We struggled to find a microwedding venue that fit us for quite a few months. We live on long…read moreisland and I am originally from Florida and Long Island basically only caters to large expensive weddings and Florida would have been a little annoying to bring a bunch of things by plane. We wanted to find something that was small and rustic so I googled small upstate weddings and found a reddit thread that led us to Experience Outoors. We saw pictures on their website with beautiful views on Scott Cobble's Mountain that fit 20-40 guests, just what we were looking for. We booked it sight unseen after talking with their venue coordinator, Claire. She was so nice and after talking with her, we knew it was the right place for us. We booked a tour of the venue there over winter which Bailey met us and showed us around and even covered in snow, it was beautiful. Closer to the wedding, Claire followed up with us on our guest count, decor, timeline of the day, etc. We were able to come the day before and rehearse. They said they'd help set-up all our decor. We didn't have too much. We had a small pallet welcome sign, a few pots of mums and flower petals in cones but we were so grateful that they could set-up for us. We used a speaker at the ceremony to play our pre-ceremony music, processional, pre-recording readings, recessional and post-recessional music. Lauren helped us the day before and day of with driving us all up to the ceremony venue and she manned the phone connected to the speaker and drove the music changes. Everything went so well. It was a perfect day in a perfect venue with all of our closest loved ones and we will never forget it. The venue includes ziplining for the bride and groom anytime over the weekend so we did a group zipline the day after with a bunch of our guests. Our guests got 15% off of their tour. We had Cheeky (Lauren) and Firelord as our guides for ziplining. We all got names chosen for us by someone else in the group to be called upon for the tour. They suited us all up, walked us through the how to go and stop on the lines and we went through a bunch of zip lines at various speeds, rappels and a few mini hikes. It was a blast. I failed the trust fall though haha. They take photos of everyone through the tour for us to look at afterwards. Everyone here is so friendly. We loved everything about this venue and plan to go back and visit when we can.

Such a fun place. We came for our 9 year old to try the "net course" for the afternoon. They had a…read morebonfire, coffee, chairs, things for younger kids to do, hammocks and little gift shop with stickers to collect. As parents we could just sit back and enjoy. Great place for adults to wind down when the kids need to keep going before heading back to lodging. Staff was friendly but beyond introductions was not supervising or involved in the net course but available nearby if needed. Well worth admission.

My son and I were up skiing at Whiteface, and decided we wanted to take a day off from the slopes…read moreto do something else and picked ice climbing. We went to EMS, and they hooked us up with one of their guide/instructors on fairly short notice. It was a great day. And our guide/instructor, Derek, was terrific -- patient, good sense of humor, and enthusiastic. It was fun, and I felt like we covered a lot of material. A good experience. Highly recommended.

Rock climbing - WOW! We had a phenomenal experience!…read moreWill, our guide, was first class all the way! He was patient, informative, fun and supportive. Could not have been a better experience for my whole family!

I would recommend anyone and everyone to come and stay at the NewVida Preserve!…read more Saddie and Robin were super accommodating during our stay, making sure my toddler had little treats during dinner and a cute wooden keepsake! The view is stunning, and the food is very tasty, with live music on the weekends. We will be back to experience NewVida Preserve for sure!

We are regulars at New Vida. I attend yoga, and we frequent the restaurant. I agree that the bar…read moreservice is inconsistent, but our waitress, Sadie, was a delight on our most recent visit. The food is typically quite good. The building is beautiful and perfect for a romantic dinner. I LOVE the yoga instructors. It seems the owners are not as present as they were when the business first opened, and perhaps this has caused some of the issues other guests have noted. There are definitely worse places around, so we will continue to patronize New Vida and enjoy it for everything it is.

On the last day of my ski trip I stopped in Lake Placid to do the Bobsled run at Mt. Van…read moreHoevenberg. I booked my run online a month ago to insure that I would have a slot early in the day. Located about 10 minutes outside of the town is the Olympic complex with the bobsled run and the cross-country ski area. When I got there they were doing a large youth cross-country ski competition which was cool to watch. Parking was easy and I actually got a spot fairly close to the complex. The building is outstanding with facilities for the cross-country ski area, ski shops, a cafeteria and even a climbing wall. The building if very modern and well set up. The check-in for the bobsled is upstairs at the Swik store. You are given a buzzer and they buzz you when they are ready for you to go up to the track. While waiting I checked out the skiing for a bit and then hung out at the cafe area where one large TV had the skiing on and the other showed people coming down the bobsled run, what a great way to get ready and excited. Once the buzzer when off I was escorted behind the building where we were loaded into a SUV to take us up the track. There is a small building where you are fitted with a motorcycle helmet and googles. I was able to get a helmet with an action camera mount on the top so I could video the run. The staff was great, getting us fitted and taking pictures. You then go to the bobsled run and get loaded on the sled. The driver explains the process and gets you all set. The run itself is totally awesome, like the best roller coaster ride you can imagine. You get thrown about a bit and there is plenty of chatter, but I felt completely safe the whole time. If you are looking for a unique thrill ride and are anywhere near to Lake Placid you should consider doing the bobsled run at Mount Van Hoevenberg.

This place is very big and looks to have a lot to offer! My family and I came here specifically for…read morethe cliff side mountain coaster and it was a good time! You can book your tickets in advance, but they do leave room for walk-in guests. We went on a Sunday, and while they were sold out online, we got there right at 10am and had no problem getting tickets and were riders 13+ of the day. One rider is loaded every 2 minutes, so if 20+ people were in line you'll be waiting a while. We were told they ride about 30 passengers an hour. The ride has a narrative the whole way through, on the way up and down. This is the third mountain coaster I've done and I really liked the narrative throughout! It was a fun right, but goes by quick. I thought the price of $55 per adult was steep (other mountain coasters I've done were no more than $30 each), but this one includes a picture. After your ride be sure to go back into the main building and past the ticketing center to get your free pics.

A wonderful hiking experience that is suitable for families, dogs, and even the hikers who may not…read morehave the same strength and stamina they once did. The view at the top is totally worth it - and there's plenty of space to spread out on the summit to sit, eat a snack and soak up the fresh ADK air. Typical of many ADK trails, the trail to Ampersand is filled with rocks that could be a stream (or could become one in rainy weather). But it is a well maintained trail. The first mile or so is flat and cushiony with a few places where you're crossing some boggy areas. Then you reach a section of larger rocks that function like stairs, and finally you get to more large smooth rock surfaces and boulders that you'll need to maneuver up to get to the last stretch before the basically bald summit. I am not in my prime as a hiker, but this was a manageable hike for me. Trekking poles are highly recommended to provide balance and stability if you need it - though kids and fit people can do well without. We saw many children on this trail as well as a lot of dogs (on leash of course) - even one with three legs! We met a local gentleman who was running up to the summit and impressed us all! The best part of this trail though really is the summit. Sweeping views 360 degrees around make for an absolute prize when you reach the top. And if the weather is warm, it makes total sense to reach the summit, come back down and make the extra half mile trek to the beach from the parking lot. A nice sandy beach and shallow bay area of the lake make for a perfect spot to cool off and rejuvenate after your hike. 10 our of 10 would recommend. And I'll be back next month to lead a group of Cross Country runners on this same trail!