Hotel at a Glance: Best Western Plus Ticonderoga Inn & Suites

Located near Lake George and Lake Champlain, this Best Western Plus is close to postcard-worthy landscapes. After venturing out into the scenic surroundings, you can warm up by the stone fireplace in the hotel’s rustic lodge-style lobby. Tuck into bed with a steaming mug of tea and watch a movie on your room’s flat-screen TV.

• Fuel up with a free breakfast of eggs, pastries, and coffee.
• Go for a swim even in winter—the hotel has an indoor heated pool and a hot tub.
• Grab a burger and a beer at the onsite Burgoyne Grill, or check out Libby’s Bakery Café, located less than a mile away.
• Recent award: 2016 and 2017 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence

Ticonderoga, New York: Quiet Lakeside Town near Vermont Border

On a map, the quiet town of Ticonderoga in upstate New York looks like nothing more than a few crisscrossing roads in the middle of nowhere. Yet it’s both a gateway to some of America’s greatest natural wonders and one of the most fought-over sites in North America. During the French and Indian War and, later, in the American Revolution, armies battled fiercely for control of Fort Ticonderoga, which was strategically placed to protect waterways leading to two major centers of trade—New York City and Montreal. Today you can visit the turreted stronghold, which was restored during the early 20th century. Check out 18th-century swords and cannons, or learn more about military history with musket-firing demonstrations and fife-drum period marches. You can even see the past come to life during historical reenactments and living history events.

Ticonderoga and the surrounding area resembles a postcard: Summer’s rolling, green mountains turn warm hues of red and orange in the fall; come winter, snow transforms the forests into havens for cross-country skiing and ice-fishing. Hiking, canoeing, and whitewater rafting are popular pastimes when things thaw out in spring. If you find yourself craving a dose of adrenaline, Six Flags Great Escape’s numerous rides and water park are less than an hour away.