Summer on the lake…is there anything better? One of the things we love most about living in Glens Falls is our proximity to Lake George. Within 15 minutes, we can be cruising past the steamboats on Beach Road, taking in the view. And while we love the character of Lake George Village, there’s also something special about heading further north to the charm of Bolton Landing.
Read on for a couple of our favorite spots in town, and to learn a bit more about an organization that helps to ensure our Lake is protected for us to enjoy for years to come.
EAT + DRINK
Bear’s Cup: Newly opened this year, we couldn’t wait to try Bear’s Cup after seeing photos of their adorable space (and their coffee and bagels!). We can confirm that everything does indeed taste as amazing as it looks - and even better, it’s all made in house from scratch. We’re already planning our next ride up for more of their delicious coffee cakes - get the salted caramel…and the blueberry!
Bolton Landing Brewing Company: Another must while you’re in Bolton, we love stopping here for a cold drink after a good hike. Tom is a big fan of their IPAs (they’ve got five to choose from!) and I can never resist a glass of rosé on a summer day (and always love a brewery that also has a great selection of wines!). Bonus: their outdoor seating overlooking Lake Shore Drive is an awfully nice spot to take in the sunshine!
SEE + DO
Hike: We’re trying to get out for some more local hikes this summer and the Lake George Land Conservancy has a slew of great trails to choose from (and might we add, they’ve done an amazing job protecting and preserving the land around the lake to provide these hiking opportunities!). The Pinnacle is a favorite of ours - a short hike with a fantastic view - and we’re also big fans of Anthony’s Nose as well as Cat and Thomas Mountains. Find the trail info here.
Cruise: The main event for a trip to “the lake” is, well, the lake itself. It’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth, right here in our backyard. Protecting our environment and the natural resources we all sometimes take for granted has always been important to us, so we were excited to be invited to an annual informational gathering held at The Sagamore and their beautiful 19th century replica touring vessel The Morgan for The Future Fund, a group formed by The Fund for Lake George for younger supporters (college students, young professionals and families, etc.) intended to inform and engage the next generation of protectors of Lake George.
It was a beautiful night of hearing directly from the world class scientists and leadership who are furthering the mission of The Fund to “stop the present decline of water quality and achieve sustained protection of Lake George for the next generation.” We were introduced to the amazing scientists, leadership, and high-tech tools and monitoring equipment that are actively furthering the long-term scientific research, advocacy, partnerships, and investment necessary to keep our great resource happy and healthy for generations to come. Simply put, without the efforts of this organization and its supporters, Lake George would not be the pristine destination we all know and love today.
Partnering with technological powerhouses RPI and IBM, The Jefferson Project has not only made Lake George the most intelligent lake on the planet, but is serving as a world wide model for fresh water protection and preservation. That’s pretty special. To learn more about how you can invest in the future of Lake George and the future of preservation of fresh water lakes everywhere, you can find more information here.
Pictured: Brian Mattes of RPI; Harry Kolar, PhD, of IBM; and Rick Relyea, PhD, of RPI. Photo courtesy of Brian Mattes.
By the way, did you know that you don’t have to stay at The Sagamore to head out for a cruise on The Morgan?! They have daily sightseeing cruises and they’re also doing a series of wine pairing cruises this summer. Sign us up!
SHOP
Black Bass Antiques and Lakeview Antiques: What’s a little road trip without a stop for a couple of treasures? We can’t resist a good antique shop, and Bolton has a couple of our favorites. We especially love peeking through the local nostalgia in both shops - from postcards, to old photos and pennants, you could easily spend the afternoon. And, we often do!
We’d love to know some of your Bolton favorites (leave them in the comments below!), and you can see more Glens Falls area road trips here.
*This post was in partnership with The FUND for Lake George, an organization that protects the lake that is near and dear to our hearts. Thank you for supporting the businesses and organizations that support Glens Falls Living.