Experience Summer Like a Rockefeller at These Historic Adirondack Great Camps

When 20th-century industrial magnates sought to escape the hustle and bustle, they retreated to their Adirondack Great Camps deep in Upstate New York. A century later, the Adirondacks remain astonishingly untamed—a 6-million-acre state park that dwarfs Yellowstone, the Everglades, Glacier, and the Grand Canyon combined. This vast region features a blend of state-protected lands, tiny hamlets, private properties, and a network of winding roads that traverse mountain passes, ancient forests, alongside streams, and around countless shimmering lakes.

A century ago, reaching the Adirondacks was a challenge, precisely what made it an ideal escape from New York City. Families would embark on the journey in early summer with a retinue that included butlers, laundresses, nannies, and maids, often arriving at their camps weeks later. They would spend the entire season unwinding from urban life, engaging in a multitude of lake activities like fishing, swimming, and canoeing. Today, the drive from NYC takes about four to five hours.

While many of the original three dozen Great Camps are not open to the public, you can still stay at these five historic Adirondack lodges.

Lake Kora

Lake Kora is nestled on a private lake spanning 1,000 pristine acres, originally acquired by Teddy Roosevelt’s lieutenant governor, Timothy Woodruff. This magnificent location featured elements like imported gondolas from Venice, telephone service as early as 1903, and even semi-trained bears. Today, it operates as a resort with limited exclusive bookings during summer and early fall. Many original features still exist—some buildings have been repurposed over the past 126 years—but modern comforts (such as a spa and Wi-Fi) seamlessly blend the historical estate with contemporary luxury.

Open from July 1 to October 1, 2024. A minimum stay of four nights is required through Labor Day, and a three-night minimum after. Rates start at $26,995 for the entire camp (16 bedrooms, accommodating up to 24 guests), including all meals, nonalcoholic beverages, recreational activities and equipment, along with a full staff.

The Point

The Point offers unmatched exclusivity, having been built by William Avery Rockefeller II nearly a century ago on 75 acres of Saranac Lake shoreline. This isn’t a place where you casually drop by for a drink and a tour. There’s no signage along Route 30 for this opulent Relais & Châteaux resort, and after navigating the five-mile, single-lane road through the woods, you’ll find a closed gate accompanied by a straightforward sign in all caps: “THE POINT IS RESERVED FOR GUESTS ONLY . . . NO VISITORS.”

Behind that gate lies a luxurious all-inclusive retreat filled with antique furnishings, exquisite art, and a staff devoted to catering to your every desire. (They’ll even pick you up from the nearby Adirondack Regional Airport, just a 15-minute drive away.) It’s an unexpectedly intimate getaway, featuring only 11 rooms, each boasting lake views and a fireplace. Every evening, guests gather for multi-course communal dinners in the Great Hall. Cocktail attire is typically required, with black tie attire expected on Wednesday and Saturday nights to honor the elegant traditions of the original Great Camps.

After a multimillion-dollar renovation, the property reopened in 2018 and typically welcomes guests aged 21 and over, unless a private booking is made, allowing children of all ages.

Open seven days a week from late May through December 2024, and Thursday to Sunday from January to March 2025. All-inclusive rates for two start at $2,650 per night, providing unlimited access to sports equipment and facilities, all meals, afternoon tea, wines, and spirits.

White Pine Camp

Established in 1907 by a wealthy banker from Cincinnati and New York, White Pine Camp has changed ownership numerous times. In 1926, while owned by Irwin and Laura Kirkwood, publishers of the Kansas City Star, it gained fame as the Summer White House for President Calvin Coolidge, who traveled via a 16-hour train ride from Washington, D.C., followed by a five-hour carriage journey through the woods. Newspapers of the time were in awe of the camp’s amenities, which included “electric lights, sunken baths, showers, deep-cushioned couches, easy chairs, fine rugs and furniture.”

Today, guests can choose to stay in the lodge or one of 13 cottages, each accommodating between one to eight people, featuring handcrafted Adirondack-style furniture, stone fireplaces or wood stoves, and stunning views. You can even book the President’s Cabin, where Coolidge once slept. Amenities include an indoor tennis court, bowling alley, and two boathouses, plus a much-photographed Japanese teahouse on a peninsula extending into Osgood Pond.

Open year-round. A seven-day minimum stay is required in July and August, and a two-day minimum the rest of the year. Summer rates range from $175 to $495 per night.

The Hedges

Blue Mountain Lake’s most renowned camp was constructed in 1880 by Civil War hero and corn starch tycoon Hiram Duryea. For many years, Duryea showcased his wealth at his camp, adorned with European-style decor, tennis courts, and a state-of-the-art motorboat, while stubbornly opting against electric lights or indoor plumbing. Following his passing, the property was acquired by the caretaker of Great Camp Sagamore, who transformed Duryea’s camp into The Hedges in 1921, adding electricity, plumbing, and more than a dozen cabins.

Guests can choose to stay in a room or suite within one of four lodges, or select from 15 cabins that vary in size from one to four bedrooms.

Open from June 5 to October 14, 2024. Rates for two guests begin at $290 per night, covering breakfast, dinner, nonalcoholic beverages, evening snacks, housekeeping, and access to all recreational facilities. Children under three stay free, while older children’s rates start at $40 per night.

The Waldheim

If you weren’t a robber baron, one way to own a great camp was to create one yourself. In 1904, master carpenter E.J. Martin constructed the beautiful main house at The Waldheim on the northern shore of Big Moose Lake.

Over the years, the Martins enhanced their camp with 17 lakeside cottages, each featuring one to five bedrooms and at least one bathroom. Today, the 300-acre Waldheim is managed by two great-grandchildren of E.J. Martin and their spouses, preserving a nostalgic atmosphere.

Open from June 22 to October 14, 2024. From June to August, weekly rates from Saturday to Saturday start at $930 for a room in the main house or $1,800 for a cottage. After Labor Day, there is a flat rate of $1,296 per person for the week or $207 per adult per day. This pricing includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Lyndsey Matthews and Rosalie Tinelli contributed to this report. Originally published in 2018, it was most recently updated on May 30, 2024, with current details.