The Ultimate Family Vacation...
The Lake George Area, home of the Original Vacation, has been a family getaway destination since the very beginning. The region’s unique combination of boundless outdoor beauty and thrilling attractions creates the perfect place for a summer vacation. Whether your family likes to explore the outdoors, or stay a little closer to town, the Lake George Area offers something for every type of traveler.
Food & Ice Cream
Is it a summer vacation without eating fantastic food and soft-serve? The Lake George Area has you and your family covered in the dining department. Enjoy dinner with a view at one of several waterfront restaurants. Experience the nostalgia at A&W Root Beer Drive-In. Explore the lake on a dinner cruise with the Lake George Steamboat Company or Lake George Waterfront Cruises.
Don’t forget dessert! After dinner, the entire family is going to want something cold and sweet on a hot summer day. Martha’s Dandee Creme is a legendary ice cream spot in the Lake George Area. Don’t order the large unless you’ve got room! If you’re in the Chestertown area, give Main Street Ice Cream Parlor a whirl.
Photo Credit: Kacey O'Brien
Check out the Lake George Area’s Ice Cream Trail for more!
Fort William Henry Museum
The Lake George Area region was a major player in the French and Indian War. The Fort William Henry Museum, standing on the southern end of Lake George, commemorates and teaches about the sacrifice and hardships faced by French, British, and Native American soldiers during its siege. A visit to this replica fort is a fun and educational way for the entire family to spend a day.
Glen Drive-In Theater
The Glen Drive-In Theater shows new releases all summer long, bringing this magical experience of watching movies back to life! Enjoy action, animation, comedy, horror, and more on the big screen from the comfort of your car. And, don’t forget to stop at the snack bar between showings because we know one thing for sure – everyone loves a double feature!
Hiking
Hiking the Adirondack Mountains has always been one of the pillars of a vacation well-spent in the Lake George Area. There’s a wide variety of trails throughout the region, ranging from easy jaunts to grueling, day-long trudges through the woods. Spending time in the outdoors with family is always a great experience. But, hiking to a peak and being rewarded with a view of Lake George makes that family time even better! Pictured: the view from Thomas Mountain summit.
Mini Golf
Everyone loves playing miniature golf! These fun and challenging attractions are a great way to spend an evening. The Lake George Area has six unique courses to putt your way through. Every course has an exciting theme ranging from navigating a ship teeming with pirates to exploring stops around the world. Don’t forget to keep score!
Pirate's Cove (Queensbury), Photo Credit: Jaynie Ellis
Natural Stone Bridge & Caves
Have you explored the largest cave entrance in the eastern United States? You can do that and more at Natural Stone Bridge & Caves. The entire family will love learning about this amazing geological wonder. Take the self-guided tour through Noisy Cave, Peter Pan’s Peephole, Arch Rock, and more!
Photo Credit: Kacey O'Brien
Outdoor Adventure Courses
Some choose adventure when they go on a vacation. In the Lake George Area, there are a few places that offer outdoor thrills for the entire family. Treetop courses will make your summer vacation an unforgettable thrill.
Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course
Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course in Bolton Landing is the largest aerial tree-top adventure course in the United States! The park progresses linearly, becoming more difficult. Every age and ability level can give all six courses a shot.
West Mountain’s Aerial Adventure Course
West Mountain’s Aerial Adventure Course tree-top adventure, pictured above, is a five-acre park with six trails where adventurers will have to traverse a flying trapeze, a spider web, a climbing wall, a rolling vine, and more!
Adirondack Adventure Center Treetop Adventure Course
High in the pines, Adirondack Adventure Center’s Treetop Adventure Course has exciting high-speed ziplines, pogo posts, horizontal tires, ropes, and the 63-foot-tall Quickjump XL Freefall.
Whitewater Challengers Aerial Ropes Course
Zoom the zipline, navigate the ropes course, hop from platform to platform, and make your way over rope, wood, and wire bridges throughout the Whitewater Challengers Aerial Ropes Course.
Whitewater Rafting
Whitewater rafting sounds extreme, but it doesn’t have to be in the Lake George Area! Rafting the Sacandaga River can be a relaxing and stress-free family affair. Several companies based out of Warrensburg and Lake Luzerne provide these lazy rides all summer long to families looking for a fun way to cool off. If you want to raft the big-water rapids, check out some of the companies in North Creek and North River that ride the Hudson!
Beaver Brook Outfitters, Photo Credit: Jim Swedberg