5 affordable, mini family road trips in New York State
Lake Placid is among New York State spots to explore this season. While in the area, go fishing, swimming or paddling on Mirror Lake or spend the night at Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa (Mirror Lake Inn Beach shown above). Credit: ROOST | LakePlacid.com
There is plenty to explore in New York State, from mountain ranges and lakes to farms and forests, to historic sites and adventure parks. Here are new and fun things to experience during a family-friendly trip around the Empire State.
LAKE GEORGE
The First Wilderness Heritage Corridor has established a treasure hunt "letterboxing" trail (through Columbus Day) running through seven Warren County towns in the southern Adirondacks. Once a letterbox box is found at one of 28 points, use the stamp in the box to mark your book then leave a note in the box before hiding it again. (firstwilderness.com)
The Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course features aerial obstacle courses and zip lines that take you above the Great Adirondack Forest with options for varying degrees of ability and age (minimum age is 6; there are height and weight requirements). (35 Westwood Forest Lane, Bolton Landing; 518-494-7200, adirondackextreme.com)
STAY Whippoorwill Motel and Campsites has options ranging from electric, seasonal and hookup camping to cabins and motel rooms; all guests gain access to amenities including a pool, Wi-Fi, showers, charcoal grills and public bathrooms. Motel rooms start at $149; RV and campsite stays at $55. (1784 Rt. 9, Lake George; 518-668-5565, adirondackextreme.com)
CATSKILLS
The Pine Ridge Dude Ranch in Kerhonkson, NY can supply pony rides, among its other offerings like a petting zoo, private lake, tractor rides and pools both indoors and out. Credit: Michael Nelson
Eastern Catskills
Pine Ridge Dude Ranch (30 Cherrytown Rd., Kerhonkson; 845-626-7345, pineridgeduderanch.com) includes a petting zoo, private lake, tractor rides and pools both indoors and out. U-pick peach picking is available in July and August at Stone Ridge Orchard (3012 Rt. 213, Stone Ridge; 845-687-2587, stoneridgeorchard.com), which also has a tasting room (beer, wine, ciders, cocktails) and a farm stand.
STAY Rates at the Best Western Plus Kingston Hotel and Conference Center (503 Washington Ave., Kingston; 845-338-0400, bestwestern.com) start at $148.72.
Lander's River Trips in Narrowsburg operate at eight locations along the Upper Delaware River in the Sullivan Catskills area for rafting, canoeing and kayaking excursions. Credit: Sullivan County Visitors Association
Sullivan Catskills
Lander’s River Trips (5961 Rt. 97, Narrowsburg; 1-800-252-3925; landersrivertrips.com) depart from eight locations along the Upper Delaware River for rafting, canoeing and kayaking excursions. Apple Pond Farm and Renewable Energy Education Center (80 Hahn Rd., Callicoon Center; 845-482-4764, applepondfarm.com) is a solar and wind-powered organic farm that offers workshops, tours and classes.
STAY The Blue Fox Motel (5670 Rt. 97, Narrowsburg; 845-252-5200, bluefoxmotel.com) is a boutique stop with rooms, suites and cabins with a restaurant and bar; rooms start at $175.
People moving along the cords at New York Zipline Adventure Tours in Leeds. The company claims its zipline canopy tour is the highest, fastest and longest on the North American continent. Credit: GreatNorthernCatskills.com/Great Northern Catskills of Greene County
Northern Catskills
Zoom Flume Waterpark (20 Shady Glen Rd., East Durham; 518-239-6271, zoomflume.com) has the "Typhoon Twister" waterslide, the "Riptide Cove" wave pool and river rides both lazy and wild. New York zip line Adventure Tours at Hunter Mountain (700 Rt. 23B., Leeds; 518-943-3223, ziplinenewyork.com) lays claim to being the highest, fastest and longest zipline canopy tour on the North American continent and the second largest zipline in the world. The Windham Mountain Bike Park (19 Resort Dr., Windham; 518-734-4300, windhammountain.com) opens June 19.
STAY Rooms at the Winwood Inn and Condominiums (5220 Rt. 23, Windham; 1-800-754-9463, windhammountain.com) start at $149.
This building is one of the structures that make up The Roxbury dual hotel resort in Roxbury, NY. Credit: Nils Schlebusch
Western Catskills
Stony Creek Farmstead gives kids a place to learn agrarian tasks, see animals and take art classes. (1738 Freer Hollow Rd., Walton; 607-865 7965, stonycreekfarmstead.com) Over in the Town of Hancock, free shows are often held at 7 p.m. in the town square park (scenicwilddelawareriver.com). Fishing is free in Delaware County (greatwesterncatskills.com); spots to consider include Big Pond (549 Barkaboom Rd., Andes; 607-652-7366, dec.ny.gov) and East Sidney Reservoir (Rt. 357, Sidney; 607-652-7366, dec.ny.gov).
STAY The Roxbury (2258 CR-41 Roxbury; 607-326-7200, theroxburyexperience.com) consists of a motel and The Roxbury at Stratton Falls. Rooms start at $95.
HUDSON VALLEY
Rides like this sliding raft experience can be found in New York State's Hudson Valley region at the SplashDown Beach water park in Fishkill. Credit: Dutchess Tourism, Inc.
Bear Mountain State Park (Palisades Pkwy. or Rt. 9W, Bear Mountain; 845-786-2701, parks.ny.gov) runs along the Hudson River. Visitors can use the swimming pool, rent boats, camp, bike, hike, fish and explore playgrounds. The Walkway Over the Hudson (walkway.org) is billed as the world's longest elevated pedestrian bridge, spanning more than a mile over and above the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie (61 Parker Ave.) in Dutchess County and Highland (87 Haviland Rd.) in Ulster County. The SplashDown Beach water park (16 Old Rt. 9W, Fishkill; 845-897-9600, splashdownbeach.com) features aquatic rides like the near-vertical, zero-gravity "Megalodon" experience. The Catamount Mountain Resort (78 Catamount Rd., Hillsdale; 518-325-3200, catamountski.com) has a zip tour, aerial trails and scenic chairlift rides.
STAY Book a night at the The Wick Hotel (41 Cross St, Hudson; 518-249-6825, thewickhotel.com) with rates starting at $195.
LAKE PLACID
Riders of the Cliffside Coaster at Mount Van Hoevenberg in North Elba, NY can control the descent speed of their coaster car while riding. Credit: ROOST | LakePlacid.com
Travelers can take an elevator to the top of the 70- and 90-meter ski jumps in the Olympic Jumping Complex (52 Ski Jump Ln.; 518-523-8830) before ziplining back to the ground. Go fishing, swimming and paddling on Mirror Lake (49 Parkside Dr.; 518-523-2445, lakeplacid.com) or take an hourlong boat tour on Lake Placid (24 George & Bliss Ln.; 518-523-9704, lakeplacidmarina.com). Mount Van Hoevenberg (31 Van Hoevenberg Way, North Elba; 518-523-2811, mtvanhoevenberg.com) is also part of the area’s Olympic legacy, with a bobsled, luge and skeleton track in place, but it’s hot-right-now feature is the Cliffside Coaster.
STAY Among the many places around Lake Placid at which to stay, the Hampton Inn & Suites Lake Placid (801 Mirror Lake Dr.; 518-523-9500, hilton.com) has rooms starting at $370. For more of a luxury stay while in Lake Placid, Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa (77 Mirror Lake Dr.; 518-523-2544, mirrorlakeinn.com) looks out on the body of water with which it shares a name, and has a pair of restaurants plus a spa offering a variety of treatments. Rates start at $499.
TARRYTOWN-SLEEPY HOLLOW
Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse (aka Tarrytown Light) at dusk. The cast iron tower was installed in 1883 and operated until 1961. Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto/Ultima_Gaina
The two-village, one ZIP-code area (sleepyhollowtarrytownchamber.com) has lots of sights to see and explore along the Hudson River like the Sleepy Hollow Lighthouse (aka Tarrytown Light) (299 Palmer Ave., Sleepy Hollow; 914-366-5109, visitsleepyhollow.com) and the RiverWalk Park at Tarrytown (250 W. Main St.; scenichudson.org). Tarrytown Music Hall (13 Main St.; 914-233-3856, tarrytownmusichall.org) has comedy and live concerts throughout the season.
STAY The Sheraton Tarrytown Hotel (600 White Plains Rd., Tarrytown; 914-332-7900, marriott.com) is one of several hotels and motels in the area, with rates starting at $185.
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