Photos: Frankie Cavone

Adirondack Independence Music Festival is a three day festival filled with music from 12pm to 11pm spread over labor day weekend in beautiful Lake George, NY. While most of your time will be consumed by all the amazing music, there are a ton of great things to do around the village of Lake George before, after and following the festival.

Between one of the cleanest lakes in all of the United States, the Adirondack Mountains and all of the wonderful shops and restaurants, there are options for everyone. Here are some of our recommendations of things to do before you enter the festival and after all the shenanigans are over. See below:

Before the Festival:

• Get Breakfast

  • Cafe Vero – Breakfast, baked goods, sandwiches & house-roasted coffee in a comfy, earth-toned cafe.
    • 253 Canada St, Lake George, NY 12845
  • Prospect Mountain Diner – Homestyle American eats are whipped up in a retro atmosphere with counter stools & table jukeboxes.
    • 2205 US-9, Lake George, NY 12845
  • Bank Cafe – A local breakfast/lunch spot with quick and delicious food. The cafe was once a bank from the turn of the century featuring a vault within!
    • 326 Canada St, Lake George, NY 12845
  • Dunkin Donuts – Long-running chain serving signature breakfast items & a variety of coffee drinks.
    • Location 1: Xtramart, 1412 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845
    • Location 2: 3624 State Route 9, Lake George, NY 12845

• Take a swim at one of the many beaches

  • Million Dollar Beach – The closest beach to the festival grounds. A beautiful view looking up Lake George.
    • 139 Beach Rd, Lake George
  • Shepard Park Beach – Located right in the heart of Lake George Village with a pier all next to many shops and restaurants.
    • 264 Canada St, Lake George, NY
  • Ushers Park – The quieter of the three beaches within Lake George Village. The park also features basketball/tennis courts, a playground and more.
    • 3836 NY-9L, Lake George, NY 12845

• Go for a morning hike

  • Pinnacle Mountain – A 2.1 mile round trip hike just outside of lake George with very little challenge. Making it to the stop presents you with a stellar view of the Lake looking in both directions.
    • Edgecomb Pond Rd, Bolton Landing, NY 12814
  • Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob – The fastest hike in the Lake George area just 10 minutes away from the festival grounds located on the east side of the lake. It only takes about 20 minutes to get to the top featuring a gazebo looking over the Lake George along with a waterfall.
    • Pilot Knob Rd, Fort Ann, NY 12827
  • Shelving Rock Falls – about a 30 minute drive outside of Lake George featuring an amazing 50-foot waterfall.
    •  17 Log Bay In Log Bay Is, Fort Ann, NY 12827

Late Night After the Festival:

There are a wealth of bars all across the strip of Lake George, here are just a few we recommend making at stop at! If you are staying outside of walking distance from the festival, there are plenty taxi and ride-share options to get you home safely.

• The Lagoon – Laid-back eatery offering pizzas, seafood & American favorites, plus lake views & entertainment.
  • 204 Canada St, Lake George, NY 12845
• Lake George Beach Club – Lively 2-story haunt on the water featuring classic American dishes, live music & TVs for sports.
  • 3 Montcalm St, Lake George, NY 12845
• Fire and Ice
  • 175 Canada St, Lake George, NY 12845
• Duffy’s Tavern – Down-to-earth saloon offering beer, bar fare, an upstairs deck, live music & lake views.
  • 20 Amherst St, Lake George, NY 12845