HI - Cape Vincent - Tibbetts Point Lighthouse Hostel

Awesome!
This is the first time I've ever stayed at a hostel, but the weather was cold, and we were the only souls brave enough to be out and about, thus we had the whole house to ourselves. I'm a longtime lighthouse lover, and staying here was one of the neatest things I've ever done in my life. Wayne and Drina were wonderful hosts, very friendly and welcoming, and full of information about things to do in the surrounding area. Seeing the light flashing in our bedroom windows all night long was very peaceful and comforting. The sunsets were fantastic. This is an experience I will never forget.

Dorothy and Dan are a delight! The location is one of a kind and their hospitality is legendary -- they are like our family! They handled our large group with ease and made our stay feel so welcoming! Don't hestitate to stay at Tibbetts Point, it's an experience you will never forget!

First of all, hi to Dorothy and Dan. We are already looking forward to this summer. This will be our fourth summer to visit and stay at the lighthouse. We enjoy coming to your hostel every summer from Canada. It is like our second cottage. We recommend this beautiful place to anyone who is looking for an adventure.

This is a wonderful place and the hostel keepers are truly special and very kind human beings. I spent two nights here at Tibbet's Point two summers ago while traveling and camping alone. There were no other travelers while I was there. Their companionship was warming, the grounds were absolutely lovely, and the houses themselves were spotless. I hope to visit there again. Anyone who finds him or herself here will be enchanted.

I was a college student at Carleton Univ. in Ottawa, ON, and went down to Kingston to visit a friend at Queen's Univ. On a lark, we decided to take the ferry and bike across Wolfe Island, then took the short ferry to Cape Vincent, NY. That made the trip "international", and we had a blast riding the quaint streets of what for the U.S. was a far-off border town, forgotten by most of the state's residents down the road in Manhattan or over in Buffalo/Niagara Falls. This was a corner of New York kept secret for local fishing and boating. After a ramble through the streets, we learned of a lighthouse at the end of the road, and headed off to Tibbetts Point to see it. The weather turned from partly sunny to overcast, then to rain, then to fog with rain. We approached the lighthouse in the dark, waves crashing into the shore of the river/lake as we pedalled forward hopefully. Minutes before we could see the tower of the lighthouse itself, her beam cut through the fog, offering the promise of shelter and refuge with every sweep of its white beam. What was supposed to be a day trip would clearly not end back in Kingston. We arrived at the door wet and cold, and without any more than a couple of dollars. We hadn't budgeted for an overnight stay, and were hoping to simply get warm and ride out the storm. The keeper had other ideas. Seeing us in our state of exhaustion and damp clothes, and mindful of the wicked weather, she offered us a place to sleep for the night if we'd agree to help with some end-of-the-season chores next morning. We quickly agreed. And with a towel to dry off, we settled down in the small living room to cozy up next to a fireplace with a hot cup of tea. The resident cat kept us company while we flipped through copies of old National Geographics, disbeliving our own luck, full of thanks, and with the quiet realization that this was the making of a lifelong memory of what it meant to be happy. It wasn't long before we headed to bed. Being the last weekend of the hostel season, we were the only ones staying overnight. And as we laid upon our bunks, my heart was full of contentment at the company of a good friend, the comfort of a warm bed, and the reassuring flash of that Fresnel lens as it winked at us every few seconds; a low-intensity flash-bulb that briefly brightened the room every few seconds. After what we'd been through that day, it didn't delay sleep for a moment.

There's no other place in the world like it.

Cape Vincent is a wonderful place to visit if you are on a trip. There isn't a single McDonald's in sight and it will give you the true small town feel. Most of the residents are old and have lived there a long time but certainatly don't mind visitors. The place is beautiful and worth a stop if you plan on passing by.