The Secret of the Shoulder Season

The Lake George Area is famous for its warm weather activities. Summer is an easy time to travel with kids on vacation and ‘summer hours’ at the office, it’s a popular window during which to visit.

There is a phrase in tourism called the shoulder season. It isn’t really something that people who visit a place talk about unless maybe they are discussing ways to enjoy a place at a lower cost. The shoulder season refers to either side of the most popular time for a place to be visited; if people go somewhere most often between June and August, then the shoulder seasons would likely be May and September.

The shoulder season actually offers an out-of-the-ordinary experience, revealing a different personality of a location. If you’ve never visited a frozen lake or walked along the shores when the air is so cold that you can see your breath, you should add winter destinations to your list. The change is as profound as the difference between a glass of water and an ice cube. As the lake shifts and the cold air surrounds you; it’s easy to understand just how long those waters have lived.

Along Lake George’s Beach Road, with the Fort William Henry at your back and the Adirondack High Peaks to the north, you can imagine the people who traveled over this water in the dead of winter to find food, or how quiet the world was before cars and sirens. You feel a part of the landscape in a way that you can’t during the summer.

The Lake George Winter Carnival is an annual event that spans the four weekends in February. It offers a robust roster of activities, whether you are super-sporty and outdoorsy or you just like to wear Uggs and sip hot cocoa. If the lake doesn’t freeze, it will not stop the Winter Carnival, which traditionally hosts many events on the frozen water.

There were still bonfires and s’mores at the beach, followed by fireworks over the lake. The always irresistible, Dog’s Got Talent event drew canines too cute to be believed. Parades, cook-offs, and ice bars, it’s all still in full swing.

Here’s the thing about lake life: it’s year-round and whether the water laps at the shore, freezes over, or creates its own slush, a day at the lake is better than a day anywhere else!