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Upstate New York |
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Upstate New York
The vast Upstate New York region—essentially the whole state of New York minus the Big Apple and Long Island--stretches nearly 300 miles from Albany to Niagara Falls. The heart of Upstate, though, is the beautiful Adirondack region, an idyllic area of mountains, lakes, and grand hotels that make a perfect base for exploring.
Activities and Attractions:
Adirondack Park is the largest park in the lower 48. It includes a million acres of wilderness, but there are also a surprising number of settlements. Lake Placid is one such place, big enough to have hosted the Olympics twice (in 1932 and 1980), but small enough to maintain its village status.
At the nearby MacKenzie-Intervale Ski Jumping Complex you can stand at the top of a ski-jump tower and watch professionals do their twisting, tumbling thing. You can do plenty of traditional skiing and snowboarding in the High Peaks area, and in the summer there’s hiking, biking, and swimming.
In the less-alpine Lake George area, find old-fashioned family fun at one of several amusement parks. The long narrow lake itself is a beautiful attraction. Take a steamboat cruise, go bass fishing, or watch the autumn leaves turn from the shore.
In the Champlain Valley, still within the park, visit the antebellum time capsule village of Essex, or take an afternoon to discover Fort Ticonderoga, a military installation dating back to the French and Indian War.
The Adirondacks will keep you busy as long as you need them too, but the area is also the doorway to the rest of Upstate New York, including the beautiful Finger Lakes in western New York, and the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown.
Insider Tip:
At the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex, you can ride a bobsled down the actual track used in the 1980 Winter Games.
-Exclusively for Perfect Escapes by Nicole Clausing |
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