Thousand Islands, Ontario
As told by Ditch
Gananoque: what to do before the boat, or instead of it
You booked the Thousand Islands tour, or you're thinking about it. Either way, Gananoque isn't just the parking lot you pass through to get to the dock.
Short on time? The Thousand Islands Boat Museum and Joel Stone Heritage Park sit side by side at the end of Water Street, close to paid parking and washrooms, and Confederation Park, with its little waterfalls, is at the start of King Street. With a full day, add King Street, lunch, the Lions Loop trail and an evening at the Thousand Islands Playhouse. Season note: the museum's exhibit and cafe are open Saturdays only until October 3, then closed until May 2027.
It's a thirty-minute drive from Kingston to Gananoque, and I went for one reason: the three-hour cruise through the Thousand Islands.
We didn't start with the boat. We started at the Thousand Islands Boat Museum, where a young man named James took us through the collection. It runs to about three dozen boats: skiffs, wooden runabouts and the working craft that earned their keep on this river. One is an 18-foot St. Lawrence skiff built by local high school students in 2013 and 2014.
Then the boat. The cruise left from the waterfront and it did not disappoint. The islands scatter along the St. Lawrence for miles, and for three hours we threaded through them in a ten-knot wind, the kind of number a sailor notices without trying. The weather was just beautiful. Somewhere on the water we ran into a fellow Cadet correspondent, a friend of my daughter's, who happened to be on the same boat. You can't plan a coincidence like that.
That was the errand, done and done well. What I hadn't planned on was the town.
It started with Confederation Park, which was remarkable. There are little waterfalls, pleasant ones, and parking was easy, which anyone who has circled a waterfront town on a summer day will appreciate.
From there we wandered up to King Street, where a farmers market had set up. There was a hand-painted blue Dog Kissing Booth built from crates, with a Canadian flag pallet standing behind it, and I took a picture. At the Arts & Craft Collective, a shop full of local makers' work at 161 King Street East, we bought a stained-glass fairy sitting on a crescent moon, the same one I had photographed hanging in the window.
We met a woman heading home to her island with food from the market. It was wonderful to learn how many locals live out on the islands and commute to work by boat.
Lunch was at Pistachio, a vegetarian cafe on King Street with gelato made in house. We had cookies and coffee.
I'd come for a boat ride and stayed for a whole day. The town is small enough to walk and generous enough to keep you there, and it did.
We didn't go back to Kingston. We travelled on to Brockville for another adventure, but I'm a sailor, and I left my heart on those docks.
Getting to Gananoque from Highway 401
Highway 401 passes Gananoque, and the Thousand Islands Parkway runs about 40 kilometres east from the town toward Brockville.
| From | Distance | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Kingston | 33 km | about 30 min |
| Brockville | 53 km | about 40 min |
| Ottawa | 164 km | about 1 h 45 min |
| Montréal | 256 km | about 2 h 50 min |
| Toronto | 288 km | about 3 h 15 min |
Routing by Mapbox, no live traffic, checked September 2026. Add time for weather, construction and stops.
Things to do in Gananoque
Thousand Islands Boat Museum
Dock · marine & transit- Plan for
- 30 to 60 minutes, longer if boats are your thing
- Access
- The museum says most areas, including the Boat Shop Cafe and Boathouse, are accessible. Two of its four bathrooms are accessible, and accessible parking nearby is for permit holders
- Best for
- All ages, especially boat and river history fans
The boat museum sits on the waterfront at 125 Water Street, and it's where we started. A young man named James took us through the collection, and I photographed the boathouse from across the water. The museum keeps about three dozen boats: skiffs, wooden runabouts and the working craft that earned their keep on this river. One is an 18 foot St. Lawrence skiff built by local high school students in 2013 and 2014. There are indoor and outdoor galleries, live boat restoration in the courtyard and a children's activity centre. Admission at the museum is $7.00 for ages 7 and up, and free for people who live in Gananoque. Walking the waterfront costs nothing.
Before you go. The Boathouse exhibit and the Boat Shop Cafe are open Saturdays only, 9:00 to 16:00, until October 3, 2026, and closed from October 4 to May 2027.
Joel Stone Heritage Park
Flock · trails & nature- Plan for
- 20 minutes to an hour, or a whole afternoon if you have kids with you
- Access
- The Town says nothing about accessibility here. Phone the Town of Gananoque before you go: 613-382-2149
- Best for
- All ages, especially families with kids
Next to the dock, at the end of Water Street, is Joel Stone Heritage Park, with a sandy beach, a deep water swim dock and a splash pad, which is the best thing on this page if your kids have been sitting in a car all morning. Washrooms are open 8:00 to 21:00 and the splash pad 8:00 to 20:00, on the Town's waterfront page. The Town doesn't publish season dates for the dock or the splash pad, so in spring or fall, assume the water is off until you see otherwise. If you're early for the boat, wait here. Same river, same islands, no ticket.
Confederation Park
Flock · trails & nature- Plan for
- 20 minutes to an hour
- Access
- The Town publishes nothing on accessibility here. Phone the Town of Gananoque before you go: 613-382-2149
- Best for
- All ages, anyone who likes water and public art
Confederation Park is at 2 King Street East, on the shores of the Gananoque River, and it was remarkable. There are ponds, a fountain in the middle of the river, a sculpture park and little waterfalls, and parking was easy. A brick path along the river connects the park to the trail system.
King Street
Walk · downtown & streets- Plan for
- 20 minutes to walk it, 2 hours if you're browsing, half a day if you take the trail
- Access
- The trail is bicycle and wheelchair accessible, per the Town. Nothing is published on the downtown sidewalks or individual storefronts
- Best for
- All ages, walkers and browsers
Walk up from the water and you're on King Street, the real downtown. The Town's own list of downtown businesses runs to more than sixty. You can walk the strip in twenty minutes or browse it for two hours. It's also where the walking starts: the Lions Loop trailhead is at a landmark called the Umbrella, on King Street, part of a 12 km trail system split into three loops. The trail is bicycle and wheelchair accessible. If you want more than a loop, the Thousand Islands Parkway trail is a 37 km paved multi-use trail to Brockville.
Where to eat and get coffee on King Street
Pork · where to eat- Plan for
- 30 to 60 minutes
- Access
- Neither place says anything about accessibility on its site. Ask before you plan around it
- Best for
- All ages, coffee first or a sit-down lunch
Two places on King Street. Pistachio Cafe at 90 King Street East is a vegetarian cafe with baked goods, soups and sandwiches, espresso and gelato made in house. We had cookies and coffee. Its patio serves full dinner from Victoria Day to Labour Day, so that part is over for this year. The Old English Pub at 124 King Street East does English and Canadian food, draught craft beer and homemade desserts.
Arts & Craft Collective
Chalk · art & craft- Plan for
- 30 to 60 minutes for a proper browse of all three
- Access
- None of these three shops publishes accessibility information
- Best for
- Adults and older kids, gift hunters and browsers
At 161 King Street East, in the building the business calls the historic Rogers' House, the Arts & Craft Collective is a maker shop of local artisan work and a vintage clothing shop. It's where we bought the stained-glass fairy on a crescent moon that had been hanging in the window. Watch the spelling: the Town's listing says Crafts, the business's own pages say Craft. Two neighbours are worth a look. Beggars Banquet Books at 126 King Street East sells new and used books, and Woodley's Jewellers at 109 King Street East says it has been the town's jeweller since 1929.
Before you go. I can't give you hours for the Collective. Its listed website no longer resolves, and the hours I could find don't agree with each other. Treat it as a happy surprise if it's open, and a good window to look in if it isn't.
Thousand Islands Playhouse
Chalk · art & craft- Plan for
- An evening or an afternoon matinee
- Access
- The Playhouse lists wheelchair seating in both theatres and accessible parking with the proper documentation. Ask the box office what you need
- Best for
- Adults and older kids, anyone staying the night
The Thousand Islands Playhouse is at 185 South Street. It's a ticketed evening or matinee, not a drop-in, and its season runs into November, so there is still theatre here after the museum has closed for the season. The Playhouse's own homepage quotes CBC Radio calling it the most charming theatre in Canada. What's playing changes through the fall, so check the box office page rather than trusting any list, including mine.
Before you go. Buy tickets ahead, and check the Playhouse's own what's on page for dates and times, because more than one show runs at once through the fall.
Howard Johnson by Wyndham Gananoque
Conk · where to stay- Plan for
- Overnight
- Access
- Not published in detail. Phone the hotel at 613-382-3911
- Best for
- Anyone who wants a clean, modern room without paying for a view
This is the hotel I book when I'm in Gananoque: a small seasonal outdoor pool, plenty of parking, and room design that reads more modern than the name suggests. I've stayed here more than once, and I'll stay here again. It's at 550 King Street East. Wyndham's page lists accessible amenities without saying what they are, so phone the hotel at 613-382-3911 before you book.
Parking, washrooms and what's open
Checked September 20, 2026. Rates, hours and seasons change, so use the links in the local links below before you rely on them.
Checked on 20 September 2026 against the Town of Gananoque, the Thousand Islands Boat Museum, the Playhouse and each place's own page. Visited 27 and 28 August 2026: the museum, the cruise, Confederation Park, King Street, the Collective and Pistachio.
- Downtown parking
- The lots at 79 Pine Street and 155 Garden Street, plus metered spots on King Street East near the Visitor Centre, Stone Street and Charles Street, run $1.50 an hour, Monday to Saturday 8:00 to 18:00, three hours maximum, per the Town.
- Waterfront-side parking
- Main Street, Mill Street and parts of Water Street and Bay Road are pay and display or the Honk parking app: $1.50 an hour, seven days, 8:00 to 18:00, three hours maximum, per the Town. The boat museum says it has no lot of its own.
- Public washrooms
- The Visitor Centre at 10 King Street East during business hours, though it closes weekends from November to May. Joel Stone Heritage Park, 8:00 to 21:00, per the Town. The boat museum during its open hours, with two of its four bathrooms accessible.
- Farmers' market
- Thursdays, 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., June 4 to October 8, 2026, at Town Hall Park, 30 King Street East, per the Town.
- Boat museum season and admission
- The Boathouse exhibit and Boat Shop Cafe are Saturdays only, 9:00 to 16:00, until October 3, then closed until May 2027. Admission is $7.00 for ages 7 and up, and free for people who live in Gananoque, per the museum.
- The boat tour
- City Cruises' own pages did not show its 2026 season dates, so check the booking calendar before you build a day around it. The Boldt Castle stopover cruise requires a valid passport, per the tourism listing.
- Boat tour accessibility
- The tourism board lists all City Cruises Gananoque vessels as accessible on the first deck. Phone the operator to arrange boarding rather than turning up and hoping.
- If it rains
- Indoors, you have the museum's galleries while they are open, the Playhouse, and the King Street shops.
- Mobility aids and service animals
- The museum says two of its four bathrooms are accessible, that accessible parking nearby is for permit holders, and that service animals are permitted. The Town calls the Lions Loop trail bicycle and wheelchair accessible, and the Playhouse lists wheelchair seating in both theatres. Nothing is published on downtown sidewalks, curb cuts, benches or the distances between stops.
Every stop, on the map
- Thousand Islands Boat Museum
- Joel Stone Heritage Park
- Confederation Park
- King Street
- Where to eat and get coffee on King Street
- Arts & Craft Collective
- Thousand Islands Playhouse
- Howard Johnson by Wyndham Gananoque
Watch: Gananoque and the Thousand Islands
Play video: Gananoque: The Canadian Gateway to the 1000 IslandsVideo by 1000 Islands Tourism on YouTube. It loads only when you press play.
How to spend an hour, a half day or a night
One hour: the boat museum and Joel Stone Heritage Park, both at the end of Water Street. After October 3 the museum's exhibit and cafe are closed, so that hour becomes the park and the waterfront walk. A half day: add Confederation Park, King Street, lunch and the shops. If it's raining, do the lunch and the shops first and leave the trail for another trip. A full day or overnight: all of that, then the Playhouse in the evening and the Howard Johnson if you'd rather not drive home after it. The town doesn't need the boat tour to justify the stop.
Local links for planning your stop in Gananoque
Official and regional sources for hours, events and current conditions, since those change faster than a guide can.
- Town of Gananoque
- Travel 1000 Islands
- Chamber of Commerce listing Travel 1000 Islands directory
- Thousand Islands Parkway St. Lawrence Parks Commission
Every place in this guide
Addresses as published by each place or the town, checked September 20, 2026. Places marked Visited are ones I went to.
- Thousand Islands Boat Museum Visited125 Water Street, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- City Cruises Gananoque (departure dock) Visited280 Main Street, Gananoque, ONAddress from the regional tourism listing; the operator's own pages did not show it.Open in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Joel Stone Heritage ParkFoot of Water Street, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Confederation Park Visited2 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- King Street (downtown) VisitedKing Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Gananoque Farmers' Market (Town Hall Park) Visited30 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Arts & Craft Collective Visited161 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Pistachio Cafe Visited90 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- The Old English Pub124 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Beggars Banquet Books126 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Woodley's Jewellers109 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Thousand Islands Playhouse185 South Street, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Howard Johnson by Wyndham Gananoque Visited550 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Gananoque Visitor Centre (public washrooms)10 King Street East, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Lions Loop trailhead (the Umbrella)King Street, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Downtown municipal parking lots79 Pine Street and 155 Garden Street, Gananoque, ONOpen in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
- Brockville VisitedBrockville, ONWhere we went next, about 40 minutes east.Open in Google Maps (opens in new tab)
