Location: Lake George
Top Things to do in Lake George
The 10 Best Free Things to do in Lake George, New York (NY)
When people find a great vacation getaway, they keep coming back. This 32-mile-long "Queen of American Lakes" is chock-full of lodging, attractions, eateries and just about any form of recreation you can name. A significant player in American history, Lake George is the site of two great forts, Fort William Henry and Fort Ticonderoga, both open to the public. Before plunging into the myriad activities in this family-friendly town, start off with a relaxing lake cruise to learn about the area. Then, take your pick of recreation: parasailing, fishing, diving, jet skiing, hiking, golfing, minigolf, horseback riding and more. If you've got kids in tow, you can't get away without visiting the Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom, New York's largest amusement park. Hikers gravitate to the international trail system or Prospect Mountain, which offers panoramic views from the top; for an easier way up, hop on the tram. Among the cleanest and clearest of major U.S. lakes, Lake George is as splendid today as when Thomas Jefferson described it as "...without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw."
Restaurants in Lake George
1. Lake George Distilling Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 36 reviews
Lake George Distilling Company was founded in 2012. We took our love of quality hand crafted spirits and decided to create our own. We take the time to select the best local ingredients from the region and use them to hand craft our spirits in small batches. We hope you will enjoy our products as much as we enjoyed creating them for you.
Reviewed By bpeck1234 - Wethersfield, United States
Stopped in and tried the tasting deal of 3 liquors for 5 dollars and you keep the shot glass! As a bourbon man, I tried the two bourbon offerings and the rye. All were excellent and distinctive. The others I was with tried other offerings (cinnamon whisky and moonshine) and other than the smoke one, enjoyed them all. All varieties are there for purchase at under $30 a bottle. If you want to sample several different liquors, this is your place!
2. Shelving Rock Falls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 195 reviews
A serene and beautiful waterfall located along an unmarked hiking trail in the Lake George system.
Reviewed By Nancy-in-NYC
We make a trip to Lake George every summer and this is my new top pick for BEST hike in the area, because there is such a big pay-off at the end! Start with the hike to Shelving Rock Summit, parking in lot # 3 or #4 on Shelving Rock Road. It took my family of four (kids ages 12 and 14) about 45 minutes to reach the summit, stopping along the way a bit to look around. Very nice hike (easy to moderate) with a pretty viewpoint at the end. After making it back down, you should continue down the road just a short bit past parking lot #4 and look for a metal gate/barrier on the left side of the road-- this is the start of the path to Shelving Rock Falls. Do NOT miss this... it was the highlight of our hike that day! In just a short walk on an unmarked dirt path, you will quickly reach a gorgeous waterfall with several different rocky spots to take a dip in your own private swimming hole! It was so fun and refreshing after the hike-- really memorable! TIP: We realized it would have been really helpful to have had water shoes in our backpacks for this... there are lots of rocks to climb around on, in and out of the water which is so much fun, and water shoes would have helped with navigating around on the rocks (some very slippery).
3. Lake George
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,166 reviews
During a 1791 visit, Thomas Jefferson was moved to say, "Lake George is without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw." Not much has changed. Today this 32-mile long, 3-mile wide dazzling lake draws vactioners who come to enjoy a plethora of outdoor endeavors including sailing, swimming, cruising on historic steamboats, hiking and more.
Reviewed By pestman - Ogunquit, United States
Obviously, when you go to Lake George, the focal point of your getaway is the lake. The lake doesn't disappoint. You can either choose to just walk along the banks and stare into the distance or participate in a number of water activities from swimming, paddleboarding, parasailing, jetskiing, boating, kayaking, etc. You can even camp on one of the islands that dot the narrows on Lake George. The town itself is very quaint but also full of touristy shops and bars. But, as touristy as it was, it didn't feel very crowded or overwhelming.
4. Warren County Bikeway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 97 reviews
Reviewed By EJBLtravels - Media, United States
This was the highlight to our visit to Lake George. The path was wide and paving was smooth. Well kept up, with beautiful wooded scenery. We rode from Lake George to Glenn Lake and back (12 miles total). Slight inclines and a couple of small hills.
5. Buck mountain hiking trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 80 reviews
Reviewed By R8951PYjuliea
My husband and I were in Lake George for a mini honeymoon during COVID, and decided to tackle Buck Mountain. We started on Monday in September at around 10 am and were pleasantly surprised that we barely saw any other people for the whole hike! There are two different routes up the mountain, and we opted for the route starting from Shelving Rock Road, which was 2.5 miles to the summit and then you go back down. The designated parking area was very small (maybe 4 cars) so get there early. We found it by entering “Shelving Rock Rd to Buck Mountain Trail” in Google Maps and downloading an offline map as there is no service as you go down the dirt road. The trail is well marked and easy for the first half, to the point that we weren’t sure we were on the correct trail since we had read this was a moderately tough hike! After crossing the “stream” (in quotes bc it was basically dried up when we went in Sept), the trail definitely gets more steep and rocky and I was happy to have my hiking boots for traction (one middle-aged woman I saw with sneakers was struggling a bit). The second half was a steady incline up to the top and we worked up a sweat. We are a relatively fit couple in early 30s who like an occasional day hike when traveling, but are definitely not experienced avid hikers and I would say the trail is moderate (we had great weather in 60s and sunny, definitely could see this being more difficult in high heat or with precipitation or more slippery conditions). It took us exactly 1 hr 20 min to go to the summit, spent about 20 min on summit to enjoy the view, have a granola bar and rest, and then 1 hr and 10 min back to the car. We then went on to drive to Shelving Rock falls and Shelving rock mountain trails further down the road before heading back into town which made for a delightful day of hiking!
6. Lake George Olive Oil Co.
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 67 reviews
Lake George Olive Oil Company offers Over 50 Extra Virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars from around the world! Always "Try Before you Buy" with samplings of our products. Sea salts, dipping seasonings, grilling sauces, jams, gift baskets and favors! We also have Gelato, dessert, coffees and more! Something for everyone.
Reviewed By brians8989
We stopped by for gelato twice during our four-day stay. I can't say enough for the quality of it, just amazing! Their store also had a huge array of olive oils.
7. Shepherd Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 21 reviews
Reviewed By Diverpatrick28 - Bridgeport, United States
Park is on a hill going down to a beach that is closed due to covid. It has a large pavilion with a stage and tiered seating. Many chairs to stop and rest. It was very clean and we'll taken care of.
8. Lake George Plaza Outlet Center
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 85 reviews
Shop-until-you-drop at this huge outlet mall that offers brand name merchandise from Anne Klein, Dansk Factory Store, Geoffrey Beene, Harve Benard, London Fog, Pierre Cardin, Timberland and many more.
Reviewed By Annoshka
Another visit to the adidas store and I couldn't be happier! The election, deals, and customer service are wonderful!
9. Log Jam Outlet Center
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 14 reviews
A favorite place for outlet shopping, this large complex of stores include Banister Shoe, Carter's Childrenswear, Famous Brand Housewares, Leather Loft, Perfumania, Sports Wearhouse and more.
10. Dilligaf
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 25 reviews
Reviewed By jojo21077 - Staten Island, United States
Great place to buy shirts and clothing. The staff was awesome especially Shayna who was so happy and helpful!
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