GREAT ESCAPES ADIRONDACKS, NY

New York’s High Peaks region is at the north end of the Adirondack Park, a 6-million-acre wilderness that’s bigger than Yellowstone and Grand Canyon national parks, plus several others, combined. The region is about five hours from New York City.

What’s new:

A new highlight is the Wild Walk at the Wild Center (wildcenter.org), which is being billed as a “High Line for the High Peaks.” This $5.5 million pathway puts visitors above the tree line for fantastic views of the mountains, but also closeup views (l.) of flora and fauna that can’t be seen from the ground. It’s fun for kids, with interactive games such as a climbable spider web and a walkable board game that teaches a valuable lesson about bird life spans (hint: they’re not long!). Inside the center, don’t miss the river otters.

Don’t miss:

Tupper Lake, Saranac Lake and Lake Placid are all gorgeous, with Saranac Lake having the least spoiled downtown. Whiteface Mountain (whiteface.com) features plenty of summer offerings, including a chairlift ride to the top and an adventure zone with ziplining. Another must see is High Falls Gorge (highfallsgorge.com), about 20 minutes east of Lake Placid. A simple 45-minute hike offers great views of a series of falls on the Ausable River. The Adirondack Scenic Railway (adirondackrr.com) is also a great way to see the views on a historic train.

Stay:

Whiteface Lodge (thewhitefacelodge.com) is perfectly situated between the Olympic Center and Lake Placid village. Rooms start at $295, and rates include free use of extensive offerings such as canoes, kayaks, a spa, a movie theater with free popcorn, tennis, bowling, indoor-outdoor pool and a make-your-own-S’mores fire pit.