Lake George Winter Carnival, New York

Winter birthdays in New England mean you have to get a bit creative. You have to travel south for warmer weather, or travel north and embrace the cold. I usually do the later, involving the winter weather in my birthday plans. Last year I turned 36 and to celebrate, we headed north to Lake George, New York. Lake George has their famous winter carnival all through the month of February. My birthday landed on the weekend so we loaded the kids in the car and headed to the famous lake in the Adirondacks. 

Holiday lights downtown Lake George during the Winter Carnival

If you haven't heard of the winter carnival, it's a celebration of winter with the lake front stage and center. The Lake George Winter Carnival started in 1961 and has run ever since. There are a series of events hosted on the lake (or in alternate locations if it has been a warm year). The carnival runs every weekend (Friday to Sunday), typically through the month of February. This year, the carnival runs from January 31st through March 2nd. There is a schedule set for every weekend with a variety of activities. Most events happen in the area of Shepard Park, and if you head to the winter carnival (check the calendar first to see what events are on what days), you can expect to find free s'mores, an ATV poker run, motorcycle and ATV ice racing, dog talent shows, outhouse races, glacier golf tournaments, a chili cook-off, a parade, a polar plunge, karaoke, cocoa, fireworks, and so much more. Some events are free, and some events require advanced registration and purchased tickets. You can see the schedule here and buy tickets for the various events.

Here is an example schedule (starting this weekend)

Croton Point Park and Campground, Croton-on-Hudson, New York

Work takes me throughout the Northeast and in early summer, it took me to the Hudson area of New York to evaluate an undeveloped lot (back story: I am an Environmental Scientist who does due diligence work prior to the sale of commercial real estate). Because it was an undeveloped lot, I could get there whenever made sense for my schedule so I decided to make the weekend of it. I dragged the family with me and after a quick google search for campsites in the Hudson area, I stumbled upon a place called "Croton Point Park" and campground. What a funny name I thought, but to this point, I had been thoroughly impressed with New York State Parks and decided to give it a go. It looked like a peninsula on the water and at the price of $60 a night including access to the park, we packed up the camper and headed to the Hudson Valley.

Hackensack Mountain Hike - Lake George Area

If you find yourself in the lower Adirondacks, the Lake George area to be precise, you are almost always guaranteed to be in a crowd. This popular summer tourist spot keeps bustling through the fall season as leaf peepers and balloon festival-goers flock to the village. Things slow down for a bit in November, kick back into gear for holiday festivities in December, and turn into ice festivals/winter carnivals on the lake in February. All this to say it's a busy area with lots to do, see, and eat. If you are in the area for one of the area's famous events, it's nice to sneak away from the crowds and enjoy one of the best things ADK has to offer, a beautiful hike with a bit of a workout. 

Saratoga Spa State Park - Saratoga, New York

Once in a while, I stumble on a somewhat hidden gem, a place that leaves me totally surprised and a bit stunned. Surprises are rare on Katie Wanders adventures. I usually do a lot of research before I head to a new spot to try to get a lay of the land and plan my adventures (chronic over-planner). Having a baby has forced me to be a bit more flexible in my normally over-scheduled travel plans.

We were on our way to Lake George, New York for the weekend, about a 3.5-hour drive from the central Connecticut coast. Whitney had napped for nearly two hours on the ride and had been up for an hour. Even though we were only a half-hour away, he had lost his sense of humor and needed out of his car seat - immediately. 

I quickly looked at the map and opened up AllTrails to see if there was somewhere we could stretch our legs . The number one rated hike in the area was the Geyser Loop at Saratoga Spa State Park. I had been to Saratoga several times for a horseshow (and it's famous for its race track) but had never heard of this park or this hike and never knew how Saratoga Springs got its name. We got off the highway, pulled into the park, and I was instantly blown away.  

Weekender's Guide to: Adirondacks (Lake Placid area - summer!)

Lake Placid, New York

We had big plans for our anniversary weekend. A familiar theme for 2021?

When the delta variant made travel insanely complicated and questionable, we decided to find some adventure and relaxation here in the Northeast. I had always loved the quiet and the beauty of the Adirondacks and past trips took me snowmobiling and snowshoeing in the winter and hiking and rafting in the summer. 

I recommend the Adirondacks to just about anyone because there is something for everyone. Want to camp deep in the woods and climb some of the region's tallest peaks? This is the perfect place. Want to stay at a 5-star hotel, golf in the mornings and visit the spa in the afternoon? Yep, that's here too. For me, it's the solitude and all the different ways to play outside and evenings spent in quaint lake towns.  I wanted a mix of relaxation and adventure, I wanted my weekend warrior outdoorsy adventures and to see a bit of the wildness. 

The High Peaks area of the Adirondacks is considered to be the most consistently high, wild, and remote mountain area in the eastern United States. Adirondack Park also contains 3,000 lakes and ponds, and 30,000 miles of rivers and streams.  New York has expanded both the Adirondack and Catskill parks and they now cover an area of more than six million acres, larger than Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Grand Canyon and Great Smoky Mountain national parks combined. 

I visited Lake Placid on our last visit to the Adirondacks. It was a quick afternoon while we spent the long weekend exploring the Ausable Chasm area. I wanted to go back for a few days and see what the area was all about over a long weekend. And so, this Weekender's Guide to Lake Placid, New York was born. 

Indian Head Hike - Keene, NY 

Cliffside Coaster - Mt Van Hoevenberg- Lake Placid NY

I don't usually go crazy for rides. I'm the kind of person that stays off roller coasters and stays out of busy amusement parks in general. When do I make an exception? When I have the chance to ride the longest mountain coaster in the United States on a control-your-own-speed coaster through the mountains of the Adirondacks through parts/alignment of the former 1932 and the 1980 Olympic Bobsled course.

This is another one of those "I wasn't expecting to love this experience as much as I did" sort of moments. I thought the $50 per person price tag for one quick ride was a little steep and doubted it would be worth the cost. I am happy to say we had such a fun afternoon at Mt Van Hoevenberg and a ride on the coaster was worth the price tag. 

Weekender's Guide: Catskills, NY (Summer!)

The Catskills have become one of my favorite places and I never saw it coming. Meeting Adam who lived in Fairfield County (the insanely busy part of Connecticut that touches New York basically) sort of changed things, putting the Catskills that much closer.

In my Rhode Island Weekender's Guide, I talked about how Jamestown was like Newport in miniature. Well, the Catskills are that for the Adirondacks. The Catskills are a smaller less populated version and while you don't have the Adirondack High Peaks and famous lakes, you have some amazing hiking, stunning vistas and the scenic Esopus Creek. It's also a much easier drive as the Catskills are about 3.5 hours closer than the Adirondacks for us in coastal Connecticut, only 3ish hours from home. Adirondacks are beautiful but pretty far for just a weekend but the Catskills? You can leave on a Saturday morning if you wanted to avoid the traffic. The Catskills are a popular spot for city dwellers as it's also a 2 hour drive from New York City, making this the perfect weekend getaway for New Englanders and New Yorkers alike.

Wittenberg Mountain - Phoenicia - Catskills, New York

Adam and I have been trying to balance our love for the outdoors with our need to finish this damn house. If you are new to KW, we bought a complete fixer-upper in May and have spent the last 6 months taking down walls and rebuilding them back up. In all honesty, it was well-timed with the virus and everyone being homebound but it has also been a strain on my love of the outdoors and long weekends in the mountains.

We made a fair compromise with the trails and our renovation when we decided Saturday would be spent in the Catskills (close enough for a day trip, far enough to be in mountains) and work on the house Sunday (Garage/Basement cleanout day!)  We left early on Saturday morning armed with coffee and packed sandwiches, excited to spend the day in the Catskills, and enjoy a new hike on new trails.  I did some quick research online looking for a medium level hike between 4 and 10 miles with some decent elevation gain (and a view!) and stumbled on Wittenberg and Cornell Mountain.  

Hiking Bear Mountain - Highlands, New York

It was still peak foliage in the northern/central regions of New England and we only had a day to spend in the woods.  Saturday was filled with pumpkin carving and Adams nephew's birthday party (and my first time to Stew Leonards, still not sure how I feel about).  So with the weekend commitment of Saturday around Connecticut, Sunday had its limitations.  The plan was kind of a "no plan" plan....sleep in and in the morning, find a hike within a 1-2 hour radius with prime foliage and awesome views.

Bear Mountain was a state park Adam kept referring to just over the border in New York.  He had never been but knew it received high marks as far as viewpoints and accessibility went.  We had been toying around with the idea of the Catskills but ended up opting for Bear Mountain, a supposedly scenic hike closer than the Catskills, located just an hour from Adam's house in Norwalk, Connecticut.

Plan Bee Farm Brewery - Poughkeepsie, New York

After a hiking weekend in the Catskills and a sort of failed local brewery attempt at Hunter Mountain Brewery (great food, no on-site brewed beer, still confused) I was excited to find a local brewery with great beer, and yes, a brewery that actually made beer on-site.  

What we found was even better.  

Not only do they brew a variety of great beer, but they do it using ingredients from the farm. 

This second brewery attempt was a trendy little brewery outside of Poughkeepsie where you can drink a beer brewed with local "right from the farm" ingredients while dodging roaming chickens and petting friendly goats.  If this is up your alley (or er, field?) look no further than Plan Bee Farm Brewery.

Hunter Mountain Scenic Skyride - Catskills, New York

I've spent a lot of time on ski lifts.  From the mountains of Massachusetts to the peaks of Utah, summits in Wyoming and slopes of Colorado, I have seen a lot of different chairlifts in my day.  But a chairlift in the summer?  This was a first.  

It was the first time I walked right onto a lift in a summer dress and a flip flops with a tan and a smile instead of my winter coat and skis.  The prognosis? it was absolutely lovely to be on a lift not freezing my buns off.  So let's just say that my (new) favorite way to get up a mountain is on a perfect sunny summer day, sitting on a chairlift and enjoying the breeze and the views below.  

Kaaterskill Falls (summer) Hike - Catskills, New York

The first time we hiked Kaaterskill Falls was late March.  Snow fell on the higher elevations overnight and when we walked to the trailhead, there was a perfect white coating of snow on the ground.  We had microspikes and beanies, layers and gloves as we made our way along the trail and up to the top of the icey falls.  It was also just a few weeks into knowing Adam, less than a month when I casually suggested I had a weekend booked at a dog-friendly tiny house in the Catskills and if you wanted to come, you know, it could be fun (or weird, who knew). 

Giant Ledge Hike - Catskills, New York

The Catskills have become my calming place. An escape when I need to feel the quiet of the woods and the trail without journeying too far away from home. A place where there are more trees, fewer people and things slow down a little bit. A place where I spend time with a handsome dark-haired man and our two dogs, making summer memories in the mountains. 

My summer has revolved around work and two crazy jobs so by the time Friday rolls around - I am wound.  Wound up in meetings and emails, commutes and phone calls, days managing projects in the field and nights behind the bar.  I am short on sleep and time and certainly short on patience.  Adam had a rough July as well, recovering from a sinus infection, wisdom teeth surgery, and then another surgery on his nose.  We were mentally (me) and physically (him) wounded.  I knew the solution for me: get in the car and drive north.  It was a little tougher for him (wisdom teeth extraction and nose surgery) but we seemed to find a casual compromise between my need for peaks and his limitations post procedures.  

Our compromise was the Catskills: no backpacking, smaller hikes, and a quiet evening of camping.  

Waterfalls and Wine - Buttonwood Grove, Finger Lakes, NY

A hard hike and a cold beer (preferably from a local brewery) are one of my favorite pairings.  It's that hot hike, cold beer combo - usually showing up to a new brewery in sweaty hiking clothes, happy to kick my feet up and relax over a new beverage, enjoyed guilt-free after a long walk in the woods.  One of my most favorites pairings if you will, was during a weekend up in the Whites of New Hampshire.  I was hiking Franconia Ridge, Thatcher, Olive and I on this amazing 9-mile hike over some of New Hampshire's 4,000 footers.  After we got back to the car happy and hungry, I punched in "brewery" and found Schilling Beer Co where I ended my day in pure hiker bliss over pizza and beer.  We sat outside with Olive enjoying our treats, trying to narrow down which beers we wanted to bring home.  This post hike experience set the standard of what my hiking trips should look like. 

So when I went to the Fingerlakes to hike and celebrate Independence Day, this combination was kind of what I had in mind, but would require some improvising.  I was with my parents who don't share my love for double-digit distance hikes and double IPA's.  And we were in the Finger Lakes hiking around Cayuga Lake, America's First Wine Trail.   

So instead of elevation and IPAs, we did waterfalls and wine. 

Taughannock Falls - Finger Lakes, New York

At this point in the trip Lucy (my mom) had a lot to say about the trails I was picking.  Too many stairs, too long, they hurt her knee, and so on.  Truth be told, these trails had been relatively flat in my eyes.  We weren't hiking to any summits, just following gorges and waterfalls in the middle of Amish Country New York.  

With that being said, sometimes it's hard to step back and realize we all have different definitions of an "easy trail", molded by experience and fitness levels.  I run 2 days a week and do CrossFit 4 days a week.  She is not consistent with exercise and nutrition and had a knee surgery earlier in the year.  Our definitions of an easy trail are very, very different.  And that's okay.  

By Hike 3 in the Finger Lakes, we finally found a trail that was more her pace, and fit her definition of easy.  A short, flat, well maintained wide trail that after a 1-mile leisurely stroll, ended at a breathtaking waterfall.   It was one of those low effort high reward kind of hikes.  

Have someone in your group who appreciates easier trails?  Want to take the kids on an easy hike?  Or maybe you just want a nice little walk to stretch your legs and take a few photos.  Head to Taughannock Falls. 

Letchworth State Park, Finger Lakes, New York

Upper Falls - Letchworth State Park 

New York, 

How were you hiding all these big and showy state parks?  I have lived in the Northeast most of my life (minus those two years in Utah) and as you know dear reader, I am madly in love with the outdoors.  Whether it's scuba diving or horseback riding, hiking or mountain biking, or just an evening under the stars.  I'm happiest when I 'm outside. 

In my 31 years I have traveled a lot, especially around the U.S.  And when I moved back east from Utah, I made it my mission to tackle more mountains, more peaks, and spend more time outside.  To experience the outdoors in new places and in new ways. 

But even after being back east for 2.5 years and tackling different challenges, these New York State Parks are still a complete surprise.  It's amazing what is hiding just a few state lines away).  These parks in the Finger Lakes were gems no one down here in New England really talked about.  

This wasn't just a casual run of the mill  State Park.  To me, this was dramatic and oh so beautiful with rugged cliffs and waterfalls, miles of trails and so many recreation opportunities.  I couldn't help but think, this place is kind of National Park worthy. 

Robert H. Trehman State Park, Finger Lakes - Waterfall Loop Hike

Views along the Gorge Trail 

It sort of became a new tradition to explore New York on the fourth of July. It all started last year when I convinced my parents we should spend the long weekend up in the Ausable area, camping, exploring, and hiking up in the gorgeous Adirondacks. It was a great trip that included one of my favorite hikes to date, Indian Head. Since then, I have made it a mission to spend more time exploring this huge state of New York that is truly an outdoor lover's paradise. I've done a few hikes in the Catskills, spent some time in the Adirondacks and now, spent the fourth of July holiday in the Finger Lakes. 

 Spending America's birthday deep in the woods and in one of our countries state parks is my favorite way to celebrate Independence Day. 

Weekender's Guide to: CATSKILLS NY (winter)

There is nothing better than having an open weekend in a new place. The modus operandi of the weekend was wake up, go out for a hike, come back and jump in the shower, and then spend the rest of the day exploring some of these quaint New York towns. It's the perfect way to spend a winter weekend, really. If you only have a few days, you can easily hike up one of New York's tallest waterfalls, visit abandoned hotel ruins, stop by a lighthouse, walk the streets of an artsy quaint little town and have some amazing meals with a view. Grab some extra layers and head to New York - it's the winter getaway you never knew you needed. 

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Perched on the Hudson River at the Saugerties Lighthouse

Visiting in winter generally means you get to move at a slower pace. The days are shorter and you can't plan to "do it all". My perfect day starts with a hike, and then taking it slow, enjoying the simple act of walking down a different sidewalk hand in hand, reading menus until you find a good spot for lunch.  After lunch, grab a coffee and some chocolates at one of the local stores and maybe do a little bit more walking.  Wrap up the evening with some kind of cool local/iconic tourist stop before finding a good local bar or brewery.  Picture perfect weekend, right?  It's how I like to wander - a mix of a nice hike, cute town, and gooood food. 

Hiking Recap Video 

Before we get too far into my "you need to eat here" rant, let's clear up some confusion. You are visiting the Catskill Mountains (known as the Catskills), Catskill itself is a town, and when I say "The Catskills " I am generally referring to this area (see map above). The Catskill Mountains, also known as the Catskills, are a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian Mountains, located in southeastern New York. Catskill Park in the Catskill Mountains covers 700,000 acres. So let's go through some of these famous towns in the Catskills, where I stopped, what I ate, and what you can do if you find yourself in the Catskills of New York.

We drove through Catskill on our way to the Tiny House Resort on Friday evening.  We stopped at Creekside for dinner (sort of old-school american) and were impressed with the food at this quaint unassuming restaurant right on the creek.  I had the crabcakes and a salad (fried goat cheese - important detail) and Adam had the steak.  My previous visits to the backwoods of New York taught me that good food can be hard to come by but this meal was a good one and had us impressed as we left Catskill behind to head to the Tiny House Resort. There doesn't seem to be much to do in the Town of Catskill, but we had a great meal on the creek before launching off to a few of the iconic towns in the area. For lunch (and breakfast one day) we stopped at Two Mama's deli and mart in Catskill to pick up deli sandwiches and a few last minute supplies before hitting the trails - delicious and thoughtfully made and perfect for a breakfast on the go or lunch on the trails.

Main Street Hudson, New York

I was surprised how much I adored this quaint little town.  SO what I am saying is you need to make the time to cross the Hudson and spend some time in this trendy little town. We just walked up and down the mile-long main drag (Warren Street), popping in and out of adorable shops and stopping to read the menus of some amazing restaurants.  It's been called "Brooklyn North" and I can totally see why.  You know I love a good bar/bookshop and the cutest stores which allow for ample window shopping. Stop and eat at some highly rated restaurants.  We did a lot of menu reading and were pretty bummed when we didn't make a reservation on a Saturday night (busy, even in March!).   

Antique or art lover?  There are plenty of galleries to stop in and there is the famous Olana State Historic Site the one-time home and studio space of Frederic Edwin Church (19th-century Hudson River School of American landscape painter).  Traveling with kids?  Check out the FASNY Museum of Firefighting (complete with firehouse poles to slide down and ladders to climb).

View from the Kaaterskill Falls overlook

As you make your way from the towns on the Hudson and head into the woods, you find towns like Hunter and hamlets like Haine's Falls. The drive up Route 23A to Kaaterskills Falls and Hunter Mountain is a stunning winding road up the mountains along Kaaterskill Creek.  You have to remind yourself you are still in the Northeast and just a few hours from the Connecticut border. 

Check out Hunter Mountain (ski resort) and snow tubing park. It's a smaller mountain but the perfect spot to do some skiing or tubing with the kids. If you want to lace up your hiking boots (as you should, you are in the Catskills!) this is the perfect spot.  In this area of the Catskills, you can Hike Kaaterskill Falls (winter guide) (and here is the summer guide to this gorgeous iconic 260' tiered waterfall) or Hike North-South Lake (a pretty lake with a campground and hikes offering sweeping views of the mountains from the escarpment).

Viewpoint on our North South Lake hike

Walk out to Saugerties Lighthouse

A horse show town for a few weeks in the summer, a Main Street with cute shops and restaurants, and a quick quiet hike to the lighthouse. Add in views of the Hudson, shopping and antiquing, and you have Saugerties. We started our stay in Saugerties with a quick walk out to the Lighthouse (1/2 mile walk each way, dog-friendly). After our walk, we had a delicious lunch at Rock Dah Casbah off Main Street (very cool interior, New American style food - great vegetarian/vegan options). We had awesome salads and split a fantastic mushroom appetizer. There is a nice little main drag to walk and we popped in and out of stores, coffee houses and chocolate shops. For dinner, we ate at the Red Onion and again were impressed with the quality of restaurants in this area. We started off with grilled Spanish Octopus; Adam had the risotto and I had the squid ink pasta with grilled squid. We ate, we walked around, we saw the lighthouse, and left quite content.  Need more Saugerties travel inspiration - check out this Weekend Escape Plan.

1869 Saugerties Lighthouse signage

Boots to borrow on your hike out to the Lighthouse

Rock Dah Casbah - Saugerties

I am sure you have heard of the famous Woodstock, New York.  You are probably thinking of a lot of peace and love, tie-dye and hippies. That whole music festival? Yeah, it wasn't actually here, it was in Bethel, which is about 1.5 hours southwest. BUT, you can still get that vibe that Woodstock was famous for, walk along Main Street, do some shopping, grab a coffee, and enjoy a good meal.  You can also go on a pretty epic hike to Overlook Mountain (I did it in the summer but I'm sure you can hike it in the winter too) where you can see abandoned hotel ruins and climb one of the Catskills fire towers.  Views, history, hotel ruins, and a fire tower wrapped up into one great hike. 

Overlook Mountain Ruins, Woodstock

These towns are relatively close to each other, easy to get to, and all have their own unique identity and charm.  In just about every town you are guaranteed to find some great hiking and good food.  This trip was an excellent reminder that adventures do not always require a plane ticket or a drive to a famous national park.  Sometimes the weekend you need and the adventure you crave is just a 2-hour drive away.  If you want some more information and more towns to visit, check out this guide.

Happy Wandering, 

North-South Lake Hike - Newman's Ledge and the Catskill Mountain House Site

It was the last day of the Catskills getaway and I had one more hike in mind before packing up the Tiny Home and the dogs to tour through a few Hudson Valley towns before heading home.  This particular hike was close to where we were staying, featured a pretty lake, scenic views of the Hudson Valley and history on one of the Northeast's many Mountain Houses.  

Saturday was an easy hike at Kaaterskill Falls and the plan for Sunday was to be up early, pack the car and head to North-South Lake campground (about 25-minutes away) in Haines Falls, New York.  While both of our dogs are up to date on all their shots, I had read that proof of rabies (written proof, like the actual form, the tag is not good enough) was required and I forgot to mention this important detail to Adam.  However, it was early March and the campground was closed so I was really banking on sneaking through, sans paperwork.  And yes, we did. 

Kaaterskill Falls (winter) Hike - Catskills, New York

It was a crisp Saturday morning in South Cairo, New York at the Tiny House Resort.  As I opened the shade of "The Mocha" with a full day open for hiking and adventures in the Catskills, I saw a fresh coating of snow covering the ground.  Just an inch or two down at the resort but I knew the mountains would have a thicker coating of snow at higher elevations. So early Saturday morning after making coffee and walking around the resort with the dogs, we packed our bags for a morning hike.  I wasn't sure how much snow there was in the mountains so I decided an easy trip up to one of New York's most famous waterfalls would be the perfect way to start the weekend.

Frozen blue ice at the base of the falls

Kaaterskill Falls is one of the Catskills most famous and frequented destinations.  It is just a mile(ish) hike off of Route 23A making it an easy trip to one of the highest waterfalls in New York.  A three-mile hike will take you from the parking lot, to the base of the falls, up to a viewing platform above the falls and back.  A trek to this two-stage waterfall which cascades 260 feet is referred to as one of America's "oldest tourist attractions" and standing at the base of the falls or on the platform above it's easy to see why.