Uncommon Journeys In New York & Canada By Rail & River Boat
By Peter Knego
Uncommon Journeys, also known as Train Holidays, has been offering curated cruise tours for decades, often combining the best elements of land, sea and rail to provide a unique experience for seasoned travelers.
I’ve had the pleasure of traveling with them on four occasions — three on the Mississippi/Ohio Rivers on the missed and much-lamented steamboats American Queen and Delta Queen and once on a combination Copper Canyon train trip with a return cruise from Mazatlan to San Diego on board Holland America’s MV Oosterdam.
All were experiences that served up a great balance of tours with just the right amount of down time to relax and enjoy the ride or view.
So, when a chance to try their eight-night “Canadian Sunset” cruise tour came up, I jumped! Or, rather, flew!
On the late spring offering last May, the trip began in Albany and since we’d never been to New York’s capital city, we opted to fly in a day early to do some sightseeing. Uncommon Journeys booked us a night at the Crowne Plaza Desmond hotel near the airport, which was convenient for their free shuttle service. After our red eye flights, I was especially pleased when they provided a room in the late morning, in lieu of making us wait until the late afternoon for regular check in.
Click here to see the full length video of this “Canadian Sunset” itinerary.
After freshening up, we hired a Lyft for about $30 to take us to the state capitol area, which was fascinating. The 1899-built Capitol building is a beautiful Victorian structure situated across from a fascinating mid-Century complex called the Empire State Plaza.
The New York State Capitol building in Albany. * Photo: Peter Knego
Commissioned by former governor Nelson Rockefeller and supervised by “starchitect” Wallace Harrison, it includes several buildings that look like a Sci Fi apparition, most notably the lineup of four Agency buildings on the west side, which are set across from the Brutalist style Egg, which looks like a sliced egg or, perhaps, a concrete spaceship on legs. The tallest building, the 44-story Conning Tower, has an observation deck on its 42nd floor with spectacular views and the best part, it’s free!
The Empire State Plaza — from left to right, The Egg, Conning Tower, Cultural Education Center and the Agency Buildings. * Photo: Peter Knego
On the plaza’s south end is the Cultural Education Center, which has a vast archive and library atop a wonderful museum with numerous geologic and historic New York exhibits, including the moving 911 memorial with the actual fire engine pumper #6 that was retrieved from the wreckage.
From there, we walked a couple blocks to the Cathedral of All Saints and then over another block or two to see the Executive Mansion through a very tall fence. We ended our visit at sprawling Washington State Park, which has a tranquil lake and then “Lyfted” ourselves back to the hotel for a nice dinner and plenty of rest prior to embarking on our “Canadian Sunset” tour.
Scenic Vistas Via Train & Boat
The following morning, we met our Uncommon Journeys tour guide, Christopher Tidmore, in the hotel lobby, along with the two other guests on the tour (the groups max out at 10). Once our luggage was packed into an SUV, a driver took us to the Albany Rensalaer train station and then continued onward to Syracuse with our luggage. Not having to drag our luggage on and off the train was a very nice touch and after getting refreshments at the station, we boarded the Maple Leaf train for Syracuse, one of its many stops on the way to Toronto.
VIDEO: Below is a clip of the passing scenery filmed aboard our AmTrak “Maple Leaf” train.
We had a view of the mirror-like Mohawk River (which was part of the Erie Canal system) on our left and a panorama of farms, villages and estates on the right side. It was a great start to the “Canadian Sunset” adventure and gave us a chance to get to know our fellow travelers.
In Syracuse, Chris took the helm and drove us to Skaneatles, a beautiful little town on the edge of the Finger Lake of the same name. There are actually 11 Finger Lakes in western Upstate New York, all of which were carved out by glaciers some ten million years ago. Skaneatles, at 865 feet is the “highest” of them all and reputedly has the clearest waters.
Thayer Park on the shores of Skaneatles Lake. * Photo: Peter Knego
Once there, we had some time on our own to explore the town and just happened to come across the replica steamboat Judge Ben Wiles, just as it was about to depart on an hour’s scenic cruise around the northern portion of the lake.
The replica steamboat Judge Ben Wiles offers hour long scenic cruises on Skaneatles Lake. * Photo: Peter Knego
The tour costs $25 per person and includes a live narrative describing the local history and many of the magnificent mansions and estates we sailed past. Skaneatles is a popular haven for the glitterati for its impressive scenic beauty and is just a few hours by car from New York City.
When we disembarked, Chris hosted us for an early dinner at a lakeside restaurant. From there, it was another hour or so drive to Geneva, which is on the north shore of the largest Finger Lake, Seneca. We checked in at our hotel, the 41 Lakefront, and even had some time for an invigorating run along the neighboring shoreline park before dinner in the hotel. We would spend three nights in Geneva, using the hotel as our base while we were off on tours during the day.
Like A Hogarth Painting
We found a nice cafe in Geneva for refreshing cappuccinos, yogurt parfaits and some very tempting pastries to start off our third morning before meeting up with our fellow guests and Chris, who drove us through the pastoral New York farmlands to Letchworth State Park, which is often called the “Grand Canyon of the East.”
Peter & his partner Mike at the “Grand Canyon of the East.” * Selfie: Peter Knego
Our first stop was an overview of a gorge overlooking the Genesee River that looked like one of the great Thomas Cole “Hudson River School” paintings celebrating the American landscapes of the early 19th Century, while hawks and vultures soared around us. From there, we continued to the 70-foot Lower Falls, reached by 127 steps and a slightly muddy trail, then the even more impressive 120 foot Middle Falls, which was near the Glen Ivy Inn, where Christopher treated us to a lovely and invigorating lunch.
An overview of the Genesee River and the “Grand Canyon Of The East” at Letchworth Park. Photo: Peter Knego
We left Letchworth in the early afternoon for Rochester, where we made it just in time for the 3:00pm sailing of the MV Riverie, a small tour boat that cruises from the Rochester river walk along the Genesee River and into a portion of the Erie Canal. With a length of 365 miles, the canal was excavated by “hand” in the pre-machine era and completed in 1825. While now used mainly for tourism, the Erie Canal is largely credited for opening up the westward expansion of the United States by linking the Atlantic (via the Hudson River) to the Great Lakes and beyond.
We returned to Geneva that evening for dinner on our own, which we enjoyed with dear friends who live in Aurora, which borders Cayuga Lake, the deepest of the Finger Lakes.
Cruising through a portion of the Erie Canal in Rochester. * Photo: Peter Knego
A few months after Peter's visit to Rochester, Quirky's Heidi & her son enjoyed their own 90-min “Genesee River & Erie Canal” cruise aboard the Riverie; in the background are the Erie's three Frederick Law Olmsted-designed arch bridges. * Photo: Heidi Sarna
Turning Rain Into Wine
Early the next morning, Chris drove us to a park at the south end of Seneca Lake where there are some impressive waterfalls. Unfortunately, a rather persistent rain had turned the trails into mud and even the ranger at the entrance discouraged us from attempting a visit.
On our way back to Geneva, we made a morning pit stop at a pie shop overlooking Seneca Lake and moved up our planned wine tasting, enjoying a late morning visit to Toast, which also overlooks the lake. I had no idea upstate New York was such a burgeoning wine region but it is getting quite a good reputation for its rieslings, cabernet francs and chardonnays.
Ready for a toast at Toast Winery. * Photo: Peter Knego
Another unplanned diversion was a visit to Rose Hill, a beautiful plantation home that is now a museum near Seneca Lake. We had a wonderful tour of the manor and learned a lot about how the Finger Lakes region was first settled.
The Rose Hill Estate overlooking Seneca Lake. * Photo: Peter Knego
The rain had also dashed our plans for an afternoon cruise on nearby Canandaigua Lake, so we returned to the hotel, enjoyed lunch on our own, then took a nice run along the narrow-gauge rail tracks on Seneca Lake’s edge. When we returned, the rain had begun to subside, so Chris adroitly improvised with an alternate to our canceled cruise with another boat ride on a different lake.
Late that afternoon, we were off to Cayuga Lake for a “sunset cruise” on board the MV Teal, an interesting boat that was decked out in teal-colored fittings. Our excursion took us past numerous summer homes and some rather impressive cliffs that were interspersed with waterfalls fed by the morning rain. At certain points, the naturalist hosts on board pointed out ospreys and peregrine falcons gliding above us.
The shores of Cayuga Lake as seen from the deck of the MV Teal. * Photo: Peter Knego
Crossing To Canada
Since we would be spending a good deal of time on the road the next day, we all opted for a late morning departure from the hotel with a wonderful lunch stop at the Belhurst Castle, a luxury hotel built around an old estate that resembles an Austrian castle.
Belhurt Castle, a former manor that is now a luxury hotel overlooking Seneca Lake. * Photo: Peter Knego
On the three-hour drive to Kingston, Ontario, we stopped quickly at the Old Erie Canal Heritage Park, which celebrates the history of the canal and even has the remnants of one of the original locks on site. After that, we passed through some beautiful green scenery en route to Canada, where we were warmly welcomed at the border by the Canadian border agents.
Boarding The Canadian Empress
Within ten minutes of entering Canada, we had reached Kingston, where we dropped off our luggage at our home for the next four nights, St. Lawrence Cruise Lines M.V. Canadian Empress.
The Canadian Empress (shown at Gananoque), a quirky replica St Lawrence steamer from the early 20th Century. * Photo: Peter Knego
Inspired by the St. Lawrence steamboats of the early 20th Century, the little Canadian Empress was built in 1981. At 463 gross tons, she has three decks and 32 staterooms for a mere 66 guests (our sailing was nearly at full capacity, as most of Canadian Empress's sailings are). There is one multi-purpose room on board called the Grand Saloon, which can accommodate all of the passengers in one seating for breakfast, lunch, dinner, guest musicians, entertainers and all social events.
The Grand Saloon is the Canadian Empress combination lounge, show room and dining room. * Photo: Heidi Sarna
The Empress also has a nice awning-covered foredeck and a sheltered aft terrace overlooking the ship’s wake. On the top deck, there is a canvas covered sitting area, a shuffleboard court and rows of open seating on either side.
There are four categories of staterooms, all of which are small compared to the big cruise ships but really well designed with plenty of storage space, especially since it is an informal ship and no fancy clothes are needed.
Our St. Lawrence category cabin, #11 was located on the starboard side of the bottom level, St. Lawrence Deck. It had two narrow beds that were just long enough for my 6’2” frame, two picture windows, an ensuite sink, a tall wardrobe, a medicine cabinet for toiletries, drawers under and shelves over the beds and space under the beds to stow empty suitcases.
Our stateroom, number 11 on starboard St. Lawrence Deck, was compact but very well designed. * Photo: Peter Knego
The bathroom was tight and like some European ferries, had a built in shower that was separated from the toilet via a curtain. Just the basics but everything, including the water pressure and air conditioning functioned well.
After we checked in and were given our brass room keys, we had time to unpack, attend a welcome on-board presentation of officers and crew and head up to deck as Canadian Empress sailed off, leaving Kingston and a deep orange sun (enhanced by smoke from wildfires burning in Ontario) in her wake.
Leaving Kingston in her wake, Canadian Empress sails off to Gananoque. * Photo: Peter Knego
Our first dinner began with a Neptune (seafood) salad and a buffet with prime rib and sides of veggies and potatoes. I had requested a vegetarian entree, which came in the form of an excellent pad thai, which I enjoyed with the sides. For dessert, there was cheesecake in blueberry sauce and that night only, there were complimentary chocolates and liqueurs at the bar, which made the post dinner trivia quiz all the more engaging. We felt very welcome and at home with the ship’s mostly Canadian passengers.
Late that evening, Canadian Empress berthed at Gananoque, a pretty port about 20 miles upriver from Kingston, where she was actually built.
READ MORE ABOUT THE CANADIAN EMPRESS: A few months after Peter's trip, Heidi also sampled the quirky Canadian Empress on a 4-night cruise during the height of fall foliage splendor — here's her review.
Gilded Age Splendors
We awoke to the gentle rumble of the Canadian Empress’ engines as the ship did a spin around the local islands to provide nice views during breakfast. The breakfast offerings varied each day with different egg dishes, such as omelettes, eggs Benedict, egg and cheddar scrambles and bacon, Canadian and American style, or sausage. There were also fresh fruits, cereals and yogurt and the wait staff continuously circle the room with fresh pots of coffee and tea.
Shortly after breakfast, we had returned to Gananoque, where the Thousand Islands Museum is literally just a few steps away from the dock. A museum guide welcomed us and took us through the lower level, explaining the unique geology and history of the region and upstairs, there was a replica wheelhouse inspired by that of the St Lawrence steamer Waubic.
After the tour, there was a little spare time to shop or grab an espresso drink at the nearby cafe before we returned to the ship for a spectacular cruise through the Thousand Islands, which actually number around 1,800.
A favorite pastime on Canadian Empress is being perched on the foredeck as the ship sails through scenic waters. * Photo: Peter Knego
A gentle breeze wafted across the upper deck where we stretched out a bit in the sunshine, watching on either side as we passed ever more gorgeous islands and estates. The most impressive and imposing was the Boldt Castle, which was a massive European style castle that was commissioned by financier George Boldt as a gift for his wife in 1900. Work stopped when she died in 1904 and the entire project was abandoned and left to decay until 1977, when it was acquired by the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority, who have been restoring it ever since. Today, Boldt Castle is one of the region’s most popular attractions.
VIDEO: Below is a clip of Canadian Empress passing the castle.
Lunch that day was a soup starter and local fish with a salad topped with, yes, Thousand Islands dressing, followed by homemade pecan pie for dessert. As with dinners, wine, beer and soft drinks are included and there are vegetarian and gluten free options. Meals are hearty and nicely prepared and tables are set with pretty folded linen napkins and fresh flowers. Nothing terribly formal but very enjoyable, especially with such a friendly and attentive coterie of Canadian wait staff, who double as the stateroom stewards.
That afternoon, we played shuffleboard as Canadian Empress sailed through some of the most beautiful scenery on the journey, arriving in Brockton, Ontario in the early afternoon, where we would spend the night. As we disembarked, two old fashioned school buses were waiting take us on a short ride to Fulford Place.
Our excellent guide Terry escorted us through the Fulford Place mansion, which has extraordinary decorative details, including exotic wood paneling, Murano glass tiles, stained glass windows, ornately molded ceilings and so much more. The backstory of how Canadian senator and pharmaceutical baron George Taylor Fulford had completed his dream house in 1901, only to die in a car accident four years later, seemed hauntingly familiar after having cruised past Boldt Castle earlier that day. The senator’s wife, Mary, mourned him for the rest of her life and was known to have seances in the house, where there have reputedly been some paranormal sightings.
Canadian Empress offers an included excursion to Fulford Place, a mansion built in 1901 by Canadian senator George Taylor Fulford. * Photo: Peter Knego
We returned to the ship just in time to take an invigorating run around Brockton, which has a wonderful railway tunnel that was converted for pedestrian use with dazzling fiberoptic lighting enhancements. After dinner, a guest magician, Chris Pillsworth, came aboard to entertain us in the Grand Saloon.
Of Forts & Locks
It was misty the next morning as Canadian Empress cast her lines and sailed off to nearby Prescott, where another yellow school bus took us on excursion to the nearby Fort Wellington, which was built by the British to defend the Canadian side of the St Lawrence during the War of 1812.
Shortly after departing Prescott, Canadian Empress passed under the Ogsdenberg-Prescott Bridge that links Canada with the U.S. and then through the Iroquois Lock, a single lock often nicknamed “the drive through” when, as in our case, there was no wait due to a mere eight-inch difference in the water levels on either side.
Late that afternoon, we tied up in Crysler Park Marina, where the Empress would overnight. We had some free time, so decided to take a run through the park to help work off those hearty meals. That evening, after dinner, musician Teilhard Frost came aboard to serenade us with traditional folk songs on his violin, viola and some other less traditional musical instruments.
A tasty chicken marsala with rice and veggies was one of the dinners served on board Canadian Empress. * Photo: Peter Knego
Upper Canada Village & Gananoque
iFollowing breakfast the next day, a pair of horse drawn carriages pulled up to the marina and whisked us off to Upper Canada Village, a living history site replicating an English/Canadian town in 1866. After our driver provided some background information during the ride, we had time on our own to explore numerous structures that were actually rescued during the construction of St. Lawrence Seaway, including a blacksmith’s shop, the home of a doctor, a pharmacy, a cheese factory, a print shop, an inn and even a plantation home with a moving slavery exhibit.
Our visit to the Upper Canada Village, a 19th Century heritage site, began with a horse and carriage ride from the ship. * Photo: Peter Knego
Just as lunch was served, Canadian Empress began making her way back towards Gananoque, passing through the Iroquois Lock and the Thousand Islands as a golden afternoon light made being on the outer decks an experience to be savored. And savor, I did!
Leaving Iroquois Lock in her wake, Canadian Empress sailed back down the river towards Gananoque on our penultimate day on board. * Photo: Peter Knego
We berthed in Gananoque shortly before dinner, then after dessert, there was a bridge tour that was a bit overwhelming with so many guests crowding into the wheelhouse. But it was a special opportunity, since the Canadian Empress does not have an open bridge policy. After the bridge tour, the Michael Mayers Trio came aboard to play favorite pop tunes from the 50s through the 90s, with many familiar songs interlaced with a few less-heard golden nuggets.
The Final Leg
As she did on the second morning of the cruise, Canadian Empress cast her lines and made a scenic pass around the local islands while we indulged our final breakfast.
When she returned, we disembarked for a morning tour of the Thousand Islands Boat Museum, which is located right next to the ship’s berth. An excellent guide showed us numerous small craft, most of which had a vintage pedigree and an interesting back story, including the largest in the museum, the 1939-built Washingtonian, a yacht designed by John Trumpy, who designed the USS Sequoyah, the US Presidential Yacht commissioned by Herbert Hoover.
The fascinating Thousand Islands Boat Museum has numerous vintage boats on display, including the 1939-built yacht Washingtonian, which can be seen in the backdrop. * Photo: Peter Knego
Once back on board, there was a final chance to savor the fresh river air out on deck and then the dreaded but necessary task of cramming everything back into our suitcases, which we set outside our cabin before lunch.
Topsides on Canadian Empress en route from Gananoque back to Kingston. * Photo: Heidi Sarna
It was time to bid farewell to the Canadian Empress hard working staff and our friendly cruise companions. After a scenic cruise along Kingston’s waterfront, Canadian Empress backed into her berth and after turning in our brass room keys, we disembarked.
VIDEO: Enjoy Peter's excellent full video tour of the quirky Canadian Empress, below.
Wrapping Up This Uncommon Journey
By combining train, shuttle and ship transport, and with our guide Christopher's narrative, we saw, learned and experienced so much on this decidedly Uncommon Journey. Albany, the Finger Lakes, upstate New York and the Canadian shores of the St. Lawrence and Lake Ontario are brimming with scenic beauty and history and this was an ideal way to sample a huge slice of it.
Don't Miss A Look At The SS Keewatin
The “Canadian Sunset” tour officially continued with an overnight in Niagara Falls but we bid our excellent host Chris and fellow travelers goodbye at the pier and headed off to a local hotel near the dock to enjoy two nights in charming Kingston, which is now home to the magnificent 1907-built preserved Great Lakes steamer Keewatin. We spent the greater part of the next day touring the historic ship and the adjacent Great Lakes Museum.
A nice bonus is that this fall, a visit to the Keewatin is included in Uncommon Journeys' next “Canadian Sunsets” cruise tour.
The S.S. Keewatin, a beautifully preserved steamship from 1907, is the centerpiece of the Great Lakes Maritime Museum in Kingston. A tour will be included in the next “Canadian Sunset” cruise tour. * Photo: Peter Knego
VIDEO: Below is Peter's excellent video tour about the SS Keewatin.
Hope You Enjoyed Learning More About Uncommon Journeys In New York & Canada
For more information, please visit UnCommonJourneys.com.
Or if you have questions Heidi may be able to help you with, send her an email — [email protected]. If Heidi doesn't know the answer, she'll likely know someone who does!
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HEIDI SARNA
