Winter Getaway: Lake George, NY Edition
I hate to admit it but winter is here. I was never really a fan of the cold weather, but during the pandemic I was desperate to find ways to still adventure. I purchased durable winter boots, snow pants, an insanely warm coat and hand warming packets and decided winter and I were going to be friends. I somehow convinced my friends that we should embrace the cold and go on another winter getaway. Last year we ventured to the Catskills and this year we picked Lake George, New York. I wanted to share our itinerary with you because we had a blast!
We began our weekend by checking into the Marriott Courtyard in Lake George. It is located at 365 Canada St, Lake George, NY 12845, right on the Main Street in town. It was the perfect location, the rooms were clean and affordable and it has onsite parking which is a huge plus. Our room had two king size beds, a balcony and I loved that the hotel had a restaurant and coffee shop inside in case you don’t feel like going anywhere.
After check in, we got dressed for the cold and went right to the main attraction! THE ICE CASTLES!! Honestly I meant to write this blog months ago but knew I needed to when I heard that the Ice Castles were returning to Lake George this year. We decided to drive to the castles because the temps were well below freezing, but it is walkable from the Marriott. You must purchase tickets in advance because they will sell out! Weekdays are less expensive than weekends, but the tickets are still very affordable. This truly is fun for the whole family and is beautiful day and night! Keep in mind that the Ice Castles typically open the end of January and are subject to closure due to warmer weather temps. Make sure you go down the slide! And oh, I heard there will be new activities this year.. a polar pub, mystic light walk, snow igloo village, as well as VIP experiences.
After the Ice Castles, head to the Adirondack Brewery to warm up, grab some food and a drink. The brewery is located just down the street from the Marriott on Canada Street and very close to the Ice Castles. Tons of options for lunch and dinner and of course there is an extensive beer and craft cocktail menu. We really enjoyed everything we tried.
The next day we drove to the nearby town of Glens Falls for some breakfast/coffee at Kru and a private session in the Adirondack Salt Cave. It was a wonderful way to relax! They also offer different types of massages, facials and reiki, etc. We really enjoyed it there!
After the salt cave, we drove about 30 minutes north to the Circle B Ranch located at 771 Potter Brook Rd, Chestertown, NY 12817 for a sleigh ride. It was snowing and oh so beautiful there. Upon arrival, we were greeted with hot chocolate in the barn (which we snuck some Bailey’s into) and s’mores kits for the bonfire. We booked the private sleigh ride for $75 each but you can also book a group sleigh ride where you may be placed with others for $45-$60 per person. It truly felt like we were in a movie!
After our sleigh ride, we drove back to the hotel to warm up a bit and get ready for the evening. We purchased tickets ahead of time to the Sagamore Hotel’s Glacier Ice Bar and had a dinner reservation at La Bella Vita (located in the hotel). To purchase tickets, you have to call the hotel directly. They only sell a certain amount to people not staying at the hotel. We arranged for a taxi to drive us both ways since the Sagamore is about a 20 minute drive from the Marriott and we knew we were going to have a few cocktails. The Ice Bar was so fun!!! The Sagamore is definitely a place you should stop and see when you’re in Lake George, even if it is just for dinner. Our night ended with a delicious meal and an impressive fireworks show. The whole night was such a fun vibe. People were really just enjoying the festivities, the ice bar and being out.
And how fun is our s’mores board!
I ordered it from A Board Above (located in West Seneca, NY) and it would be a hit for any occasion!
Before we parted ways on Sunday morning (three of us live in Buffalo and one in Brooklyn) we drove to Saratoga Springs to have breakfast at Sweet Mimi’s Bakery & Cafe. If you haven’t been, please add it to your to-do list. The menu is unreal. Things like cinnamon roll pancakes, lemon ricotta pancakes, house made scones and butter and so much more. It was the perfect ending to our perfect winter getaway.
Lake George is such a fun place to spend a weekend in the winter. We barely scratched the surface! There are multiple venues that will have ice bars in January 2023 and the Winter Carnival on the weekends in February.
Check out the Visit Lake George website to see all of the events for winter 2023. Drop me a comment if you’re planning on heading there this winter!
x, julie