Have a weekend planned trip in a couple of weeks. Originally we were just go to take the motorcoach and see the area. Rethinking taking the boat and staying in a hotel. Never visited the area... Suggestions on where to launch, hang out & run. Kid friendly too. Was thinking the A-Bay area.

Keewadin State park has a very good ramp right in Alexandria Bay. River Edge hotel has transient slips so you can walk out their door and step onto your boat. Lake of the isles is a good place to throw anchor and swim as it tends to warm up nicely. a-bay has a decent nightlife with no shortage of places to eat. Been going there for 30 years. Word of advice....stay in the marked channel if you don't have a chart plotter and know how to use it. You can go from 100 ft to 1 ft so quick you won't have time to react and it's all rock there.

Marked channel as a general rule of thumb in the area or just in the Lake of the Isles?

Anywhere in the islands! Like Dave said there is stuff everywhere up there a foot or two under the water. This is one of the most beautiful places in the world to boat, I would for sure bring the boat or you would be disappointed you didn't when you get here!

How old are your kids? Potter's beach is also a good hang out (North West end of grindstone). What dates were you going up? Pirates week/weekends is a big deal up there if you aren't doing the Buffalo run (same weekend as first big party weekend of pirates).

Kids are 11, 9, 6

Going to miss the Pirates week as we are headed to Colorado.

Like I mentioned, unless you're using a chart plotter stay in a marked channel there's a really good reason why they call it 1000 islands. 15 years ago we found 1001 islands and it was 500 ft from any land, unmarked but after the fact we found it on they chart marked as1ft.

Yes Potter beach is great sandy and usually activity unless wind is blowing. Have a chart getting there though cause its not right on the channel.

Oh yeah and obey the speed limit in the American Narrows....ask me how I know that too...and if you have dry exhaust... Leave it on the trailer. Parks police have sound meters...ask me how I know....

Also do not stop in Canadian waters without calling in. If you see Canadian coast guard go the other way and do not stop until you are anchored or docked back in the usa if u have not called in to canadian customs.

looking at doing a trip here in the near future. How strict are they with exhaust up there? I don't have dry exhaust, but it still makes some noise lol

I'm also planning to be up there, staying at Wellesley Island campground the weekend of August 15th. I'm curious about how strict they are with exhaust noise. I've only got a stock wet exhaust on a 454 mag mpi, but I'd like know what I'm dealing with. Also is it less strict if I head down towards Clayton as opposed to Alexandria Bay?

Thanks

Welsley island state park is where the parks police moor their boats soooo...
It's the American narrows that they tend to enforce it. Right from Parks Police..."see these houses along here (pointing up along the edge of the river) they all think they're worth millions and they think they own the river. They purchased this equipment (noise analyzer he was pulling out of the case as he stepped on my swim platform and asked me to fire my boat back up) to help keep from having things get out of control"

Dry exhaust...you won't even get out of the marina if they're working that day