Ausable Chasm, NY - billing itself as "the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks" is a shamelessly…read moreambitious boast for an attraction that I'd more accurately describe as Watkins Glen with the consumer interface of Bushkill Falls, but there's no denying Ausable Chasm is a fun, scenic, and daring adventure for all ages! We came during the off season at the end of April, before the more high thrills activities like rafting & tubing, riverwalk, Via Ferrata adventure trail, rappelling, rock climbing, etc. were open for the season (usually around late-May to June through autumn). That was no problem as we are visiting with our toddler who isn't old enough to do most of these activities anyway, and, as we discovered, it was actually perfect and to our advantage, since as first-time visitors we only wanted/had time to explore the chasm itself. And as there were very few other visitors on a weekday, it was as if we had this private park all to ourselves! No need to jostle for views/photos, can enjoy lunch & snacks at the best picnic tables by vista points, and it's also more pleasant than hiking in hot summer, though many of the trails are shaded. The basic "trails only" admission is about $20 for adults & teens, $12 for kids 5-12, and free for under 5. All the other activities have additional fees, which can add up so you might explore packages, or even stay overnight at their campground & cabins. We are a family of hikers so wanted to do the whole perimeter and see the entire gorge (about 2 miles). But if you only wish to see the exciting parts and leave time for other activities, then you can turn back halfway and do the shorter loop (1 mile if you do the Inner Sanctum Trail which I 100% recommend as this is the "signature" trail along the canyon's edge. But note it has many stairs up & down). We took the Inner Sanctum (yellow) trail, crossed over to Big Dry Chasm and hiked to the Whirlpool Basin Overlook at other end, then looped back around on the orange trail via Little Dry Chasm. The trails are well maintained, with most of the outer edge trails on comfortable soft padded ground. They're mostly well marked except the end part is not really shown clearly on the park map so I used AllTrails. The orange trail (Dry Chasm Trail) is marked as more difficult, but it's basically just a regular wooded hiking trail that's not paved, with rooty and rocky sections. The park is very walkable for most able-bodied people. Even our 3yo was able to hike the whole thing by himself, with a bit of help over the orange trails. We loved our visit and are excited to come back when our child is older to do more activities! Will update my review when we've had a chance to experience all the action-packed adventures the park has to offer. TIP #1: No trail maps are given out so take a photo ar a screenshot. But there are maps placed along the trails marked with where you are. TIP #2: Porta-potties only on either end of the trails, so I recommend taking your nature break before setting out. TIP #3: There's a cafe by the Welcome Center but it's only open seasonally. Bring water. No garbage bins along the trails (cos bears!) so trash is carry-in carry-out.

This place is the best. Great for families. Do the explorer package with river walk...ropes…read morebridges are awesome. Boat is mild, it's not white water rafting. Very safe. Go here and enjoy!

After several searches I picked ADK Aquatics because of the reviews, best decision made! Wes was…read moreawesome, gave my 15 year old a great experience tubing. Very friendly, paid attention to the weather and made sure everything was perfect. 100% recommend

Called on a Friday in July to see if they could squeeze us in for a water ski trip and we were…read morelucky to snag a 7am spot. Wes took my son and I out for an amazing hour of water skiing on a lake flat as glass. Recommend u check them out.

This is my second year in a row tubing with Tubby tubes!!! I love this place and always have a…read moregreat time. I just tubed with a party of 4 on Sunday July 28. We did the early bird special at 9:30 am to save money and it's also worth it! Such a great offer!!! I highly recommend getting the tube with a backrest/headrest so that you have back support during your tubing experience. It makes a huge difference with comfort and it only cost an extra $7. Erin was a very good bus driver she made the ride pleasant and safe!!! Lauren was a great instructor and leader during the experience. She also was very friendly to speak with. I needed water shoes, so it was great that I can buy water shoes on the premises and they were able to charge the card I used to make the online reservations which is convenient because I didn't bring my wallet. There is bathrooms and changing rooms on site.

The guides were fantastic, especially Kirsten (make sure she gets her free PB&J). The ride is bumpy…read moreand dusty on the bus, but the float was beautiful. We only wish it were longer! The process from reservation to the float to leaving was all very seamless. Recommend: water shoes (flip flops worked but would have been easier in actual water shoes), bringing a waterproof cell phone holder, and having a bag with towels ready for the bus. They sell water shoes and the cell phone holders there for a markup.

Inexpensive tube rental in Vermont for fun! So nice I tried them twice! Once the river levels were…read morehigh, and once they were low. I recommend waiting until river levels are high! The shuttle to the start is handy so that you are at your car at the end!

This was a fun day for the family. Water conditions can be low and we did have to walk at a few…read morespots but when you call they are very straight forward about the river conditions. Even with the low water level there were still some swimming holes along the way. I would say water shoes of some sort are a must for this. Also we grabbed some large sticks at the beginning which helped us push off rocks and away from some of the shallow sections. Was very beautiful and relatively inexpensive for a day of fun. It took us about 3.5 hours and we didn't stop. But there are definitely spots along the river to stop and eat a packed lunch if you bring one.

The Path of Life Garden and Sculpture Park blew me away…read more.. As the website describes: a 14-acre landscape where you can experience the great circle of life while traveling through 18 unique sculptures and pieces of art. Inspired by several gardens in Europe, the installations symbolize the journey from birth to death and beyond. So cool, don't mis this if you're in the area. (literally next door to the Harpoon Brewery)

My nephews (8 & 10) & I signed up for the tubing trip this morning. When they dropped us off, we…read morewere told that it would be best if we walked out a ways to the second cove in order to get the best current out into the water. We did that, with our cooler raft in tow. However, i ended up pushing my nephews in their tubes for about a half mile (past the second cove) before we were able to get going. This took about an hour and a half. About 3/4 the way through our time on the water, we heard thunder. I realized they hadn't covered what to do in the case of bad weather in the briefing. So thankfully I was able to call the company from my tube & they advised us to get out of the water if we heard thunder & wait 15 min before getting back in. We heard thunder in and off for about 45 min so stayed out of the water on some rocks while we waited. I felt like we were bothering the company when they called & they didn't seem at all concerned, telling me it was a passing shower. After we returned to the water, we saw some lightening so I tried getting us over to shore. The water was getting choppy & we weren't going anywhere so I got out of my tube & pulled all of us to shore. We built a small shelter using our tubes & tried to stay dry but at this point, it was pouring. I called the company again & they said there was nothing they could do & couldn't come pick us up based on our location. I checked my GPS & we were .6 miles away from our stopping location. The company told us to start walking back along the shore. We did that and along the way my nephew slipped on the rocks because it was still pouring. Finally, when we made it back, we had to drag all the gear up the hill (which was mentioned during the briefing but we weren't expecting to do this in the pouring rain. When we got back, I expressed my disappointment that they'd send anyone out with conditions like that expected as I truly felt our lives were in danger. The woman said no one was blaming anyone and I corrected her. Yes, I blame the company for putting our lives in danger. She explained that they had no idea about the weather conditions and that this system just popped up out of nowhere. I can understand that but at no point did anyone offer to come & help us. They could have easily walked from where they were & helped us walk back. I would not recommend this company due to the lack of safety measures & how isolated we felt when conditions got bad.

We did this over the weekend as a girls trip and had an amazing trip! Our guide Steven was so…read morefunny and skilled. He made a couple nervous passengers feel calm and loved the whole experience

Eric: Thanks for the safe yet great experience for an adventure bound family, always welcoming…read moresomething new to experience in God's great outsoors! You're an asset to any company you may wander off and work for. We are truly grateful for todays wonderful, awe-inspiring journey. You are also an inspiration to us with two types of special needs kiddos, being an example of using your weaknesses and turning them into strengths!

We spent a week at Lake George on vacation and started off our stay with waterskiing lessons at the…read moreInverted School. If you are new to waterskiing or wakeboarding, this will be the best thing you do! The lessons are on Loon Lake, which is a beautiful small lake about 20 minutes drive from Lake George. You don't have all the powerboat traffic of Lake George and it's a great place to learn. Craig is the best! He met us at the marina in a beautiful boat with all the gear ready, was so personable, and was a great teacher. We had never waterskiied and my husband and son were up and skiing in short order. I am not as sporty, but Craig was very encouraging and helpful. Highly recommended! This was one of the most fun things we did on the water.

For caring, personal service, Alison and Meg are second to none! They may not be the biggest…read morevacation rental company in town, but they do a great job of accurately representing the properties and go the extra mile to make sure you get just the right property. We have been renting homes in Stowe for many years and after some less than stellar experiences elsewhere, we won't deal with anyone else.

This was our first time ever to the Adirondacks. Lookout Mountain Chalet is a truly relaxing,…read moregorgeous & serene home/property. Everything, & I mean all amenities, are provided. You only need to bring your clothes, food, & family. So clean & comfortable. It was like walking into a home away from home. All the woodwork was amazing! I truly did not want to leave. Every day, a portion was set aside where I just sat on the deck or in the jacuzzi & stared at Whiteface Mountain. The view could not be beat in my opinion....until we actually went up to the peak of Whiteface Mountain! Wow!!!! A humbling experience & even though it terrified me, my family loved it & we were blown away by it's majesty. Hiking trails are nearby & the quaint village of Wilmington is only a 3 minute drive. As is Adirondack Chocolates! We came to commemorate the 1 year anniversary of my husband's passing. When ever my husband & I traveled, one thing we did was find a chocolatier & he would spoil me! So to discover this tiny town has one where the truffles are made on site was so special for me. They so have so many unique gifts & the BEST hoodies in their gift shop Our hosts, Judi & Aseem, were simply wonderful. They called to greet us the day we arrived. I mentioned the tiny liquor store was closed, so we were unable to purchase a bottle of wine to toast my husband. They came by the next day with two bottles from their private stock & we had a lovely conversation. Simply delightful, & gracious hosts. Truly touched my heart. Highly recommend ANY of their properties. You will NOT be disappointed & won't want to leave! We will be back for sure!! Thank you for such a memorable, worry-free vacation

This was our 6th year renting from Todd and Kimmy. Excellent hosts and a beautiful chalet. Spacious…read moreopen floor plan and comfortable accommodations in the 4 bedrooms. Very clean, nice hot tub on the deck for some great night to star gazing. Had o e item that needed to be replaced, called Kim, and it was there the next morning, well before we needed it. Close to many outdoor venues, including Whiteface Mtn, Lake Placid, snowshoeing and Xcountry ski trails! Will be returning next year!