Anyway, without further ado - here is the itinerary and details from our amazing holiday. We packed the van and headed East into the southern Adirondacks. From there we went NorthEast to Vermont, then back west to Lake Placid. This was the first long vacation we had taken with the boys and there were AWESOME! It was so much fun, and filled with so many amazing memories.....
Our first 3 nights were at a cabin in the southern part of the Adirondacks. It was a little slice of heaven. The black flies were horrible (poor Darwin was their favourite), but it forced us to stay inside a little more and just hang out as a family. We read, played games, etc. It was great! At night we lit the little wood stove in the cabin and roasted marshmallows. During the day we were able to squeeze in a few hours of outdoor time. We spent those on the beach (completely private). Day 1 we picnicked on the dock, day 2 we ate lunch on the boat in the middle of the lake! What fun! The boys had so much fun digging in the sand, splashing in the water, catching salamanders, kayaking, etc. It was perfect!
Next 2 nights were in Burlington, VT. The kids especially got a kick out of crossing Lake Champlain on the ferry. We spent a lot of time downtown, enjoying the shops and restaurants. We made the trip to see Ben & Jerry's (FUN!). On our last day in Burlington, we went to the little ECHO museum there. I absolutely LOVE that town and hope to go back at the next chance we get!
From there we drove to Lake Placid. Again, another fun ferry ride and amazingly scenic drive! Our hotel in Lake Placid overlooked the lake and mountains. It was wonderful. Lake Placid is a very cutesy tourist town. We walked the shops, ate at a local bakery and a local brewery/pub. There was a beach there that the boys had fun playing and swimming at. On our last day, we decided to do the Olympic stuff. We toured the 1932 and 1980 arenas (and the museum containing memorabelia from both Olympics). We checked out the ski jumps, then went to the bobsled tracks. We went on the tour, so were driven to the top of the track. The views of the mountains and the little surrounding towns were awesome. Then the best part - we got to walk DOWN the track to get to the bottom. It was pretty cool. The track is a mile long. It was the original location of the 1980 Olympic track, but was rebuilt in 1998. Finally, Mike took a ride down the 1932 track. What a ride that was! By the last turn, they said there would have been 2 Gs of force on his sled! He was shaking for a few hours afterwards ;)
We stopped for lunch after that at a really fun BBQ joint. Being that we were there during Americade, there were bikers all over the Adirondacks, and this little BBQ joint (called Tail O The Pup) was PACKED with them. It also had a live band, outdoor picnic tables you eat at, a little playground for the kids, etc. It was busy, but loud and our kind of food, so perfect for us. The boys were impressed with all the bikes. It was fun! We hit the road after that and without looking back, made the 7 hour drive home. The kids slept during a lot of the drive, or watched a movie. It's always sad to end your holiday, but also nice to be home.
I truly hope that my boys hold onto some of the memories from that trip. I also truly hope that it is the first of many we can enjoy with our sweet little guys. I am a lucky Momma. What a great life!
