Well, rather than make the trek to Yellowstone again this year, we’ve decided to go East. After a few days with my dad, we’re heading to the Adirondacks. I’m really interested in Revolutionary history. Any suggestions for things to see?
There’s the three lake towns: Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake (they rank in that order for how tourism oriented they are). Take a drive up to the top of Whiteface Mountain. There’s the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake. Old Forge Hardware in Old Forge is an interesting general store. If you want to see military sites, there’s the forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point. (Ticonderoga’s been restored and has tours, Crown Point is in its natural condition). And while it’s not really in the Adirondacks, the Saratoga battlefield is nearby.
I don’t think the Adirondacks rates high in the rev. war though Lake George area including Ft Ticonderoga have such a history, and may be technically within the park.
You could head a little further south and take a tour of the US Military Academy at West Point. It’s quite beautiful and during the Revolution, a chain was strung across the river to prevent the British from taking boats north.
We will be staying in Lake George. Unfortunately, we won’t be there until after Labor day. I guess I should have realized state parks wouldn’t stay open into the fall, but on the NY state park website most everywhere it gives Labor day as an “end” date for the season. So while I have a few state park sites I’d like to see, I want some alternative indoor activities for possible bad weather.
Thanks for the info Little Nemo. The Saratoga battlefield site isn’t too far and I want to see Fort Ticonderoga.
As an aside, Do you know a lot about the finger lakes region? My dad now lives outside of Marion but we were hoping to go down to one of the lakes, as my best friend has never seen them before. Is one of them “better” than the other to visit? I’ve been to Hemlock more times than I can count, but that’s mainly used for fishing and we won’t have a boat.
The two big lakes are Seneca and Cayuga. If you’re coming down from Marion you should take 21 down to Canandaigua and then take 20 east to Geneva. You could then either drive down Route 14 which takes you along the western shore of Seneca Lake and brings you into Watkins Glen or take 96A and 96 which go between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes and bring you into Ithaca. Either way it’s scenic country with a lot of farms and vineyards. From there you can take 79 which runs east from Watkins Glen to Ithaca and then 13 which runs east from Ithaca to Cortland. At Cortland you can get on 81 and that’s an expressway that’ll bring you back to the Thruway at Syracuse.
The problem with these routes is that they’re going to be taking you south when your ultimate destination will be more to the north. So it’s a good drive if you don’t mind a detour off the direct route.
If you’re looking to see the lakes without driving up and down them, you should go to Canandaigua and Geneva like I said above and then stay on 20 heading east through Waterloo, Seneca Falls, Auburn, and Skaneatles. Stay on 20 and you’ll intersect 81 which you can take north to the Thruway. This route will basically take you across the tops of the finger lakes - less impressive because you’ll be seeing them at their narrowest point but you’ll make better time.
When you do the finger lakes, depending on how late season you are … grape pies /swoon
I’ve never had that before. Sounds intriguing. We’re going to be there just after Labor Day.
It is not just a jar of grape jelly in a pie crust, but it is concord grapes. You can find diverse recipes online with google. I just get lazy and one weekend when I am on the way home from Mom’s I go the long way and detour and pick up a few on the way home. Going through the right area in the wine country you can get them at grocery stores and farm stands /drool
That actually sounds good. hmm…
Thanks for the replies…the few of you who did. 
Robert Louis Stevenson had TB for a while and lived in a house in the Adirondacks. I don’t remember where exactly, but it wasn’t too long a drive from Long Lake. It’s not military, but it is inside and I found it interesting. We were also there after Labor Day and found the area enchanting! We had no idea there was so much wilderness in New York. (Keep it a secret…)
Afterwards, the drive across Vermont and New Hampshire on Route 2 will bring tears to your eyes.