One lake, one cape, one Adirondack-New England vacation
Besides private vessels, Lake George accommodates tour boats like the Lac du Saint Sacrement. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Building a campfire at Lake George often means coping with bugs. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Occasionally, alcohol turns up at Lake George. Key ingredients of this cocktail included fresh lemon juice, mint leaves and vodka. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
On a good day at Lake George, Rikki, right, dives in a dozen times. Karch, left, approaching 17, now stays on land and soaks up atmosphere. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Tubers, above, and waterskiers proliferate on Lake George whenever the wind dies down. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Martha’s Dandee Creme, between Lake George and Glens Falls, is a heavily trafficked summer favorite for ice cream. Just look for the big rooster on Route 9. (The site used to be a chicken farm.) (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Martha’s Dandee Creme, near the south end of Lake George, is a heavily trafficked summer favorite for ice cream. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Whether it’s through a hotel, cabin, B&B, campsite or rental house, the key to keeping kids happy at Lake George is access to water. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Docks and swimming platforms are fine, but for serious Lake George high-dive thrills, the roof of a boathouse is necessary. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The popularity of Lake George means boaters need to watch the water carefully, including the rear-view mirror. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
This boy is wearing a flotation device on a sunset cruise of Lake George, but it’s hidden under his red fleece jacket. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Top speed on Lake George is 45 mph, but these sisters might be able to talk faster than that. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Canoes are common on Lake George. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Catch-and-release fishing for sunfish is a common kids’ pursuit on Lake George. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Lake George anglers sometimes encounter catfish. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Here’s what a Lake George sunfish looks like up close. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Project in the boathouse, Lake George. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Camp Chingachgook, a YMCA day camp at water’s edge, has been a Lake George fixture for years. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
We didn’t get there on this visit, but in 2007 we checked out the Sagamore Resort at Bolton Landing, a fine option if your Lake George budget is big. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Summer water temperatures at Lake George often reach the high 70s, and swim platforms are common. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
In the evenings, Lake George becomes a big reflective device, magnifying the house lights and campfires that ring the shoreline. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Quaint, prosperous, postcard-ready Woodstock, Vt., makes a fine midway stop on the drive from Lake George, N.Y., to Cape Ann, Mass. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The Norman Williams Public Library, a community hub in the heart of Woodstock, Vt., was built in the 1880s. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Quechee Gorge in Vermont is another roadside attraction between Lake George, N.Y., and Cape Ann, Mass. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Besides the view, Quechee Gorge offers kids a kitschy opportunity to pan for gold and other gems. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
The First Congregational Church in Rockport, Mass. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
For decades, this red Rockport building (once rebuilt) has attracted painters, leading to the nickname Motif No. 1. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Hydrangeas and shingled walls are both common sights in Rockport. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Shadow games by the old quarry, Halibut Point State Park, Rockport. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Massachusetts’ Plum Cove. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Top Dog is a popular eatery on Rockport’s Bear Skin Neck. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Roy Moore Lobster Co., more than 90 years old, has a storefront on Rockport’s Bear Skin Neck. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Beachgoers pack up as a summer storm heads toward Rockport’s Front Beach. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Storm clouds gather over Front Beach in Rockport, Cape Ann. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
These girls are hunting for shells at Front Beach, Rockport. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)
Two girls leap from a lifeguard tower in Plum Cove, Rockport. (Christopher Reynolds / Los Angeles Times)