Visitors to Schroon Lake who arrive by bus will be let off at the Mt. Severance Country Store on Rt. 9, within the town proper and an easy walk to the lake itself. But regardless of how you get here, you'll find the town's quaint, three-block main street dotted with small antique and gift shops, a genuine, old-timey general store, and some local mountain eateries. The town also offers a nine-hole golf course and the restored, small-town-era Strand Theater.

Summer or winter, Schroon Lake and nearby Paradox Lake are brimming with salmon, smallmouth and largemouth bass, lake trout, and great northern pike among others. More than a dozen nearby ponds and streams also hide hungry populations of rainbow, brown and speckled trout, and small- and large-mouth bass. You can rent canoes and kayaks to fish or explore the lake's shoreline or just spend the day swimming and catching some sun on Schroon Lake's public beach (left), which is a short walk from the town's main strip.

(Powerboat, canoe, and kayak rentals ranging from $17 to $180 for four hours, as well as fishing supplies, are available from the Schroon Lake Marina.)

Before heading off to explore the remote 4,000-foot peaks of Adirondack Park, you may want to enjoy the gentle hikes and bike rides offered by the rolling hills surrounding this mountain hamlet. Mountain bikers should know that the local area abounds in maintained trails appropriate to all experience levels—and that quite a few of them end up at a beautiful mountain pond. Cyclists can also explore the area by following the paved, 26-mile route of the annual Adirondack Marathon around the perimeter of the lake.

Hiking is also popular close to town, with more than one million acres, 128 miles of trails, and dozens of bodies of water in the four wilderness areas immediately surrounding Schroon Lake. Hiking guides and trail maps are available from the Schroon Lake Chamber of Commerce.

Schroon Lake, however, may be most well known for its easy access to the lakes, forests, and mountains of the six-million-acre Adirondack Park. The park was established in 1882 to preserve as "forever wild" an area larger than the Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National parks combined. The Vermont-sized park offers more than 2,000 miles of trails and hundreds of miles of canoe routes taking you through old- and new-growth forests and into the habitat of black bears, bobcats, bald eagles, coyotes, and whitetail deer. The park also contains approximately 100 peaks ranging from 1,200 to more than 5,000 feet, including its highest peak, Mount Marcy, at 5,344 feet. Adirondack Park is also known for its "46ers" club, in which die-hard hikers attempt to climb all of the park's 46 peaks above 4,000 feet.

Though many of the park's highest peaks are not easily reached, one of the park's highest summits and the state's fifth highest peak, 4,867-foot tall Whiteface Mountain, can be reached by car and a short ridge hike or elevator ride. The trip to the top of Whiteface Mountain begins thousands of feet below at the mountain's gatehouse, where you'll begin a stunning, scenic and winding five-mile, 2,300-foot elevation change drive to the top. At the peak, you can either take a one-fifth-mile hike along a rocky ridge to the summit or a 276-foot elevator ride from deep within the stony mountain. The rocky ridge trail has been left largely untouched, with the exception of metal railings on both sides for safety and occasional man-made steps to help hikers on their way. The elevator is reached by traversing a 426-foot-long tunnel cut deep into the mountain. Once at the peak, you'll have 360-degree views of the Adirondack wilderness, including Lake Champlain, the Saranac Lake River Valley, Vermont's Green Mountains, and the forests of Canada. It's a breathtaking sight on a clear day. Fees for the five-mile drive and summit access are $9 for the driver and passenger and $5 for each additional passenger. Kids six and under are free.

(One more thing: it's worth pointing out that if you don't have time actually to set foot inside Adirondack Park, a popular scenic byway here is the loop around Schroon Lake, from south to north, which provides spectacular views of the High Peaks region.)

A short drive west of Schroon Lake, you'll come upon the picturesque Adirondack Museum, the largest collection of rustic furniture and inland watercraft in the country and a showcase for the works of Adirondack artists and artisans.

Another major tourist attraction, and a popular day trip, lies just a few miles south of town. This is Stone Bridge and Caves (left), a one-of-a-kind natural wonder that includes the largest natural marble cave entrance in the Northeast and an extensive network of caves you can explore on a self-guided tour. If you're not quite ready to venture into the ground, a rock shop, dinosaur fossils, and several varieties of homemade fudge make sure that Stone Bridge has something to appeal to virtually any visitor.

And, of course, winter in Schroon Lake offers some of the best ice fishing, snowmobiling, and cross-country skiing in New York State. A small 663-foot downhill run with a ski tow is offered in town, and more advanced downhill skiing can be found in Lake Placid or at Gore Mountain, with its 79 trails and 2,100 vertical feet. And of course, snowshoeing at any of the nearby peaks makes for a unique (and calorie-burning!) winter hiking adventure.

Whether it's a romantic getaway or a fun-filled family vacation, Schroon Lake's Lakeview Inn can accommodate. This 1881 farmhouse inn and cottages offers three elegantly appointed rooms in the main house with private fireplaces and Jacuzzis. Two of the rooms offer lake views and one features a Jacuzzi built for two. The inn also offers one-bedroom cottages with renovated kitchens and baths, room for four, and front porches to catch the lakeside breeze. Room rates range from $85 to $125 per night and $75 to $85 for the cottages.

Also in Schroon Lake, you'll find the Schroon Lake Bed and Breakfast, which bills itself as a romantic country inn offering majestic mountain views from its large front porch. Each of the inn's five rooms includes a microwave and refrigerator, cable television, DVD player, and Internet access. The three-room master suite also offers a private bath, private sitting area, and mountain views. Rates range from $99 to $135.

And for a step back in time, stay at the gingerbread "Steam Boat Gothic" Victorian manor house of the Wood's Lodge, in the heart of Schroon Lake. This rickety old two-story manor sits just yards from the lake and the town beach, and is thus quite accessible to anyone arriving without a car. Though it may need a little paint here and there, and is showing the wear of more than a century on the water, the manor house will transport you to a different era as you end your day looking out over the lake from a rocking chair on one of two shady, Victorian-era wraparound porches. (Other accommodations are also available on the lakeside, tree-filled grounds of this family-owned inn.)

Eight miles north of Schroon Lake, you'll find the elegant Silver Spruce Inn, which offers six 1930s-era guestrooms with private baths, numerous private sitting areas with fireplaces, dining for 40, and a downstairs game room with a Prohibition-era speakeasy. The inn is located beside Schroon River Falls, within 30 to 45 minutes of both Whiteface and Gore Mountains. The inn also offers 16 garden-filled acres and a glass-enclosed sunroom. Overnight stays also include the inn's signature multi-course, family-style breakfast. Rates range from $90 to $120.

Remember that there are many other lodging options available in Schroon Lake village, too, like family-friendly motels and cabin rental communities. Use the "See more info" link below, for detailed listings.

Among Schroon Lake's finest dining choices is the Tavern at Schroon Lake. The Tavern offers a well-appointed martini bar to accompany its classic and elegant menu of items such as smoked duck, pork mignon, and sauteed veal oscar topped with asparagus, crabmeat, and hollandaise sauce. The Tavern's dining room has the rich country elegance of dark woods, deep greens, and large brass chandeliers. (Another richly-appointed bar sits just off the main dining room.) Prices range from $4 for a basic salad to $9 for a seafood crepe appetizer and $23 for the charbroiled tenderloin Chateaubriand.

For a more casual atmosphere, try the family-owned Drakes Restaurant (pictured left). This relaxed eatery is located just outside of Schroon Lake's main street and offers a huge menu of appetizers such as steamed clams and roasted red peppers, Italian entrees such as seafood marinara and linguine with white clam sauce and traditional entrees like a N.Y. Strip, a 10-ounce filet mignon and 16-ounce baby back ribs. Prices range from $2.25 for a cup of soup to $20.95 for the filet mignon, with most entrees falling between $14 and $18. Weekly and daily specials are also offered.

Along Schroon Lake's small main street you'll find the quirky and friendly Morningstar Bistro Restaurant and Gifts, which offers such healthy and light fare as a roasted red pepper and avocado sandwich and the grilled salmon sandwich. Salads such as the Redwing—which features caramelized walnuts, grapes and a slice of brie—set the Morningstar apart from other area eateries. A variety of spreads, soups, and crepes are also offered. Prices ranges from $1.99 for a kid's grilled cheese sandwich to $8.95 for the Nawita salad with smoked turkey, black forest ham, Swiss cheese, olives, and red roasted peppers.

More traditional pub fare of mushroom and Swiss burgers, shrimp in a basket, and southern fried chicken can be also be found along Schroon Lake's Main street at the Timberwolf Pub and Flanagan's Pub and Grill. And, as no community is complete without a comfy coffee shop, Schroon Lake offers the Higher Ground, with its tasty java, a communal chessboard, a comfortable couch, and Internet access.

See more info on dining

For part of the year, Schroon Lake nightlife leans more towards moonlit nights on the water and the spotting of the region's many nocturnal critters. But a cold pint, some good music from the jukebox, and a friendly game of pool can be found most nights at Flanagan's Pub and Grill. Flanagans and the Timberwolf Pub also host live music on weekends during the summer.

Summer is actually when the entertainment possibilities really start to multiply here. Wednesday night square dances are one option, as are the Boathouse Concerts put on all summer long by the Schroon Lake Arts Council, where you might end up hearing jazz, Celtic music, or old sea chanteys, depending on that night's performer.

The warmer months are also when Schroon Lake benefits from its proximity to the Seagle Music Colony (left), the venerable Adirondack institution dedicated to training gifted young singers, musicians, and other performers. The students show their stuff each summer in operas, musicals, and concerts staged in the Oscar Seagle Memorial Theater; it's your chance to see some of tomorrow's stars before they hit the big time.

See more info on nightlife

AIR: Schroon Lake is an approximately 1-hour's drive from the Albany International Airport. Direct flights to Albany from New York City are approximately one hour and 10 minutes. Flights from Newark, NJ and Boston clock in at approximately one hour with flights from Chicago taking roughly two hours and ten minutes.

CAR: Drive time from New York City to Schroon Lake is approximately 4 hours, with Boston requiring the same. Rochester, NY to Schroon Lake takes 4-3/4 hours and Burlington, VT 1-3/4 hours.

CAR RENTAL: Car rentals are available at the Albany International Airport from Avis (800-331-1212), Budget (800-527-0700), Enterprise (800-261-7331), Hertz (800-654-3131) and Alamo (800 462-5266).

TRAIN: Amtrak (800-USA-RAIL) offers service from Albany, New York's Penn Station and Philadelphia's 30th Street station to Lake Placid.

BUS: Adirondack Trailways (800-858-8555) and Greyhound (800-231-2222) offer buses from Albany and New York City to Schroon Lake. (Travel time from Albany to Schroon Lake is two hours and 35 minutes.)

Adirondack Trailways drops passengers at the Mt. Severance Country Store, at 1375 Rt. 9, not far from the center of town.

TAXI: A handful of taxicab companies serve the Schroon Lake and Lake Placid areas. Consult local listings for taxi companies and phone numbers.

See more info on transportation

With more than six million acres, 60 lakes and streams as well as golf courses, the occasional quirky roadside attraction and numerous small restaurants and shops to explore in the Schroon Lake and Adirondack Park region, it's best to do decide how and where you'll spend your time before you leave home. Cell phone service and Internet access can also be hard to come by in some areas, so plan to be out of the contact loop for a few days.

Check back soon.

For a detailed map of Schroon Lake, click here