Rawl’s River Hut Cottages are located just two miles outside the town of Clayton, NY – one of the most sought-after vacation destinations, located right in the Thousand Islands.
So come and explore the unspoiled beauty of the Thousand Islands, using Rawls River Hut Cottages as your vacation home-base!
What to do
Located on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, the Antique Boat Museum features the largest collection of antique and classic boats on display in North America! While visiting the museum you can learn about boating history on the St. Lawrence River, row a St. Lawrence skiff in French Bay, tour George Boldt’s historic two-story houseboat and take a speedboat ride through the islands in a triple cockpit runabout.
An archipelago of more than 1,800 islands creates an unparalleled water recreation land. Scenic narrated boat tours meander through channels, between islands and under bridges from spring through fall, sharing the history of the region.
Tour companies take visitors past fairytale castles, historic lighthouses and stately mansions that take you back to the area’s heyday as a playground for the rich and famous. Stories of pirates and bootleggers, industry titans and secret societies await. Sightseeing cruises can include stops at Boldt and/or Singer Castle, and Rock Island Lighthouse. For a different option, take a lunch cruise or pair an evening sunset cruise with dinner on board.
With more than 30 public courses, the 1000 Islands offers golfers a wonderful variety of experiences. Whether you’re a scratch handicap or novice duffer, there’s a scenic course for you.
Most of the well-stocked pro shops offer club rentals, power carts and a variety of golf accessories. More importantly, they offer the hospitality that makes your day on the course a memorable one. You’ll really love the relaxed pace of the Islands and be pleasantly surprised with the affordable greens fees.
More than 15 New York State Parks dot Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River and several islands. In Canada, the parks of the St. Lawrence is a chain of historic and recreation sites found along the river. Comprised of 21 different islands in the St. Lawrence River and three mainland properties on the 1000 Islands Parkway, the Thousand Islands National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Canada.
The St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario are famous for bass, northern pike and muskellunge as well as brown trout and salmon. Guided fishing trips are a tradition in these waters. Novice anglers, or those just wishing to boost their chance of success, hire these experts to take them out onto the water for a successful day. The 1000 Islands includes the eastern edge of Lake Ontario and is known for trophy-sized catches of salmon, trout, walleye and bass. And don’t forget about muskies! These monsters top out at more than 60 inches long and are to be pursued only by the most experienced of anglers or with a guide. In 2019, Bassmaster Magazine named the St. Lawrence River the top bass fishing destination in the nation.
Boating paradise
The diversity of this waterway has made the 1000 Islands among the most popular places to go boating in North America.
This destination-for-everyone includes the wide-open waters of northeastern Lake Ontario and the meandering channels and coves of the St. Lawrence River. Every type of boater is found here, ranging from sailors to speedsters to cruisers.
Dotted by more than 1,800 islands, the St. Lawrence River is one of the most picturesque places to throw a wake. The river has safely marked channels and innumerable alternatives including narrow passageways, peaceful coves and popular anchorages. Public island parks on both sides of the border are among the most popular places to throw anchor and float with friends.
For indoor fun to keep the kids happy, head to the Aquatarium, a state-of-the-art learning and discovery center created to inspire wonder and curiosity about all that there is to see and do in the 1000 Islands. The Aquatarium includes a tank where you can communicate with divers as well as kids games, a replica of an island post office and more.
No kids? No problem! Winter is the perfect time to sneak off to the tasting rooms and lounges stocked with wines, brews and spirits made from right here in the 1000 Islands. Keep an eye on the craft beverage spots for entertainment too; trivia nights, food pairings and live music get sprinkled throughout the winter as a way to keep customers coming in the door.
Want to explore a little more? Several art museums and private galleries stay open throughout the winter. The feeling is if the artist is in-house working, why not keep the door open? It’s a neat opportunity to not only see art inspired by the beautiful 1000 Islands but to interact directly with the artists!
A micro-climate of moist air exists along the 1000 Islands thanks to the crystal-clear, fresh waters of the St. Lawrence River and eastern Lake Ontario. Combined with fertile land shaped by four distinct and dramatic seasons, it creates a climate ripe for growing high-quality craft beverage ingredients.
More than a dozen pioneering winemakers, brewers and distillers have harnessed those ingredients into award-winning craft beverages giving new and old visitors alike a reason to visit the 1000 Islands. Craft beverage producers are just now tapping the amazing potential for what this land of woods and water can create. Come enjoy a taste of the 1000 Islands and find out what makes this region so “magical.”
The 1000 Islands is a place of many traditions, including the 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 water 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 and the recipe is almost unchanged in more than 100 years.
