Need advice for a one week summer vacation in the Adirondacks (New York: real estate, rentals)

[soundtweakers]

Hello, I'm planning a 5 day 4 night family vacation in the Adirondacks to escape from the concrete jungle we work and live in. Since I've never been there I'm hoping to get some ideas on a particular area I should focus my planning on....the Adirondacks is huge.

Here are things we'd like to do:
Nature hikes, forest trails, calm lake canoeing/swimming, horse riding(for beginners), nature museum, water parks....etc. The more nature, the better, but can not be too far out in the country since I'll have my 5 year old with us...you know how it is...food, bathroom....etc.

The # 1 thing we try to avoid:
Luxury resorts with parking lot full of BMWs and Mercedes is the number one thing I'm trying to avoid. Can't afford it, don't want to see it.

Please suggest any particular area of the Adirondacks that's more "working class" family friendly, name of the lake, name of the town, any information, links....etc. will all be very helful for us.

Greatly appreciated!!

[plattsburgher]

around the Tupper/Saranac Lake area.............so many ponds, canoe routes, can be escapist, but near a town if necessary, has the huge brand new interactive Wild Center which everyone is raving about..........think kids would love it and I am sure there are some places where you could do horseback riding, just would have to do research and if you want a really neat water park area go to Old Forge.........no place like it. You won't get the tacky feeling of Lake George and bumper to bumper traffic in the summer. Just sort of takes the fun out of it for me now.......
If you like that sort of thing, it has huge doses of 'manufactured fun'......there must be twenty miniature golf courses in a 5 block area, but it isn't real get back to nature fun............Call or write the North Country Chamber of Commerce either here or Lake Placid and they can probably send you some info.......or look online? There are numerous booklets about the area around Saranac Lake/Tupper Lake. That's my first pic for a bit of everything you are asking about.........You will actually feel as though you are on a real live exploration rather than being transplanted from one city to a smaller touristy place...........
That whole area of the ADKs is very real.

[cp102]

The natural history museum is awesome, click on the link below and you can view videos and read all about it. http://www.wildcenter.org/

http://www.geocities.com/dickert_museum/dickert1.html
wildlife museum in Saranac Lake, 1st floor of library

Official Guide To The Adirondacks & Adirondack Mountains: Hotels, Real Estate, Vacation Guide & More!
i found this link and if you click on it and then look on the right side of the page it lists towns and clickon each one and it tells you what each town has.

The areas around Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Long Lake are just breathtaking beautiful. Plenty of places to camp, swim and enjoy a good time with your family.

[garmin239]

I recommend the museum in blue mountain lake

[Sgoldie]

Old Forge is perfect for someone with young kids. There's a sandy public beach right in the middle of the village across the street from most of the motels. You can rent a boat or take a cruise on the chain of lakes via the themed cruise boats all right there. There is a small movie theater and an old fashioned hardware store that carries everything under the sun for Adirondack living and a waterpark all within walking distance. You really can't go wrong.

There are cute shops, kayak rentals, horseback riding, backwoods trails, the occasional deer roaming the streets, and the Adirondack Museum at Blue Mtn Lake a few short miles away. You can also find cabins to rent by the week.

[ckhthankgod]

I would think that the Ticonderoga area is good too. Fort Ticonderoga is close by and it seems to be more small town America. Glens Falls is close by as well.

[soundtweakers]

Thank you all so much for the valuable info. We'll be traveling there from NYC the week after the 4th of July. Would that time be considered the high summer vacation season for the area?

thanks again.

[plattsburgher]

Make any reservations asap.............even camp sites are filling up early due to economy and then you have the Canadians who come down. The good thing is you are about one week ahead of their national company shutdown. The last two weeks in July, the whole country goes on vacation and almost all of them seem to come through here.............not complaining at all though because they are great for local businesses and tend to end up buying second homes or moving here sometimes............Our hospital even treats Canadians at our cancer treatment center because the wait up there is so long............(nationalized health care isn't always the best in certain situations). Anyway, please read my direct message.......

[plattsburgher]

Think if you are trying to square away a place to stay in the near future, my choice for what you seem to want for your family is to stay around Saranac Lake area....................check out Saranac Lake, NY - In The Heart Of The Adirondacks, #1 small town in New York State, #11 in the U.S.A., Family Attractions, Retirement, Real Estate, Banking, Hiking, Fishing, Canoeing, Skiing, Winter Sports, Outdoor Recreation, The Arts, Center of th

There are many motel/hotel listings there and you can comparation shop for whatever you and your family want most. It looks like there are a couple of cabin places and some newer motels for around 70 per night. The B and B's are more, but it looks like most or all of them are on one lake or another which I think you will absolutely love especially when you hear the loons at evening or morning............

There also is an 800 number: 800-347-1992 listed and if I know this area, they will knock themselves out trying to find the best spot for you and your family...........Good luck!

[soundtweakers]

thanks so much, you are way awesome!!

Originally Posted by plattsburgher

Think if you are trying to square away a place to stay in the near future, my choice for what you seem to want for your family is to stay around Saranac Lake area....................check out Saranac Lake, NY - In The Heart Of The Adirondacks, #1 small town in New York State, #11 in the U.S.A., Family Attractions, Retirement, Real Estate, Banking, Hiking, Fishing, Canoeing, Skiing, Winter Sports, Outdoor Recreation, The Arts, Center of th

There are many motel/hotel listings there and you can comparation shop for whatever you and your family want most. It looks like there are a couple of cabin places and some newer motels for around 70 per night. The B and B's are more, but it looks like most or all of them are on one lake or another which I think you will absolutely love especially when you hear the loons at evening or morning............

There also is an 800 number: 800-347-1992 listed and if I know this area, they will knock themselves out trying to find the best spot for you and your family...........Good luck!