What should I expect should I visit Lake George over Memorial Day weekend? Is it insane? I shouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole…or, is it the best kept secret in NY? …or, something in between? On a scale of 1-10 (10 craziest), just how bad can it get?
It’s busy all summer. Not really a bad place to visit, with a lot of tacky charm, but it can get crowded. There are dozens of hotels in the village and many more just outside and everyone heads to the beach. I’ve never been to the Million Dollar Beach (the main one) in summer, but I suspect you need to get there early. But if you are in a hotel on the Lake, that should be fine.
Things to do: Take a ride one of the ships of the Lake George Steamboat Company. The Minne-Ha-Ha is probably the best, but any of the others are close. Shoreline cruises are good, too.* You get a look at the lake and its history. Some of the dinner cruises might be worth it; and if there are fireworks, they have cruises for that.
Waterslide world is fun if you’d rather be at a pool than the beach. Not far away is the Great Escape. That was fun years ago, but now that Six Flags runs it, it’s set up to find ways to overcharge you and make you feel like you don’t deserve to be there. (You used to be able to bring picnics; that’s banned, and the Park security will force you to throw out any food you try to bring in, so much so that schoolkids ended up with out any lunch at all).
I like to visit Bolton Landing, a small town a little ways up the lake on the same time as the Village. The stores there are more upscale, not the cheap tacky gift shops you find in the Village. You can also make a day trip to Lake Placid, if you like. Lots of Olympic memories and also some decent shopping.
Another place to visit is Natural Stone Bridge and Caves in Pottersville. Basically it’s a nature trail along a bunch of sandstone rocks, caves, and cliffs. Grab a walking stick – you’ll need it.
The restaurants I’ve liked have gone out of business, though you can get good pub food at the Shoreline. Another good place – not fancy – is the Barnsider just south of the main drag.
Any questions, PM me. I know the area well.
*When they’re not capsizing and killing their passengers, as happened a couple of years ago.
The water is freakin’ cold even in August when it’s at its warmest. In May it’s barely above freezing, this May there may still be icebergs floating offshore. I recommend a dry suit if you plan to swim.
Wuss.
I grew up swimming in ice cold fresh water lakes. You get used to it =)
I’m always torn between the Around the World mini golf course and Goony Golf. Goony Golf is advertised as the Gooniest.
Liar.
Thanks for bringing back some childhood memories. The Minnie-Ha-Ha, Great Escape, the tacky gift shops, the mini golf. Great stuff.
The only real caution I’d render is if there’s an accident on the Northway be prepared to sit in traffic for several hours. Exits are few and far between, and alternate route 9 jams up quickly.
Around the World is way better.
The Northway? is that like I-87, IIRC? Remember, I’m a hick. Just not a local hick!
Last two time I went, I couldn’t buy a decent weather day. My family and I were up there in July wearing sweaters and long pants. I’ll freely admit to being a wuss who doesn’t want to swim in cold water and I have no intentions on getting used to it. Of course, the weather turned the day we were leaving, so it was just my bad luck.
We did a bunch of fishing and lake touring. We hit Six Flags, but I wasn’t terribly impressed. Now that the kids are grown, if my wife and I were to go back, it would be for fishing and drinking (though NY wine country would be better for the latter).
Yeah it’s I-87.
Lake George is a tacky touristy town. It’s nicer later in the year because the lake warms up from arctic to merely freezing. Honestly it depends on what you look for in a vacation.
And back before it was Six Flags or even the Great Escape, there was Storytown USA. Does Six Flags still have the kid-sized “Three Little Pigs” houses, etc? Or has that stuff been replaced now that it has gone corporate with things modern kids are more likely to relate to like Dora and Pokemon?
Last time I was there, some of Storytown were still around, but that was at least ten years ago. From the maps, it looks like they’re gone. There was also an old ride from Freedomland, too, but that’s also gone. Six Flags takes all the fun out of fun; everything Disney does right, Six Flags does wrong.
It is definitely not this. It is a tourist town, and a well-known one.
That said, it can be a lot of fun. I’ve been there twice and had a blast both times.