Lake George, NY

[abeaverhausen]

DH and I are going to Lake George next weekend to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. We are staying at the Holiday Inn Resort. Is there anything we shouldn't miss? We would also like to do a nicer dinner on Friday night so restaurant recommendations would be great. TIA!

[Deleted]

Lake George is great. My family went every summer growing up, and we all went last summer for the first time back in about 15 years. Musts include a ride on the Minne-ha-ha (Lake George Steamboat Company), some water activities like boat rental or parasailing, and one of the scenic hikes. We did Buck Mountain and it was challenging but beautiful from the summit. In the evenings it's fun to walk around downtown, some touristy stuff like horse and buggy rides and fortune tellers. We did a wine tasting at the Adirondack Winery tasting room in town which was fun.

There are several great restaurants. Porreca's is not directly on the water but amazing Italian food including homemade pasta, and a nice wine list. We also used to like Contessa's but I haven't been to that one in years. The Algonquin and the Boathouse are both just ok food, but right on the water and great atmosphere (so maybe good for lunch or afternoon drinks/appetizers). Cate's in Bolton Landing was delicious and casual. If you're going to the outlets, Sutton's is good for breakfast.

[perkyderky]

My family also used to vacation up there each summer. Love it, and now that I haven't been in several years, I do miss it.

As the PP mentioned, renting a boat/going on the Minne-ha-ha are fun things to do/see (and frankly, the majority of our summers were spent either on . You may want to check to see if the racing season at Saratoga will coincide with your trip to Lake George. It's a great day trip, even if you don't necessarily love horse racing.

As for dinners, if you want a really a special anniversary meal, try the dining room at the Inn at Erlowest. theinnaterlowest.com/ This is one of the mansions you'll see if you take any boat rides on the lake, and my parents stayed here on a number of occasions. Great atmosphere, good food as well. When we went as a family we usually stayed at Melody Manor, in Bolton Landing (maybe technically in between LG and BL) but either way, my parents thought the restaurant there had improved to "great" as of their last visit there last year. I can't place with the Holiday Inn is--is that the one near Ft. William Henry?

Hope you enjoy your visit!

[Deleted]

I forgot about a day trip to Saratoga! Even if you don't go to the races, there are cute places for lunch and shopping. Hattie's was really good for lunch (fried chicken, catfish, etc.)