We’re going to be in Albany NY in mid-april, and have a couple spare days .
I notice that there’s a big green spot on the map called the Adirondacks.
I’ve been to almost all the national Parks out west.But east…not so much.
I would enjoy a wooden-cabin type of lodging*, scenic drives and half-day easy hikes to pretty spots .
I know it won’t be as inspiring as Yosemite, but , hey, it’s green, quiet and scenic, right?
*just a bed, toilet and hot shower…no fancy restaurants required. And oh yeah, the spouse likes to be near “quaint” shops, too. )
Any suggestions?
and how cold will it be mid-April?
Not so much cold as wet. Spring is known in the Adirondacks as the mud season. And you’ll discover why the blackfly is the unofficial mascot of Northern New York.
Lake Placid is a big tourist spot so it’s good for quaint shops. You can also check out nearby Saranac Lake.
You should also go to nearby Wilmington and take the drive up Whiteface. And the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake is nice - it’s about a thirty mile drive from Lake Placid and it’s a nice scenic route.
If you’re coming up from Albany, get off the Northway at Elizabethtown and drive into Lake Placid on 9N and 73. It’s a really scenic drive along the river.
It’s really hit or miss. But day hiking will probably out of the question, as it will be very muddy or still snow covered in April (depends on if there are any late snow storms). There will be warm days (sometimes to 60F) and cold nights (often into the teens). While it is scenic, it’s the least scenic of the seasons to be in the Adirondacks. The lower elevations (relatively speaking) and rivers are very brown in April, as at that point spring hasn’t really arrived. Plus the flies, so many many files.
You also have the possibility of being hit with a three or four foot dump of snow. April is a very variable month in that area.