With more than 100 towns and villages in Adirondack Park, it can get a bit overwhelming to decide which hidden small towns in New York to visit. Covering over six million acres, small towns tucked away within the shadows of our tallest mountains and most remote spaces offer peace, quiet, and endless outdoor adventures. If New York's winter weather has you feeling a bit stir-crazy, then perhaps it's time you take a getaway to one of the hidden gems in New York — one of our best-kept secrets.
Right in the heart of it all, the small town of Long Lake has so much to offer.
Talk about teensy tiny! This small town is home to just over 700 residents. Sitting on the shores of our 14-mile, 4,077-acre Long Lake, you'll love sneaking away up north to this amazingly scenic location.
If you plan on making this longer than just a day trip, you'll first want to check into the historic Adirondack Hotel, one of the best places to visit in New York.
This hotel, built in the 1850s, is a vintage jewel and the only one like it within Adirondack Park.
Located right across from the beach, the hotel offers a variety of fun activities including nearby shopping.
Giving you a waterfront view, the Adirondack Hotel has been a favorite place to stay and eat for ages. Inside you'll find cozy rooms and a Victorian dining room filled with windows that give amazing views of Long Lake, making you feel right at home.
This restaurant offers a full pizza menu, soups, salads, and kid's menu. For a snack, try some baked pretzels with pub mustard, or poutine, which is french fries topped with melted cheese curds and beef gravy.
Like many of our Adirondack towns, you can find beautiful waterfalls that are worth visiting any time of the year.
A popular place to go hiking especially during the summer and fall, Buttermilk Falls can be found right off of North Point Road.
A short 5-minute walk from where you'll park off of the road, the falls are enchanting to see during the winter season when they're frozen over and surrounded by snow-capped trees.
Long Lake also features the Adirondack Trading Post.
It is easy to see why this special town is one of the hidden gems in New York.
It is known for scrumptious breakfast sandwiches and seasonal lobster rolls!
The quaint little convenience store that you've always dreamed of is a great place to check out when you're hungry.
If you weren't able to find what you were looking for at the ADK Trading Post, then you're in luck!
A place you'll find yourself returning to time and time again once you finally make your first visit, Hoss's is an iconic general store of the Adirondacks that's been a favorite for over 40 years. Filled with quirky characteristics, this place wows visitors with the fact that it has a tree growing through the middle of the store! From food and clothing to adult beverages and DEC licenses, you can't take a trip to Long Lake without stopping into Hoss's.
Yet to make any plans for the month of January? Good!
Because you'll want to visit the Long Long Lake Winter Carnival on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022.
A winter wonderland that you won't want to miss, the Long Lake Winter Carnival in New York is so much fun. Kicking off at noon, the party offers a variety of fun, such as its well-known Cardboard Sled Races, contests, ice-sculpting demos, hot food, a kids' balloon chase, a ladies' frying pan toss, and fireworks.
Have you ever taken a getaway to this small town? Is there another one of the best hidden small towns in New York that is worth a drive? Please tell us what you think in the comments below. For more unforgettable places to visit in New York, and a unique way to enjoy the fall foliage, check out the Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!