The Sagamore Resort

The honest review

The Sagamore Resort has been welcoming families to Lake George since 1883, and it carries that history without feeling stuffy. The resort occupies Green Island — a small private landmass connected to Bolton Landing by a short bridge — which gives it a genuinely secluded feel even though you're minutes from the main strip's arcades and taffy shops.

For families, the layout works well. The Rec Center is the anchor for rainy days or late afternoons: 10,000 square feet of indoor space with mini-golf, a movie theater showing current films, board games, and organized activities for kids ages 4 to 12. It's the kind of place where parents can decompress with a book while younger kids don't notice any transition from the lake.

On the water, the resort offers kayak, canoe, and paddleboard rentals right off the dock, plus a one-hour scenic cruise aboard a 72-foot vessel that's included in the resort fee — a genuine highlight that even teens tend to enjoy. Three outdoor pools overlook the lake, and there's a heated indoor pool for the shoulder season or evening swims. The grounds also include sand volleyball, basketball, tennis, pickleball, padel, horseshoe pits, and a playground, so there's almost no scenario where a kid complains of boredom.

Accommodations range from classic hotel rooms in the original Victorian building to multi-bedroom condominiums and private lodges, which makes the Sagamore a realistic option for larger family groups or multi-generational trips. The two-bedroom lodge pods with kitchenettes and lake-view patios are particularly well suited to families with young children who need flexible meal timing.

Dining is plentiful — eight venues on property — though meals are resort-priced and families report that food costs add up quickly. Budget accordingly, or use the kitchenette option to offset. The resort fee covers parking, Wi-Fi, and facility access, which softens the sting a little.

The main honest caveat: peak summer rates are genuinely high, and the experience is most worth it for families who lean into the full offering. If you're planning to spend most of your time off-property at the Great Escape or in town, the Sagamore's pricing premium won't pay off. But for families who want a contained, high-quality lakefront resort with structured programming and genuine natural beauty, few places in the Northeast deliver at this level.