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All suggestions so far are great ones - but since you are planning for a springtime visit, I'd go with a NYC/Long Island combo. The Adirondacks & especially Lake George are still a little cool, especially if the kids want to swim in Lake George. Not that LG waters ever really "warm up" , but I swim in the northern end and find it a lot more enjoyable toward the end of summer.
Springtime in NYC, ahhh...nothing like it. It's fresh & clean, everyone is in a great mood. You don't have to worry about lugging your heavy winter gear everywhere. Tons of free stuff - park concerts, waterfront festivals, etc. You can take the one of the CitySights bus tours - I think they have other names/companies as well. Took my nephew & his GF to NYC last summer & we did the hop on, hop off bit with the double decker buses. It's great to pick & choose what to see without having to stick to a rigid schedule.
We scoured the web for coupons; downloaded some from a NYC tourism site - that alone gave us ideas. We stood in line for less than 15 minutes & got half price tkts to a Broadway show and had quite a few to choose from. We did the Statue of Liberty & all the other "touristy" things. I've been to those every time I have an out-of-town guest, and I never get tired of it. Capped off the trip with a stop at Ground Zero.
My nephew said he really felt the strength of the human spirit throughout NYC. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the places you list - but for the time of year; springtime in NYC is tough to beat.
I believe they do. They also have combo passes & family packs. Actually, they have so many different packs, it's worth it to check the website. I think that was one of the sites we hit up for a coupon.
but I would also check the home page of mta for more info since the last time I used them was over 9 months ago. Most of my treks to the city of late have needed my van, so I drive. First time I drove to NYC, I white-knuckled it the whole way, thinking of all the horror stories I'd heard. Now it's a pc. of cake. If I want to bounce around the city, I get my van in as far as one of the hotel parking garages just outside Times Square off 8th. You don't have to be a hotel guest to use most of them; you just won't get the same hotel rate. The attendants are very nice & helpful as well.
I meant to add before, if you are worried your teenagers will be bored in NYC, don't be! I've taken all my nieces & nephews through at one time or another - all during their teen years - and we ran out of time before we ran out of things to do.
There used to be an outside kiosk thing in Times Square called Animation Station. I didn't see it the last time down - hope it's still in existence somewhere in NYC. Anyway, they give kids (and adults too!) things like clay & string, drawing paints etc. Making shapes & writing thought clouds; you "create" an animated short that can be viewed & saved on your PC. It's a fun break in the day for kids.
If you do end up with a vacation in the Adirondacks instead, have you visited Six Flags Great Escape yet? I know....an amusement park is an amusement park is an..........but they do have some good coasters & my relatives loved the water park.
Schuylerville and the Town of Saratoga have the Saratoga Battle Monument and the General Schuyler House. They are open May to October. Saratoga National Historical Park is open all year and is a few miles outside of town.
Parts of the Battle of Saratoga, considered the turning point of the Revolutionary War, were fought all around and in the Village of Schuylerville. We celebrate this every year on the first Sunday in August with The Turning Point Parade.
We have an extremely beautiful and unspoiled section of the Hudson River. You can take a ride on the Hudson on Captain Bob's paddle wheel boat, the Caldwell Belle. It is docked at Lock 5 on the Champlain Canal, just north of the village.
If you visit in late July or August you can visit Saratoga Racetrack which is 15 minutes west of Schuylerville.
You can stop in Cooperstown on the way to or from Schuylerville. I have been to Cooperstown twice and it is a nice little town. I am a baseball fan so I love the museum too. Try to go when the kids are in school if you can. The crowds are much smaller.
You can stop in Cooperstown on the way to or from Schuylerville. I have been to Cooperstown twice and it is a nice little town. I am a baseball fan so I love the museum too. Try to go when the kids are in school if you can. The crowds are much smaller.
Wherever you go, have a nice vacation.
Thanks. Planning for a roadtrip, we'll be able to turn off for one or two side-stops. Cooperstown might be a definate for the Baseball Hall of Fame.
BTW - I forgot about Cooperstown that a few posters above recommend. That really is a great town. I don't even know much about baseball & I still loved the Hall of Fame. And Glimmerglass Lake sure has an appropriate name!
If you are asking about MTA passes which will give you unlimited subway and bus usage, the answer is yes. A one-day "Fun Pass" costs $7.50 and can be purchased at the self-service kiosks at any subway station.
If you are asking about the double-decker tour buses, the answer is also yes. They have full-day "hop on, hop off" passes. The two companies that run those buses are City Sights NY and Gray Line. Those tickets are about $40.
Another vote for Cooperstown. If you want a combo of outdoor/tourist activities, camp at Glimmerglass State Park (which is at the north end of the lake) and then you're just a few minutes' drive away from the town, which is very nice to hang out in even if you're not a baseball fan. And if you have time, don't forget to take a ride along Route 20 for stunning views of the Mohawk Valley.
Note: Glimmerglass Lake is not its real name... on maps you will see it as its proper name, Otsego Lake.
Another suggestion... Watkins Glen, especially if you are a car racing fan. Again, camp at the spectacular Watkins Glen State Park, which is literally inside the town itself (the Watkins Glen gorge alone is worth the trip, count on spending a whole day there), and then go see a race at the speedway. They have NASCAR events and Indy car events. And wine country is right near by. Here's a tip: go to Watkins Glen in the Indian summer/early fall when they have their "Vintage Grand Prix" with old sports cars. Lots of fun, and relatively less crowds than for NASCAR or Indy days.
If you are interested in going to Lake Champlain... Consider staying in Ticonderoga (you'll get past the Lake George mobs) and using it as a "home base" to see historical sites in the area and also for touring Vermont. If you like camping, you can camp 10 miles north of Ticonderoga at Crown Point, a very cool spot that has old ruins to explore, and there is a bridge to Vermont there (no ferry required).
Lake George is lovely, of course, but I find it expensive and crowded most of the time.
Last edited by Jeromeville; 02-07-2009 at 11:53 AM..
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, but I swim in the northern end and find it a lot more enjoyable toward the end of summer.
....but they do have some good coasters & my relatives loved the water park.
Come visit the Schuylerville area
