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The Adirondacks

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Heart of the sunrise

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Overview

The Adirondack Mountains (www.visitadirondacks.com) may not compare in drama and height with mountains in the western US, but they more than make up for it in area: the range covers 9375 sq miles, from the center of New York just north of the state capital Albany, up to the Canadian border. And with 46 peaks over 4000ft high, the Adirondacks provide some of the most wild-feeling terrain in the east. Like the Catskills to the south, much of the Adirondacks' dense forest and lake lands are protected by the state constitution, and it's a fabulous location to see the color show of autumn leaves. Hiking, canoeing and backcountry camping are the most popular activities, and there's good fishing, along with powerboating on the bigger lakes.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

  • Saratoga Spa State Park

    Saratoga Spa State Park

    The Adirondacks

    Saratoga Springs' boom as a destination for leisure and healing was in large part thanks to the eponymous springs from which early European settlers…

  • Empire State Plaza

    Empire State Plaza

    The Adirondacks

    While the plaza's ensemble of architecture surrounding a central pool is hugely impressive, it's the splendid collection of modern American art liberally…

  • New York State Museum

    New York State Museum

    The Adirondacks

    There are exhibits on everything from New York's original Native Amerian residents, the state's history of activism, its architectural and engineering…

  • Adirondack Museum

    Adirondack Museum

    The Adirondacks

    Set on 30 acres, this museum has creative exhibits on the mountains' human-centered stories, from the mining and logging industries to quirky hermits and…

  • New York State Capitol

    New York State Capitol

    The Adirondacks

    Completed in 1899, this grand building is the heart of the state government. The interior features detailed stone carving, carpentry, and tile and mosaic…

  • Fort William Henry Museum

    Fort William Henry Museum

    The Adirondacks

    Guides dressed as 18th-century British soldiers muster visitors along, with stops for battle reenactments that include firing period muskets and cannons,…

  • Fort Ticonderoga

    Fort Ticonderoga

    The Adirondacks

    In a major victory in the American Revolution, the Green Mountain Boys took this fort from the British in 1775. With costumed guides, reenactments, a…

  • Great Camp Sagamore

    Great Camp Sagamore

    The Adirondacks

    'Great camps,' big compounds of log cabins built for wealthy families, were a popular way of vacationing in the Adirondacks around the turn of the 20th…

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