4khansen

We are arriving in Rochester on June 16th and have reservations in Lake Placid on June 18th.

Does anyone have suggestions for the best route between the two and what we could do in that amount of time, first trip to New York. Love to go to a winery and see the finger lakes, but no so little about the area, we are hoping for some great suggestions, anything is appreciated.

Cheryl

From Rochester take the NY State Thruway (Route 90) east and get off at the Utica exit for Route 12. Take Route 12 north and then pick up Route 28 north into the Adirondacks. When you get to the town of Blue Mountain Lake, take Route 30 north to Tupper Lake. Then take Route 3 to Saranac Lake, and then Route 73 to Lake Placid.
If you look on a map you will easily see this which is my favorite way, and most scenic to drive into the Adirondacks.) This drive from Rochester will take about 5 1/2 hours.

I prefer to take the Thruway to Utica and save most of my time for the drive through the Adirondacks. Towns that are fun to stop in along the way are Old Forge, Blue Mountain Lake, and Saranac Lake. There is the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake.

When in Lake Placid I would recommend spending some time driving around the "high peaks" area into Keene ... just continue following Route 73. Also, there is a road that goes to the top of Lake Placid that will offer some great views. If you're into hiking there are numerous trails in the high peaks area .... just get some information ahead of time on the difficulty and length. A relatively easy-moderate trail is the one going up to the top of Cascade Mountain ... you will need light weight hiking boots, or heavy hiking sneaker. Be sure to pack a day pack with water, snacks, and a rain shell. It only gets a little steep towards the top (and it's not too bad), but when you get to the top there is a very large flat area. You would need to plan for the better part of the day for this hike, but there are shorter ones in the area. Your hotel may have information about the various trails in the area.

Spend some time touring the Olympic facilities ... the bobsled run and ski jump are just outside the village.

Enjoy!

Cheryl

You'll have to do some research on the lakes and specific wineries, but narrow down the Finger Lakes to one lake (perhaps Seneca or Cayuga - the two largest). Take NY State 90 east to the Finger Lakes and spend the night and next day (17th)driving around and enjoying whichever lake(s) you choose. I would spend the night there or around Syracuse or Utica. There are lots of wineries, antique stores, and scenery. The next morning, I would follow the other Cheryl's recommendations and have a nice leisurely ride to Lake Placid. You will be amazed at the beauty of the Finger Lakes and the Adirondacks. While in Lake Placid, I recommend driving up Whiteface Mountain then riding the elevator or hiking to the top. Make sure it's a clear day. The view from up there is fabulous. Have a great time.

4khansen

Thanks for the information, are the mountain roads cliff hangers? Somewhat afraid of heights, but don't mind driving in the mountains if trees line both sides of the road... . Makes me perceive safety.... LOL.

I really appreciate the ideas. We do not have reservations for that one night, will that work on June 17th? Can we pretty much find somewhere to stay without difficulty?

Thanks!!!

Cheryl

Sorry, I can't help you with a hotel in the Finger Lakes. I'm sure another post on that subject will bring you many responses. The roads through the Adirondacks are not cliff-hangers. Every turn reveals a lake, and another lake, and another..... However, driving up Whiteface Mountain may not be your cup of tea. Have a great time.

Cheryl

I would not consider the road up to the top of Whiteface Mountain a cliffhanger ... it is paved, safet to drive, and nothing like the mountain roads I have experienced out west. (Of course the mountains are much larger there!) I would definitely recommend this. I noticed in my previous message, I referred to this as the road that goes to the top of Lake Placid ... I meant to say to the top of Whiteface ... it will give you a great view of Lake Placid (the lake).

It sounds like to have an extra night to spend around the Finger Lakes area. I agree with the other poster's suggestion to spend some time driving around one of the Finger Lakes ... I would recommend Keuka Lake because there is a quaint town at the bottom of the lake, Hammondsport, that would be nice to stop for lunch in. I also like Seneca Lake (the town of Watkins Glenn is at the bottom of the lake) and Cayuga Lake (the town of Ithaca at the bottom) ... I would still recommend Keuka because it's a bit more manageable of a drive in one day and I love Hammondsport ... it's really quaint and a lovely little town.

For staying overnight somewhere on the 17th I highly recommend staying in the town of Skaneateles which is right on Route 20 just south of Syracuse on the shores of Skaneateles Lake. This is one of my favorite Finger Lake towns ... very quaint and fun to visit. I would recommend staying at The Sherwood Inn (www.thesherwoodinn.com) ... you may want to make a reservation as the Inn is very popular.

If you have time at the end of your trip (depending on the direction you are heading), think about driving through Saratoga Springs which is north of Albany and stopping for lunch ... you'll also love it there ... lots of shops/restaurants lining a historic main street stretch in the middle of town.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Carol

4khansen------ Can I make a suggestion? Why don't you spend one day touring Rochester. There is so much to do here. We have the High Falls area. This is the Genesse River Falls. At night time there is a beautiful lazer light show. In the area there are plenty of resturants(Empire Brewery), coffee shops (Zodiac)- just a few miles away is the East End--this is where the George Eastman House is and all of the upscale resturants. Strassenburg Planetarium~~
The waterfront is another place to go in June. There will proably be some kind of festival going on. Casa Larga Vineyard has wine tours on the hour and is beautiful. You can hop on the New York State Thruway one mile from the Winery.

Have fun.

Lori

I agree with the post about Rochester and especially Casa Larga Vineyards. I had my wedding reception at Casa Larga and it was just beautiful. Expensive, but beautiful!

Why don't you try Canandaigua Lake as well? Its a gorgeous spot. Drive down West Lake Road and look at all of the huge homes. It has the 2nd highest lake front real estate property value in the country, behind Lake Tahoe.