At some point, looking at nothing but skyscrapers, subway trains, and miles of endless pavement will make one forget what the sky looks like. I've reached that point. So it was off to Lake George over the Fourth of July weekend for some much needed change of scenery. I've always heard that Upstate New York is a beauty, and after getting suckered into a Lake George tourism brochure earlier this year, I decided the time was right for a little getaway.
Getting there by Greyhound/Trailways was quite the ordeal. The five-ish hours on the bus weren't even the worst part. As a Greyhound rookie, I had no idea you're supposed to get to the station an hour before your bus leaves. Mine was so full for the holiday that I couldn't get on until the next one an hour later, which then led to a 2-hour delay with my connection. Complaints to the Albany station customer service drew blank stares; I think I've had better luck talking to cattle. You know, the Chinatown bus gets a lot of flack, but I actually think Greyhound takes the cake.
Trailways bus over Albany skyline.
Still, once we were in Lake George (three hours late), my travel stresses quickly melted away. Staying at this adorable, well-kept little cabin made me want to say, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Manhattan anymore":
The
Lake George Village was a charming little slice of Americana:
$1 Trolley - Too bad they weren't very frequent.
By far the most enjoyable part of the trip was riding on the
Lake George steamboats: Lunch buffet cruise (with live entertainment) on the
Lac du Saint Sacrement was absolutely heavenly.
The Mohican fireworks cruise was completely freezing. It's cold on the lake!
The Minnie-Ha-Ha (named after the heroine in a Longfellow poem) is one of the last steam paddleboats in the country.
This boathouse is on its way to being in the lake rather than on it.
The engine room.
The steam-powered pipes play tunes like "Yankee Doodle Dandy."
Plenty to do beyond the steamboats as well...
Lake George Dinner Show with July 3 fireworks on the lawn afterward:
Romantic comedy
Old Love was a witty tale of finding love after the age of 50. Not quite Broadway, but solid meal entertainment. Pork tenderloin was delicious.
-- Good, cheap thrills via pitch-black walkways and creepy puppets.
Fort William Henry Museum -- A British fort that was seized by French armies during the French and Indian War.
Our costumed tour guide demonstrates making bullets out of liquid lead.
A torture-victim model hangs out in the creepy dungeon -- how suffocating!
The most entertaining part of the tour was watching the little kids simulate a battle drill.
Our tour guide's blasting musket has the kids scared.
"Welcome to the King's Army!" (a.k.a. "signing away your life.")
-- For the first time I won enough tickets to get a prize that wasn't of the rubber spider variety...
...and it was all because of this awesome game:
-- Quite possibly the best waffles I've ever had.
So much for leaving the crowds of Manhattan behind; Lake George was bursting at the seams with tourists. But even so, there was ample time to kick back and relax by the lake shore or sit on some streetside benches and people-watch. The one thing that would've been helpful was a car, as there were so many other attractions nearby that could only be reached that way (rafting/tubing, horseback riding, hiking, etc.)
The Adirondacks were a refreshing escape. If Manhattan life feels a bit compressed at times, there's nothing like coming up for air with a limitless sky on a gorgeous, open lake.
Where do you go for a getaway?
The Minnie-Ha-Ha (named after the heroine in a Longfellow poem) is one of the last steam paddleboats in the country.
This boathouse is on its way to being in the lake rather than on it.
The engine room.
The steam-powered pipes play tunes like "Yankee Doodle Dandy."
A torture-victim model hangs out in the creepy dungeon -- how suffocating!
Our tour guide's blasting musket has the kids scared.
Comments (5)
I go to the pier/beach twenty minutes away :)
For the past 4 years or so, I've gone up to Rhode Island with friends to get away from New York City. It's quite amazing how relaxing and refreshing just getting away from NYC can be. Basically all we do up there is barbecue, fish, canoe or kayak, and eat, but we always have a blast.
My family and I used to go to Lake George when I was younger. We went like twice. It was so much fun! I highly reccommend it.
I used to live in Albany so my friends and I would take atleast one weekly trip to Lake George every summer.
Saratoga is really nice, too! But of course plenty of tourists will be around.
Actually in 6th grade (after the 9/11 attacks) our trip to Boston was canceled so we took a trip to Lake George, went to Fort William Henry and then a ride on the Minnie Ha Ha.
hills, piers, parks