25 Aug Rainy Day Activities in the Lake George Area
Everyone hopes for sunshine and clear skies while camping in the Lake George/Queensbury area, but the weather is often unpredictable. If you end up with a few rainy days, don’t fret! There are plenty of ways to enjoy the region indoors, and we’re here to help you make the most of a rainy day. Check out our list of things to do in Lake George on a rainy day.
The area is home to several unique museums that are worth checking out.
Adirondack Experience: The Museum on Blue Mountain Lake
The Adirondack Experience is home to the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake. The museum actively collects and exhibits objects made or used by Adirondackers. There are now more than 30,000 objects, 70,000 photographs, 9,000 books, and 800 collections of original manuscript materials housed at the facility, and those numbers continue to grow. The museum’s collections are historical records of how people live, work, and play on the Adirondack landscape. While there, you will see wooden canoes built by John Henry Rushton, the log cabin of author Anne LaBastille, hunting artifacts, and more.
Chapman Museum
The Chapman Museum presents the history of the Glens Falls/Queensbury community and its connection to the Adirondack region to its visitors. Current exhibits include a collection of Broncho Charlie folk art with wooden carvings of animals, people, model wagons, and religious figures; a hand’s-on exhibition about everyday life in Glens Falls over time where you can experience what school days were like, how families spent time together, and how people experienced music; and a history of steamboat travel in the Adirondacks.
Fort William Henry Museum
Experience the history of Fort Williams Henry during the French and Indian War at the Fort William Henry Museum. Watch live musket and cannon firings, speak with a “soldier” to learn some history of the area, play 18th Century games, and more.
House of Frankenstein Wax Museum
The House of Frankenstein Wax Museum is a must if you’re into creepy and unusual attractions. It is no ordinary max museum and has more than just Frankenstein and his monster featuring macabre moments from history. Wax creatures line the hallways, some of which move and even talk!
Hyde Collection
The Hyde is a small art museum featuring distinguished European and American art collections. The museum’s core collection has works by Rembrandt, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso, and Pierre-August Renoir. They also have a more modern and contemporary art collection that features works by artists including Josef Albers, Adolph Gottlieb, Robert Motherwell, and Bridget Riley.
Patriot of Lake George Museum
The Patriot of Lake George is a gift shop and museum dedicated to the remembrance of veterans and service personnel of all military branches. The museum is free to visit and displays medals, uniforms, local history, and memorabilia from The French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, World War I, World War II, Korean War, Vietnam War, Gulf War, and the War in Iraq. If you’re a History Channel buff, this thoughtfully curated collection is a must-see.
Warrensburg Museum
The Museum of Local History was founded in 1975 for America’s Bicentennial as a joint venture of the Warrensburg Historical Society and the Town of Warrensburg. The museum doesn’t charge for admission and their exhibits span from the prehistoric ages to the present.
Wild Center
The Wild Center is a wonderful way to learn more about and connect with the nature of the Adirondacks. They also have several outdoor activities, but if you’re stuck inside on a rainy day, you can still spend hours exploring. The Wild Center is home to more than 900 live Adirondack animals you can get up close and personal with, including otters, owls, and porcupines. In the Hall of the Adirondacks, you can spend time with fish, turtles, and plants and gain a deeper understanding of the inner workings of nature in the region. The Planet Adirondack exhibit gives you a space-eye view of Earth using high-tech cameras, and if you’re brave enough, you can try the flight simulator and truly feel what it’s like to fly like a bird.
World Awareness Children’s Museum
The World Awareness Children’s Museum is an interactive, hand’s-on children’s museum in downtown Glens Falls. Children can “farm” corn, tomatoes, and peppers and “prepare” a traditional meal in the Hola, Mexico exhibit or play different instruments like a thumb piano in the World Music exhibit. Kids will have a blast donning a kimono and taking off their shoes in the Japanese Tea House, and boarding a dragon boat for an imaginary race. There’s even an art studio where visitors can create arts and crafts inspired by folktales and legends from different countries.
A rainy day is the perfect excuse to shop until you drop!
Lake George has no shortage of retail stores, and what better way to kill some time indoors than a shopping spree? Start at the Outlets at Lake George to score some killer deals from name brands like Adidas, Coach, Levi’s, Michael Kors, Polo Ralph Lauren, Very Bradley, and more. Lake George village is lined with souvenir shops if you want an LG t-shirt or tchotchke to commemorate your vacation.
If you are into antiques, head to Warrensburg, the Antique Capital of the Adirondacks. Stroll down Main Street and find hidden treasures such as rare books, furniture, jewelry, and Adirondack memorabilia.
Experience fun and games indoors.
Adirondack Axe
Try your hand at axe throwing at Adirondack Axe in the Aviation Mall. It’s a great way to kill some time indoors, release some of your frustrations, and have fun. They also have a paint room where you can get super messy with a brush (or your hands) and a Bash It where you’re given gloves, safety glasses, and a selection of glass and electronic items to bash to your heart’s content.
Adventure Family Fun Center
If you’re looking for indoor family fun in the Lake George area, look no further than Adventure Family Fun Center. Take a spin on their Indoor Go-Kart track. Face off your family members in their multi-level Laser Tag arena. Get your adrenaline pumping with a round (or two, or three) of Bumper Cars. Test your target skills at the Airsoft range or test your gaming skills at the Arcade. You can easily spend an entire day at the facility with all these activities to try.
The Fun Spot
The Fun Spot (located just across the street from us at Lake George Campsites) offers a collection of immersive entertainment experiences for the whole family to enjoy. They have a virtual reality experience, go-karts, mini golf, a ninja challenge, roller skating, laser tag, and a huge 1500-square-foot indoor playground. And they pride themselves on being a clean and safe facility!
Go Play with Your Food
Go Play with Your Food is a brand-new board game tavern in downtown Glens Falls. Pay $10 to rent a table for the day and pick from the more than six hundred board games they have available. They have classics like Scrabble, Apples to Apples, Uno, and Bananagrams, and some games you may not have heard of, like Exploding Kittens, Flamecraft, Acuity, and Bloodborne. You can view their game collection here to scope it out before you go. They also have beer and wine and a small menu of flatbread pizzas, salads, sandwiches, and more.
Lake George Lanes & Games
Lake George Lanes & Games has everything you need for an afternoon of family fun. They’ve got bowling, laser tag, an arcade, an indoor playground, and virtual sports simulators. Plus, they have a bar and grill where you can share small plates like sliders and spinach artichoke dip or enjoy entrees like chicken parm or a burger and fries. They even offer galactic bowling on Friday and Saturday evenings, where you can bowl in the dark with glowing black lights and enjoy tunes blasting from their state-of-the-art sound system.
The Luxury Box
The Luxury Box is a premier sports and entertainment center in Queensbury. Each private suite features virtual golf, soccer, baseball, hockey, bowling, foot golf, frisbee golf, and dodgeball. You can also watch TV and movies from the comfort of leather reclining chairs and blast some tunes using the state-of-the-art sound system. You can bring your own drinks and snacks or purchase some on-site – just no alcoholic beverages. Suites can accommodate up to six people and are charged by the hour at $40/hour.
Six Flags Great Escape Indoor Waterpark
Who says you have to be outside to enjoy a waterpark? Six Flags Great Escape Lodge & Indoor Waterpark has attractions appropriate for the youngest swimmer to the most experienced surfer. Kids can enjoy the Tall Timbers Treehouse, which boasts over 160 play features, including mini slides, curtain waterfalls, and a soaker bucket, and tots have a shallow area to play at Tip-A-Kanu Beach. If you just want to float, you can find your spot at Tak-It-Eesi-Creek or Soakum Spring. The thrill-seekers will want to spend their time on Avalanche, a white-water rafting experience, or riding Glacier Run and Show Shoe Falls, the water slides. There really is something for everyone!
Wax ‘n’ Wix Candle Making Studios
Have you ever made your own candle? Try something new at Wax ‘n’ Wix Candle Making Studios, where you can build your candle from scratch and choose the color, shape, and fragrance you want. They also offer classes taught by local Adirondack artists – make your own wood-burnt sign or an abstract painting. Wax ‘n’ Wix has two locations in Lake George, including one at the Adirondack Outlet Mall.
Enjoy some grub at a nearby restaurant.
Sometimes when the weather is dreary, all you want to do is eat. There are plenty of spots in the Lake George area to grab some delicious food. Whether you are craving a hot cup of soup, a burger, a slice of pizza, spaghetti, or tacos, there’s a place to satisfy your cravings.
In fact, we wrote a whole blog post dedicated to our favorite Lake George restaurants – check it out here.
Rain and alcohol just seem to go together.
How about a beer or wine tasting to pass the time during a rainstorm?
Check out our local brewery guide and local winery guide for some ideas on where to stop for an adult beverage.
Lake George Campsites has everything you need for a fun-filled getaway, rain or shine. What are you waiting for? Our private campground in upstate NY is ready to host you! We’ve got cottages, RV sites, and tent sites.