• Relish the many views and activities -- from rafting to fishing and horseback riding -- provided on and around Lake George, nicknamed the "Queen of American Lakes." After gazing upon the lake in 1791, Thomas Jefferson wrote to his daughter: “Lake George is without comparison, the most beautiful water I ever saw."

• Experience the ponies and marvel at the historic Saratoga Race Course, part of horseracing's Triple Crown. Saratoga held its first thoroughbred meet in 1863, just a month after the Battle of Gettysburg, and is considered the most historic organized sporting venue of any kind in the U.S.

• Reel in a slice of cinema, now reborn as a state-of-the-art performing arts space, at the Park Theater. Upon its opening in 1911, the Park was the first movie theater in Glens Falls and featured silent films and vaudeville acts. After a redevelopment in 2014, it today features concerts, stage productions, and dance. Combine a performance with dining at the downstairs Doc's Restaurant.