After COVID-19 put a damper on most of 2020, we started going a little stir crazy. I’ve been working from home since March which means most days, I don’t see anything but the inside of my two-bedroom apartment. In June, we decided to drive from Boston to Lake George, New York for a weekend getaway. If you live in New England or New York, Lake George is a perfect place to spend a few days in the summer. Here’s how to spend two days in Lake George, New York.
Where to Stay in Lake George
When choosing where to stay in Lake George, I always advocate for a lakefront property. The Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing is a classic choice, though it can get pretty pricey. A cheaper option is the Inn at Erlowest. This historic property has unique rooms with views of the lake, a private beach, and on-site dining with breakfast included each morning. Eating breakfast out on the patio while overlooking the lake is a must!
Day 1: Hit the Beach and Explore the Lake
Enjoy the Beach
We spent the first part of our day enjoying the private beach at our hotel. There were a few lounge chairs set out and luckily no one else around. It was perfect! We visited in early June so the water was still freezing, but we managed to jump in anyway.
If your hotel doesn’t have a beach, check out some of the public beaches in Lake George:
Walk Around Lake George Village
Lake George Village is one of the main towns situated on Lake George. The main road, Canada Street, has tons of restaurants and stores. We visited when restaurants were just re-opening. To play it safe, we grabbed take out for lunch and ate it in Shepard Park.
Take a Boat Tour of Lake George
There are multiple options for boat tours of Lake George. We chose a one-hour historic sightseeing cruise with Lake George Shoreline Cruises that departed from Lake George Village. This was the company’s first boat tour since the pandemic started! The crew was great at making sure everyone wore masks, used hand sanitizer, and maintained six feet of distance between groups. At $19 per person, this the cheapest way you can explore Lake George from the water.
Have Dinner in Lake George or Bolton Landing
There are lots of options for dining in Lake George Village and nearby Bolton Landing. Lake George is more touristy while Bolton Landing is a little more local. If you’re familiar with Martha’s Vineyard, I would compare Lake George Village to Oak Bluffs and Bolton Landing to Vineyard Haven. We ended up having a nice meal on the patio at Gaslight. This was our first meal at a restaurant in almost three months!
Day 2: Nature Around Lake George
Take a Hike or Two
The west side of Lake George is home to most of the lake’s resorts while the east side is more woodsy and residential. If you’re up for a hike, you’ll find most of the trails are on the east side including Shelving Rock Falls and Shelving Rock Mountain.
Shelving Rock Falls
Shelving Rock Falls is a quick hike, about a mile out and back. For this hike, park in Parking Lot 1. You’ll see the trailhead immediately before the parking lot. This is a busy hike so when in doubt, follow the other people! We didn’t find a direct path to the bottom of the falls, but it’s easy enough to make your own way down.
Shelving Rock Mountain
After hiking to the falls, drive to Parking Lot 4 for the trailhead for Shelving Rock Mountain. This hike is 3 miles out and back. Once you get to the top, it seems like the trail ends without much of a payoff in terms of views.
The trick is to keep hiking a bit further on a poorly marked side trail and eventually you’ll get to a spectacular view of the lake.
Drive to Prospect Mountain Summit
Unfortunately, Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway was closed when we visited. This 5.5 mile highway leads to the summit of Prospect Mountain with beautiful views over the lake. You can read more about it here.
A Final Dinner
On our last night, we decided to dine at our hotel, the Inn at Erlowest. Dinner on the patio is available even if you aren’t staying at the hotel. You can make reservations here.
Final Thoughts
Located only three and a half hours outside of Boston, Lake George is the perfect escape from the city during the summer. Spending time in Lake George is mostly about getting out on the lake, exploring the area’s many hiking trails, and taking some time to relax. If you have two days in Lake George, make sure you go in the water at least once!
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