8 Adirondack Mountains Towns With Unforgettable Main Streets

The Adirondack Mountains are a rugged yet ravishing range in Upstate New York. Despite their proximity to the Appalachians, they are not related. Rather, they connect to the Canadian Shield. Nature may be their main draw, but the Adirondacks have small towns with vibrant main streets featuring everything from a Frankenstein-themed wax museum to a renowned film festival. Such sights are so stunning that they can make you forget the Adirondack Mountains for the Adirondack Main Streets.

Lake George

Canada Street, AKA Route 9, is the main street in Lake George. It winds downtown and provides access to myriad attractions. They include the House of Frankenstein Wax Museum, a classic literature-inspired horror house at 213 Canada; Adirondack Winery, a family-owned business that serves award-winning, hand-crafted wines at 285 Canada Street; and Fort William Henry, a 1750s-era living history museum at 46 Canada Street. After crossing downtown, Route 9 branches off into Route 9N, which straddles Lake George's namesake lake. So if you would rather serene nature views over bustling urban views, take 9N during your Lake George vacation.

Old Forge

A hamlet in the town of Webb, Old Forge has only around 700 residents but it hosts one of the most vibrant main streets in Upstate New York. Not called "Main Street," its main street, like Lake George's, is a highway. NY Route 28 cuts through dense Adirondack wilderness before emerging, ever so briefly, in civilized Old Forge. For about a mile in this "Adirondack Base Camp," Route 28 is flanked by fabulous shops, eateries, and miscellaneous businesses ranging from the Strand Theatre at 3093 NY-28 to the Kurt Gardner Photography Gallery at 3032 NY-28 to the Montezuma Winery at 3050 NY-28. There is even an Enchanted Forest Water Safari, filled with many kinds of land and water rides, right off the route.

Saranac Lake

Saranac Lake actually has a "Main Street," which, ironically, may not be its main street. A true Adirondack metropolis with just under 5,000 residents, Saranac is crisscrossed by busy roads that can all compete for thoroughfare supremacy. Main Street bumps with venues like the Waterhole Music Lounge and the Hotel Saranac. Broadway enthralls with businesses like Goody Goody's Toys & Games and the Left Bank Café. Church Street mesmerizes with oddities like the Saranac Laboratory Museum, as does the corner of Depot Street and Bloomingdale Avenue with the Adirondack Carousel. And River Street soothes with Lake Flower views before becoming Lake Flower Avenue. Which Saranac road would you choose?

Ticonderoga

Ticonderoga's main street is not in dispute. It is called Montcalm Street and runs east-west through this Lake George/Lake Champlain town. Among the memorable attractions lining Montcalm are the Ticonderoga Heritage Museum and Visitors Center, Burleigh's Luncheonette, and the Star Trek Original Series Set Tour, which, while not a tour of the actual Star Trek set, is a tour of an exact replica. Keeping Main Street vibrant, aside from Trekkies, is the Ticonderoga Montcalm Street Partnership (TMSP), a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing "the economic, historic and social development of Ticonderoga's traditional business district." TMSP supports many main street events, including Ticonderoga Beautification Days in May and StreetFest in July.

Tupper Lake

Tupper Lake is another Adirondack town with an actual Main Street. However, it is called Main Street for only a short stretch. Yet that stretch is spectacular, stimulating with such establishments as P-2's Irish Pub, Larkin's Bakery & Deli, and the aptly named Main Street Restaurant. Main Street morphs into Demars Boulevard as it skirts Raquette Pond and then becomes Lake Street as it enters another commercial district, which is positively glowing thanks to a grant from the Downtown Revitalization Initiative. But when not providing access to tranquil views or booming businesses, the street serves as NY Route 3, a highway that scales the surrounding mountains.

Glens Falls

If Saranac Lake is an Adirondack metropolis, Glens Falls is an Adirondack megacity. Nestled in the foothills along the Hudson River, this settlement boasts around 15,000 people, several suburbs, and dozens of main streets. The main street of Glens Falls proper is called Glen Street, which is jampacked with jumpin' joints. At 207 Glen sits the Charles R. Wood Theater, a 294-seat auditorium offering a wide variety of entertainment. A couple doors down at 195 Glen sits Mikado, a Japanese/Korean restaurant offering a wide variety of sushi and bibimbob. And right next door at 193 Glen is Mean Max Brew Works, a brewery offering a wide variety of small-batch beers. As Glen Street crosses the Hudson into South Glens Falls, it turns into a legit "Main Street" with its own array of attractions. Check out the Peppermill Family Restaurant and the Mi Rancho Mexican Restaurant.

Schroon

You might swoon for Main Street Schroon, which, though subtler than other Adirondack drags, is just as charming. It hugs Schroon Lake and soothes adventurers when they return from outdoor exertion. They can snack at Cupola Crepes (1095 Main), dine at Pitkin's Restaurant (1085 Main), and imbibe at Flanagan's Pub & Grill (1067 Main). If willing to venture a bit outside the main community, they can sample the celebrated Sticks & Stones Wood Fired Bistro & Bar, which sits where Main Street is called US Route 9. Try their Neapolitan-style pizza made in a wood fired oven "straight from Italy."

Lake Placid

Lake Placid is a suitable name for the lake but a misnomer for the surrounding village. The lake is serene but the village is lively, especially on Main Street in the summer and fall. That is where/when incredible events occur. Chief among them are the 4th of July in Lake Placid, the Songs at Mirror Lake Music Series in July/August, and the Lake Placid Film Festival in October/November. Winter also brings people to Lake Placid, because, beyond its Main Street becoming a Hallmark-worthy wonderland, it is a hub for winter sports. Verify both claims at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum at 2634 Main.

Though the Adirondacks attract with rustic recreation, the above communities prove that you need not leave main streets for Adirondack adventure. Lake George's Fort William Henry, Old Forge's Enchanted Forest Water Safari, Saranac Lake's Adirondack Carousel, Ticonderoga's Star Trek Original Series Set Tour, and Lake Placid's Olympic Museum all line primary roads, whether called Main Street or something else. See those and other memorable main street mainstays in the Adirondack Mountains.