You Get What you Pay For

We are working on spontaneity now. No reservations, no plans, just a goal to be in Glens Falls, New York, by Saturday night. Following our impromptu picnic at Great Lakes State Park we settled in for the night in Batavia, New York, at an Econolodge off of I-90.

I gathered we were fortunate to find a nice hotel with available rooms: There was a concert at Darien Lake Theme Park and the hotels off the Thruway were booked. Perhaps we should have planned for Darien Lake in our itiniary -- I wonder what it's like. Do you know if Darien Lake Theme Park is a fun place for young kids? It's not too far from Vermont -- a half-day drive -- perhaps we can return at a later date.

With two sleepy kids in the car, I figured I'd better take the bird in the hand, although the price for a room at the Econolodge was about $15 more than our previous accomodations. We were happy to see that our room was new and clean, with a refrigerator and microwave. Paul and Adam enjoyed the outdoor pool while I got Zac ready for bed.

Our dinner at Miss Batavia Family Restaurant, a venue featured in the AAA tour book as a good place for families, was disappointing. I picked Miss Batavia, described by AAA as a recently renovated period diner with local fare, because I envisioned something like Libby's Diner in Colchester: fresh ingredients, tasty meals, comfort foods. What we ate was pre-packaged, highly processed stuff that we could have cooked in the microwave in our room. After all, I did bring microwave mac'n'cheese just in case, and I believe that is what was served to Adam. Zac had a fried fish fillet, because a kid with 8 teeth can't eat hot dogs and I knew he would not eat (nor did I want him to) the other, fried options on the kids menu. The only vegetable Miss Batavia offered was corn. I inquired about other choices, such as raw carrots (Adam's current favorite vegetable). The waitress told me that the salads are prepackaged and the only vegetable available was corn. Canned corn. That's not even a vegetable! So many kids menus offer over processed, fried foods served with French fries. Is it any wonder that obesity among American youth is an epidemic?

Paul and I suffered through our sandwiches, and I was grateful that it was fast and cheap. Dinner for four was about $30 plus tip, cheaper than a tank of gas. But I would not go there again.

Today, our pendulum swung the other way. I again referred to the AAA tour book, and we perused the main drag in Glens Falls to see what the places looked like. We settled on Davidson's Restaurant and Brewery, a brew pub with pub-style fare. We were delightfully surprised to find that Davidson's kids' menu had fresh choices and the regular menu showcased innovative cuisine. The boys had grilled chicken, rice and a variety of vegetables: carrots, asparagus, summer squash. Paul and I enjoyed fresh, innovative meals and microbrews. Our dinner bill was $100, a wee bit higher than the Miss Batavia.

Our room at the Econolodge of Glens Falls was disgusting, and I highly recommend avoiding this hotel. Upkeep and cleaning are not high on their list. I insisted that the boys wear socks or shoes to walk around the sticky floor. We could hardly wait to get out of there in the morning.

But we had much to look forward to: A day at the Great Escape!