Lake Placid Travel Guide – Top Things to do in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York was home to the 1980 Olympics and it still has Olympic centers that are operational today. If you don’t know the significance of the 1980 Olympics, that is when the USA hockey team won gold over Russia! This Lake Placid travel guide will highlight the top destinations and things to do in the surrounding areas. Lake Placid is also in the Adirondack State Park that is home to the 46 high peaks and hundreds of other hiking trails.
This week’s guest post from is Rebecca Noelle. She is based in northern New Jersey, just outside of New York City. Rebecca is a travel blogger who loves going on adventure trips throughout the United States and Canada. She is a freelancer who offers social media management and blog articles.
When people climb these 46 peaks, they become known as a 46er. There are so many wonderful reasons to visit Lake Placid. Fall is an amazing time to experience the leave changes and winter has its own magical feel. The summers are like none other and I would say to avoid May because the black fly season is brutal. Come to Lake Placid New York mid-June for summer and enjoy until early September to take advantage of the top things to do. If you love New York and want to experience the whole state, check out Watkins Glen State Park which is beautiful year round.
Lake Placid is an hour and a half from the Canadian border, four and a half hours from New York City, and five hours from Rochester, New York. There are bus options available, but the best way to get around is by a car. Be prepared for spoty cell phone service that adds to the disconnecting and relaxing atmosphere. Enjoy this Lake Placid Itinerary and enjoy your own slice of heaven in the Adirondack Mountains.
1 – The Mountaineer – Lake Placid Travel Guide
When you come off the highway after a long stretch of driving the first town you enter is the Keene Valley. At the beginning of the town, there is an amazing store that will be perfect to collect a memory or gain local knowledge about hiking in the Lake Placid area. As I was growing up, this is where my family and I got all my gear and on the last trip, I actually got my trekking poles here! If you’re on the fence about hiking gear, they have a great rental program to use for your stay. I was able to test out the poles on a hike near the shop before purchasing them.
2 – Mirror Lake Inn – Where to stay in Lake Placid
Mirror Lake is in a special spot across the street from Mirror Lake. It is a great Inn to stay at, but they are known for their spa. If you are looking for some R&R, check out the different spa options. You can get a spa package for the day, swim in the pool, or enjoy the indoor pool.
3 – Olympic Ski Jumps and High School – Lake Placid Itinerary
The Olympics really put Lake Placid on the map as a must visit destination. The 1980’s Olympics got to live on in the movie Miracle. Which if you haven’t seen, watch before visiting or during and you’ll get to see the entire town! The Olympic Ski jumps are hard to miss when entering the town and hard to not see from different points in the town. You’re able to do tours of the ski jumps and they are still used today for training.
I paired the jumps and High school together for the Olympic connection. In front of the high school, there is an oval loop that was used for skating events in the 1980 Olympics. The site is still used today for setting up for the Iron Man race in July and winter skating.
4 – Lake Placid Brewery
Every Lake Placid travel guide isn’t complete without an amazing places to relax and grab a few drinks. This was previously a church and turned into a restaurant and brewery. You’re able to buy homemade Lake Placid brewed beer. It has amazing food, great seating, and on sunny days there are corn holes options. Do you have a dog or are a dog lover? They have a spot outside for dogs to drink water and hang out.
5 – The Cottage – Places to eat in Lake Placid
On the fringe of the center of town on Main Street, The Cottage resides on Mirror Lake. Here you can either kayak or canoe up to the restaurant, walk from the town, or drive to it. Be mindful of where you can and cannot park. The Cottage is apart of the Mirror Lake Inn and is on the expensive side, but offers amazing views and food. Wether you decide to visit in the winter or summer, the Cottage will boast an amazing panoramic view of the Lake and surrounding landscape.
I haven’t had a meal there that I didnt like. They offer great specials and many options of drinks on tap. I recommend their array of salads, the fresh garden greens are great.
6 – The Toboggan – Lake Placid Travel Guide
On Mirror Lake you will see a structure by the public swim spot that probably seems odd. In the winter it is a spot to go! You get to climb up and sled out onto the lake. It was such a memorable experience and I don’t know of another lake in the area that has an operational Toboggan shot.
7 – Whiteface Mountain
Whiteface is the 5th highest peak on the 46 high peaks list and is 4,867 elevation in feet. You can either hike up the whole mountain or drive up the scenic drive and take the cave tunnel to the top and get a photo in front of the sign. From the top, you can see the amazing lakes and get the best views of Lake Placid, New York.
8 – Cascade and Porter Mountain
Cascade and Porter are the most popular 46 high peaks for people to climb. The two mountains are connected so many people do these peaks back to back. The estimated distance is 5.6 miles and 2,293 feet elevation gain. The views are amazing, I would suggest making a day of it.
9 – Mirror Lake
Mirror Lake is properly named because of the water reflecting the adorable town of Lake Placid. If you go in the summer, bring a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard and enjoy exploring the lake. If you don’t have any of those options, you can rent through hotels or your hotel might have the option to sign them out for free.
There are no motorboats allowed on Mirror Lake so if you want to rent a boat or take a boat out, look to Lake Placid. Yes, not only is the town called Lake Placid but there is actually a lake called Lake Placid.
You can swim in the lake in the public area or your hotels’ lake area. Bring a suit and enjoy the beautiful lake.
10 – Emma’s Lake Placid Creamery
It would be amiss to not include ice cream to the area. Lake Placid has a few different ice cream spots in the area that are all amazing. Emma’s ice cream is so popular there is usually a line outside spilling out to the main street. I recommend getting the cotton candy ice cream, it is wonderful!
I hope you enjoy these amazing spots in Lake Placid! Let me know your favorite spots in the comments.
Guest Post – Written by Rebecca Noelle
Check out our blog on Franconia Notch!