect Ernest Flagg. His client was Frederick Gilbert Bourne, 4th president of the Singer Manufacturing Company producer of the Singer Sewing Machine. Borne purchased Dark Island in 1902, the design and construction of the castle originally known as “The Towers” cost $500,000 USD. His daughter, Marjorie Bourne Thayer, made large additions in 1928.

The Castle is open for tours from late April to mid October. 45-minute guided tours of Singer Castle include four floors of the Castle featuring the Great Hall, Library, Dining Room, Breakfast Room, Terrace, Drawing Room, Loggia, Wicker Room, Bedrooms, Guest Rooms and 4th floor Dormitory. Due to the historic nature of Singer Castle, not all areas of the facility may be accessible to all. Alternative tour options can be made.

Tons of granite quarried from nearby Oak Island was brought over ice and by water from 1903-1905 to construct Singer Castle (at the same time Boldt Castle was being built. Oak Island employees were saved from layoff and began working on "The Towers" after Boldt stopped construction.)

Italian stonemasons were engaged to shape the granite for the 4-story, 28-room castle, 4-story Tower, and an elaborate boathouse (one of three) which housed a workshop and powerhouse and one of Bourne’s steam-powered vessels, the tunnels, turrets and other curious architectural details including a 2-story ice house – essential for fine entertaining at the turn of the century.

Within the walls is a network of secret passageways that are accessible from various locations, one of which is a panel in the library that, at one time, could be opened by pulling a specific book from a nearby shelf, triggering the locking mechanism.

Motor Coach Excursion Itinerary Ideas

Frederic Remington Art Museum,

Ogdensburg, NY

The Frederic Remington Art Museum, located in Ogdensburg, New York, houses a comprehensive collection of original Remington paintings, sketches, and sculptures, as well as a broad array of personal effects and correspondence that serve to bring the artist and his vision to life. Frederic Remington (1861-1909) is best known for his art depicting the cowboys, soldiers, and Native Americans of the Old West. 

A side note of interest, Remington's bronze sculpture "Broncho Buster" was on display in the Oval Office from 1976 to 2021. The sculpture depicts an eager rider trying to hold on to a bucking bronco and is Mr. Remington's most recognized work. Another of Remington's sculptures, "The Rattlesnake", was in the Oval Office during President's Ronald Reagan through George W. Bush. Also in the White House collection are the sculpture "Coming Through The Rye" and his oil on panel painting, "Hands Up-The Capture of Finnegan".



The Museum is open year round, guided tours are lead by the Chief Curator/Educator. The Frederic Remington Art Museum is wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs are available for free use while at the Museum.

Hidden Gem

Iva Smith Memorial Gallery of Fine Art

Hammond, NY 

Housed in a lovingly restored 19th Century barn, the Iva Smith Gallery serves as summer home to the artwork of R. Paul Saphier, a variety of rotating guest artists and barn quilts. Visitors are invited to refresh their spirits by the koi pond, fairy gardens, peace garden and labyrinth. In the summer of 2021, the Gallery added a monumental work of public art by legendary River artist Will Salisbury, 'Angelic Form'. There is a self-serve café, located in the former dairy barn. Visitors are welcome to spend time in the mini-theater and visit the gift shop filled with works of art and local crafts.

Keeping Traditions Alive in the 1000 Islands

The 1000 Islands is a place of many traditions, including the Old Fashioned Shore Dinner. Guiding 1000 Islands visitors to a successful day of fishing is a tradition that stretches back more than a century. The first fishing guides rowed wealthy clients to fishing hotspots along the River and would later treat them to a special island meal known as the Shore Dinner. Today’s fishing guides are equipped with more modern fishing equipment but still serve the traditional shore dinner. Your Step-On-Guide will tell you the history and lore of this dinner as it pertains to the 1000 Islands and also the legend of the now world famous Thousand Islands Dressing.

Menu to include: -

• Bacon or Fat Back and Onion Sandwich, BLT
• Tossed Salad with Thousand Islands Dressing
• Fresh Pan-Fried Fish/Thousand Island dipping
• Salt Potatoes and Corn in Season
• Guides’ Famous French Toast for dessert with locally made Maple Syrup
• Guides coffee

Often paired with the Singer Castle Tour your meal is cooked outdoors at Fishing Guides Camp, Morgan Island or Grindstone Island.

Something Different!