Bolton Landing, NY - my introduction to Up Yonda Farm came courtesy of the Lake George Winter…read moreCarnival, which included a naturalist-led snowshoe hike in its activity lineup. Although we didn't make the tour (sold out), we drove up anyway to see if we could rent snowshoes to hike the trails on our own. Fortunately, there were plenty of snowshoes to go around - including kids/toddler sizes! - despite the tour group before us which I was afraid would clear out the snowshoe racks. But that was not at all the case! Rick and Linda at the Center could not have been lovelier or more helpful. Rick walked us through the trail map, pointing out where the tour group had gone (who would've broken in the snow for us), and being mindful of the fact that we were hiking with a small child who may or may not have a meltdown somewhere along the way, and how far into the hike it is likely to happen, from experience. I pulled out AllTrails to help with navigation, and Rick told us he actually created the GPS tracks for the property in the app! There are 3 miles of hiking trails across the 73-acre property, well marked with blazes and easy to follow. The woods were so beautiful and serene in the fresh snow. My child enjoyed the StoryWalk on the Sugar Trail and had me read the story to him. In addition to the educational exhibits in the farmhouse welcome center & museum (including some cute turtles!), the Center offers a variety of environmental education programs throughout the year (birds, butterflies, wildlife, night sky, hikes, field guides, crafting, seasonal events, etc.). It is now maple sugaring season so you can learn about the process and visit the sugarhouse when it's open. In the summer, you can see the butterfly garden, picnic by the pond, and explore the grounds with vistas of Lake George. We loved our visit to Up Yonda Farm, and the snowshoe hike turned out to be the highlight of our weekend. What a magical experience for all seasons!

I recently visited Up Yonda Farm Environmental Education Center for their maple-making tour and…read moreabsolutely loved it! This was my first time visiting and it was such a fun experience. The snowy setting made it even more special. We walked along a path through the woods while learning about how maple syrup is made. It was really interesting to hear about the history of maple sugaring and see the progression of tools that have been used over time. One of my favorite parts was the tasting. At the very beginning we got to try raw maple sap, and later we tasted the syrup fresh after it had been made. It honestly changed my mind about maple syrup -- I used to not like it, but tasting it fresh made me appreciate it so much more. There is plenty of parking, and the bathrooms are right next to the parking lot. After parking, you walk up to the main house to check in. The tour starts off to the side of the house near a fire pit, which was a nice gathering spot. At the end of the tour they served French toast sticks with different maple syrups to try, which was delicious and a perfect way to finish the experience. Overall, this was such a fun family-friendly event. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a unique outdoor activity and a great way to learn about maple syrup!

As my wife and I travel we like to find unique stores. Blue Mt Design has been around fir a long…read moretime. There have been multiple owners in-fact it's for sale now. They have expanded their offerings to include food and coffee on addition to the gifts. If you are looking for some clothing with Blue Mt lake on it they have it. New this year is a wine and liquor store. The selection is small but unique items. Well worth time to stop in.

I bought a wooden Adirondack chair from this shop and within three years of gent use and care, one…read moreday out of the blue one leg collapsed into soft powdery chips. After examining the chair I found out that the wood has a knot inside that was not properly treated and likely was rotting when the chair was made. That rot spread and over time destroyed two pieces of wood, including this leg, from the inside. I contacted Elizabeth at the shop, offered to drive the chair to her shop and pay for reasonable expenses - only asking her to coordinate a repair. Yet Elizabeth replied to say that the chairs were sourced from a non-professional artist; and that partly because this artist uses pine wood which is not best fit for outdoor furniture she is no longer buying from this artist. As to why she sourced the pine chair from the artist in the first place, Elizabeth said that she was still learning about wood back then - yet she still washes her hands clean of any responsibility to help me save the chair. Furthermore, she repeatedly suggested that I somehow did not care for the chair properly despite the fact that the rot was inside the wood, inside the paint - the layers of paint the store sold me on as weather proof. When I finally reached the maker of the chair, they replied that they were making the chairs as a hobby and believe that a knot rotting inside at the time of making is not detectable and thus selling a chair with a rotting knot covered up with paint is somehow acceptable. They did explain Elizabeth's sourcing process - the makers went into Elizabeth's store while vacationing and showed Elizabeth photos of the chairs they made as a hobby - and Elizabeth bought them for resale! No quality check, no standard. Even after the makers admitted the rot was likely already there when they made the chair, Elizabeth insisted that this chair, rotten and collapsing within three years, was at its "natural life span" - what a scam! I do NOT recommend this shop and I would urge all existing customers to reach out to Elizabeth to ask about her sourcing process and quality control approach. As for me - I am now determined to hold Elizabeth accountable through all avenues - regulatory and litigative. Seeing a chair my family adored collapsing is painful and Elizabeth so far only added to that pain, not what I would have expected.

My wife Laurie and I visited Fort William Henry on August 7, 2026. CJ had just finished the musket…read moredemonstration. I asked him when the next demonstration was and he suggested that we go and watch the cannon demonstration and firing, which we did and then after that he would give us a private demonstration of the musket. The cannon firing was expertly explained by Ted O., who explained technically what a soldier did to fire a cannon, but also engaged members of audience and made it fun! Then we went back to see CJ and he gave us a great demonstration on how to fire a musket. He also explained the parts of the musket to us, including the novel way that it is cleaned. But CJ didn't stop there, he shared with us that he is a 6th and 8th grade history teacher and since I'm a teacher too, I found his explanation of how he engages his students to bring history alive fascinating! CJ said that the colonists might have not won the war against Britain, if it hadn't been for all the military experience they acquired by fighting alongside the British in the French and Indian War for seven years. Then we went onto the 12 noon talk by Ted O., who gave a very enthusiastic and informative talk about the Fort it's construction, the history leading up to the French and Indian War and the surrender of the fort to General Montcalm and as he did in the cannon demonstration engaged the audience in his talk! Then we went and talked to Bob the carpenter. He explained to us how he was in Lake George when the fort was reconstructed in 1954 - 1955. He told us how he acquired the wood he uses to make everything made of wood that the soldiers and their families use at the fort, like chairs, tables, wooden spoons, etc. Bob was very interesting to talk to! After interacting and talking to CJ, Ted O. and Bob, my wife and I felt we were back in the 1750's and truly enjoyed our visit, which was the highlight of our vacation! We're looking forward to returning for another visit in the future! Sincerely, Tom & Laurie DeVivo Berlin, CT

The tour guide was absolutely amazing. He kept making jokes and was keeping us entertained almost…read morethe entire time. It was Sir James. He did a phenomenal job and he showed us around, telling us how to take the best photos. I got to be a demonstration. A truck show was making sound the entire time but that did not stop him. He did an excellent job and overall the tour was amazing and the history was interesting and a bit unnerving but it kept me hooked.

This Blue Mountain Lake gem is a wonder to explore rain it shine stuffed to the gills with…read morefascinating educational opportunities & some incredible exhibits that make each visit memorable. HUGE PLUS: The caffe is EXCELLENT with an incrediblely STUNNING view of the lake.

It was a beautiful day- sunny, clear, and warm. The trails were beautiful, hiking and listening to…read morethe birds was serene. At each stop, each guide provided vital information and a rich history of the area. Well worth the trip. Love the gift shop too. LOL. Oh....almost forgot- lunch the grilled cheese sandwich was HUGE and oh so cheesy - yum yum.....

My husband bought me a handcrafted stool for when I play guitar as a birthday gift. It is the most…read morecomfortable stool! His mom also has a rocking chair from Adirondack Rustics Gallery, and it too is extremely comfortable and well crafted. The pieces at this gallery are one-of-a-kind, amazing works of art!

The woman there was about as warm and charming as a dial tone. I stopped in just to look as I was…read morejust passing by going somewhere after kayaking all day. She rudely looks me up and down and asked where I was from. I told her that I was in town taking an Adirondak furniture building course. She then said: "well I hope you are going to delete that picture you took because this is all copyrighted". Umm yeah, I didn't take a picture. I don't care for your accusations and you can drop the attitude, you only work in a shop. I build Adirondak style furniture and I can tell you this place is morbidly overpriced. Look elsewhere, the average price won't be $10,000 and you won't get the attitude. By the way, feel free to look at my review and share it. My reviews are not copyrighted.

Loved the different kind of rock/gem stones, homemade pieces and information on all kinds of…read morethings! Many cool selections with a good price range! Every one was nice and informative! Thank you! (Cover your sass boutique)

I've been purchasing ALL my soaps (and soap gifts) for over a year now. Great quality soaps, and…read moreso very many t choose from. Tiffany I always creating something fun to make shower time a delight. Matt's stone products are a delight and I'm a rockhound and collector! So when ever I visit their shop, I just have to touch. I now have their stone business card holders in the office which my customers seem to notice! Any niche to get them to take a card, is appreciated. I've been honored to have one of Matt's stone jasper plates and it adorns the front office desk! He's a stickler about quality too! All handcrafted and sculptured. A true artist!

Absolutely horrible experience. The attendant was rude, dismissive, and extremely disrespectful. I…read morewould never return and would not recommend this arcade to anyone. The most upsetting part was how my 7-year-old daughter was treated. After she won tickets from the games, the attendant took them away and accused her of not winning them. I asked that the security cameras be reviewed to verify what happened, but he refused. There are plenty of better ways to spend your time in Lake George. Enjoy the lake or choose a different arcade. We definitely won't be back. it was a waste of $200.

The workers here are absolutely awful with children. The angry guy with no teeth is the worstread more