10 Things to Love About Lake Placid, NY
What we love about Lake Placid doesn’t start and end with the Olympics, which put Lake Placid on the map in 1932 and 1980. How about secluded wine tastings, afternoon hikes, and a cell phone–free weekend?
1.) Private Tastings
Sommeliers turn romantic evenings into a world-tasting tour in the private vaulted brick wine cellar at Lake Placid Lodge surrounded by hundreds of wines.
2.) The High Peaks
More than 2,000 miles of hiking trails along New York’s tallest mountains make for an intense workout with gold-medal-worthy views, like the 5,343-foot-tall Mount Marcy, the tallest mountain in New York State.
3.) Taking Home a Piece of Paradise
Locally crafted oak and cedar end tables and birch bark plate covers just scream Lake Placid decor. The Adirondack Store on Saranac Avenue sells all the accessories to turn your own home into an alpine village retreat.
4.) Saddle Adventures
Winter sleigh rides through the Adirondacks or summer trail rides – either way, views of the lake are even better when in the saddle with options all just a short drive from your stay.
5.) Solitude
This quiet village makes it easy to shut off the phone to take in a book by the lake, indulge with afternoon fishing, or simply escape from the city noise. The Lake Placid Lodge purposely has just one television on-site (in Maggie’s Pub), so you might as well give in.
6.) Confectionary Delights
Hike-worthy treats come in the form of Adirondack Chocolate’s fine chocolate treats they’ve been mastering for almost 40 years. Shop in-person or online, either way, there is always a new and delicious option to indulge in. Our pick? The hand-dipped mint chocolate chip patties.
7.) High Speeds
Lake Placid has played Olympic host twice, so it just wouldn’t be a trip here without barreling down a track in a bobsled at 55 miles per hour or sliding feet first on a luge.
8.) Scenic Tracks
Rail transportation transformed the Adirondacks in the early part of the nineteenth century, bringing wealthy families along with loggers, trappers, and hunters. Today, traveling those same tracks to Utica explores their historic ride along remote forests.
9.) Frothy Beer Steins
Learn the art of Schuhplattin (slap dancing) while sipping on German suds at the annual Oktoberfest, set at the base of iconic Whiteface one weekend every fall and teeming with lederhosen, Bavarian live music, and gondola rides. For beer beyond that weekend, check out Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, serving the freshest microbrewed ales and lagers, including its flagship Ubu Ale, a rich, dark ale that is a favorite of former president Bill Clinton.
10.) Seeing How the One Percent Lives
The Great Camps of the Adirondacks were built up by American royalty, like the Morgans, Ballantines, and Vanderbilts, who wanted lavish family compounds with all the comforts of home. Which is why some homes include their own bowling alley or movie theater. Seek these private homes out with a cruise across the lake or on a self-guided tour.
Where to Stay Lake Placid Lodge
