3 days in Old Forge, NY

How we spent 3 full days in Old Forge, NY (Adirondacks) with 3 kids and a dog :)

The first and most important rule to camping with 3 kids and a dog is to be caffeinated at all times. On to the full itinerary. Enjoy!

Day 1:

Late check in to Old Forge Camping Resort

Set up and cook hot dogs over the fire for dinner

We got a late start because of work, and ended up checking in around 8pm. This worked out perfectly for us as we just set up quick, made dinner and went to bed for a big day ahead. Luckily, Old Forge Camping Resort allowed a late check in and actually allows this until 10pm. If you're running even later than 10pm, they leave your check in info clipped on the wall for you and you just check in with them in the morning! I thought this was really cool and takes the stress away from rushing and being on time- something we can't always control while traveling.

Day 2:

Breakfast at camp

WATER SAFARI DAY (10am - 6:30pm)

Dinner at camp & smore's by the fire

We brought a ton of food and supplies to make meals at camp, which saved us a lot of money over the course of 3 full days. On this day, it was also a time saver. We made breakfast at camp, got ready and headed to Water Safari- where the fun never stops! Hours are 10am-6:30pm. You can also bring your own cooler here with drinks and food! Before heading in we grabbed lattes from Ozzie's downtown. The best part of Old Forge is there's no shortage of cute cafes and coffee shops.

Day 3:

Breakfast & coffee downtown at Glazing Saddles Donuts and Eatery

Hike McCauley mountain (AllTrails hike linked)

Return to camp for lunch/explore camp

Paddle boat at camp $15/hr

Dinner at Daikers on the lake

On day 3, we decided to treat ourselves to breakfast and coffee down in town at Glazing Saddles Donuts and Eatery. It was well worth it! The donuts here melt in your mouth and their breakfast sandwiches are so filling and yummy! The lattes were wonderful, too! After breakfast, we went to McCauley mountain to hike with the kids and our dog, Fiji. This was more of a bike trail than a hike, but there was a short one right past the ski lift on the right that was perfect for the kids. They really enjoyed the obstacle course and playground here as well. (Make sure there are no bikers using the obstacle course.) We then headed to camp to make lunch/explore the campground and relax. Old Forge Camping Resort has so much to offer in itself! There's anything you can think of activity wise. We decided to paddle boat for one hour. To end our day, we got cleaned up and headed to dinner at Daikers. The outdoor seating here is right on the lake, and soo beautiful! I wish I got a photo :( The food was great too.

Day 4:

Breakfast at camp/pack up

11am check out

coffee at Blue Line Coffee

hike Bald Mountain (AllTrails hike linked)

Head back to town of Old Forge for shopping & lunch on Main Street

Mini golf at Nutty Putty

End the day with ice cream at Benny's Ice Cream

Head home

On our last day, we made breakfast at camp again and packed up the cars. Check out was 11am prompt. After check out, we headed to town for - yep you guessed it - more coffee! The youngest toddler with us, Vinny, age 3, said, and I quote "Coffee again? This is ridiculous!" This time, we tried Blue Line Coffee, and it was amazing. They not only had the best lattes, but some very cute apparel and souvenirs, too. After our coffee stop, we went to hike Bald Mountain. This hike is part of the Adirondack Fire Tower Challenge! It is a 2 mile out and back trail that gets pretty steep and rocky at points. Luckily there's lots of roots to grab onto. The kids did SOOO good and made it all the way to the top of the fire tower! I don't know how we got so lucky. The view from the top is incredible and worth every step. It overlooks Old Forge perfectly. After our hike, we headed back to town for shopping and lunch on Main Street. We made our way to play mini golf at Nutty Putty (a family favorite by all) and ended the day with well deserved ice cream right next door at Benny's Ice Cream. We then said our tear filled good-byes and headed home.

The kids (and adults the same) LOVED our trip and were all so sad for it to end. I hope this itinerary helps make your family trip to Old Forge special, too!