Thanks to the Harbor Hotels Collection for sponsoring this trip to their 1000 Island Harbor Hotel in Clayton. Two nights in the hotel along with breakfast and dinner was provided by Harbor Hotel. All thoughts are my own.

When most people think of New York, NYC City automatically pops into minds. In fact, when I mentioned to various people about traveling to New York this summer, they automatically assumed I was headed for the city, full of Broadway, shopping, and history. Yet, New York is so much richer than just the city. There is still plenty of time left this summer to plan an Empire State road trip! 

In fact, the fun is just beginning in Clayton and Celeron, so go ahead and book now. 

Potentially credited to George Washington, New York hails its nickname because of its abundance, wealth, and the fact that it was the "present seat of the Empire" during Washington's presidency. Today, this beautiful state hails rivers, lakes, wineries, history, and more!

Our roadtrip began in Maryland. Spending about 7.5 hrs driving through MD, PA, and NY, my sister and I ended up in Clayton, New York. Every road trip needs a good partner, and we often travel together at least once a year, just us, especially around our birthdays. 

While you can choose how to plan your road trip, this first destination is special for river adventurers and boaters (stay tuned for our upcoming post about what to do in Clayton!)! 

1000 Island Harbor Hotel should be a part of your Empire State Road Trip!

Clayton is actually both a village and a town, two separate entities (although we were told they would soon merge into one), established in 1831 after a name change. Previously called Cornelia, this area was settled in the 1820s, as its situation along the St. Lawrence River. 

The River brought many prospects, opportunities, and the railroad! As the area around Clayton grew and became known as the Thousand Islands, along came the wealthy people. Known for its Gilded Age, this area became known for luxury mansions & hotels, recreational boating, and fishing/ hunting clubs for those millionaries with lots of money before the stock market crash of the 1920s. 

Home to the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel, today Clayton is full of life, especially during its August and September season, when the waters become warmer. Situated close enough to explore other villages and towns, this area offers an abundance of activities for any guest to partake in. 

See a nautical theme? Clayton is known for its martime history!

The 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel is one of three in the Harbor Hotels collection, all situated within upstate New York. Each hotel's thematic design invites guest to explore the rich history of each area within the 1000 Islands, Finger Lakes, and Chautauqua Lake areas. 

The hotel's site harbored a snowplow factory from the 1920s until the early 2000s, when it eventually moved locations due to space constraints. Of course, as with many manufacturing companies of that era, environmental protections were not high on the list of things to worry about, and the site sat vacant for a few years before the Harbor Hotel opened in 2014. 

This hotel is the first full service hotel since the Victorian era, and it does not disappoint! Spending two nights at this property, we toured, we dined, and we soaked in the beautiful surroundings from the St. Lawrence River and beyond. 

King Rooms all have a pullout along with table and chairs!

The hotel has 105 rooms that contain either a king or two queens. Our king room also had a pullout couch with a coffee table within it as well. It's noted on the website that most of the king rooms have available pullouts, which is nice if you want extra sitting space in your room, but need a place for your little ones to lay their heads each night. 

Some suites are available, depending on your family needs as well. Some rooms have balconies with amazing views of the St. Lawrence, while other rooms might overlook the small town of Clayton. 

Nevertheless, all rooms are beautifully decorated and have fluffy, comfortable bedding. I dislike hotels that provide itchy linens with flat blankets, but this hotel provided soft bedding, including the duvet.  I was also warm enough, which can also be an issue with flimsy hotel coverings in cool rooms. 

Extra entry space and shelving is a plus for those of us with extra luggage!

When walking into the room, there is an entryway with a thin shelf. While I wish there were more hooks available for towels, jackets, etc., this shelf provides a means to put keys, purse, water bottles, etc. when entering the room. For those of us with a lack of memory, that is quite helpful for leaving the next time you adventure out. 

The bathroom, located at the entryway for us, housed a walk-in shower, wonderful toiletries, and some extra amenities like cotton balls and q-tips. Bar soap was provided and as a liquid soap girl, this did disappoint me some, but I understand that all properties and luxury items are different. 

No more tripping over bathtub ledges without my contacts! Love walkin showers!

A small sign noted room items that are available for guest purchase or the charges if one decides to take them home, such as the soft hotel robes found in the hall closet. Some things available include bar soap, shampoo, conditioner, a hair net, lotion, makeup cleansing wipes, q tips, and cotton balls. 

The hotel provides many toiletries. Just ask the desk or concierge if you have forgotten something.. but take note of what you will be charged if you "take" an item you shouldn't!

Entering into the room space, a small vanity with mirror is available for makeup, hair, and toiletries. I loved having this extra space as it kept one of us out of the bathroom, and the underneath was large enough for a suitcase. The other room furniture included a foot bench, TV armoire (with shelving inside, complete with a mini fridge), and a small table with two chairs. 

A special plus for morning caffiene- available on each floor!

There is no microwave or coffee maker in this room, but coffee & tea is available every morning from about 6 AM- 11 AM or so at the elevators of each floor.  I also missed having an extra suitcase stand, but did note the iron and board in the closet as well. 

Yet, I did love the window coverings. Bright enough for day time, but dark to sleep the morning away, until your alarm goes off or your stomach finally entices you out of bed! There is nothing worse than an awful nights sleep, or waking up with the morning sun when you just want to sleep in, so I apprecaite that the Harbor Collection took the time to think about thick window coverings, plus a sun shade to allow for various amounts of light into the room. 

Overlooking the outside dining and St. Lawrence River!

Our room did not have a balcony, but the views were expansive and worthy of beautiful sunsets, rivers, and even the town. 

The hotel itself has a dining service with room service option. We partook in two in-house breakfasts and two dinners. Breakfast options were varied enough with plate and side options, both light and heavy, depending upon desire. 

A light breakfast doesn't have to be boring! Grab some cream cheese or jam with that bagel.

On our first morning, due to an emergency, the kitchen was only able to provide cold options such as toast/ bagels, muffins, fruits, and parfaits, which was perfect after the overly abundant meal we had the night before! I am thankful that they figured out a way to serve their guests rather than just shutting down totally. Parfaits, fruit, and toast/ bagels with coffee is still a perfect way to enjoy morning. 

No need for lunch after this breakfast!

Our second morning, we indulged in the classic breakfast plate with eggs, a protein, toast, and potatoes before hitting the road to our second destination. While free coffee is available if breakfast isn't your thing, we decided to enjoy our coffee patio- side, with a full carafe. Between the two of us, I'm pretty sure we finished it! 

Bread service at dinners is wonderful! Be sure to ask about all in it as there are many!

Dinner options were heavy and servings portions were plentiful as our meal selections included salmon, steak, crab cakes, salads, and chicken.  Each meal was fantastic, plated wonderfully, and tasted to specifications. When asked for substitutions or to leave items off, the server and kitchen was very accomodating. 

Salmon, French Green Beans, and Rice.

A variety of menu selections made choosing meals fun, and not too boring, as we ate in the same restaurant two nights in a row.  

I believe for night one, I had the salmon and my sister had steak.  For night two, I had their large steak and she had chicken. 

Steak and potatoes with broccoli!

Dessert options included a variety of cake selections with large portions big enough for two! For me, the menu and meal selections did not disappoint and were a major highlight of this special adventure. 

 The servers actually brought out their available cakes on a plate so we could visually see them in person. The server did note that ice cream was available on the side if a full piece of cake wasn't desired, but it was basically cakes or cheesecakes for desserts on this adventure. 

Rainbow cake was excellent- no tastes of food dyes came into my palate~!

See how thick the icing is? Be sure to take a walk

Room service is available for both breakfast and dinner as well. For breakfast, they also provided a order and grab option, where you place your order the night before and grab it from the dining room before heading out in the morning.

While we didn't utilize the service, I loved the option of having breakfast sandwiches on the go for those who want to get out and explore without taking the time to dine in house. This is also good for littles who need to eat but may not be able to sit still. Take them outside, let them get their sillies out along the river, and enjoy a breakfast sandwich!

Of course, I had to try seafood, and the crabcakes, while not Maryland style, were excellent.

While the food is swoon-worthy, I will note that the area in general, like most tourism areas this summer, has had trouble recruiting and retaining staff, so be prepared with patience and kindness if the kitchen is slow, or if you need to wait on your server for a while, or if the menu selections change.

 I always am amazed at how rude people can be to servers and hostesses for things beyond their control. Life is life and emergencies do pop up, even in full service hotels, so be kind to your serving staff. Most of the time, they bend backwards trying to improve your service rather than hinder it. 

My huge steak from the second night! I can't believe I ate all of this!

While dining inside is an option, I would highly recommend choosing to sip your morning coffee on the covered outdoor patio. Despite the insane heat wave that most of us have experienced this summer, Clayton was still relatively cool, although locals said that it was humid for them.  

Outside of the hotel, this provides a view of the outdoor patio and event areas.

The outdoor patio provides a quiet atmosphere to watch cargo ships sail along the river, people watch, and generally ease into your day. 

Indoor dining had views along the window, or quiet tables for your party to linger over cocktails and dessert.

Indoor dinner dining is wonderful, but pricey, so it's more suitable for a special occasion, vacation splurge, etc. rather than a regular meal out with the family. While no dress code is specified, I would say wear something more than casual attire to fit in with the atmosphere! Staff are in uniform, but the vibe of the restaurant screams business casual or dressy casual. Although, I never saw anyone turned away.. granted, I didn't see any tanks or flip flops though!

The choices are suitable for all palates, but as always, if you have dietary concerns, speak with the restaurant and chef ahead of time. Dining reservations are recommended during season, especially if you want specific views.

Outdoor fire pits for evening enjoyment. It seemed they turned on about 7:00 PM.

Indoor/ outdoor bars are also available for those wishing for night drinks while sitting alongside the fire. Despite it being summer, these were the most well-used outdoor areas during our stay at 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel. Every time I looked at the fire pit areas, most of the seating was full!

Indoor dining is available for all three meals!

Now, it wasn't cold, but a slight chill does set in after sunset, so be sure to pack a sweater if headed outdoors in the evenings!

An indoor pool with sauna/hot tub is available.

If your family needs must include pool time, then the indoor pool and sauna is especially for you! I did not partake in the pool this trip, as I am sensitive to indoor chlorine smells, but I noted that both adults and children alike enjoyed the pool as we encountered both at the elevators. 

Ballroom reception area, perfect for dining!

One of the ballroom event spaces. The hotel was in between events, so nothing was set up.

If sun is more your speed, there is an outside tanning area, and areas with fire pits and other outdoor seating. The fire pits are gas, so no worry about the wood smell in your clothing and hair, and have plentiful seating surrounding them. 

Need a venue for a special event? The spacious ballroom and accompanying sitting rooms will surely meet your needs. With catering onsite, there is no need to find several different venues for your party or event!

1000 Island Harbor Hotel offers free parking.

Sitting on the edge of Clayton Village, this hotel is an easy five- to ten-minute walk to restaurants, museums, and shopping. It's situated along the river walk, so that gate access allows guests and locals to enter the dining area easily, without having to walk around to the front entrance. Sit on a bench and enjoy the water, sunset, or a good book!

The Riverwalk provides nightly views of the sunset.

In my opinion, the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel is a beautiful property for all occasions, but I could especially see this being a special occasion destination.  Celebrating a milestone birthday, anniversary, or planning a special trip at this property would be wonderful! In fact, I was there about a week before my birthday, and felt the warm welcome from staff every minute. 

While families with children would enjoy this property very much, there are special touches that only adults might appreciate, such as the fine dining, river views, and coffee/ tea selections each morning. We did note that a lot of the guests seemed to be older, but that there were still a few families with children. Our concierge informed us that it's not season yet, and that they expect it will be bustling very soon, full of guests of all ages. 

Not every moment of vacation has to be filled, but there is plenty to do!

I am not dismissing the hotel as a wonderful vacation destination for families with children, though, as it's plentiful grass, the pool, and river walk provide ample opportunities for play and exploration. Maritime life, water adventures, ice cream, and more are also available in Clayton, making this the perfect family destination!

One thing that does occur each year that people of all ages would enjoy is the Fire & Ice Festival. Held each February, the festival showcases over 40,000 pounds of ice sculpted into wonderful designs. This annual festival is also a fundraiser for local organizations, benefitting North Country Troopers Assisting Troops. 

Extra special touches are nice, like this provided strawberry and water combo!

No matter if you need help planning your family outing, or a special anniversary dinner, a full service concierge is available to assist as well. From getting us water to refill our bottles, to providing some quick tips for the area such as suggesting local stores to visit, the concierge is a wealth of information and inspiration. We even received a special gift in our room, and were told that many options are available like this! 

If you are a gym rat, then this fitness center will keep your regime going in between all the food you eat!

Be sure to ask the front desk or concierge about turn down service and special options as well. While we didn't partake in turn-down service in this property, it's a well-loved benefit that adds an extra special touch to your stay. There is something about walking into a room with drawn curtains, soft music, and chocolates on the pillows to make you fall in love with the property even more! 

Be sure to peruse the special offers and packages to see if any are suitable for your family needs this summer. 

From romantic getaways to extra nights during the stay longer and save deals, the 1000 Island Habor Hotel is a place where you must rest your head when traveling through the 1000 Islands area! We loved every minute of our adventure and wish we could have stayed longer to explore other areas in the 1000 Islands, returning each evening for a luxurious sleep at the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel. 

Now, stay tuned for our next adventure in the Harbor Hotel Collection! 

Want to stay?

Visit 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel to book your next adventure! This four season hotel is open year round and provides luxury service that will definitely enhance your family's next roadtrip to the Empire State. 

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