5 days in Adirondacks Itinerary

A playground for America’s wealthy families, Lake George was nicknamed "Queen of the American Lakes." While these families often stayed in private country houses, a tourism industry built up around them in the early 20th century facilitated by two YMCAs.

Kick off your visit on the 4th (Tue): get your game on at Around the World Miniature Golf, play a few rounds at Gooney Golf, then tee off at Lumberjack Pass Miniature Golf, and finally stop by Lake George Olive Oil Co.. Get ready for a full day of sightseeing on the 5th (Wed): have some family-friendly fun at Oscar's Smoke House, then identify plant and animal life at Veterans Memorial Park, then get outside with Painted Pony Rodeo, and finally explore the landscape on two wheels at Warren County Bikeway.

To see ratings, maps, where to stay, and tourist information, you can read our Lake George day trip planner.

Chicago to Lake George is an approximately 6.5-hour flight. You can also drive; or do a combination of train and bus. The time zone difference moving from Central Standard Time (CST) to Eastern Standard Time (EST) is 1 hour. Traveling from Chicago in August, plan for a bit cooler nights in Lake George, with lows around 57°F. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 5th (Wed) early enough to drive to Lake Placid.

Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. Kick off your visit on the 6th (Thu): contemplate the waterfront views at Lake Placid, stop by Saratoga Olive Oil Company, then look for all kinds of wild species at Adirondack Wildlife Refuge, and finally kick back and relax at Wilmington Town Beach. Here are some ideas for day two: stroll through Brewster Peninsula Nature Trails, then see the interesting displays at Saranac Laboratory Museum, and then contemplate the waterfront views at Saranac Lake.

For where to stay, reviews, maps, and more tourist information, go to the Lake Placid trip itinerary planning app.

Traveling by car from Lake George to Lake Placid takes 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a bus. In August, Lake Placid is a bit cooler than Lake George - with highs of 75°F and lows of 49°F. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 7th (Fri) so you can travel back home.