Service is friendly but it's always dirty. Our son is in his 3rd year at a college in Potsdam so…read morewe've been traveling frequently over the years but each time we visit this Stewart's shop is a disappointment. Today they didn't have a coffee pot with fresh coffee and they only had 2 burners for coffee ... 1 for hot water and 1 for coffee. Odd.

Free Wifi! That's all I have to say. Thank you Long Lake! We were on vacation, unplugged, the whole…read morenine yards but I was informed the job of my life opened up so I needed to apply ASAP. No internet! Ahh! So we drove down to Long Lake, parked and I spent an hour on my laptop applying for my now dream job. Hooray! The town is great. Cool gift shops. Great little grocery store that we hit up a few times for our camping needs. I love Long Lake!

A really fascinating place to visit for a decent hike/ tour. It's a self guided tour after you grab…read moreyour tickets inside the gift shop. There are some pretty incredible views & a few astounding caves you can explore. The trail features quite a bit of stairs & winding paths so come prepared (eg. walking stick if need be). We saw plenty of families, children & seniors on the trail so it's suitable for an array of people. We saved the coolest part for last: cracking open a few geodes. This is completely random but it's enchanting to wait & see what color is inside! We love this place.

Such a great day for kids while in the Adirondacks! The geode popping and activities at the end of…read morethe trail were fun.

Super cool and beautiful place to hike there are an abundance of trails a few picnic areas and for…read morethose of you who don't wanna hike you can drive up to the top! Currently it's free to drive up as when I passed the toll booth it stated so! This one will be short and sweet as it's just beautiful here in the trees overlooking the lake! Overall this was an awesome find and the view the breeze blowing through my hair was satisfying beyond any means as this chill relaxing spot was much needed!

This is an excellent autumn hike with amazing views. Although short at only two miles from…read moretrailhead to summit, you'll need proper shoes for this hike and you will warm up due to the steep grade and moderate rock scrambling. We took the red trail all the way to the top and we took the blue trail on the way down (it merges with the red trail). I'm giving four stars because the trail marking are really good, except where they aren't and just disappear for a while or entirely. The red trail is mostly well marked, though there were still times when we just had to keep heading up the mountain because we couldn't find the next marker. On our way down, the blue trail was really, really well marked until it just stopped and we could not find another marker. I'm not a fan of going off trail because I know it can be dangerous and it can be damaging to local ecosystems, but without a clear trail to follow and nearly a mile into the woods, we did the best we could (kept heading downhill and to the right hoping to find the red trail, but eventually finding the road anyway). If you start at the trailhead, you will walk up metal stairs and onto a walkway over the highway. From there, you'll follow the trail about a mile up where you will find a road. Beware of traffic, cross the road, and you'll have another mile to go to reach the summit (you can take red or blue trail) where there is a parking lot and great viewing.

Bald Mountain is rated an easy trail to do with families around Old Forge. My family with teens…read moredecided to hike this trail and said it was super fun. They liked the climbing the boulders, ledges and roots. It does take some balance and finesse to navigate the trail. Some difficult areas have herd trails next to it to help with the steep portions if you're unable to climb. It would be difficult for anyone with mobility issues or balance issues. 3 areas with breath taking views. The full trip is 1.8 miles with a steep incline a few steps in and then some ups and down in the trail. It took our family 28 minutes to hike up. This was with stops to take pictures and 34 minutes to hike down. Descending is more of a challenge. Registration book and pencil at the beginning of the trail to sign in. I would use caution during a wet season or early morning dew.

REALLY enjoyed my hike the other weekend!!…read more I didn't know what to expect because of the number of people this mountain attracts but I was really happy during the hike because it wasn't as crowded as I thought. It was like the perfect amount of hike! The views were gorg and amazing!! We had to wait in line for like 20 minutes to climb up the lookout, but it was totally worth it for the pic and the view! Really beautiful, will be back for sure! Also - be careful parking on the side of the road, the cops wait to give out tickets after people park..

The wife and I came here after hearing about it for a couple of years. She had found out about it…read moreonline, and I saw their scale model promotional displays in downtown Albany. So, we made a daytrip of coming up north. It was pretty cold and overcast in early October, but we still had a good time. When we arrived on a weekday there were only a dozen or so other people around. We practically had the place to ourselves. We first watched the four otters swim in the pools (brr) and play on the tubes. One really seemed to like me, and we both shared the name Louis, so we hit it off from the start. I liked him more than the otters (!), but I think he just came to the fence to see me because he thought I was going to feed him. Then, we saw the staff with their "mystery" public interaction animal... a porcupine. She seemed hungry and grumpy, and spent the time eating food. I guess if I was trotted outside in the 40-degree weather I would be upset too. We went for a walk in the woods and heard music piped on speakers in the trees. My wife made a comment about it feeling like an anime or RPG experience, and I think she was right. It was odd, though enjoyable. We then walked around on the elevated paths in the woods and looked out of the bird's nest towers and spider's nest (yuck). There were swinging bridges and other interactive things for kids of all ages. Again, it was cold or we might have spent more time looking at them. They had indoor exhibits which were closed due to the pandemic (boo), but on a day like this they are very much needed to help recharge and get warm. It was a good time, despite being chilly. The views were great, but my glasses kept fogging up from the masks so I couldn't see as much as I would have liked. It is a great park seemingly in the middle of nowhere, and very far from where we live. But, I would like to return in warmer weather to experience it again.

We had an incredible time here! The indoor area is not to be missed! So many unique hands-on…read moredisplays, sea otters, ugly fish, collections of fungi and interesting plants. The outdoor walk is a breathtaking walk through the treetops with unbeatable views. My 5 year old also loved the outdoor loose part natural play area. The whole adventure is a lot of fun for both kids and adult. Also very responsible with covid policies!

A great hike of moderate difficulty. The summit is lovely, with beautiful views of Lake George and…read morethe surrounding mountains. Some areas of the trail are fairly eroded, but there were crews there working to protect the trail and divert water. Even with a full parking lot, the hike was long enough that we didn't see people very often along the way. We saw some families with little ones, but none near the top, so I'm not sure how far they made it. This wouldn't be an easy hike carrying kids, and I don't think most kids under 10 would stick it through to the end. A few portions are pretty steep, so it'd be tough on little legs. The one downside is that apparently Dacy Clearing Road isn't always fully open to vehicles, so rather than parking closer to the trailhead, you may have a few extra miles to walk on a gravel road. This takes your roundtrip from approximately 5 miles to roughly 8.

One of the most beautiful places I've hiked in. The view from the summit is spectacular on a sunny…read moresummer day, and probably even better in the fall. The hike to the top can be long or short, depending on your skill level, and how you want it to be. If you choose to do a longer hike, you can park at the Hogtown parking lot at the bottom. If you choose the shorter path ( 1.8 mi) to the summit, you must drive further down a dirt path (if the gate to go further is open) for another mile or so and park at the Dacy clearing. The hike itself is not bad. It can be a little rocky and steep, but if you're in average shape, you should be okay. It is for the average to moderate hikers. There were a lot of families with smaller children and dogs when I went. It's definitely something a family can enjoy. If you go on a nice day, I would recommend bringing lunch or snacks with you. It was really nice to eat with a view of the Adirondacks, and Lake George.

One of my favorite hikes in the high peak region -- it's a great starter one to those interested in…read moredoing a high peak. You combine it with Porter to get two mountains off your list, for the "physical price" of doing one! This is a gentle mountain, but still should not be taken lightly as it is a high peak and it will challenge you, no matter how fit you might be. I've climbed this in the summer 2-3 times and at least 2-3 times in the winter. I prefer doing it in the winter personally for less crowds and beautiful ice covered pine sights and an Arctic wonderland, but either one is gorgeous. Parking is free, but limited...come early to try to snag a spot. Doing both mountains will only add an hour or so to your total hike time, so don't be afraid to tackle both even if you might be tired after hitting Cascade. I think Cascade is good to hit first and then head over to Porter, but honestly either one will work well. Plan 3-8hours round trip, depending on your level of physical ability. Come prepared and know the conditions, talk to the rangers or other hikers so you know what to expect.

One of the 46 high peaks and known to be the easiest and quickest round trip hike! This means that…read moreyou should expect it to be the busiest as well! Early birds will get the parking spots, but during the warmer season, early may mean arriving before 6:30am for optimal parking! A phenomenal panoramic view that gives a great view from anywhere you decide to post up on the top for a quick snack. You can also hike this to mount porter which is another high peak of the 46er club! For avid hikers/trail runners, you could really round trip in under 2 hours. For new mountain hikers, best to expect a 4-5 hour trek for those who aren't use to the 2000 feet of elevation gain.

I was inspired by the show "Aerial America" on the Smithsonian channel to take a trip to upstate…read moreNY, this time to do some hiking and leaf peeping around the adironancks. I knew this was a vast protected wilderness area, but never expected it to be such a paradise of sorts. Driving from NYC took are out 5 1/2 hrs, via I87 North. Overall a smooth ride except the fogs that I encountered, was not really prepared for so much fogs. Also it did helped that all the way through, the highways were lined with colorful trees, which made the ride a pleasant one. After getting lost a bit and not finding the trailhead for Mt. Jo, which we originally wanted to hike, we decided on option #2 to drive up to whiteface mountain, which promised a dizzying elevation and beautiful views of the "high peaks". On our way to whiteface we passed through keene valley, which is right out of a painting, a sleepy little village dotted with woodsy like cabins & houses surrounded by mountain and streams. The curvy back roads took us through some other towns which included a town called the "North Pole", which is apparently a popular kids amusement attraction. The fall foliage was at its peak in this area, so it was truely a marvelous setting for a drive. We took the Veteran Memorial Highway in Wilmington to reach Whiteface Mountain, which had many lookout points to caught a glimpse of the "high peaks". Once we got to the top, and parked our car, we took the vintage elevator to reach the peak, then we were treated to the most amazing views of the "high peaks"! It was like being in heaven looking down. A breathtaking view of Mt. Marcy (the highest peak in NY state), and many lakes, in the area, including Lake Placid. After a few photo opts and lunch at the cafe, we decide to walked down the "natural staircase" to the parking lot, instead of taking the elevator back, which I highly recommend. Because it was only a Day Trip, it was time for us to start our drive back to NYC , we forgo plans for a gondola ride and a short hike up Mt. Jo. Reasons we definitely have to go back. We did however, visited "Ausable Chasm", which we kinda stumble upon serendipitously. We took a tour of the area, which was totally inspiring. Definitely a must when you're in the area. My trip to the Adirondacks was long overdue, it was the perfect setting for leaf peeping and hiking. Whiteface mountain offered amazing views of the "High Peaks". Lake placid is a beautiful village that I reckon, you'd want to stay in, when visiting the Adirondacks. It's rustic, and made for the adventurous at heart, if you're the outdoors kind, then this is perfect playground, any time of year.

SOOO HUGE! Our whole…read moregoal in trekking out to Lake George these past two years was to ride through this park. Two years of riding, and we STILL haven't covered it all. Great expanses are purely wild, though there's sprinklings of towns and resorts along the routes. Great rides up into the ranges, and gorgeous places to stop and wonder at the beauty. Don't expect to find a place to eat in every town. Plan ahead for the day. Some spots, on RT9N used to have resorts, and stores, but they mostly have closed. There's some great town names like Sawtooth, and Wolf Jaw. I keep resisting the urge to buy a canoe, but how would I haul it home on the motorcycle?

Going to offer a bit of a different review here…read more I've only ever been to Mirror Lake Public Beach in the winter. Covered in a thick blanket of snow, the surface of the frozen water indistinct from the shoreline itself. It acts as a wonderful launching point for all the things Mirror Lake has to offer in this season. Easily walkable from Main Street and nearby street parking, the beach area is nestled near to the toboggan shoot. Benches are a welcome convenience, especially when you have ice skates in tow. I brought a backpack to carry my boots in case I wanted to prematurely exit the ice before looping back to the beach itself but most folks left them near to this seating without issue. The frozen waters just off shore host a couple small areas for ice hockey and an entrance point to the lengthy pathway visitors may use to walk the perimeter of the icy surface. Beautiful views of the church as well as the expanse of the lake. A place you can sit, watch, and enjoy the scenery... or join in yourself!

I love Mirror Lake!…read more I've been coming here for years; I love swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding here. It's one of favorite places to go. If you haven't been here you should check it out. There's a beach area but there are also buoys if you're training for an Ironman or looking for lap swimming :) There are nearby restaurants and shops, and public restrooms and changing areas located on the beach too.