Things to do / Travel Guide
Northern New York has many fantastic bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) to offer the vacationer who wants to get away from it all without foregoing one's creature comforts. They're open in the wintertime, and therefore perfect for a winter getaway. There's always a fire burning in the fireplace, the hosts, like merry elves, will usually have hot apple cider and cookies prepared for you, while outside it's either snowing or has just snowed. Holed up inside, you're safe on the sofa, with the Afghans, across from the fire. Romance is in the air.
Other times of year there's also plenty of reason to leave the city behind, and come up here for a weekend or extended getaway: the views of mountains, with rolling, green or multicolored trees, and the inviting and pristine lakes rippling in the sunlight are a couple of things to which you can look forward. The hikes in the region can be as rugged as any adventurer would like, or as gentle and conveniently short as lovers could ever desire.
In places like Saranac Lake and Lake George in the heart of the bold Adirondack Mountains, and around Canton, near the fabled Thousand Islands, you're bound to find the perfect romantic spot in any season. In waking hours you may decide to go on short hikes to take in some great views near the lakes or mountains, or you may prefer to go antiquing in search of the perfect mantelpiece object. Naturally, the resort towns also feature their fair share of first-class restaurants and eateries, whose proprietors are well aware of their role in creating the perfect evening.
Consider the charming lakeside village of Saranac Lake, which, ironically, is actually situated on Flower Lake. Filled with historic houses and buildings that line its quiet tree-covered avenues, the town is more than just a little quaint. Sailing is welcome on the lake, and in the fall, with the foliage changing colors brilliantly, floating on the water is a mighty good vantage point from which to observe the show. It's in this village, against this setting, that you'll really find some of the very best the B&B culture has to offer.
The acclaimed Saranac Club and Inn has only five rooms or suites, but all five are romantic gems. The rooms all have working fireplaces, thick club chairs, and Old Hickory furniture. The poster beds or sleigh beds are equipped with only the finest of mattresses. Outside your room, the breakfast is altogether nutritious and tasty, and there are fireplaces, that continue to keep you warm, in the game room and other public rooms.
Head over to nearby Lake Placid for more, excellent accommodations, such as Mirror Lake Inn, as well as the best romantic dining options in the area. Establishments such as Interlaken Inn and Restaurant, and Brown Dog Café and Wine Bar are divine, with good service and great food. At the latter you can taste of (and toast with) glasses of the greatest wines from throughout the United States, while experimenting with the cheese and sandwich selection. It's a feast for the senses, which bodes well for the heart.
On the water, literally, the Boathouse Bed and Breakfast, in Lake George, is an excellent example of castle architecture. You'll be very lucky if you're able to secure reservations at this iconic B&B, though of course the owners will act as if it's their good fortune to be able to host you. The seven rooms or suites are each originals, and from the whirlpool bath to the king and queen size beds, you'll be amazed by the attention to detail. The beautiful quilts, canopy beds, hardwood furniture, and pristine bathrooms, will make you wish you never had to leave the room. Fortunately, the enticing view of the lake just outside your window should be sufficient to goad you to go outdoors for a bit.
Lake George is called the Queen of the American Lakes, and any time spent on, or around, its waters will help convince you of why this is so. All kinds of boating are offered, and you can even tour on the Boathouse B&B's own motorboat.
Back on shore, there are numerous fine restaurants to cap off a day of togetherness. The Saratoga Rose, whose accompanying inn is also special, is located in a yellow, Queen Anne-style mansion from the late 19th century. Antique watercolor paintings of landscapes and still-life pictures hang from the walls of the separate dining rooms, and the menu, which changes with the season, features excellent steaks and salmon in the winter and an assortment of tapas in the summer. The wine list is exceptional, with a mix of Continental and American favorites available.
If you're looking for a romantic weekend in the Thousand Islands area, you should definitely consider choosing your destination in the environs of the towns of Clayton, Canton, and Alexandria Bay. Misty Meadows B&B, in Canton, provides for a carefree getaway, as it's quiet, clean, and away from it all. 1844 House, in nearby Potsdam, prepares the best food around, and the service is good and friendly.
One of the best ways to end a romantic getaway, with class and a sense of adventure, is with a balloon ride above the region. In northern New York, the views are quite sensational. The Adirondacks, the Champlain Valley, the St. Lawrence River, and the Thousand Islands are all on display as you soar leisurely through the air. If you think you've experienced the region's rolling hills, bold mountains, wide-stretching lakes, and colorful foliage from the ground, you're in for a real treat. The view from the air is a vantage point that never ceases to surprise and astound. But then amazement is what you should always expect from northern New York.