The 1000 Islands, Closer
A private journey through river glamour and ancient stone
The 1000 Islands have always carried a certain mystique.
Here, the St. Lawrence widens into a world of island cottages, castle silhouettes, hidden channels, and ancient granite rising from the water. In the early 1900s, this was one of North America’s great summer playgrounds, drawing wealthy travellers, celebrities, and grand resort culture to a landscape shaped by something far older: the Frontenac Arch, the rugged geological bridge that gives the islands their dramatic form.
But this private journey is not about seeing the 1000 Islands from a distance.
It brings you closer.
Closer to the people who live and create along the river. Closer to the stories behind the islands. Closer to the scale, beauty, and meaning of the St. Lawrence itself.
Your day begins with a warm local welcome and unfolds through a carefully chosen route of flavour, story, and perspective. Along the way, you will be guided into places that reveal another side of the region, from local hospitality on the ground to an unforgettable view from above.
Relaxed, private, and thoughtfully hosted, this experience gives you time to savour the day rather than rush through it. Expect local flavour, river culture, spectacular scenery, and the feeling of being introduced to the 1000 Islands in a way most travellers never experience.
(Best bases for this itinerary: Brockville, Maitland, Gananoque, Westport, Perth and area. We collect you at your door, then return you in time for dinner.)
Private experience for 2 guest: 1650 CAD total
Additional Guests: 450 CAD each
Maximum group size: 6 guests
Tour Includes:
- Private transportation throughout for up to 6 guests
- A carefully composed route through river country, local flavour, and island views
- Hosted coffee experience exploring roast, origin, and flavour
- 30-minute scenic helicopter flight over the 1000 Islands
- Helicopter landing at Canada’s first solar-powered craft brewery
- Relaxed brewery lunch with stone-cooked pizza and craft beer flight
- A relaxed riverside ice cream stop to finish the day
Duration: 5 hours
This private journey begins with pickup directly from your accommodations, then unfolds with the ease of a day shaped entirely for your group. A 1000 Ways handles the route, timing, transportation, and hosting, so you can simply be present. Through exclusive access, local flavour, river stories, and a view few travellers ever experience, this is the 1000 Islands brought closer.
Your first stop is an exclusive roastery experience not open to the public, where you will be welcomed into the world behind the cup. This is a guided introduction to coffee through roast, origin, aroma, and flavour, led in a setting most travellers would never know to ask for and could not access on their own. It sets the tone for the day: personal, unhurried, and rooted in the people who are shaping this region in thoughtful ways.
Next, the day lifts into its most unforgettable perspective: a scenic helicopter flight over the 1000 Islands. As you rise above the St. Lawrence, your pilot points out the islands, channels, shorelines, castles, and landmarks that shape this iconic landscape. From above, the river’s scale comes into focus, revealing grand summer estates, island cottages, ancient stone, and castle silhouettes in a way the road alone cannot. This becomes more than a spectacular view, it becomes a deeper way to understand the region.
Your flight lands directly at Canada’s first solar-powered craft brewery, where the pace softens again. Here, the day moves into a relaxed lunch experience with stone-cooked pizza, a craft beer flight, and time to settle into the feeling of the place. It is casual, scenic, and memorable, with the ease of knowing every detail has been arranged for you.
The final stop brings the experience back to the river’s edge with ice cream in a beautifully landscaped waterfront setting known for some of the best St. Lawrence views in the region. It is a simple but memorable finale: river air, open views, and one last chance to take in the landscape before returning.
Your first stop is an exclusive roastery experience not open to the public, where you will be welcomed into the world behind the cup. This is a guided introduction to coffee through roast, origin, aroma, and flavour, led in a setting most travellers would never know to ask for and could not access on their own. It sets the tone for the day: personal, unhurried, and rooted in the people who are shaping this region in thoughtful ways.
Next, the day lifts into its most unforgettable perspective: a scenic helicopter flight over the 1000 Islands. As you rise above the St. Lawrence, your pilot points out the islands, channels, shorelines, castles, and landmarks that shape this iconic landscape. From above, the river’s scale comes into focus, revealing grand summer estates, island cottages, ancient stone, and castle silhouettes in a way the road alone cannot. This becomes more than a spectacular view, it becomes a deeper way to understand the region.
Your flight lands directly at Canada’s first solar-powered craft brewery, where the pace softens again. Here, the day moves into a relaxed lunch experience with stone-fired pizza, a craft beer flight, and time to settle into the feeling of the place. It is casual, scenic, and memorable, with the ease of knowing every detail has been arranged for you.
The final stop brings the experience back to the river’s edge with ice cream in a beautifully landscaped waterfront setting known for some of the best St. Lawrence views in the region. It is a simple but memorable finale: river air, open views, and one last chance to take in the landscape before returning.
Reserve Your Journey
The 1000 Islands, Closer is offered on select Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays and arranged privately for each group.
Please complete the request form below with your preferred date, group size, and any details that will help us shape the experience. Once received, A 1000 Ways will confirm partner and helicopter availability and follow up personally before your booking is finalized.