Some of my fondest memories as a child were spent in the Adirondack Mountains. All these years living in New York though, and it wasn’t until recently that we made it to Lake Placid.
If you’ve been making the same mistake, you’re in luck. Today we’re diving into all the great reasons to visit the Adirondack Mountains along with the absolute best things to do in Lake Placid to make your trip a total hit.
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Where is Lake Placid?
First and foremost, where is Lake Placid? Lake Placid is a village located in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York. The village is located near North Elba, and is 50 miles southwest of Plattsburgh.
Nearby locations include Saranac Lake and Tupper Lake.
Saranac Lake to Lake Placid
Saranac Lake is only about a 17 minute drive from Lake Placid, making this another popular destination to hit up in the Adirondack Mountains.
If time permits, we’d fully recommend exploring other Adirondack towns and things to do near Lake Placid such as Saranac Lake, Tupper Lake, Lake George, etc. It’s a beautiful area, and you’ll never be hard pressed to find some amazing things to do in the Adirondack Mountains.
Scroll down to the bottom of this post for more things to do in the Adirondack Mountains!
How Far is Lake Placid From NYC?
Lake Placid is about a five hour drive from NYC. Perfectly doable for a weekend getaway!
Why Visit Lake Placid?
If I didn’t already have some pretty amazing memories of the Adirondack Mountains as a child, I may not have been as apt to book a trip.
Well, actually that’s a lie. I’m pretty much up for anything when it comes to travel.
That being said, I can empathize with someone who’s never been to this part of New York. There’s only so many vacation days per year, so why should you use yours to visit Lake Placid?
Well, for starters, there’s tons of things to do in Lake Placid. In fact, it’s one of the Olympic host cities!
The Upstate New York village hosted both the 1932 and the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, so there’s plenty of Olympic sites to explore if that’s something that piques your interest.
Lake Placid is also a prime destination if you enjoy the outdoors. Hiking, horseback riding, whitewater rafting, you name it and Lake Placid has it.
The town is also incredibly charming, and there’s a laid back atmosphere that is perfect for anyone who needs a getaway and release from everyday life.
If you don’t believe me though, just check out the following things to do in Lake Placid, and I guarantee you’ll be hooked on this endearing destination in no time…
Related: Lake Placid Hotels — Our Stay at the Golden Arrow Resort
10 Best Things to Do in Lake Placid — Lake Placid Attractions and Lake Placid Activities
1. Hike or Drive Up Whiteface Mountain
I’ll preface this by letting y’all know that I am NOT an outdoorsy kind of girl.
However, I loved hiking to the top of Whiteface Mountain.
The drive up Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway is absolutely stunning, and the view once we got to the peak was totally worth the struggle of climbing up some slippery rocks to get there.
Keep in mind the actual hike is only 1/5 of a mile. It’s not bad at all, except that it can be steep at times — I didn’t stray from the railing the entire way up!
I wish that we had gotten to spend more time here, because there’s actually a castle at the top of the mountain where you can enjoy “gourmet rustic cuisine” at a whopping 4,610 feet above sea level.
You definitely won’t want to miss Whiteface Mountain during your trip to Lake Placid.
2. Take the Whiteface Mountain Gondola
Did you know you can enjoy the beautiful Adirondack Mountains from high in the sky by taking a Whiteface Mountain gondola ride?
The Cloudsplitter Gondola carries you from the Main Base Lodge all the way to the top of Little Whiteface within just fifteen minutes!
You simply can’t miss these views, which make a summertime Whiteface Mountain gondola ride completely priceless!
3. Wander Main Street and the Lake Placid Village
Though we were technically only in Lake Placid for about 48 hours, I of course made time to get some shopping done while we were there. There’s just too many cozy, rustic shops to pass up in the Lake Placid village.
Some of my favorite spots included Saratoga Olive Oil (make sure you stop in for a taste test!), Lake Placid Christmas Co., and The Bookstore Plus.
4. Visit High Falls Gorge
High Falls Gorge is described as “the Adirondacks’ most breathtaking 30 minute walk.”
This trail is perfect for anyone looking to immerse themselves in nature and see some beautiful waterfalls, without spending the entire day hiking.
I personally loved this 30 minute walk, which takes you right back to the gift shop and cute cafe for a snack.
Related: The 12 Most Unique Things to Do in Saratoga Springs, NY
5. Mingle With the Wolves
Whenever I travel, I’m always attracted to activities that involve animals. So, I was of course excited to learn about the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge.
It was really cool to see the wolves, bears, and other animals interact and also learn more about the efforts being made to protect these beautiful creatures.
It’s so important to educate ourselves on and respect the other species that live in the areas we travel to!
6. Do a Beer Tasting at Big Slide Brewery
On Saturday night of our trip, Big Slide Brewery was kind enough to host us for dinner and a beer tasting. I’m by no means exaggerating when I say this was one of our favorite parts of our entire trip!
It’s no secret that R. and I are big foodies, so this whole experience was of course a lot of fun.
I was shocked too — even though we aren’t big beer drinkers, we both found a few we really enjoyed.
In addition to playing around with the tasting, this was also one of our favorite meals of the entire trip. Rich got the buffalo cauliflower pizza, and I got a super tasty sandwich with prosciutto, mozzarella, balsamic, and more.
FYI, my sandwich was so good that I ate the leftovers for breakfast. I am officially that person.
I’m sure it goes without saying that, when it comes to Lake Placid restaurants, you just can’t miss Big Slide Brewery.
Best Restaurants in Lake Placid
In addition to Big Slide, there’s a number of best restaurants in Lake Placid worth checking out.
- Smoke Signals — barbecue favorites served in a brick-lined space with a lakefront patio, beers on tap & live music.
- Wyatt’s — storefront eatery serving a menu of BBQ & Tex-Mex fare in casual, colorful surroundings.
- Black Bear Restaurant — cozy, casual lakeside American eatery offering meat, seafood & pasta dishes, plus cocktails.
- Jimmy’s 21 — Italian comfort food & surf ’n’ turf in a homey space with multiple decks overlooking Mirror Lake.
- The Good Bite Kitchen — pint-sized lunch spot offering a changing menu of creative vegetarian bowls, sandwiches & salads.
- The Pickled Pig — convivial hangout offering familiar pub plates in laid-back, woodsy digs with a pool table & patio.
- Delta Blue — relaxed hangout offering Southern–style bites, craft brews & live blues nights in cabin–like digs.
7. Walk the Loop Around Mirror Lake
The hotel we stayed at during our trip, the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, was situated right on Mirror Lake.
This made for the perfect Sunday morning, leisurely strolling the entire 2.5 mile loop.
There’s a sidewalk that goes around the entire way, and it really was the most peaceful way to round out this trip to the Adirondack Mountains.
In addition to getting some exercise, Rich and I also loved the gorgeous views during this walk and the fact that it was totally free.
Looking around at the many other accommodations, this was by far one of the best places to stay in Lake Placid we think!
8. Visit the Lake Placid Olympic Museum
Like I mentioned above, Lake Placid is one of the Olympic host cities.
So, if you’re looking for things to do in Lake Placid, make sure you check out some of the Olympic sites!
With an Olympic Sites Passport ($35), you can get access to every one of the Olympic sites in Lake Placid, like Whiteface Mountain, The Olympic Center, and more.
We didn’t get to take advantage of all of these activities during our short trip, but I definitely want to come back for the full experience another time.
Related: Live Like Gatsby in This 1920s Era Glens Falls Hotel
9. Enjoy Mirror Lake
One of my favorite parts about staying at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort was that the property had amazing beach access.
The hotel also has complimentary rowboats, canoes, kayaks, paddle boats, and paddle boards available for use.
The next time we’re back in Lake Placid, you now know where you can find me.
10. Brunch at Generations Restaurant
Before we journeyed home on Sunday, we fueled up via a magnificent brunch at Generations Restaurant.
For those of you who haven’t read the post yet on our complete stay at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort, know that Generations is the Golden Arrow’s on-site restaurant.
Even in the event you don’t stay at the Golden Arrow (but let’s be honest, who wouldn’t with that beachfront access?), you have to dine at Generations at some point. The maple bacon waffle I ordered was just TOO good.
I’m pretty sure I’m still going to dream about it tonight when I go to sleep.
Additional Things To Do in Adirondacks and Things to Do Near Lake Placid
Beyond the above 10 items, there are many more things to do in the Adirondacks and near Lake Placid. Several of the below we have enjoyed on prior trips, and others remain on our bucket list for next time we’re in the area:
- Visit Gore Mountain (see my entire post on Gore Mountain and why it’s such a cool destination)
- Explore the Wild Center and its new Wild Walk — an elevated trail across the Adirondack treetops.
- View the Hyde Collection — an extensive art museum and historical home in Glens Falls (we visited during our stay at The Queensbury Hotel, and it was very interesting!)
- Tour Fort Ticonderoga
- Take a steam boat ride on Lake George
- Ride the Adirondack Scenic Railroad
- See a show at the Strand Theatre
- Go whitewater rafting
Conclusion
Overall, Rich and myself both thoroughly enjoyed this quick trip. There’s so many things to do in Lake Placid that we’re actually considering coming back during the winter one year.
I have a feeling it’s a completely different experience, but I’d love to see what everything looks like with the snow!
Not to mention, I’m sure everything is beautifully decorated during the holiday season.
Have you ever been to the Adirondack Mountains? What are your favorite things to do in Lake Placid?
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