PP here. If it's raining, there's always IKEA in Paramus, NJ.

I grew up in Albany so I'm quite familiar with the drive as most of my family is still in the area. 7 hours with a 3yo will require stops and I would not recommend driving straight through, especially because there is always construction and/or an accident on the drive. Your 7 hours wil likely be 8-9 on a good summer traffic day.

Stopping in PA is a great option but it's only a few hours into the trip. I'd suggest stopping in Woodbridge (Outlets aren't great but plenty of room for the kids to run around), Poughkeepsie, or Kingston. A bit off 87 you can get to the Catskill Game Farm, Dutchess County Fair, Catskill Animal Sanctuary, Redhook (small town that's great for walking around and grabbing lunch/dinner), or plan to stop at a park along the Hudson River for a picnic and playtime. These would all be about 5 hours into your drive.

I was married in Saratoga and would absolutely suggest stopping there at some point while you're in Lake George. Head to the racetrack or poke around downtown. There are also a few good museums for kids.

If you plan to go the 81 route through PA, north of Hersey there isn't much unless you stop in Scranton. Scranton is closer to half-way (4hrs).

Maybe the Legoland Discovery Center in Yonkers? That is a bit out of the way and is 4 hours from DC if you time it right. We spent about 2-3 hours there with our 5 year old. It is basically in indoor lego play room with some rides, climbing structure, and, of course, legos.

There is a small zoo somewhere near Clifton/Montclair (Northern NJ) but I have not been there.

Another option is the Castle Fun Center in Chester NY, which is 4.5 hours from DC. There is outdoor mini-golf, a few rides, roller skating, a ball pit/play structure, go carts, an arcade, etc.

Or, you could just spend a night in NYC?

If driving through PA and not NJ/NJ, then maybe Dutch Wonderland would be a better option than Hershey/Dorney, both of which are quite large. Dutch Wonderland is much smaller and better suited for the 3-5 year crowd and there are tons of places to stay overnight there. If your 6 year old is a thrill-seeker he may be a bit bored at DW, though.

Anonymous wrote:Why do you need to stop? It’s not that long of drive.

+1

7 hours? I would just want to get there. And there's only one way to get there. One would only leave the NJ Turnpike / NY Thruway if there was a terrible crash that closed the highway or something. Any other route adds an hour at least.

Anonymous wrote:It looks like Harriman is about halfway and it's right on the thruway. Spend the night there and tour the nearby Storm King Arts Center.....a very large and beautiful outdoor sculpture garden. There is a great picnic area and bikes available to ride around the grounds. If you have the time work in a quick stop at Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets which are huge and have just about every brand under the sun.

Just went to Storm King a couple weeks ago for the first time - awesome place! Also the cafe there is yummy for a quick healthy lunch break. It’s a considerable amount of walking if you do the whole thing - there is a little tram that runs if the kids don’t want to walk anymore.

Why do you need to stop? It’s not that long of drive.

It looks like Harriman is about halfway and it's right on the thruway. Spend the night there and tour the nearby Storm King Arts Center.....a very large and beautiful outdoor sculpture garden. There is a great picnic area and bikes available to ride around the grounds. If you have the time work in a quick stop at Woodbury Commons Premium Outlets which are huge and have just about every brand under the sun.

A few ideas:
Saratoga. If the ponies are still running, that might even be worth an overnight. We have stopped in the dead of winter, and still enjoyed it. But, it is also like an hour from Lake George.
Hershey or Dorney Park. Both PA, both have lots of kid oriented stuff.
Depending on how you go( there are several ways to get up there) maybe Gettysburg?

We're headed to Lake George with family in August. We'll be driving, and have two kids, 3 and 6. Anyone else do this and find a great place to stop to break up the trip? Either overnight or just for a few hours?