Ausable Chasm, NY - billing itself as "the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks" is a shamelessly…read moreambitious boast for an attraction that I'd more accurately describe as Watkins Glen with the consumer interface of Bushkill Falls, but there's no denying Ausable Chasm is a fun, scenic, and daring adventure for all ages! We came during the off season at the end of April, before the more high thrills activities like rafting & tubing, riverwalk, Via Ferrata adventure trail, rappelling, rock climbing, etc. were open for the season (usually around late-May to June through autumn). That was no problem as we are visiting with our toddler who isn't old enough to do most of these activities anyway, and, as we discovered, it was actually perfect and to our advantage, since as first-time visitors we only wanted/had time to explore the chasm itself. And as there were very few other visitors on a weekday, it was as if we had this private park all to ourselves! No need to jostle for views/photos, can enjoy lunch & snacks at the best picnic tables by vista points, and it's also more pleasant than hiking in hot summer, though many of the trails are shaded. The basic "trails only" admission is about $20 for adults & teens, $12 for kids 5-12, and free for under 5. All the other activities have additional fees, which can add up so you might explore packages, or even stay overnight at their campground & cabins. We are a family of hikers so wanted to do the whole perimeter and see the entire gorge (about 2 miles). But if you only wish to see the exciting parts and leave time for other activities, then you can turn back halfway and do the shorter loop (1 mile if you do the Inner Sanctum Trail which I 100% recommend as this is the "signature" trail along the canyon's edge. But note it has many stairs up & down). We took the Inner Sanctum (yellow) trail, crossed over to Big Dry Chasm and hiked to the Whirlpool Basin Overlook at other end, then looped back around on the orange trail via Little Dry Chasm. The trails are well maintained, with most of the outer edge trails on comfortable soft padded ground. They're mostly well marked except the end part is not really shown clearly on the park map so I used AllTrails. The orange trail (Dry Chasm Trail) is marked as more difficult, but it's basically just a regular wooded hiking trail that's not paved, with rooty and rocky sections. The park is very walkable for most able-bodied people. Even our 3yo was able to hike the whole thing by himself, with a bit of help over the orange trails. We loved our visit and are excited to come back when our child is older to do more activities! Will update my review when we've had a chance to experience all the action-packed adventures the park has to offer. TIP #1: No trail maps are given out so take a photo ar a screenshot. But there are maps placed along the trails marked with where you are. TIP #2: Porta-potties only on either end of the trails, so I recommend taking your nature break before setting out. TIP #3: There's a cafe by the Welcome Center but it's only open seasonally. Bring water. No garbage bins along the trails (cos bears!) so trash is carry-in carry-out.

This place is the best. Great for families. Do the explorer package with river walk...ropes…read morebridges are awesome. Boat is mild, it's not white water rafting. Very safe. Go here and enjoy!

It's great. ADK aquatics was only one to accommodate us post 4pm!!…read more Thanks for taking us around the lake and sharing good info. We had a good time. Wes from ADK took for us scenic pix also and sent them over in email, just in a day! recommend friends to contact them if wanna enjoy the speed boat and adventures in Lake Placid.

After several searches I picked ADK Aquatics because of the reviews, best decision made! Wes was…read moreawesome, gave my 15 year old a great experience tubing. Very friendly, paid attention to the weather and made sure everything was perfect. 100% recommend

This is my second year in a row tubing with Tubby tubes!!! I love this place and always have a…read moregreat time. I just tubed with a party of 4 on Sunday July 28. We did the early bird special at 9:30 am to save money and it's also worth it! Such a great offer!!! I highly recommend getting the tube with a backrest/headrest so that you have back support during your tubing experience. It makes a huge difference with comfort and it only cost an extra $7. Erin was a very good bus driver she made the ride pleasant and safe!!! Lauren was a great instructor and leader during the experience. She also was very friendly to speak with. I needed water shoes, so it was great that I can buy water shoes on the premises and they were able to charge the card I used to make the online reservations which is convenient because I didn't bring my wallet. There is bathrooms and changing rooms on site.

The guides were fantastic, especially Kirsten (make sure she gets her free PB&J). The ride is bumpy…read moreand dusty on the bus, but the float was beautiful. We only wish it were longer! The process from reservation to the float to leaving was all very seamless. Recommend: water shoes (flip flops worked but would have been easier in actual water shoes), bringing a waterproof cell phone holder, and having a bag with towels ready for the bus. They sell water shoes and the cell phone holders there for a markup.

Inexpensive tube rental in Vermont for fun! So nice I tried them twice! Once the river levels were…read morehigh, and once they were low. I recommend waiting until river levels are high! The shuttle to the start is handy so that you are at your car at the end!

This was a fun day for the family. Water conditions can be low and we did have to walk at a few…read morespots but when you call they are very straight forward about the river conditions. Even with the low water level there were still some swimming holes along the way. I would say water shoes of some sort are a must for this. Also we grabbed some large sticks at the beginning which helped us push off rocks and away from some of the shallow sections. Was very beautiful and relatively inexpensive for a day of fun. It took us about 3.5 hours and we didn't stop. But there are definitely spots along the river to stop and eat a packed lunch if you bring one.

The Path of Life Garden and Sculpture Park blew me away…read more.. As the website describes: a 14-acre landscape where you can experience the great circle of life while traveling through 18 unique sculptures and pieces of art. Inspired by several gardens in Europe, the installations symbolize the journey from birth to death and beyond. So cool, don't mis this if you're in the area. (literally next door to the Harpoon Brewery)

My nephews (8 & 10) & I signed up for the tubing trip this morning. When they dropped us off, we…read morewere told that it would be best if we walked out a ways to the second cove in order to get the best current out into the water. We did that, with our cooler raft in tow. However, i ended up pushing my nephews in their tubes for about a half mile (past the second cove) before we were able to get going. This took about an hour and a half. About 3/4 the way through our time on the water, we heard thunder. I realized they hadn't covered what to do in the case of bad weather in the briefing. So thankfully I was able to call the company from my tube & they advised us to get out of the water if we heard thunder & wait 15 min before getting back in. We heard thunder in and off for about 45 min so stayed out of the water on some rocks while we waited. I felt like we were bothering the company when they called & they didn't seem at all concerned, telling me it was a passing shower. After we returned to the water, we saw some lightening so I tried getting us over to shore. The water was getting choppy & we weren't going anywhere so I got out of my tube & pulled all of us to shore. We built a small shelter using our tubes & tried to stay dry but at this point, it was pouring. I called the company again & they said there was nothing they could do & couldn't come pick us up based on our location. I checked my GPS & we were .6 miles away from our stopping location. The company told us to start walking back along the shore. We did that and along the way my nephew slipped on the rocks because it was still pouring. Finally, when we made it back, we had to drag all the gear up the hill (which was mentioned during the briefing but we weren't expecting to do this in the pouring rain. When we got back, I expressed my disappointment that they'd send anyone out with conditions like that expected as I truly felt our lives were in danger. The woman said no one was blaming anyone and I corrected her. Yes, I blame the company for putting our lives in danger. She explained that they had no idea about the weather conditions and that this system just popped up out of nowhere. I can understand that but at no point did anyone offer to come & help us. They could have easily walked from where they were & helped us walk back. I would not recommend this company due to the lack of safety measures & how isolated we felt when conditions got bad.

We did this over the weekend as a girls trip and had an amazing trip! Our guide Steven was so…read morefunny and skilled. He made a couple nervous passengers feel calm and loved the whole experience

Eric: Thanks for the safe yet great experience for an adventure bound family, always welcoming…read moresomething new to experience in God's great outsoors! You're an asset to any company you may wander off and work for. We are truly grateful for todays wonderful, awe-inspiring journey. You are also an inspiration to us with two types of special needs kiddos, being an example of using your weaknesses and turning them into strengths!

We spent a week at Lake George on vacation and started off our stay with waterskiing lessons at the…read moreInverted School. If you are new to waterskiing or wakeboarding, this will be the best thing you do! The lessons are on Loon Lake, which is a beautiful small lake about 20 minutes drive from Lake George. You don't have all the powerboat traffic of Lake George and it's a great place to learn. Craig is the best! He met us at the marina in a beautiful boat with all the gear ready, was so personable, and was a great teacher. We had never waterskiied and my husband and son were up and skiing in short order. I am not as sporty, but Craig was very encouraging and helpful. Highly recommended! This was one of the most fun things we did on the water.

Beautiful part of Vermont for a short, scenic hike and dog friendly. If you are in the area most…read moredefinitely stop by and see this wonder! In the summer it's crawling with swimmers and the fall is just hiking but bring water proof boots. Pictures don't do it justice!

Came here on a morning before the crowds came and, being midweek and at the end of summer, there…read morestill were not a lot of people as the morning wore on. There are arrows on the path pointing you in the direction(s) you want to go. Boulders are pretty slippery, so watch your step. The river water, almost turquoise in color, was. as expected, very cold but super refreshing, Waterfalls were mesmerizing. Lots of places on the riverbank & even the riverbed to hang out in the sun, or, of course, dive into the deeper swimming holes. There is a small parking lot, dogs have to be leashed, and carry out what you bring in.

We did a quick 15-min hike to the falls and got a somewhat-slippery though gorgeous view of the…read morepowerful falls and all the ways the water has shaped and smoothed the rocks. Loved the up-close view of it all and the shade of the forest. 5 stars!!!!

So glad we did the short but somewhat challenging hike to see these during our visit to Stowe -…read moretotally worth it. We parked at the trailhead (plenty of space on a weekday afternoon). Had to be careful on the rocks but on the whole doable. Wasn't brave enough to jump into the waters but you could. No restrooms that we saw so plan accordingly.

Such an amazing hike! Me and my family do it every time we visit VT. It's moderate to challenging…read moredepending on your physical fitness and athletic capabilities. Takes around 2 hours. Great length. Definitely uphill most of the way to the top but SO worth it for the view. Incredible summit. It's also easy to navigate because it's an out and back and the trail is very well marked. There's also a second parking lot a bit higher up if you want to do a shorter version of this hike.

Stowe Pinnacle Trail is a quick hike but strenuous in some parts. Towards the top there is a…read moreserious incline which can be tricky if it rained/snowed recently. Took us around 2hrs round trip and the steep incline really got the blood pumping. If you reach the top you are rewarded with a 360 degree view of the surrounding area. I highly recommend!