Casino Island Beach occupies a sliver of shoreline in downtown Alexandria Bay, wedged between the village's main drag and the St. Lawrence River. The beach itself is modest—more coarse sand than soft powder—but its location makes it a natural gathering point. You walk directly from ice-cream shops and waterfront restaurants onto a strip of grass and sand where locals anchor beach chairs and visiting families wade into the gentle current. The water here is brisk even in July, fed by the river's deep channels, and the bottom transitions quickly from pebbles to cool silt.
“You can walk from your hotel lobby to river swimming in under three minutes, a rarity in a region that usually demands a boat.”
Credit: FlickrCheck-Room sign, casino, Avalon, Catalina Island, California, USA
Scenic View Park flows seamlessly into the beach area, offering shaded benches beneath mature maples and a clear sightline to Boldt Castle rising on Heart Island a mile offshore. Late afternoon brings the best light: the sun angles low over the Canadian shore, gilding the hulls of wooden Chris-Craft replicas and casting long shadows across the sand. Toddlers chase minnows in the shallows while their parents watch ferries churn upriver, white wakes fanning behind them.
The beach serves as Alexandria Bay's living room. Teenagers sprawl on towels with fast-food bags, retirees stroll the adjacent promenade, and visiting boaters tie up at nearby docks to stretch their legs. It's unpretentious and accessible, a front-row seat to the Thousand Islands without the need for a boat or a reservation.
