We get asked this all the time from our elopement couples; “Where should I elope?” One of our favorite destinations for elopements is the Adirondack Mountains, located in Northeastern New York! The Adirondacks are about 5 hours away from New York City. It is a scenic ride there by car, or by train. And, Amtrak’s Adirondack Service has been noted as one of the “Top 10 Most Scenic Train Trips in North America.” The Adirondacks are only around 4.5-6 hours from Buffalo, New York (depending on what ADK city you are traveling to).
But where is the best place to elope in the Adirondacks specifically?
Here is a list of our favorite places you should consider for an intimate wedding or elopement in the Adirondack Mountains:
Keene Elopements
- The quaint Bark Eater Inn has easily become one of our favorite locations to elope in the Adirondacks. It’s nestled in the quiet town of Keene, New York. To start, the lovely hosts of the property, Meghan Kirkpatrick and Tyler Nichols, are incredible to work with and meticulous with detail. They have worked with the owners to undertake extensive renovations over the last 6 years and have truly created a comfortable and welcoming charm to the venue. As a bonus, you can stay, get ready, get married, take photos and celebrate your marriage all on site of The Bark Eater Inn which makes it the perfect location for a simple and smaller wedding not looking to move around too much on your wedding day.
Inlet, Old Forge, and Eagle Bay Elopements
- Rocky Mountain is located about a 5-minute drive from Inlet and a pretty easy hike to the top. It’s is a 20-minute hike. (we’ve hiked Rocky Mountain before about 6 months postpartum with Christina wearing our daughter on her back. It’s an EASY hike). You might consider carrying your dress and putting it on at the top, (that’s what the bride did for the day after photos we photographed there before).
- The Woods Inn is a super quaint hotel located in the town of Inlet and it’s located right on a lake. One of our past couples had their wedding celebration right at The Woods Inn so it also hosts bigger weddings if you wanted. If you contact them about a mid-week wedding, eloping right on their lake should not be a problem.
- The Big Moose Inn is another great ceremony site for an elopement. The Big Moose Inn is located right outside of Inlet/Old Forge, in a camp-like setting. (So again, about 4-4.5 hours from Buffalo). You could rent one of their cabins and elope right on the lake! There are also plenty of photo options in the surrounding area.
- The Great Pines Lodge is located in Old Forge, the town before you hit Inlet about 4 hours away from Buffalo. This is a dog-friendly hotel situated on a beautiful lake and they have two areas that are perfect for an elopement or slightly bigger intimate wedding.
Lake George Elopements
- The Sagamore in Lake George is also a beautiful location for an elopement. It’s a little fancier there and the whole hotel is located on its own island, but it is surely serene!
- The Friends Lake Inn is a popular spot to elope because it already has elopement packages put together with cake, room, officiant, and a few other things included. If you’re looking for something a little less expensive that is all-inclusive, this is a great option.
Lake Placid Elopements
- Lake Placid is another great place to elope, but a much longer drive from Buffalo, New York. Because Lake Placid is home to the High Peaks, snow and unfavorable weather are likely in October and November! If you were in for a more adventurous drive, the top of Whiteface Mountain is a beautiful place to elope and you can drive the highway to the top and take an elevator up. Note that Whiteface Mountain doesn’t open until after June sometimes and closes the first weekend of October.
- The Lake Placid Lodge is another great place to elope or have an intimate wedding. It’s a more expensive option, but the lake view, food, and scenery are all beautiful and you can stay right on site to make things simple!
A quick note about getting married on the top of Rocky Mountain OR White Face. Booking an officiant that is willing to hike/ go up to the top of the mountain is sort of key! Reach out to us at info@shawphotoco.com and we’ll send you our recommendations of people we know willing to officiant on top of a mountain in the Adirondacks!
There are literally endless options to get married in the Adirondacks but there is another place that you might want to consider if you’re closer to New York City. Have you heard of the Catskills/Hudson Valley Region? Here is our complete list of where to elope in the Catskills and Hudson Valley area!
