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Cruise and Dine in the Adirondacks with Raquette Lake Navigation

posted by Teresa Farrell at 2022-07-02 20:12:00

The small, quiet Adirondack town of Raquette Lake, north of Inlet, offers a blend of history and gorgeous natural surroundings. A booming tourism hub during the Gilded Age, Raquette Lake became a playground for the rich and famous when New York City’s wealthiest built their Great Camps in the Adirondacks as summer escapes from the city. By the turn of the century a full contingent of lodges, camps, and compounds had sprung up along the shores of the lake, many of which still exist today, interspersedamongst the wilderness areas along the lake.


Get a glimpse into this area’s history with a cruise aboard Raquette Lake Navigation Company’s unique vessel W. W. Durant. Started by the Pohl family more than 30 years ago, Raquette Lake Navigation has become known as a top-of-the-line cruise experience, blending the beauty of the Adirondack scenery with a comprehensive look at the history of life on the lake. Everything about the experience has been lovingly created by the family—right down to the very boat that you’ll sail on, which Capital Dean Pohl built with his own two hands! Relax in the gorgeous pine-finished interior or take in the panoramic view from the top deck as your knowledgeable captain and narrator guides you through the lake’s winding channels and tells tales of the rich history that took place along the way.


Raquette Lake Navigation offers a wide variety of tour options to choose from, each with its own unique features. The shortest is a 1.5-hour Scenic Excursion, offered on three afternoons per week in the summer, which includes the classic trip around the lake with relaxing narration on the area’s history. From there, the options extend to include another highlight that has made Raquette Lake Navigation famous: the food. Brunch cruises, lunch cruises, dinner cruises, wine and beer pairings, you name it: you can’t go wrong with a meal aboard the W. W. Durant. Chef Jim Pohl is the artist in the kitchen, and diners can expect expertly prepared and deliciously inspired dishes, no matter what time of day; he’s not only been cooking since he was 10, but is also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and the meals he creates are the perfect complement to a cruise on the lake.


Raquette Lake Navigation also hosts several special event cruises each season, as well: most popular are wine and beer pairing dinner cruises, and those with a special musical theme, like the annual Jimmy Buffett party cruise in July or the Beer, BBQ and Blues cruise held in September. There’s even a special Fourth of July cruise, where you can view the fireworks—but that fills up fast, so make sure to make a reservation early to get a spot!


Whether you’re a family with kids, a couple looking for a gourmet dinner date experience, or a group of friends on vacation, Raquette Lake Navigation truly offers a cruise for everyone. Make sure to check their website to get the full details on tours, schedules, departure times, pricing, and reservations, which aren’t always required, but are always a good idea. This an Adirondack summer experience that you won’t want to miss!


PHOTO CREDITS
Raquette Lake sunset photo credit Raquette Lake Navigation
Cruise and Dine sign photo credit Raquette Lake Navigation
WW Durant sailing photo credit Raquette Lake Navigation
Cheesecake on dinner cruise photo credit Raquette Lake Navigation
Sunset from top deck photo credit Raquette Lake Navigation
 

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