Thursday, 28th March 2024
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The heart of New York is up North

The travel theme for the month of March is adventure and up North of New York offers some family friendly adventures.

The travel theme for the month of March is adventure and up North of New York offers some family friendly adventures. We kicked off with kayaking in Mirror Lake in the village of Lake Placid and about to climb the rocks of the Ausable Chasm. Before driving off to Ausable Chasm, we made a short stop at Whiteface Mountain, the fifth highest mountain in USA, and took a gondola to the top of the mountain to get a view of Northern New York from the top.

Upstate New York is an extreme opposite of New York City in its lushness of green, translucent lakes, rolling hills, and clean air.

Initially, the plan was to raft through the Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks in Ausable Chasm, but the level of water was pretty low so we went on the Adventure Trail through the Chasm. From rock climbing through the upper region of the chasm to walking across the raging river below on steel cables while attached to an arm level cable, this trail is not for those afraid of heights. If you are keen on doing an adventurous group activity and have the heart for walking a distance from a very high elevation on a single rope across raging rivers and rocky slopes, this is something to definitely do. For adrenaline junkies, this is a bit tame, but good to do to whet the appetite.

From Ausable Chasm, we drove to Peru, New York where I got to experience my first apple Orchard at Rulfs Orchard. The kind owner took us driving around the grounds and let us pick some apples off the trees; we even got to feed some of their horses too. Before heading out, I drank my weight in apple cider and made my own cinnamon dusted apple pie to take back to the hotel.

Home for the night was a La Quinta Inn and Suites in Plattsburgh and by the time I checked in to my room, my body was exhausted from a day of back to back activities. After picking apples at the Orchard, the next stop was grabbing dinner at a historic old stone barracks turned into a craft brewing company and inn with its own restaurant. Of course I sampled a flight of nine different varieties of beers. And ended the night creeping ourselves out with a Ghost Tour with Greater Adirondack Ghost and Tour Company.

The next day was a lot more relaxing, we left Plattsburgh for Glens Falls and the hotel there was just gorgeous. Queensbury Hotel is in downtown Glens Falls and you can walk everywhere you need to visit from there. The decor was just gorgeous, and I took so many pictures just hanging out in the lobby. For some good eats, check out the rustic Davidson Brothers Brew Pub, definitely order a flight of beer to experience some of their beer making magic along with a plate of their Smoke & Spice burger.

The last stop in travels of experiencing beyond the city of New York was in Saratoga Springs. For history buffs, Saratoga is the location where the British surrendered to an American general and is often cited as the turning point for the United States during the Revolutionary War. Besides the war, Saratoga is best known for horse racing and if you’re looking to place your bets beyond the horse-racing course, there are two casinos to try your luck at. I stayed at Saratoga Casino hotel, and at 5 a.m., people were still trying their lucks at the slot machines. At this point, it was time to wind down from the week of nonstop adventures by getting some spa time at Roosevelt Baths and Spa. If you are keen for a different bit of adventure, go on a tasting experience through the town at its different mineral spring taps to get a proper taste of Saratoga’s natural springs; there are over 20 of them spread through the town and definitely let me know your thoughts on the taste of the water. For some good eats, we went to Hattie’s restaurant for some award winning Southern and Louisiana food. The cue to get into Hattie’s was a very long one, so plan to head there early and try out their southern fried chicken while you’re there.

The next day, I sadly packed my bags and took a Greyhound bus back to the city of New York for a couple of weeks before rounding up my holiday and returning to the reality of Lagos living. I know Nigerians love visiting New York City but on your next trip to New York, would you prefer more of an adventure in the great North of New York or take on the city party shopping life in New York City?

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