Things to do / Travel Guide
Getting around the northern New York region is probably best done by car. There are bus and train lines with service to major hubs in the region, but they do not always run more than once a day. Additionally, with all the natural, off-the-beaten-path beauty this region provides, areas are best accessed via automobile, particularly spots within the borders of the Adirondack Park, where public transportation is more limited.
By Car
With the area of northern New York being so vast, and lacking any major metropolitan cities within, the roads generally are quite empty. Indeed, some areas have no roads at all. In the winter months, the roads (that remain open) are tougher to navigate, particularly in more remote areas, due to heavy snowfall.
Interstate 87 runs north-south along the eastern edge of the Adirondacks. State Road 9 and State Road 9 North roughly parallel I-87 and service the small towns in the Lake George and Lake Champlain area. Traveling across the Central Adirondacks east-west, your main route will be State Road 28, which connects with I-87. State Roads 3, 86, and 186 run east-west across more northern points of the Adirondacks, passing by Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. In the northern reaches of the region, State Road 37 runs parallel to the St. Lawrence River along the northern border of New York State, while State Road 11 runs parallel to State Road 37 further south.
The following are approximate distances and driving times to and from Saratoga Springs and Lake Placid to other destinations within the northern New York region:
- Lake George: Saratoga Springs - 25 miles, 30 minutes; Lake Placid - 80 miles, 1.5 hours
- Fort Ticonderoga: Saratoga Springs - 80 miles, 1.5 hours; Lake Placid - 65 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes
- Clayton: Saratoga Springs - 220 miles, 4 hours; Lake Placid - 145 miles, 3 hours
By Bus
Though not the most viable option, several bus lines run throughout the northern New York region a couple times a day, including Greyhound, Trailway-Adirondack, and the Adirondack, New York, and Pine Hill Trailways. Buses stop in the region's larger hubs, such as Saratoga, Glens Falls, Lake George, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Potsdam, as well as several other smaller towns and rural points in the region and around the perimeter of the Adirondack Park.
By Train
Amtrak's Adirondack line has a few stops in the region, at Saratoga Springs, Fort Edward-Glens Falls, Whitehall, Ticonderoga, Port Henry, and Westport. The route runs daily between New York City and Montreal. The travel time from New York City to Saratoga Springs is about 3.5 hours, and it's about 20-30 minutes between stops within the region. Continuing on from Westport up to Montreal takes just under four hours. The entire trip from Saratoga Springs to Westport takes about two hours.
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