Mountain Lake — and continue on to Great Camp Sagamore ( saga more . org ). Built in 1897 and purchased four years later by the Vanderbilt family , the sprawling complex was once a coveted getaway for society elite who wanted to rough it in the woods without sacrificing the luxuries of their Park Avenue mansions . Today , visitors can tour the property ’ s many outbuildings and marvel at the outdoor bowling alley , where generations of Vanderbilts entertained their guests .

NUTS & BOLTS

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : The cabins at Potters

Resort feature lakeside views ; children enjoy the activities at the Adirondack

Experience boat house ; kayaking on Blue Mountain Lake ; Castle Rock summit ; Great Camp Sagamore was once a Vanderbilt retreat ; chef Darrell Spencer at Chef Darrell ' s Mountain Diner ; the walls at Strong Rope Taproom at Potters Resort bear the signatures of past visitors ; the W . W . Durant cruises Raquette Lake . TOP

RIGHT : Lake George is a convenient pit stop en route to the Adirondacks .

FRIDAY EVENING : We grab a few cans from Strong Rope Taproom ( strongropebrewery . com ) — the Brooklyn-based brewery hosts a seasonal location at Potters Resort — and enjoy a BYOB dinner of baked ham , tilapia and strawberry shortcake at Hemlock Hall ( hemlockhall . com ), one of several area resorts that opens its dining room to visitors as well as overnight guests .

SATURDAY MORNING : An early start leaves little time for breakfast as we hit the road toward Camp Pine Knot , the first of the historic Great Camps built by local entrepreneur William West Durant . Now owned by the State University of New York at Cortland , the peninsulabound camp — accessible only by boat or ice road — was once Durant ’ s personal retreat . After our tour , we cruise Raquette Lake with Donna and Dean Pohl of Raquette Lake Navigation Co . ( raquettelakenavigation . com ). The aptly named W . W . Durant , a dieselpowered steamboat replica , offers dining and sightseeing cruises as well as tours of Camp Pine Knot at select times during the season .

SATURDAY AFTERNOON : Famished after our morning tours , we stop into Raquette Lake Hotel and Tap Room to people watch over a basket of fries and a Saranac Legacy IPA . We take our time getting back to the cabin , stopping to browse an ^{| |} CONTINUED ON PAGE 141

Travel Time : Four hours and forty minutes from Providence

Miles : 273 miles .

How to Get There : I-90 West to I-87 North , then follow NY-28 into the Adirondacks .

Best Season to Go : Memorial Day to Columbus Day ( Some attractions in this region don ’ t open until mid-June , so be sure to check travel schedules ahead of time .)

Bucket List for Next Time : The Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge rewards visitors for exploring the region ’ s twenty-five historic fire towers , including several in Hamilton County .

Worth a Detour : The drive up from Rhode Island will take you through Lake George , where kids can indulge in old-fashioned attractions like an arcade and wax museum while the adults enjoy drinks overlooking the lake .

PHOTOGRAPHY ( CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT ): COURTESY OF POTTERS RESORT ( CABIN AND TAP ROOM ); ADIRONDACK EXPERIENCE ( BOAT HOUSE ); GETTY IMAGES / DENIS TANGNEY JR . ( LAKE GEORGE ); GETTY IMAGE / SUN DRE 87 ( BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE ); JESSICA RIEHL ( GREAT CAMP SAGAMORE ); ROOST ( W . W . DURANT ); ALL OTHER IMAGES BY LAUREN CLEM .