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Sustainable Travel for the Value Minded Traveler in the Adirondacks

25/8/2015

 

A week of travel in Adirondacks taught me some important lessons in sustainable travel.

Sign post at the Wild Center in the Adirondacks
What way will you go? Travel in the Adirondacks.
As a value focused traveler, how do you take your travel experiences to the next level without your spending habits following you there?  There's an easy way to get incredible bang for your buck, no matter what your travel style may be, and that is through embracing sustainable travel.

Sustainable travel may conjure up visions of a bohemian nomad sleeping in a solar paneled yurt, chomping down on sprouts and kale. And some days that doesn't sound half bad! But you don't have to dress like a hippy or love the great outdoors to embrace sustainable travel and reap its many rewards. To me, it is simply supporting locations, activities, attractions, and businesses whose philosophies and practices balance ecological, economical, and community needs. 

Doing so doesn't cost you any more than non-sustainable travel. In fact, it might save you money! But you won't just be feeling the benefits in your wallet. You'll feel it in your heart as well, as sustainable travel makes marvelous memories. Here's how I made some of mine in the Adirondacks region of New York.

Sustainable travel is... chatting with locals.

Ken Adams Friends of Point au Roche State Park New York
Any article of travel advice will suggest you chat with locals for an authentic travel experience. But how exactly do you do that? Cajole a passing letter carrier for information on what they're having for dinner? Supporting sustainable travel initiatives makes that process more natural and less awkward as they reflect a community's passions and best interests, making it easy for visitors to connect with local guides, volunteers, and societies.  
Ken Adams Friends of Point au Roche State Park New York
While visiting Point au Roche State Park, just outside Plattsburgh, New York, I had the opportunity to hike and chat with Ken Adams, president of the Friends of Point au Roche society. Spending time with someone so dedicated to sustainable tourism meant I had a unique visit I never could have achieved on my own. 

Ken pointed out so many things I would have missed, from the work of a woodpecker to a benign looking invasive plant. And we also had a chance to chat about regular things too, like what he did before he retired, his wife's volunteer work as a gardener, and local politics. Yep, it's that easy! Talking with a local!  No weird forced interactions or awkward encounters, just a bit of discourse about things you both care about.

Sustainable travel is... thinking outside the box.

Bridges and Snag at the Wild Center Adirondacks
In order for sustainable travel projects to be a success, there must be a lot of 'outside the box' thinking and methodology. And in my experience, those kinds of moments are the kind of thing that enduring travel memories are made of. You can't ask for anything better as a value traveler than something unique that gives you great bang for your buck.
Spider Web The Wild Center Adirondacks
One travel experience that qualified for me while in the Adirondacks was a visit to the Wild Walk at the Wild Center. Best described as a walk among the tree tops, the Wild Walk includes a bird feeding viewing area, a giant 'nest', and a huge spiderweb that's just aching for you to play on. 
Spider Web The Wild Walk Adirondacks
The Birds' Nest The Wild Walk Adirondacks
There are also rope and metal suspended bridges connecting the walk with a large artificial "snag" (a hollowed out, dead tree that serves as a wildlife habitat.) Oh, there's also an amazing natural playground consisting of massive tree roots and hollowed out logs! The Wild Walk is completely unlike any other museum you've ever visited and your admission fee goes a long, long way when you end up spending the entire day there.

Sustainable travel is...taking things to the next level.

1844 House Bistro
1844 House Courtyard
Sustainable travel doesn't necessarily mean being outdoors all the time. You don't have to spend your days hiking in the woods and eating trail mix (though there is definitely nothing wrong if you do!) Real sustainable travel means taking a regular travel experience, like dining out, and elevating it to a whole new level through sustainable practices.  Case in point: 1844 House Bistro.
Tasting Menu 1844 House
Thai Summer Rolls 1844 House
The tasting menu created by Chef Brian Walker is as refined and sophisticated as any I've had. I absolutely loved the amuse bouche trio, which included one of the best falafels I've ever tasted. But that was just the start! The Thai summer roll, with a delectable spicy peanut sauce, was absolutely amazing. I am somewhat obsessed with peanut sauce and I could have feasted on nothing but the rolls and sauce all night!
Shoestring fries 1844 House
1844 House Chocolate S'more
A menu this sophisticated was successfully produced with local food and a sustainable philosophy. In fact, on 1844 House's main website, they have a page dedicated to their local suppliers and they even list their local partners for artwork, roasted coffee, and hand soap. LOVE IT! I'm also loving that they track how much money they've spent on buying products from local suppliers - it's amazing to see the relationship between the meal you eat and the farms it indirectly support. This is sustainable food at it's most cosmopolitan level, but don't worry if you're missing the great outdoors - you can get a taste of the campfire through the S'mores featuring homemade graham crackers, homemade roasted marshmallows, and dark chocolate pudding.

Sustainable travel... is a value minded traveler's best friend.

Picture
I learned a lot of lessons about sustainable travel during my week in the Adirondacks, the most important being that it goes hand in hand with value travel. The region changed my image of what sustainable travel can look like and now I want to support these ongoing initiatives not just because it's a good thing to do but also because it's a good thing for me. My travel money doesn't necessarily grow but my experiences absolutely do.

What does sustainable travel mean to you?


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Visiting New York City On Our Round The World Trip


My time in the Adirondacks was facilitated by the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism and I thank them for their support.

Cailin link
27/8/2015 05:09:03 am

This is such a great angle to look at the Adirondacks with. I definitely agree that talking with locals is one of the best bits of advice, they can also direct you to places like the Wild Center and local restaurants like 1844 and they are also great for tips on cheaper things to see and do just in general and taking you off of the mass produced tourist trail. Loved traveling with you! :)

Vanessa
27/8/2015 05:35:33 am

Thanks!!! It's so true what you say about the mass produced tourist trail. It's hard to find bargains there but embracing sustainable travel will take you down a more authentic, more affordable path.

Steph | A Nerd at Large link
27/8/2015 10:15:58 am

Ooh! I so want to go to the Wild Center. I would be all over that spiderweb thingy! I wish I were having that Thai Summer Roll right now.

Vanessa
28/8/2015 03:02:36 am

You would have absolutely loved the spider web!

Sandy link
29/8/2015 02:09:39 am

Loved this post! I must admit, I never really thought too much about sustainable travel...until now. I will definitely be changing some of the ways I do things when I travel from now on. Loved that hike, talking to Ken...and the many fabulous local restaurants we visited.

Vanessa
29/8/2015 05:02:36 am

I'm so glad I'm not the only one feeling inspired!

Amanda link
29/8/2015 07:02:02 am

Well put Vanessa, you don't need to be a hippy to travel sustainably. It's exciting time for travel, as people are being to make conscious decisions and think about how their travels effect the communities they visit.

Vanessa
29/8/2015 10:41:28 am

It's great to see more and more people think about travel and other activities with a sustainable mindset.

Anne | Girl Chasing Sunshine link
29/8/2015 07:20:02 pm

I must say I'm a fan of sustainable travel and this post is such an inspiration! Thanks, Vanessa! How I wish people would stop thinking that sustainable travel is about scrimping on some of the beautiful things that travel has to offer.

Vanessa
30/8/2015 05:59:16 am

I agree - sustainable travel has nothing to do with roughing it or giving up on luxuries.

Jackie link
30/8/2015 01:56:24 am

Supporting local food is such an important thing for travelers and all consumers. The benefits reach far past supporting a local farmer. The meal looked great and I love walking with a local guide. I see and learn things I would have completely missed!

Vanessa
30/8/2015 06:00:26 am

It's especially good when you have but a short amount of time because your experience is all the richer.

Laura link
30/8/2015 01:06:43 pm

I've never actually thought of travel in these terms before. I suppose we intermix quite a bit of sustainability into our travel naturally. We like to stay in local accommodations if possible, and we search out local food movements and markets. It's good to be doing as much as we can, while not overthinking it.

Vanessa
31/8/2015 03:31:41 am

Choosing local accommodations is one of our priorities as well.

mags link
30/8/2015 04:32:19 pm

That spiderweb is awesome! Looks like a great trip.

Vanessa
31/8/2015 03:32:02 am

The spider web was tons of fun.

Vicky and Buddy link
31/8/2015 01:27:10 am

I think that overall the idea of sustainable travel is becoming more and more popular. Thanks to social media and posts like yours, people are becoming aware of the fact that, like you said, you don't have to be a hippy to travel sustainably.

Vanessa
31/8/2015 03:36:07 am

I think it's great that the image of sustainable travel is slowly changing so more people from diverse backgrounds will embrace it.

Jennifer @ Made all the Difference Travel Blog link
31/8/2015 07:59:27 am

I love getting off the tourist trail and staying in locally owned places. It keeps places more authentic and not the packaged tourist experience.

Vanessa
31/8/2015 02:28:35 pm

Exactly - who wants a cookie cutter trip?

Kristi Trimmer link
4/9/2015 10:07:45 pm

I would love to go and hang out at the top of the trees - that part alone would make me so happy. It sounds like you got to do a lot of things off the beaten path. :)

Vanessa
6/9/2015 06:19:46 pm

I too loved hanging out on the tree tops at the Wild Center - it's a great place to visit.


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