Adirondacks, NY Travel Guide
You’re probably thinking that’s a pretty random location for a family vacation, and you’re not wrong! Our parents were actually invited to a jaha (engagement) in upstate New York, and us being the totally normal adult children we are, we tagged along and made it a vacation. Unfortunately, a lot of the cute towns were basically closed until the “season” starts Memorial day weekend. But it’s ok , that just means we’ll have to be back soon! We still had tons of fun though- here’s a day by day recap of our trip!
Day 1:
We flew into Albany, and from there drove an hour to get to our Airbnb on Great Sacandaga Lake. We were all pretty hungry, so once we settled in we went to the nearest grocery store to stock up on some essentials. Then we had dinner at a local spot, Timeless Tavern. The restaurant was cute and home-y, the people were nice, and the food was good. After dinner we went back to the Airbnb to figure out room assignments :)
The Airbnb was perfect! It was right on the lake, with a dock and canoes/kayaks, a fire pit with Adirondack chairs, and a large deck facing the lake. It was separated into three “units”-each with their own bedrooms, living rooms, and kitchens. So in summary, the house was too big for us, but it would be perfect for a large group! Linking it here for anyone interested :)
Day 2:
We had breakfast at the Airbnb, and then headed to check out Saratoga Springs! We strolled along Broadway Street, which had a lot of cute stores, restaurants, and coffee shops.
Something you must know about us, is that we have to have ice cream every day when we’re on vacation. Every. Day. It’s our #1 rule! So, naturally, our first stop was Kilwan’s for ice cream :)
After ice cream, we walked down to Congress Park, where the girls had fun chasing ducks around the duck pond and trying to climb trees. They also had a carousel, but it wasn’t open when we were there.
A few more shops we stopped at that we recommend: Saratoga Tea & Honey Company for some iced tea, and honey to take home, Uncommon Grounds for iced coffee and cookies, and Saratoga Candy Co. for lollipops :)
We ended the day with dinner at Seneca. The rolls + butter — to die for!! We also tried the fried chicken deviled eggs, and the pierogies. For dinner, we both ordered the wagyu burger. We recommend if you’re looking for a nice place for dinner!
Day 3:
We had breakfast at the Airbnb again, and got ready to go for a hike. Well, more of a walk :) We went to Le Vine Nature Preserve, and walked down to the river. It was a short walk, and perfect for kids!
After we got our steps in, we headed to get — wait for it — ice cream! Dairy Haus had good reviews on google, so we had to stop and try it for ourselves. Definitely recommend!!
Then we drove back in to Saratoga Springs for dinner. We ate at The Merc - but honestly, we don’t really recommend it. The food was okay, but not worth talking about. So let’s move on to Day 4!!
Day 4:
Quick breakfast at the Airbnb again, then we set off to go railbiking at Revolution Rail Co. This was such a cool experience!! Not hard at all, and good for all ages (exhibit A: Laila and Salma). Only one person needs to be able to actually pedal. The stretch of railroad track used to be fully operable just a few years ago (I think they said 2017? or maybe 2011?). The best part was biking over the Hudson River. They have locations in New York, New Jersey, and Colorado, and we highly highly recommend!
After RevRail, our parents left to drive to the engagement, and we drove to Lake George. It was pretty cold that day, and everything was still closed for the season, so we didn’t get to see or do much. But we took some nice pictures, then headed back to Saratoga Springs for an early dinner.
For dinner, we decided to go to Druthers Brewing Company. We had passed by it a few times on our previous walks down Broadway Street, and we’re so glad we stopped this time, because it was our favorite meal of the trip! The appetizers were the best part - our favorite were the big mac & cheese eggrolls (we even placed a second order). Definitely recommend!
We ended the night with a bonfire, sunset, and smores. Perfect ending to such a fun day!
Day 5:
Travel day! We packed up the car and headed to the airport to meet our parents — but not without stopping at Starbucks first :) Our flight from Albany was delayed, so we ended up missing our connection in Atlanta. They rebooked us for a later flight, sitting in the last row on the plane lol but its okay! We had some airport adventures, and my mom bought the girls these pink headphones which they loved. Keep an eye out for a post on traveling with toddlers - coming soon!
If you’ve made it to the end of this post - thanks for joining us on our adventure! Overall, we think the Adirondacks is a great place for a family vacation, and we can’t wait to explore other areas the region has to offer!