One lake, one cape, one Adirondack-New England vacation

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)