etoufee30

Driving from NYS to Montreal this month. Any "must see" points along the way? We only have time for short excursions, unfortunately that might rule out long hikes. Natural beauty/photo opps are appreciated!

dhammer53

Hi.

Your other post mentioned Albany, so I'll respond with this in mind.

25 minutes north of Albany is Saratoga Springs NY. The town is roughly 125 years old. Very cute. Plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you busy for a couple of hours. You'll see the exit as you drive north on I-87 aka The Northway.

Interested in seeing America circa 1962? Stop in Lake George. Plenty of touristy sites + lots of water activities. The lake is spectacular. Just up the road a ways is Bolton Landing. It's small and upscale. To any of the above, you can drive on 87, or take a scenic ride north on Route 9.

As you head north, and 30 minutes west of 87 is Lake Placid. There are plenty of boating and hiking opportunities. Check out Mount Marcy. It's in the area. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Marcy

Welcome to Flyertalk etoufee30.

dh

wanderlustoz

Between NYC and Albany is the FDR homestead & library in Hyde Park NY http://www.nps.gov/hofr/index.htm

travelmad478

Visit the amazing (and large) sculpture park at Storm King Art Center, about 65 miles north of NYC. You can see parts of it from the Thruway itself. Well worth a visit--plan on about 2 hours to get a decent look at things.

PsiFighter37

I think it depends on what your definition of 'short excursions' is. I would second the Storm King suggestion, but parking alone in the summer can be a bit of a time drain. It's also a bit off of I-87 as well.

Having done this drive - if you want to do anything, do it south of Albany / Saratoga. Once you get north of there, there is literally nothing right next to the highway - you will want to get to Montreal as fast as possible for your own sanity.

Bogwoppit

Ausable Chasm, just south of Plattsburgh, is definitely worth a stop. Can be done quickly or slowly.

AMflier

Just to confirm some of the earlier suggestions:

I would also put Storm King on the must see list, but I would plan on spending more than 2 hours there.

Saratoga Springs is a wonderful small town. Stop at the spa (State Park) and get a massage on your way north. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) is the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra and New York City Ballet. There are other performances there as well.

I would also take the time to stop someplace along Lake Champlain and take in the view.

Enjoy!

trainsplanes

If you're into cute downtowns, Troy, NY is pretty close to 87. A newly booming downtown with lots of great restaurants and stores.

Also, Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park are in Ulster County. They'll take you about 25 minutes off the highway, but will reward you with beautiful views!

CMK10

You can swing by Downtown Albany and see the New York State Capitol. It's at the top of State Street which has some good restaurants and bars.

rittenhousesq

This is a pretty cool activity - not too far off I-87:
http://www.walkway.org/

Some nice views and a chance to stretch your legs!