NEW YORK’S ADIRONDACK COAST REGION JOINS THE GROWING AGRI-TOURISM MOVEMENT WITH ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS FOR VISITORS

01 Aug NEW YORK’S ADIRONDACK COAST REGION JOINS THE GROWING AGRI-TOURISM MOVEMENT WITH ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS FOR VISITORS

Fresh-from-the-farm food and local brews meet beautiful lake and mountain scenery, along with options for active pursuits and water sports

For immediate Release
Contact: Carrie Gentile, Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism
518-621-3665

July, 2019

ADIRONDACKS, N.Y. — From fresh meats to regionally-made cheeses to vegetables from local farms, and breweries crafting beer with homegrown hops, the Adirondack Coast region of New York has an abundance of agri-tourism opportunities for visitors. These activities are a growing trend in the region, paired with renowned outdoor sports and active pursuits. 

The Lake Champlain Valley has more than 240 farms set amidst the rugged shoreline of the 130-mile long Lake Champlain, with the backdrop of the Adirondack Mountains. The region offers a bounty to visitors and locals alike, with vegetable farms, dairies, meat farms, orchards and breweries. And this summer and fall, there are dozens of ways to enjoy a farming experience on the Adirondack Coast. 

The region offers family-friendly activities such as harvest events celebrating local crops, stopping in to a local farm store while on a scenic drive through the valley, or staying on a local working farm. A sampling of activities includes:

• Visit the bustling Agri-Alley on Mace Chasm Road, where young farmers and brewers have taken root. Surrounded by orchards, woods and pastures, you can visit Mace Chasm for grass-fed beef; Clover Mead Cafe and Farm Store serving food from the region; Fledgling Crow, the 42-acre organic vegetable farm; and Ausable Brewing, a family-owned nano brewing operation with 11 taps on 140 acres. There’s a pavilion for live music, and locally sourced food trucks each night. 
• Stop by non-profit Hub on the Hill,  a co-op facility open to local farmers looking to transform their harvest into frozen or shelf-stable food. There’s a commercial kitchen, warehouse and packing facility. The cafe and market is open to the public. 
• Stay on a working farm for agriculture based lodging and dining experience where guests can unwind, hike the trails on the property, eat great local food and learn about farm life. 
• Time your trip to coincide with the Adirondack Harvest Festival (Sept. 20-21) to meet with local growers, winemakers, experience agricultural demonstrations by farmers and beekeepers. The event also offers live music, breweries, food trucks, a mid afternoon round-table discussion, evening barbecue, a dance party and more.
• Horse lovers can check out the Heritage Harvest and Horse Festival(Oct. 5),whichincludesdemonstrations of equestrian sports and working horses, a harvest market and a six-acre corn maze for the entire family to enjoy. 
• Experience the old-fashioned Essex County Fair (Aug. 14-18) or the annual Crown Point Corn Festival(Aug. 24)

Exploring and Relaxing in the Outdoors: The Natural Beauty of Lake Champlain

For active travelers, the Lake Champlain Region is an epicenter of outdoor activities amongst stunning topography. Ausable Chasm, a sandstone gorge that is often called the “Grand Canyon of the East,” offers 5 miles of scenic hiking and biking trails. 

The Ausable River flows from the canyon and spills into Lake Champlain, forming the region’s border in the region and providing amazing scenery and recreation. The rolling farmland and forests, scenic country roads, impossibly blue waters of Lake Champlain and Adirondack High Peaks in the distance make a nice companion to a ride. 

From sitting in an Adirondack Chair with expansive mountain and lake views, to kayaking and fishing, visitors can choose their own outdoor adventure level. 

Make a day trip or stay in one of several vibrant towns, including Westport and Essex, both on Lake Champlain. In addition to agri-tourism and outdoor exploration, visitors can enjoy lakeside fine dining, championship golf, the professional Depot Theatre (located in a historic, functioning 1876 train station) and concerts in the park.  The region is famed for its B&Bs and historic inns including the 200 year-old, recently renovated Essex Inn. 

To learn more about agri-tourism, outdoor activities and accommodations in the Lake Champlain region, go to LakeChamplainRegion.com. For more information about the Adirondacks, AdirondacksUSA.com.

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