family reunion Lake George NY

[stpetedisneydad]

A view of the lake from Prospect Mountain

The Lake George Steamboat Company boats

Artistic view of the Minne-Ha-Ha

Don't know what the name of these cabins are, took the pic from the Minne-Ha-Ha but they look nice.

Martha's sign. Only took the pic cause my better half likes roosters, just happened to get the name in the shot by accident. One of the rides at the Great Escape across the street in the lower right corner.

 

[dandelion]

Another area native here -

There are two cruiseboat companies, the Lake George Steamboat Company which has 3 vessels, and Shoreline Cruises, which has two mid-sized vessels. So there are actually many options for cruises, including meals or not, daytime or evening, for fireworks etc. By next year it may have changed again, there was a terrible incident with a tour group on Shoreline Cruises and it is still in litigation. The Steamboat Co. has been around longer, and my family has enjoyed both the 1-hour paddleboat cruise on the MinnieHaHa and the longer trip among the islands on the Mohican. We've never eaten on any of cruises, so sorry no advice on that.

The only Lake George area hotel we've stayed in is the Great Escape Lodge. It was fun, but if you want to be "in" the village it's not the best location. It's appeal is the waterpark, which was a fun winter break for us northern folk.

Unlike a previous poster, we do like the Log Jam restaurant (in the outlets area).

If you can plan your trip before the racing meet starts in late July in Saratoga, prices will be lower and crowds lighter. Unless of course you want to experience thoroughbred racing - then it's the August place to be!

Other area favorites of ours:
Suttons on Rte. 9, just south of Great Escape
Ridge Terrace on Rte. 9L, a nice drive east of the lake
Martha's Ice Cream
The Glen drive-in
the 'battlegrounds' picnic area adjacent to Million Dollar Beach
playing mini-golf at getting a cone at the Pink Roof

Enjoy!

 

[Lucky4me]

Thank you everyone for the info. It's always better to get it from the locals. We will be there next week and this those photos are beautiful! I'm looking forward to a few days of RnR. I have a few more questions-

How's the shopping in lake George?
Best place for seafood?
Steaks?
barbecue?

I booked a 3* Hotwire room and ended up with Tahoe Beach Club resort for $70 a night. It's on the lake, but looks very small. I'm a bit worried because they are not even listed with AAA.
The reviews are mixed, but it looks like they've been renovating, so hoping for the best.

After Lake George, we're heading up to Lake Placid and staying at the Crowne Plaza resort. Now that looks like a lovely hotel. I told dh if Tahoe resort is just awful, at least we have that to look forward to in a couple of days. :lol

Thanks again!

 

[dandelion]

Hi Lucky4me,

We like Lake George (live just outside Saratoga) but have been to Placid twice this year and are returning in September, so I think you can tell which area we prefer. We've been lucky to get some very good deals at another resort there, the High Peaks. Friends of mine have stayed at and like the Crowne Plaza, so I think you'll be fine there. I will suggest the creperie shop right on Main St. for breakfast (or lunch)

Ok, so shopping in Lake George. It's mostly t-shirts and souvenir items. Every year a few new gift shops come in and try to make a go, but you really won't find much IMO. For more boutique type shopping, go north to Bolton Landing, or south to Saratoga Springs. This is the height of racing season now, so lots of shopping and dining options are going strong in downtown Saratoga.

You may enjoy the outlet store shopping - south of Lake George on Rte. 9. Or Suttons, a little further south and past the Great Escape theme park, is a boutique type store and cafe. Rachael Ray sometimes does commercials for them. If you get completely rained out some day, there are malls with the usual stores and move theaters at exit 19 and exit 15 of I-87. The forecast sounds pretty good so far, I'm glad because my DD will be camping in northern Lake George.

For steaks we do like the Log Jam. For seafood we go to Red Lobster that's at exit 19 also. But for finer dining I do like the Ridge Terrace on 9L or the Montcalm which is in the outlets area.

Honestly we don't go out a lot here. Prices are high (think Disney prices) and our dining out $$ have gone to vacation dining. I do appreciate all the visitors to this area, they keep the restaurants open through the long cold winters and help pay our property taxes.

 

[Lucky4me]

Wow thanks so much!
Yes, Lake Placid looks so nice. The photo's on The Crowne Plaza resort website are breathtaking.
We'll look for the log jam restaurant.
dh is going to golf in Lake Placid, not sure about Lake George yet.
I can poke around the gift shops a little and relax by the pool a lot.
Our goal is total relaxation. I'm going to check out spa services in Lake Placid. I could go for a manipedi and maybe a massage.

(you didn't mention the Tahoe resort. Are we going to ? We're not all that picky and for the price are not expecting much. I just want clean and no bugs.)

 

[lisa-upnorth]

I can't believe I forgot to tell ya about Suttons and Marthas!!!Thank god my fellow northereners are on the ball!

 

[dandelion]

(you didn't mention the Tahoe resort. Are we going to ? We're not all that picky and for the price are not expecting much. I just want clean and no bugs.)

Sorry to scare you. I don't know anything about the Tahoe, good or bad. Bugs are pretty rare in hotels up here, it's too darn cold.

You may want to check out our local news: http://www.poststar.com/

It will have info about what's going on in the area, movie listings etc.

 

[Lucky4me]

Sorry to scare you. I don't know anything about the Tahoe, good or bad. Bugs are pretty rare in hotels up here, it's too darn cold.

You may want to check out our local news: http://www.poststar.com/

It will have info about what's going on in the area, movie listings etc.

Not knowing about it is better than knowing something bad about it. I think it will be fine.
Thanks and thanks for the news site too.

 

[Lucky4me]

We are back from Lake George and Lake Placid.
Wow, what a beautiful area of NY state!
Tahoe resort in Lake George was okay. It was a little far out from town and a lot of stairs to get to and from the pool and beach. The room was clean and the beds were comfortable, so all in all it was fine. We went tubing down the Hudson river and dh parasailed on the lake. That was a lot of fun! We shopped a lot, souvenirs are much cheaper here than anywhere else I've ever visited.I outfitted the entire family in sweats and T's.
We ate dinner at The Log Jam and we must have hit it on the wrong night. The salad bar was skimpy, there was no bread left except raisin bread, the steaks were over cooked and the table was sticky. $27 for a NY strip seemed like a lot too, even in a tourist town.
We enjoyed the Italian restaurant in town much better the next night and our bill was about half of The Log Jam bill. I did enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant and learning about it's history.

The Crowne Plaza at Lake Placid was wonderful. We had a beautiful view of Whiteface mountain and Mirror Lake. There wasn't as much to do there as in Lake George, but it was very relaxing. The pool and hot tub were nice and there was a lot of room on the grounds to take a walk or sit on a bench and take in the views. There are over stuffed couches and chairs near a fireplace on the first floor to sit and relax as well. I imagine those are very popular in the winter.
I took several hundred pictures and need to download them. I had no idea there were mountains like that in this state!
We liked it so much, I'm already looking for a house to rent to take the whole family next year.

 

[minniebeth]

A view of the lake from Prospect Mountain

The Lake George Steamboat Company boats

Artistic view of the Minne-Ha-Ha

Don't know what the name of these cabins are, took the pic from the Minne-Ha-Ha but they look nice.

Martha's sign. Only took the pic cause my better half likes roosters, just happened to get the name in the shot by accident. One of the rides at the Great Escape across the street in the lower right corner.

The cabins and "resort" that you see in the photo is The Lodges at Cresthaven:
www.cresthavenlodges.com

My DH grew up going to Lake George and this is on our wish list of places to visit...this is where we would like to stay! It looks very nice!
Hope that helps...

 

[MUFFYCAT]

The lodges are time shares but you can rent them for the week for about $3500 and up.

The drive-in movies can be fun for the kids. It's the only one I know that is still open.
I do like the outlets. Some of the stores may be small but that stocked with good inventory. I went to tTangers Oulet the other day and thought Lake George's was better.

We stay at Depe Dene. It's a bit outdated and worn but most of the places are up there.

 

[minniebeth]

The lodges are time shares but you can rent them for the week for about $3500 and up.

The drive-in movies can be fun for the kids. It's the only one I know that is still open.
I do like the outlets. Some of the stores may be small but that stocked with good inventory. I went to tTangers Oulet the other day and thought Lake George's was better.

We stay at Depe Dene. It's a bit outdated and worn but most of the places are up there.

I had no idea the lodges were so expensive! Guess we'll be saving up for a looong time!

 

[cel_disney]

We love the Marine Village Resort - its right in town and has great amenities!

 

[dandelion]

The drive-in movies can be fun for the kids. It's the only one I know that is still open.

There is one still open a little south of Saratoga Springs, the Malta Drive-In.
It's much less user-friendly though, won't let you bring in your own drinks and snacks. We still like the Glen, and DS and I were there on Tues. night.

Lucky4me, I'm sorry the Log Jam was not such a good experience. I haven't been there for dinner in many years, and certainly not during tourist season. Maybe they just can't keep up with the higher demand, but it's been open for years and is owned by local folks so they really should know what to expect. When we go for lunch the salad bar and bread offerings are always plentiful.

Lake Placid is a very different experience, but the hikers, hockey and Olympic fans and rock-climbers would never say there is less to do. I like it for being a little quieter than LG, and dh is an avid fly fishermen so he's glad to get out on those streams.

I just drove up to Silver Bay (on northern end of Lake George) to pick up DD at a camp and it was such a pretty day out on the lake. Wish I was 12 and could spend a week at camp too!

 

[Lucky4me]

There is one still open a little south of Saratoga Springs, the Malta Drive-In.
It's much less user-friendly though, won't let you bring in your own drinks and snacks. We still like the Glen, and DS and I were there on Tues. night.

Lucky4me, I'm sorry the Log Jam was not such a good experience. I haven't been there for dinner in many years, and certainly not during tourist season. Maybe they just can't keep up with the higher demand, but it's been open for years and is owned by local folks so they really should know what to expect. When we go for lunch the salad bar and bread offerings are always plentiful.

Lake Placid is a very different experience, but the hikers, hockey and Olympic fans and rock-climbers would never say there is less to do. I like it for being a little quieter than LG, and dh is an avid fly fishermen so he's glad to get out on those streams.

I just drove up to Silver Bay (on northern end of Lake George) to pick up DD at a camp and it was such a pretty day out on the lake. Wish I was 12 and could spend a week at camp too!

No worries Dandelion, I was in the restaurant business for years and know even the best places have off nights now and again. We kind of expect it when traveling and eating at restaurants every night. Thanks for all your help!
I think we both liked Lake Placid more than Lake George. dh for the golf and I loved the peaceful mountain scenery. I took pictures of Mirror lake at different times of day for the light-I can't wait to see how they turned out.
It was truly a 'get away from it all' kind of place. I think my kids would like Lake George better, just for all the activities. I'm already planning a trip for all of us next year. It is very expensive, I can't seem to find a cottage for under $300 a night in peak season. People say Disney World is expensive, it's a bargain compared to these two places! We spent more this week than I will spend on my Disney trip in October.

We're picking up our 14 yo dd from camp tomorrow too. I know she will want to go with us next year when we tell her all about LG and LP, but I know she had a blast at camp too. I think that's what spurred dh and I to jump in the car and have sort of our own week at camp. Camp with pillow top mattresses and room service, just how I like it.
It is kind of strange that it took me until last year to visit New York city and then this year to visit upstate NY. I've traveled all over the country and didn't know what was in my own backyard all this time.
I highly recommend visiting both!

 

[dandelion]

I'm already planning a trip for all of us next year. It is very expensive, I can't seem to find a cottage for under $300 a night in peak season.

Right in the village or LG lakeside, you probably won't, unfortunately. We've had good luck going to some of the smaller lakes: Loon Lake, Schroon Lake, Brant Lake. Our cap is about $1000/wk, and that's for a 2 or 3 bedroom house. I've sometimes gone through a realtor, this year I booked through VRBO. Haven't had a problem yet (fingers crossed).

People say Disney World is expensive, it's a bargain compared to these two places! We spent more this week than I will spend on my Disney trip in October.

but true. It's a tourist economy, based on a 2-month tourist season. Disney World has 12 months to remove $$ from your wallet.

It is kind of strange that it took me until last year to visit New York city and then this year to visit upstate NY. I've traveled all over the country and didn't know what was in my own backyard all this time.
I highly recommend visiting both!

And I haven't been to NYC since about 1990! I like my own backyard. (and Disney, and Maine, and this year we got to Ireland and Scotland).

 

[krcit]

I just got back today form lake George. Stayed for a week at Dunhams Bay Resort. It had pros and cons. The pros are that the grounds are very nice and would be perfect for a family reunion. We stayed in a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom porch suite. It was us and another family and this set-up was perfect b/c the 2 suites shared one big covered porch. There is a great fire-pit that they will light for you and they had entertainment on Sat night(singer/guitar) and a DJ lst night. There is an indoor pool/hot tub and a good restaurant on site that will deliver to your room(kids meal is $4.99 and includes drink and ice cream)Everyone who works there was very nice. It is on the quite side of the lake-about a 10 minute drive into the village. they had a ping-pong table, tennis courts, tether ball, volleyball net and a pool table inside at the downstairs bar. We had drinks inside the restaurant bar one night and we were the only ones in there. We were a group of just 2 families but I think it would be a great place to have a larger group-there is plenty of space to spread out. The rooms were very clean. Our suite had a microwave, a toaster, 2 burners and a charcoal grill outside. The kitchen was stocked with plates, pots, cutlery,dishtowels etc. Actually, the more I write, I think there was only one con to the place and that is that the beach is across the street and is very small, however it was never crowded the whole week we were there. Let me know if you have any questions about it and I'll see if i can answer them.

Oh, btw, do NOT go to Georges Restaurant. It is an over-priced tourist trap with lousy food!

 

[kkleiner]

We are currently staying (i.e. right now, last week in August) at the Sunset Mountain Lodge in Brant Lake NY, about minutes from Bolton Landing and about 35 minutes from Lake George village.

We have about 21 people here, and we rented the place for $4000 for the week. Private beach access, free boat usage (kayak, canoe, paddle boat). The owner gave us the whole week and free use of their large kitchen, huge dining room area, etc.

It's a bit rustic, but great for a huge group.

If you want more info, PM me....