The Adirondacks and Thousand Islands: Places to Explore

Adirondack State Park was created by the state in 1892, and two years later a large chunk of the land was designated "forever wild," prohibiting future development. The official park boundaries encompass... Read more

The vacation center and heart of the Thousand Islands area, Alexandria Bay sits at the edge of the St. Lawrence River. In the late 1800s the village was a popular vacation spot and steamboat stop, attracting... Read more

Thanks to the impressive carving abilities of the Ausable River, which cut through deep layers of sandstone, Ausable Chasm has a trio of treasures: high cliffs (nearly 200 feet in places), waterfalls... Read more

At the edge of Blue Mountain Lake, this hamlet is home to only a few hundred people. Outdoors lovers come to the area, the geographic heart of Adirondack Park, for the boating, fishing (largemouth bass... Read more

A community of about 2,000 year-round residents, Bolton Landing, 8 mi north of the village of Lake George, hugs the western shore of Lake George, which is dotted with small coves and islands. In the 1800s... Read more

Clayton, which occupies a promontory jutting into the St. Lawrence River, quietly maintains its riverine heritage. Settled in 1822, it was once a major shipbuilding port and steamship stop. Later in the... Read more

The entire area near Crown Point was once known as Ironville, though that name now belongs to a small hamlet nearby. Crown Point is a quiet town, but the rich bed of iron ore discovered here in the early... Read more

The road to Lake George begins in Glens Falls, about 10 mi south and east of Adirondack Park's formal boundary, 194 mi north of New York City and 48 mi north of Albany. With a population of more than 15,000... Read more

The village of Lake George, in the Adirondack foothills, sits at the southern end of the lake of the same name. It's a family-focused tourist area, chockablock with motels, eateries, small outlet malls... Read more

The village of Lake Placid isn't on Lake Placid; it's on the shore of Mirror Lake, one of the most beautiful of the Adirondack lakes. The village's namesake lake lies just north of the village. Because... Read more

Nestled between the mountains and the Hudson River gorge, the village of North Creek makes a good base for a variety of outdoor activities. Just southwest of the village is Gore Mountain—with a 2,150-foot... Read more

Located in the southwest corner of Adirondack Park, the village of Old Forge sits at the west end of the Fulton Chain of Lakes. In years past it was a hub for wealthy travelers who arrived by train and... Read more

This Lake Ontario village was settled in 1800, and many of the buildings here are from the early 19th century. The visitor center has a walking-tour brochure you can follow through the historic district... Read more

The village of Saranac Lake sits on small Flower Lake; the three lakes that go by the name Saranac—Lower Saranac, Middle Saranac, and Upper Saranac—are to the west. Although its population... Read more

Ticonderoga is an Iroquois term meaning "land of many waters," and Ticonderoga,30 mi northeast of Bolton's Landing, lives up to its name. It's between Lakes George and Champlain, and the LaChute River... Read more

Once a logging and transportation center, Tupper Lake is today a quiet spot with about 3,800 residents. The village sits on Raquette Pond (the lake named Tupper is just west of it), with smaller bodies... Read more

Wilmington is home to Whiteface Mountain ski area, where the alpine events of the 1980 Winter Olympics were held.... Read more