The Ultimate 5

There are several boat tours on lakes in the Adirondacks. Check out the scenic cruise aboard the W. W. Durant on Raquette Lake. The boat’s namesake, William W. Durant, was the designer and developer of the camps in the Adirondacks now referred to as the Adirondack Camp Style or Great Camp Style. The lakes became the preferred getaway for the wealthy in the late 1800s, including the Vanderbilts and Carnegies. The “camps” were actually rustic mansions surrounded by the forest. Learn about the lake and how the scene has changed over the years on 90-minute sightseeing cruise.

The most popular way to experience the Niagara River is on the Maid of the Mist which offers up-close and personal views of Niagara Falls. Be prepared to get wet. For an adrenalin rush experience the Whirlpool Jet Boat Ride. Out of Buffalo there is a 90-minute afternoon river cruise where one can learn about the waterways that turned Buffalo into one of the biggest and richest cities in the world.

The Lake George Steamship Company offers a variety of seasonal cruises but the most interesting is the six-hour complete tour of the lake on the Mohican. The Mohican, built in 1908, has been offering tours for over 100 years. The fully narrated cruise offers views and information about the mountains, islands, historic mansion, and the lakes current ecological balance.

The Finger Lakes are beautiful but most people only see them from the shores or the roads running along these scenic lakes. To get the full effect of the Finger Lakes you have to get on the water itself. Several of the Finger Lakes have boat tours including Seneca, Canandaigua. Skaneateles and Cayuga. One unique trip on Skaneateles Lake is aboard the mail boat.