Here is where I think of when you say Upstate New York, the Adirondack Mountains. We stayed in Warrensburg, midway between Lake George City and Lake Placid. Lake George City is your typical tourist trap town full of shops and restaurants here on the southern tip of Lake George. You can partake of many water sports here like canoeing and parasailing, although we opted for a relaxing steam powered paddle boat cruise aboard the Minne-Ha-Ha. Next to the boat dock is the Million Dollar Beach if worship the sun. To the north is Lake Placid and the site of the 1980 Olympics. There is a small museum at the Olympic Center and you can see the bobsled & luge track as well as the ski jumping areas. We actually got to see several ski jumpers practicing aerials by skiing down a dry hill and landing in the water after their jump.