11 Stress-Free Adirondack Mountain Towns For A Weekend Retreat
The Adirondack Mountains in northeastern New York are a phenomenal sight. With this mountain range covering around 5,000 square miles, and Mount Marcy, its highest peak, reaching an astounding height of 5,343 feet, the natural attractions found in the Adirondacks are plentiful, to say the least. Whether searching for a retreat to escape the hustle of everyday life or seeking a weekend getaway with the family, there are many awesome towns in the Adirondacks to choose from. From quaint Speculator to picturesque Saranac Lake, these eleven towns below are some of the most stress-free towns within the Adirondacks for that ideal weekend retreat.
Wilmington - Essex County
The small town of Wilmington is the perfect spot for a weekend retreat. From High Falls Gorge, a 22-acre nature park with four stunning waterfalls, to Wilmington Town Beach, with hiking and swimming options, the town of Wilmington is a natural haven for outdoor enthusiasts. High Falls Gorge even offers a thirty-minute relaxing stroll past a 1.5 billion-year-old Anorthosite boulder.
Twenty minutes west of downtown, Whiteface Mountain climbs 4,867 feet into the sky and is home to its own luxury resort, which has skiing & snowboarding during the winter and hiking & mountain-biking in the summer. Whiteface Mountain, considered a leading ski resort in the United States, also offers breathtaking gondola rides up and down the mountain in the summer.
Blue Mountain Lake - Hamilton County
Along the southern bank of Blue Mountain Lake, the town of Blue Mountain Lake, with three hundred permanent residents, is home to some ideal natural attractions. One of these is the Adirondack Experience. With exhibits like “Woods & Waters” and scenic nature walks guided by professional naturalists, this small-town New York museum is well worth every minute.
Blue Mountain Lake is also home to Blue Mountain, climbing an incredible 3,750 feet into the deep azure sky. Picturesque Blue Mountain Lake is home to the Hedges as well, a high-end yet rustic inn that first began as the Duryea Camp in 1880. They offer several luxurious yet charming accommodations, including lakeside cabins and lodge suites & rooms, and delicious meals in the Benton Dining Room.
Schroon - Essex County
The town of Schroon, on the northwestern bank of Schroon Lake, and around twenty minutes from Lake George, has a plethora of natural attractions that would please even the most skeptical outdoor enthusiast. Along with many activities right on Schroon Lake, like fishing, boating, kayaking, and swimming, there is hiking up Severance Mountain, which offers a panoramic vista of Schroon Lake and the Pharaoh Lake Wilderness Area.
There is also camping available at Scaroon Manor Campground, on the west shore of Schroon Lake at Taylor’s Point, for those who wish to stay for the entire weekend. Plus, to dine in downtown Schroon, the Brown Swan, on Registration Way, offers a delectable Ginger Sesame Salmon, while Sticks & Stones Wood-Fired Bistro, on US Rte-9, has a delicious St. Louis Dry-Rub Pork Ribs.
Lake George - Warren County
A popular town in the Adirondacks, due to the lake by the same name that was said to be “the most beautiful water I ever saw” by Thomas Jefferson in 1791, the town of Lake George has several natural attributes. One of these is the 3.3-mile Shelving Rock Falls Trail, which climbs past Shelving Rock Falls to the summit of 1,125-foot Shelving Rock Mountain, offering extraordinary views of Log Bay and Lake George.
Another incredible attraction in the town of Lake George, the Fort William Henry Museum recaptures life as a soldier during the French & Indian War from 1754 to 1763. Also, fifteen minutes north, in Bolton Landing hamlet, on the western bank of Lake George, the Sagamore Resort offers high-end accommodations within an 1883 original hotel.
Ticonderoga - Essex County
The picturesque town of Ticonderoga, just west of the La Chute River, is home to several attractions, like 840-foot Mt. Defiance, with a panoramic view of the La Chute River and King’s Garden, a stunning botanical garden known as one of the oldest cultivated landscapes in America. The LaChute River has some remarkable natural attributes, like the Falls of Carillon, the last of five drops in the LaChute.
Ticonderoga is also home to Fort Ticonderoga, which was instrumental during both the French & Indian War, which was a part of the Seven Years War, and the American Revolutionary War. From a six-acre corn maze to reenactments, there is a little something for everyone at this mid-18th-century piece of history. Plus, only six miles from Fort Ticonderoga, the Shoreham Inn, over 200 years old, offers great service and a free breakfast the next morning.
Lake Placid - Essex County
From Brewster Peninsula to Mount Van Hoevenberg, natural attributes are well represented in the town of Lake Placid. Brewster Peninsula, with a two-mile trail, welcomes guests with scenic vistas of Lake Placid and Buck Island. Mount Van Hoevenberg, venue for both the 1932 and 1980 Winter Games, offers excellent skiing during the winter and hiking in the summertime.
Lake Placid is also home to Mirror Lake Inn - Resort & Spa, which has a plethora of amenities from pools and saunas to tennis courts and a private beach. Along with elegant rooms and suites, guests can rent canoes, paddleboats, and kayaks. There are even two delicious dining options at Mirror Lake. The Cottage Restaurant offers comfort food, while the View Restaurant has more of an elegant ambiance.
Old Forge - Herkimer County
Home to Enchanted Forest Water Safari, a part of Water Safari Resort, the town of Old Forge is the perfect place to escape stress for the weekend. Enchanted Forest offers over fifty water slides, attractions, and rides, as well as a circus show. This resort also has some excellent lodging choices for the weekend, including Old Forge Camping Resort and Water’s Edge Inn.
Old Forge is also home to several natural attractions, like 2,350-foot Bald Mountain and McCauley Mountain. Bald Mountain has a two-mile round-trip trail, leading to Rondaxe Fire Tower at the summit. The McCauley Mountain Ski Area offers a 1.5-mile loop during the summer and several awesome ski & snowboard trails during the winter. Whiteface Mountain and Mt. Marcy can be seen in the distance while on the ski lift.
Elizabethtown - Essex County
West of the town of Westport, quaint Elizabethtown is home to the Adirondack History Museum, featuring several permanent exhibits. Two of the best are “Hiking in the Adirondack High Peaks” and “Adirondack Fire Towers.” This museum also has some interesting talks, like how fighting in the American Revolutionary War benefited and hindered by the majestic elevations within the Adirondacks.
Elizabethtown also has some great lodging and dining choices for those planning on escaping there for the weekend with friends, family, or even alone. Halfway House Motel offers free wi-fi and complimentary breakfast, while Deer’s Head Inn works with many local farms to provide a unique, farm-to-table dining experience.
Speculator - Hamilton County
The village of Speculator, just over an hour north of the city of Schenectady, is home to some incredible nature, like Moffitt Beach and Oak Mountain. Moffitt Beach offers fishing, boating, hiking, and swimming. They also have camping options for those wanting to stay the entire weekend. Oak Mountain, if visiting during winter, is home to a luxury ski resort with over twenty different trails and a ski & snowboard school.
Some other attributes in Speculator include a camp store, appropriately named Campstore!, on the way to Moffitt Beach, that specializes in kayak, paddleboat, and mountain-bike rentals, and 1939 Charlie Johns Store, a one-stop shop on Elm Lake Road, selling everything from camping supplies, like sleeping bags and backpacks, to groceries and general merchandise.
Jay - Essex County
Home to Jay Covered Bridge, the only covered bridge still standing in Essex County, the small town of Jay is a tranquil getaway. Also home to Adirondack Mtn. Retreats, a wellness studio and sanctuary with therapeutic massages, wellness consultations, and cycling classes, the town of Jay has stress-free days at the top of its list.
The town of Jay is also home to several excellent lodging choices, including the Book & Blanket B&B Inn on NY Route 9N, offering free parking, free wifi, and a delicious breakfast the next morning. Only ten miles from Whiteface Mountain, as well as only 17 miles from Lake Placid, this small town is ideal for spending quality time with family.
Saranac Lake - Franklin & Essex Counties
Surrounded by several lakes, including Lower Saranac Lake, the town of Saranac Lake is home to numerous natural attractions, making it an ideal destination for a stress-free weekend getaway. From Baker Mountain, with a hiking trail leading to its summit, providing a stunning view of Saranac Lake, to Mt Pisgah, with skiing during the winter and mountain biking in the summer, the area around the town of Saranac Lake is just astounding.
There are several attributes to downtown Saranac Lake as well. The Robert Louis Stevenson Cottage Museum, former home from 1887-1888 of the author of classics like “Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde,” and the Saranac Laboratory Museum both bring a sense of historic value to the town. There are also several lodging choices in Saranac Lake, including Franklin Manor B&B, considered to be one of the best bed and breakfast inns in town.
Final Thoughts on Adirondack Retreats
Whether wishing for calm quietude that can only be provided by nature, or seeking a laid-back, relaxing town to take the family on a fun-filled vacation, the Adirondacks are the place to check out. From the quaint town of Wilmington and Whiteface Mountain Resort to picturesque Saranac Lake and Franklin Manor Bed & Breakfast, the Adirondack Mountains are filled with stress-free towns that are ideal for that weekend retreat with friends, family, or even alone.
