This New York Town Has The Most Walkable Downtown
Saranac Lake’s downtown sits amid the Adirondack Mountains on the shores of Lake Flower. Though surrounded by forested peaks, the town feels anything but remote, thanks to attractions like the Saranac Laboratory Museum and the many galleries and gathering spots along Main Street. Add in easy access to the Adirondacks’ outdoor adventure, and Saranac Lake offers much more than just a pretty mountain setting.
Church and River Streets
The Saranac Laboratory was the first laboratory built in the United States for the research of tuberculosis, opening its doors in 1894. It was acquired by Historic Saranac Lake, which renovated it into a museum in 2009, where it is open year-round on Church Street. Permanent exhibits showcase scientific research, patient care, and original cabinetry in the main laboratory space, whereas rotating exhibits narrate topics on local history.
Make your way down Church Street, and head up River Street to get to Riverside Park, the site of many different activities. In the summer, you will find people boating, relaxing on the grass while enjoying views of the mountains, or wandering around the stalls and vendors of the Saranac Lake Village Farmer's Market. Although the farmer's market is held year-round, the summer market is held at Riverside Park every Saturday from June through mid-October. As well as locally grown produce, visitors to the farmer's market can enjoy live music and local art.
Arts and Culture on Main Street
Turn onto Main Street, the cultural hub of Saranac Lake. The Waterhole Music Lounge is a premier, multi-level outdoor patio space known for its free “Party on the Patio” outdoor concert series, which takes place every Thursday evening from late-April to mid-October. Its prime downtown location is popular among locals and visitors who come together to play pool or ping-pong while enjoying signature cocktails and craft beer.
The Adirondack Artists Guild Gallery is next door to the Waterhole Music Lounge. The gallery exhibits fine art produced by 15 artists who live and work in the area, and display their works year-round on the gallery walls. As well as several of the artists hosting classes and workshops, you also have the opportunity to take home a piece of original Adirondack art.
Other galleries on Main Street include Northwind Fine Arts, another cooperative gallery where each member specializes in something different, from paintings of all types, including watercolor, oil, and acrylic, to metalwork and jewelry. The Small Fortune Studio is spread over two levels, where you can see Tim Fortune working in his studio as he paints streams, flowers, pine trees, and other Adirondack sceneries.
Depot Street
As Main Street transitions into Broadway, make your way across the Saranac River and over onto Depot Street, where you will see the Adirondack Carousel. The carousel features 24 hand-carved and painted wildlife figures, including bears, moose, loons, and owls. Regardless of age, the carousel is bound to be a memorable experience for all who ride it. The carousel is located within William Morris Park, which has playground equipment for children and shaded seating areas for adults. Additionally, there is a gift shop on site that sells carousel apparel, coloring books, and vintage toys.
Town-Wide Carnival
The Saranac Lake Winter Carnival has been around since 1897, beginning on the first full week of February and running for 10 days throughout Saranac Lake. The Winter Carnival is a quintessential Saranac Lake annual tradition that incorporates the whole town due to Saranac Lake’s walkability. The Ice Palace at the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is built for the duration of the carnival and is illuminated nightly. The Ice Palace is the centerpiece of the Winter Carnival, located on River Street on the shore of Lake Flower. The ten days of the festival are packed with parades, outdoor activities, and live entertainment. The Waterhole Music Lounge hosts over two dozen musical acts from across the country to perform during the festival.
Explore the Adirondack Mountains
Saranac Lake makes for a great basecamp to explore the rest of New York’s Adirondack Mountains. Lake Placid is a must-visit stop, only around nine miles southeast of Saranac Lake. As the host of the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, walking the streets of downtown Lake Placid is a tour through Olympic history. The Lake Placid Olympic Museum on Main Street houses the second-largest Winter Olympic artifact collection in North America.
Tupper Lake is about 20 miles southwest of Saranac Lake, characterized by rolling tree-covered hills and crystal clear water. Like many places in the region, it is a year-round destination. Flanders Park is on the shore of Raquette Pond and is used as an outdoor performance area in the summer for concerts, kids' shows, and plays. Whereas in winter, it attracts ice fishermen. Elizabethtown is 35 miles east of Saranac Lake and is rooted in the region's history. The Adirondack History Center Museum occupies an old schoolhouse, displaying over 6,000 artifacts, documents, and art pieces. It has both permanent and rotating exhibits, as well as a landscaped garden and fire tower on the exterior grounds.
New York's Most Walkable Downtown
Saranac Lake has walkability at its core. From the cultural hub that is Main Street, dotted with art galleries and premier live music venues like the Waterhole Music Lounge, to an entire winter carnival that is held throughout the entirety of the town, the streets of Saranac Lake were meant to be navigated on foot. Whether you are a lover of the arts, only in town for the winter carnival, or use Saranac Lake as a basecamp for exploring the rest of the Adirondack Mountains, rest assured, this New York downtown was made for walking.
