The Adirondacks New York

For all its wild beauty, the region offers celebrated cultural centers amid towering trees, restaurants that capture the essence of place, and a mélange of places to stay that provide elegant luxury, simple economy and everything in between.

Arrive in the Adirondacks ready for adventure. Into viticulture? Rent bicycles and ride from vineyard to winery along the Adirondack Coast Wine Trail and enjoy a flight of wines made from grapes that capture the rare terroir of balsam-scented air, apples ripening in the sun and the rich reserves of pristine forests. Afterward, take a sunset sail on Lake Champlain, which stretches for 193 kilometers from the Canadian Province of Quebec all the way to the southern tip of the Adirondack Region.

Discover the treasures of the Adirondacks in towns and villages that hold immense importance in the history of not only New York State, but the USA. Lake Placid, so named for the deep lake that sits like a jewel at its heart, hosted the world during two Winter Olympic Games – in 1932 and 1980. Today’s visitors can stroll through the Olympic past, or enjoy a thoroughly modern athletic thrill at one of the carefully maintained venues. Bobsled or luge anyone?

Charming Main Street stores and restaurants, as well as luxury lodging properties, provide the perfect balance of culture and sophistication amid the rustic splendor of the Adirondacks' towering mountains and multitude of lakes and rivers. The Adirondacks are unique among the USA's mountainous regions because of the number of lakes, rivers and streams. In the Adirondack Lakes Region alone, there are more than 600 bodies of water, many of which can be explored by canoe, kayak, boat or paddleboard.

In the heart of the Adirondacks, moose meander through dense forests, bear and deer can be seen on any given day, and the unofficial bird of the Adirondacks – the loon – can be heard calling from the middle of Long Lake, Blue Mountain Lake and around Inlet. A must-do is the Gilded Age Tour, which includes Great Camp Sagamore, a masterpiece of Adirondack architecture; a boating tour of Raquette Lake, complete with lunch or dinner and captain’s narration; and a visit to the celebrated Adirondack Museum. Each location offers a glimpse into the incredible traditions of the past and present.