Hard Truths:
- It gets overcrowded in the summer
- It’s a big family destination -> Kids take over
- Water sports book up fast in high season, especially boats
- Lake George Village isn’t as cute and charming as expected
- Choose your rooms wisely at The Sagamore
- You need a car to get around if you want to explore
Can’t Miss:
- Water Sports – boating, paddle boarding, kayaking, jet skiing
- Bolton Landing
- Hiking
Less than a four hour drive from NYC, you arrive at the foothills of the Adirondack mountains. And where there are mountains there are usually lakes so what better way to base yourself to explore this mountainous area than on a sparkling lake!
Lake George has been a vacation destination for almost two centuries. It’s a perfect NYC getaway with its close proximity, easy drive and plethora of activities.
The toughest decision for every vacation is where to stay and this place is no different. You definitely want to stay on the lake if you can. The hotels in this area are mostly basic lodges so don’t expect anything luxurious. There are some gorgeous houses right on the lake so it’s definitely worth checking Airbnb to see the options offered. Everyone I spoke to had recommended The Sagamore as “The Place” to stay in Lake George which is actually in Bolton Landing, a town north of Lake George Village. There were only a few other options I had researched as backups, one of them being a castle (I mean, why not!) which I listed in the Don’t Forget section. We were able to get a room at The Sagamore though. It’s really more than a hotel, it’s a private island resort but bear in mind it’s not like the high-end resorts you find in the Maldives or Caribbean. It’s way more rustic than that but fitting for the Lake George vibe.
My friend and I went over 4th of July weekend which might have been a mistake as it was jam-packed. We booked a Lodge room at The Sagamore, which is one of the lower price points. Upon arrival, we were told we were “upgraded” to a room in the Historic Main Hotel which sounded great. It’s the main building where the restaurants and pools are so it’s the best location. But to call these rooms an upgrade is laughable. It’s shocking that these rooms are priced higher than the lodge rooms. When they say “historic” they really mean old, dirty, and dated. The hallways could pass for those in the Shining! The room they gave us was small, dark, and looked out onto a parking lot. It was definitely not what we had expected especially for an upgrade. After days of complaining, we were moved to one of the lodge suites for our last night which was like a breath of fresh air. It was spacious, clean, and had great views of the lake. So make sure to book one of these rooms if you can.
The resort has tons to do from sports like tennis, soccer or basketball, to walking trails and then the obvious lake activities such as a boat tour around the lake on the resort’s own boat. It has a swimming area roped off in the lake as well. Be warned that all of the lounges by the lake and pools get “reserved” asap in the morning. Similar to traditional beachside resorts, guests will just leave their towels there all day long so try to go early and do the same if you want a spot. The resort is very family-friendly so can become overrun with kids running around, especially by the pools and lake. This is not ideal if you’re looking for some relaxing time by the water so we opted to leave the resort during the mornings and head back in late afternoons when the pools and lake were quieter.
Even though you could easily spend your entire trip without leaving the resort, when you are ready to explore beyond the resort bubble, there are tons of options all around the lake. The best activity in my option is a boat tour around the lake. There are 180+ islands dotted around the lake that you can only venture out to see by boat. Some of them you can even go camping on. If you’re lucky to have someone in your party that can drive a boat you can rent them by the hour or day and if not there a bunch of companies that will take you around. We made the mistake of not booking a boat before our arrival and we couldn’t even get one from the places that said they were first come first serve so make sure to Book Book Book ahead of time!
We felt we couldn’t leave Lake George without doing some sort of water sport so we went for paddle boarding instead. This is a great option, along with kayaking to see the closer parts of the lake. There is a convent rental spot on the island where The Sagamore resides. It was mostly a first come first serve which was good since there were some available but it also meant we had to wait over an hour in the brutal sun before anything freed up.
If you want to head off the lake, the town of Bolton Landing is a short walk from the island The Sagamore resides on. It’s got some cute shops lining its main street like antiques stores and boutiques but it’s really tiny so you don’t need much time to explore. There is a small brewery worth checking out if you need a cold one and some good restaurants along the way.
Coming in at 45 sq mi (120 sq km), you really need a car to get around and explore Lake George. If you have a car and you’d like to venture even further from the resort you can head to Lake George Village. It’s a much bigger town compared to that of Bolton Landing so more to see and do. And with the 20-minute drive, you start to realize how big the lake actually is!
There are lots of activities there from seeing Fort Henry, the former British Fort, to the famous Lake George Steamboat as well as a beach which surprisingly looked like it could be on the sea as easily as this huge lake. I didn’t love the village though, I found it to be a bit too touristed for my taste. I prefer the more laid-back vibe of Bolton Landing.
Another activity near the lake that shouldn’t be missed is hiking in the Adirondacks. Sadly, we didn’t realize the majority of trails with big elevation gains where you can really see the mountains in their full glory are pretty far so we opted for a close hike to Prospect Mountain. This hike is not for those weary of heights. It starts near Lake George Village and the trailhead is a metal staircase on a side street. As you walk up the grated stairs, you can hear the buzz of traffic getting louder and louder until you reach the top of the stairs and realize the way to the trail is over a grated bridge that runs across the 6 lanes of I-87! I’m usually not scared of heights but I could not look down going over this bridge!! Once you get across and grab onto a tree for dear life, lol, the trail ascends pretty steeply to the top. It’s definitely a feeling of accomplishment especially in the heat once you get to the summit but a bit disappointing when you realize there is a road with a big parking area to get you there too. Side note, even with the tree cover it gets brutally hot in the summer so it’s probably better to do hiking in the shoulder seasons and for this one, it’s probably worth just driving up for the views.
After such a strenuous hike, the need for sustenance is a must. And the nearby Lake George Village has plenty of spots to choose from for just that. I personally like to replenish my electrolytes with a nice cold beer. The obvious place to go was the Adirondack brewery so we headed straight there. It’s a great little spot with outdoor seating and a nice collection of their own brews. There is also a pretty extensive pub-style food menu if you’re feeling peckish. You could easily hang out there for hours.
If you didn’t go for the food at the brewery, don’t fret there are some great restaurants nearby. I preferred the ones in Bolton Landing especially Chateau on the Lake, which was our favorite meal. You might recognize it from the Food Network TV show, Summer Rush. It’s a family-owned restaurant, our waitress was even the granddaughter of the owner and told us all about it. The setting is really gorgeous with lake views from almost all the tables and lakeside seating. You can even pull your boat up to dock or get dropped off at the lakeside dock. Definitely request a table outside on the lawn if you can. And if you arrive early or want to stay after dinner, they have a bunch of Adirondack chairs to relax on with drinks and even some surrounding fire pits.
The food there is really good but my favorite part was the desserts. They were very inventive and definitely playing to the kid at heart. We had the s’mores which felt very fitting for the atmosphere. I almost wish I could’ve roasted the marshmallows myself! And the donuts which came with various dipping sauces and crunchies to roll them in. The fruity pebbles were so good.
Back to the resort you never have to leave, The Sagamore itself has a bunch of restaurants to choose from. There are seven to be exact but some are only open for certain meals each day so make sure to check ahead of time. The best one for the views is The Pavilion which is right on the lake. We were lucky to get a table there on the 4th of July so had front row seats to the Fireworks show. And they really put on a good show! It made it worth the trip over the crazy holiday weekend. I think I’d prefer to go back in fall or spring though when there are less crowds and you can really enjoy the hiking.
Don’t Forget:
Hotels: The Sagamore, Blue Water Manor, Highlands Castle
Restaurants: Chateau on the Lake, Beyond the Sea, Algoqnuin, The Pavillion, Tavern on the Lake, The Inn at Erlowest Restaurant, The Boathouse, The Barnsider Smokehouse BBQ