While vacationing in the northern New York region you have the opportunity to stay in accommodations ranging from sprawling luxurious lodges in the woods in the Central Adirondacks, to lakeside inns at Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, to modern campsites located just about everywhere in Adirondack State Park. The region also affords you the chance to stay near one of the country's most highly-acclaimed racetracks, in Saratoga Springs. And for those who prefer a quieter place to spend the night, secluded B&Bs are a dime a dozen in the region.
The hubs of Saratoga Springs, Lake Placid, and Lake George offer a wide range of accommodations at varying price points, while other parts of northern New York tend to offer mostly motels and lodges at lower costs. Many accommodations are luxurious diamonds in the rough, tucked away in remote, quiet corners.
Lodging rates vary around northern New York, as accommodations can run the gamut all the way from campgrounds and RV parks up to five-star resorts. Additionally, rates fluctuate from season to season, with summer being a peak time and winter being the “off” season in many areas, with the exception of popular skiing destinations like Lake Placid.
Rates for these accommodations reflect their diversity as well, with hotels and motels in the region ranging from $45 up to $100, with some of the lower-priced deals reflecting shared bathrooms. More upscale hotels and resorts often quote rates beginning from at least $100 up to $200, with many costing well beyond that.
Around the region, cottages can be rented by the week, or even for an entire season. Numerous bed and breakfasts are also scattered throughout northern New York, many registered with the B&B Adirondack Collection and the Adirondack B&B Association. Starting prices for bed and breakfasts in the region tend to hover from $75-$100, with costs jumping lower and higher between the on- and off-seasons.
New York's Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) lists over 40 campgrounds and hundreds of island-based campsites in and around the grounds of Adirondack Park. Camping sites tend to fill up on summer weekends, but reservations can be made in advance by calling 1-800-456-CAMP. Camping rates in northern New York often begin at less than $20 a night. The region is also home to RV sites at reasonable rates.
Lodging in the Central Adirondacks
The historic Great Camp Sagamore, built in 1897 by William West Durant, is considered the classic “great camp” of the Adirondacks. It was sold to Alfred G. Vanderbilt in 1901 and was enjoyed by the Vanderbilt family for more than 50 years afterward. Situated on about 19 acres, Great Camp Sagamore is a self-contained rustic village.
The Green Harbor Motel is wonderfully set in the woods, right on Long Lake. Guests have access to a beach, hiking trails, and plenty of peace and quiet.
Lodging in Lake Placid
Thanks to its being a draw for vacationers throughout most of the year, there are a good number of resorts and hotels that cater to tourists in the Lake Placid area. Overlooking shimmering Mirror Lake, beyond downtown Lake Placid, is the beautiful and historic Mirror Lake Inn, which dates back to 1883. With chandeliers and mahogany walls, the inn has a comfy and traditional feel to it. The inn features three restaurants, a spa, and free use of canoes, kayaks, and other boats. And like most accommodations in the area, it of course features stunning views of the lake and mountains.
For Olympic sports lovers, stay at Art Devlin's Olympic Motor Inn. A small hotel just a few blocks from the Olympic Center, its lobby houses hundreds of trophies and medals won by champion ski-jumper Art Devlin. The inn is now run by his son, and views of the Adirondack's High Peaks.
Eight miles south of Lake Placid, the historic Adirondack Loj is a nonprofit conservation, education, and recreating organization, built in the 1920s and open year-round. On the shores of Heart Lake, the grounds encompass a classic Adirondack lodge as well as campgrounds.
Lodging in Saranac Lake
One of the most exclusive accommodations in northern New York is The Point in Upper Saranac Lake. Once owned by the Rockefellers, a stay at this great camp for a daily rate of over $1,000.
Also secluded along the shores of Upper Saranac Lake, the Wawbeek is a luxurious camp that once hosted wealthy New York families like the Rockefellers and Duponts. The Wawbeek is a cozy original. Its rooms and cottages are spread out in the woods and furnished in the Adirondack style; private log cabins have their own decks with excellent views. Rates start as low as $100 on off-season weekdays. The Wawbeek is closed for the month of April and for three weeks in November.
Located in downtown Saranac Lake, the full-service Hotel Saranac is actually owned by Paul Smith's College. Built and opened in 1927, the building boasts grand public spaces, including its Grand Hall which is a replica of Florence's Davanzati Palace.
B&Bs, inns and motels are situated around Saranac Lake, the St. Regis Canoe Area, and Lake Flower. Cold River Ranch, part way between Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, offers trail rides and overnight horse packing trips, as well as rooms for as low as $40 per person.
Northwest of Saranac Lake, between the St. Regis Canoe Area and Tupper Lake village, are several large campgrounds. Near Cranberry Lake, campers can row to the “primitive” tent sites of the Cranberry Lake Campground.
Lodging in Saratoga Springs
While most of northern New York is split into summer and winter seasons, rates in the Saratoga area fluctuate between the popular racing season (late July through early September), the rest of the summer, and the rest of the year. The Adelphi Hotel, built in 1877, exemplifies high Victorian architecture and charm. Local residents as well as visiting performers gather in the adjacent Café Adelphi, which is decorated in a Belle Epoque style, as is the hotel's lobby.
First opened in 1935 and tucked into the Saratoga Spa State Park, the newly-renovated Gideon-Putnam Resort combines Georgian-style with modern comfort. Adorned with historic paintings and gilded architecture, it is named for the founder of Saratoga Springs and was a favorite for wealthy vacationers in the mid-1900s drawn to Saratoga's Racetrack and spas.
In downtown Saratoga, guests can find a large selection of cozy, Victorian-era B&Bs, many featuring antiques and porches. Room rates run from $100 on average during most of the year, or $75 a little bit outside of Saratoga, and about 25%-40% higher during racing season.
In general, Motels in Saratoga run less expensive than hotels and B&Bs in the rest of the region. Campgrounds and RV sites are located in and around Saratoga Springs, with rates changing depending on the size of your party and the season you're visiting.
Lodging around Lake George
Summer in Lake George means packed motels and hotels. From late-May to mid-October, doubles in resorts start at $100 a night, while from mid-October to late-May double rooms run from $70.
The historic Sagamore resort in Bolton Landing sits on its own 72-acre island right on the waters of Lake George, and has been drawing vacationers since 1883. Guest can choose from staying in the elegant hotel, the surrounding Adirondack-style lodges, or the all-suite Hermitage.
A truly unique stay can be had in the region at a genuine dude ranch; that's right, way up in northern New York! A great choice for family vacationers, dude ranches come in different varieties, but they all share the common trait of being ideally situated to provide fantastic views and plenty of opportunities to engage in recreational activities. Most dude ranches are well-furnished and will provide you and your family with all the basic amenities. Stretching over 500 acres between Lake George and Lake Luzerne is the Roaring Brook Ranch and Tennis Resort, operating as one of the oldest dude ranches in northern New York. The grounds feature tennis courts, swimming pools, and fitness rooms, as well as 25 horses on site.
Comfy and cozy B&Bs are situated in Bolton Landing, Lake Luzerne, Warrensburg, and beyond. Loads of reasonably-priced motels line State Road 9. Nearly 50 of the islands in Lake George are available for camping, and are only accessed by boat. Contact the www.dec.state.ny.us[DEC for details.
Lodging in the Champlain Valley
An accommodation highlight in the Champlain Valley is the Lake Champlain Inn in Ticonderoga, built in 1870 in the Victorian style and located right on the shores of Lake Champlain. Rooms offer spectacular views of the lake, the Adirondacks, and the Green Mountains of Vermont. Original woodwork and claw-foot tubs are some of the nice small touches, as is free use of their bicycles.
Many of the hotels and inns in the Champlain Valley can be found in and around the town of Westport. In the historic town of Essex guests can stay at the nearly 200-year old Essex Inn. Rooms are filled with antiques, with a two-story front porch greeting guests, as well as a courtyard, art gallery, and shop on site. In the town of Crown Point, the Crown Point Bed & Breakfast sits inside of an 1886 Victorian mansion, with rooms adorned with antiques.
Basic campsites can be found around Ticonderoga, Crown Point, and Ausable Point State Park.
Lodging in the Thousand Islands
The old Victorian-style McKinley House in Clayton was completely restored over the last 10 years, with stunning results. From crystal chandeliers to hardwood floors to elegant antiques, this bright inn is a treat for the area. Closed from mid-October to Memorial Day, double room rates are around $130-$150 and include a full breakfast.
Luxurious Hart House on Wellesley Island overlooks the Thousand Islands Golf Course. The inn is actually what is left of a mansion where George Boldt, owner of the Waldorf-Astoria, stayed while his castle was being built on Heart Island. Antiques and amenities, like sleigh and canopy beds, Tiffany-style lamps, skylights, and old radios adorn the small rooms.
Many hotels and motels can be found around the Thousand Islands, particularly in the town centers of Clayton and Alexandria Bay. At the Edgewood Hotel in Alexandria Bay visitors can fish off of their balconies!
Campsites are dotted around the Thousand Islands, including some island campgrounds only accessible by boat, and others featuring cottages. Robert Moses State Park - Thousand Islands also offers a large campground with access to a swimming beach, bathhouse, boat rentals, picnic tables, and more.
Hotels in Lake Placid, Lake George, Saratoga Springs, Adirondacks and Northern New York
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