adirondacks vs finger lakes for family trip

[Anonymous]

We went to Deep Creek Lake this summer and had a surprisingly great time (I say surprisingly bc we usually take summer beach trips). We (dh, b/g teens, dog and me) enjoyed kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, biking and hiking. We missed having some better food choices, but we don’t need much as we bbq and cook a lot - we’d have preferred nearby a well stocked grocery store, a decent restaurants, a brewery or winery - maybe a few cute shops but not essential.

I’m looking into renting in the Finger Lakes or Adirondacks next summer. Can anyone describe the differences between these two lake areas? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went to Deep Creek Lake this summer and had a surprisingly great time (I say surprisingly bc we usually take summer beach trips). We (dh, b/g teens, dog and me) enjoyed kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, biking and hiking. We missed having some better food choices, but we don’t need much as we bbq and cook a lot - we’d have preferred nearby a well stocked grocery store, a decent restaurants, a brewery or winery - maybe a few cute shops but not essential.

I’m looking into renting in the Finger Lakes or Adirondacks next summer. Can anyone describe the differences between these two lake areas? Thanks!

Ithaca in the Finger Lakes and Lake Placid in the Adirondacks check all your boxes -- although Ithaca has more to offer in most respects due to its less isolated location and the presence of Cornell and Ithaca college. Ithaca is 6 hours from DC and Lake Placid is 9-10 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went to Deep Creek Lake this summer and had a surprisingly great time (I say surprisingly bc we usually take summer beach trips). We (dh, b/g teens, dog and me) enjoyed kayaking, paddle boarding, swimming, biking and hiking. We missed having some better food choices, but we don’t need much as we bbq and cook a lot - we’d have preferred nearby a well stocked grocery store, a decent restaurants, a brewery or winery - maybe a few cute shops but not essential.

I’m looking into renting in the Finger Lakes or Adirondacks next summer. Can anyone describe the differences between these two lake areas? Thanks!

Ithaca in the Finger Lakes and Lake Placid in the Adirondacks check all your boxes -- although Ithaca has more to offer in most respects due to its less isolated location and the presence of Cornell and Ithaca college. Ithaca is 6 hours from DC and Lake Placid is 9-10 hours.

I should also add that Cayuga Lake is about 100x larger than Lake Placid so if activities on a lake are important than Ithaca is also better I that regard. There are several boat rental places on Cayuga Lake and several wineries along the lake can be reached directly by boat.

[Anonymous]

Topography! The Adirondacks have mountains, bigger than western MD, feels forested and enclosed with great hiking and more dramatic views. Finger Lakes has rolling hills, smaller, more open views, a few nice hikes but not as much of a hiking destination. Half the distance, though.

[Anonymous]

We really enjoyed Lake Placid this past summer. Mirror Lake is beautiful and all of the Olympics stuff was surprisingly interesting on rainy days. One thing to note is that the downtown area is PACKED on weekends. I was really surprised. The town itself is fairly small and there were just swarms of people. But once you got out onto the lake or the trails, it wasn’t so bad.

[Anonymous]

We absolutely love Lake George. The mountains are gorgeous and the lake is pristine. I was not a lake person until I visited this one.

[Anonymous]

I love both for different reasons, but prefer the Adirondacks for a family vacation. The hiking and paddling are top notch. You can easily spend a week there without ever going into Lake Placid, but the Olympic attractions there are worth a day trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We absolutely love Lake George. The mountains are gorgeous and the lake is pristine. I was not a lake person until I visited this one.

Yup, just avoid Lake George Village which is super tacky touristy. Bolton Landing is more your vibe.

[Anonymous]

We liked both Lake Placid and Finger Lakes, but I’d give Finger Lakes a slight edge. Watkins Glen and the Corning Glass museum are great as are the state parks. I felt like there was a better mix of things to do.

[Anonymous]

Look at rentals on Upper Saranac Lake. Lovely water for swimming, boating, paddling - beautiful nearby hiking - a little more upscale and less crowded than Lake Placid (and certainly than Lake George).

I think the scenery in the Adirondacks is much better than the Finger Lakes.

[Anonymous]

I think the scenery in the Adirondacks is much better than the Finger Lakes.

Agree. By east coast standards, the mountains are BIG (especially the High Peaks). The forests feel more northern, because they are, and because of the elevation in many places.

That said, the Finger Lakes is still a big change of scenery from the DMV, and a lovely region. And a closer drive.

They're both worth visiting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We liked both Lake Placid and Finger Lakes, but I’d give Finger Lakes a slight edge. Watkins Glen and the Corning Glass museum are great as are the state parks. I felt like there was a better mix of things to do.

Have spent more time in the Finger Lakes than Adirondacks (only been to the latter once) but this would be my view too - more variety of things to do in the Finger Lakes.

[Anonymous]

Finger Lakes.
You can also hike Watkins Glen, Letchworth State parks and many other waterfalls. Some easy, some lengthy and some harder. Just search for finger lakes waterfalls. Even Ithaca college has many nice falls. Cornell Botanical gardens. There are many sets of trails there. Gorges and waterfalls are plenty. And the lakes were not cold when we were there in August twice. We rented an airbnb that had a paddleboard and kayaks.

[Anonymous]

You could also head south to Smith Mountain Lake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We absolutely love Lake George. The mountains are gorgeous and the lake is pristine. I was not a lake person until I visited this one.

Yup, just avoid Lake George Village which is super tacky touristy. Bolton Landing is more your vibe.

+1000 Lake George is perfect! It's a bit of a haul from the DMV but you could stop half way up in NYC or the Hudson Valley. Saratoga Springs is 30-45 mins from Lake George and has great dining and the horse race track.