If you happen to find yourself in Ontario’s Limestone city, you may be curious to know more about what else lies across Lake Ontario. Though of course, that’s where you’ll find the first island of the world-renowned Thousand Islands, located just at the entrance of the St Lawrence River. And you can even visit it via a quick ferry ride and enjoy its bountiful nature, secluded beach and small village. Here’s what to know about Wolfe Island.
About a three hours drive east of Toronto is Kingston, Ontario. From here you’ll need to embark on a 20 minute journey to reach Wolfe Island.
Head to the Kingston Dock either by foot or car and jump on the Wolfe Islander III: Ferry. You’ll get off at the Dawson Point Dock which is just a 5 minute drive away from Marysville, the island’s local community.
According to Destination Ontario, Wolfe Island is the largest of the Thousand Islands and is known for having many white wind turbines. “The island is 29 kilometres long and part of Frontenac County and the Township of Frontenac Islands, with the largest community being Marysville.”
If you’re in need of some eats, the small village offers a handful of cafes, bakeries, restaurants and shops to enjoy. There are also hotels and bed and breakfasts if you decide to stay for a night or two.
In the warmer months, Wolfe Island is a cyclists paradise as the entire island is covered by four main cycle routes, according to Destination Ontario.
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“The Red Route, for example, is the longest at 58 km and meanders through rural farmland. The Yellow Route is shorter at 18 kilometres and follows the shore of Lake Ontario,” shares the County of Frontenac.
A fifth route, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail Wolfe Island Route, is coming at some point this summer and spans 40KM. It is part of the of “The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail” which travels 3000 km through 140 communities along the Great Lakes.
Besides cycling, in the summer a trip to Big Sandy Bay is a must. This is a secluded beach, away from busy crowds,
“The extraordinary beauty and natural diversity of this ecological jewel in the southwest corner of Wolfe Island provides a wonderful escape,” shares Visit Kingston.
“Many visitors come to recharge and refresh with the uncluttered expanse of bay and sky. Visitors can commune with nature, watch birds and enjoy the beautiful secluded sand beach.”
There is a fee to visit the beach and it usually opens in May.
If you want to extend your adventure, there is a 10-minute ferry that will take you to Simcoe Island which is a smaller island on the west side of Wolfe Island. You can also hop on another 10-minute seasonal ferry, which operates from spring to the fall, that takes you to Cape Vincent, New York.
Fee’s for the Horne’s Ferry start at $5. You can see the full price list here.
Though in every season, there are fun adventures and experiences to partake in while visiting Wolfe Island. A chilli fest, corn maze, races, holiday performances and even a plowing match.
Whenever you get the chance to visit Wolfe Island, you are surely in for a treat.
Senior Staff Writer, Toronto – Karen is a multimedia journalist based in Toronto. With a strong knowledge of reporting and editing through all forms of media, she has a true passion for storytelling. She carries several years of journalistic experience and has covered the Toronto scene from local stories to national news. When Karen isn’t publishing fire content, you can find her binge-watching sitcoms on Netflix, at a must-try restaurant, or scrolling endlessly on TikTok looking for the next best thing – News never sleeps.
Karen Doradea
