Check out the top summer and winter activities, as well as the best in local lodging and dining, at Lake Placid in upstate New York.
The city of Lake Placid is the most developed population center in Adirondack Park, a six-million-acre wilderness reserve sanctioned by New York State in 1892 to protect more land than Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon combined.
Despite a reputation built on hosting two Winter Olympics – 1932 and again in 1980 – it’s amazing how little most families know about the region’s many attractions, winter or summer. So, after six trips to hike, visit friends, canoe and deliver our son to summer camp over a two-year period, our family now feels ready to share some favorite places and activities.
Lake Placid 4 Seasons Activities for All Ages
Of course Lake Placid comes to life in the busy winter months, when the town’s visual centerpiece, Mirror Lake, freezes over to accommodate dog sleds and ice skaters. Over in Wilmington, the Olympic downhill runs on Whiteface Mountain are being conquered by extreme and expert skiers oblivious to the biting cold. Quiet Lake Placid itself, much larger and more secluded than Mirror Lake, hibernates, shrouded in towering evergreens burdened by the abundant snowfall.
Don’t ignore summer, when the region’s snowmelt produces hundreds of waterfalls, roaring rivers, verdant lawns, dense birch forests and swimming holes for hikers and local families. The town streets blossom with passersby, baby strollers and antiquarians looking for Adirondack hunting memorabilia and duck decoys. Mirror Lake gets crowded with paddle boats and canoes, the town beach fills up by noon, trail entry points become busy parking lots and boaters and fishermen flee to quiet Lake Placid to make their catch.
Depending on your interests, Lake Placid makes a thrilling, challenging, active or restful four to seven-day getaway – for families with young children, teens, or even grandparents – at any time of year.
Family Activities in Lake Placid for Winter
Generations of winter visitors have left a legacy of every type of snow sport, earning Lake Placid and its environs Ski magazine’s title of “America’s #1 Destination for Off-Hill Activities.” Families with less-than-expert skiers will be glad to know that they can be spectators rather than participants, or avoid Whiteface Mountain altogether, and take a toboggan run on Mirror Lake or have a hot chocolate at Ben & Jerry’s.
Winter’s good news and bad news is the busy Olympic Regional Development Authority competition calendar which features world-class events such as Women’s Ice Hockey, the US Ski Team Gold Cup, World Cup Freestyle Skiing, Figure Skating championships and annual Luge competitions, among others. Being in town can be thrilling, but it’s also practically impossible to ignore the bus tours, T-shirt and Olympics memorabilia shops, condo clusters and mini-malls. If you’re seeking a peaceful winter wonderland, choose Adirondacks accommodations outside of the main village.
Two Olympian Snow Sports Resorts
You can truly bury your heads in the snow at Whiteface Mountain, whose 3,430-feet vertical drop is the largest east of the Rockies. This ski resort also welcomes all levels of snowsports enthusiast, with a popular Kid’s Kampus program (daycare for 1-6s, ski and snowboard lessons for 4-12s), the Snowsports School accommodating teens 13-16 and adults, a Kids Kampus Lodge and conveyor “lift” system and a wide range of beginner and intermediate runs, as well as Olympic-caliber double black diamond trails.
If everyone’s into ski jumping or aerial freestyles, you can watch practice sessions at the K90 and K120 ski jumps, open winter (mid-December to mid-March) and summer (mid-May to mid-October), at the Olympic Jumping complex. Spectators will be more comfortable taking the chairlift or the 26-story elevator to the top. Local athlete Bill Demong, who trains here, was the first American to win Nordic Combined gold at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Adjacent to it is a sport park with a 750,000-gallon pool enabling ski jumpers to continue practicing their craft all summer.
The rest of the vintage 1980 Olympics complex is at Mount Van Hoevenberg, about 10 minutes away. This is the starting point for cross-country skiers who need to rent gear, and for those looking for scenic, wooded trails ranging from easy to quite difficult. From late October to mid-November and late November to late April, there is a half-mile bobsledding track made for anyone above 48” and a solo luge track called “The Rocket.”
Lake Placid in Summer
With an Olympic pedigree, the area attracts a similarly competitive crowd in summer.
July can seem overrun with “horse people” who come for the major horse shows, but they don’t outnumber the bikers, runners and swimmers warming up for the Ironman Triathlon. In summer, Whiteface Mountain remains a center of active recreation, and opens its gondola and trails to mountain bikers and hikers.
Families with young children aren’t immune to the Olympic Spirit either. SUVs packed tight with trunks and duffel bags pull into town every week to drop off campers at the area’s many competitive sports camps and sports academies. Joining an hour-long narrated tour of Lake Placid, or watching the fire trucks roll down Main Street during the July 4th parade, or having a double scoop of vanilla custard at the classic Custard, Mustard N Brew (518/523-4857) are some of the most pleasant ways to recover.
Back in town, the Olympic Center (518/523-3330, 2634 Main St, Lake Placid, NY 12946) houses four excellent ice skating rinks, a rental shop, and a museum exhibit with awe-inspiring video clips. It’s a fun destination year round, and many in-town shops enable visitors to rent any gear they need to be able to sample “Olympic” ice.
Favorite Family Resorts in Lake Placid
If you envisioned a less active winter holiday – roasting your toes around an open fire, perhaps cozying up in a dogsled on its way to dinner, or skating on a frozen pond –stay at the Mirror Lake Inn (518/523-2544, 77 Mirror Lake Drive, Lake Placid, NY 12946). In a classic Victorian white brick lodge overlooking Mirror Lake (the quiet end of the town beach in summer), the family rooms are cluttered with mahogany, oriental rugs and tea cozies.
Updated units include large double rooms (many can be adjoined), and suites with various bed and bath accommodations. To accommodate their low-key adult crowd, the Inn encourages one child for each paying adult to dine free of charge before 5:30pm; parents may book a sitter through the front desk for their own evening out. In the summer, when you can swim in the lake, and canoes, paddleboats and rowboats are available for guest use. The Mirror Lake Inn’s full service health spa also has an indoor pool and Jacuzzi.
Other more economical facilities closer to the town’s commercial center include the Lake Placid Resort Crowne Plaza (877/570-5891, 101 Olympic Drive, Lake Placid, NY 12946). From the hilltop main lodge and French-American cuisine Verandah Restaurant you’ll have great mountain views; the Mirror Lake-front Boathouse restaurant is more casual fare. The LP Resort’s groomed cross-country ski area reveals 45 holes of golf when the snows melt; summer is the time to use the 10 tennis courts and private beach; an indoor pool and fitness room are available year-round. Seasonal specials start as low as $89/N.
Within the busy village, the “log cabin” style Adirondack Inn by the Lake (800/556-2424, 25 Main St, Lake Placid, NY 12946) is a good family choice, because it’s conveniently located and quiet. Directly across the street from the Olympic Center skating arena and just in front of the town beach and boating facilities, this Best Western hotel is a few minutes’ walk from the central Main Street hubbub. Nice touches like complimentary coffee and pound cake in the lobby for early risers, a large and clean indoor pool, a creative Japanese rock garden and fountain, and spacious (if unmemorable) rooms with two double beds and good water pressure add up to good value.
If you’re into pets, hiking or skiing more than visiting the local EMS store and Ben & Jerry’s, Whiteface Farm (518/946-SNOW, 5367 NYS Rt. 86, Whiteface, NY 12997) in nearby Wilmington is our top pick. About 20 minutes from downtown Lake Placid and 1.5 miles from the foot of Whiteface Mountain, it’s a large turn-of-the-century farmhouse with well-furnished, cozy rooms and suites perfect for larger families. When we entered our floral print bedroom, whose queen bed and loveseat took up most of the floor space, little did we know there would be a large bathroom with Jacuzzi tub and shower to one side, and an adventurous loft with a double bed for our son up top. From the delicious breakfast with a choice of European crepes or American pancakes (and more) each day, to their friendly Lab Linus, to the guest dog crate put out on the porch for our pet, Snowy, when we wanted to dine out, this B&B could not have felt more like home.
The exterior of the centrally located High Peaks Resort (518/523-4411 or 800/755-5598; 2384 Saranac Avenue, Lake Placid, NY 12946) is an eyesore dating from the second Olympics period. However, the interior of the former Hilton Lake Placid has been freshly renovated and the location is still perfect. It has the town’s most business-like facilities, including a screening room for the annual Lake Placid Film Festival. Their small lakeside pool and marina are busy in summertime, and the heated indoor pool, Jacuzzi and weight room serve well in winter. We fondly recall their Dancing Bears Lounge, a coffee shop with a wonderful mural of bears frolicking in Adirondack State Park — glad to hear it is still the center of town nightlife.
The area’s most posh rustic choice (and the Adirondacks boasts many grand, classic Adirondack camps such as The Point and The Sagamore) may be the local Relais & Chateaux member, Lake Placid Lodge (518/523-2700, Whiteface Inn Road, Lake Placid, NY 12946). The 11-room lodge is on the western side of quiet Lake Placid, a hefty walk or brief drive from the hubbub of the town center. This lodge was added to another 19 traditional but very elegant family-size cabins, some lakefront, tucked into the evergreens. All are individually designed, with birch and twig Adirondack furnishings, stone fireplaces and the finest amenities and linens. Besides the gourmet dining, families with children (only those over age 14) can expect the same pampering service offered by the establishment its owners once ran, the legendary Point nearby.
For more ideas on lodging and activities, contact the Lake Placid Convention and Visitors Bureau at 49 Parkside Drive in Lake Placid or call 518/523-2445.
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People who choose to book trips for summer or further out should do so with caution; the coronavirus pandemic is unpredictable. And many reservations may claim flexibility. Amid so much unknown, there will be one certainty: the headaches of rescheduling and canceling.
With a rugged interior featuring 286 peaks topping 3,000 meters Taiwan’s railway system is shoehorned onto the coastal margins where most of Taiwan’s cultural life is concentrated. Whether you ride the high-speed service from Taipei City to the second city of Kaohsiung or spend a week slowly circumnavigating the island by local train, all journeys are within eyeshot of either the cobalt-blue Pacific Ocean, flatlands of verdant rice-paddies, or towering mountainsides
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There’s one street in Baltimore that’s more festive than the rest. Every holiday season, the neighborhood of Maryland’s miracle on h Street is decked out in Christmas lights and festive displays. From a tree made of hubcaps to classic candy cane fixtures, each house is uniquely decorated.
Considering Northeast Ohio has plenty of breweries, as well, Thomann was asked if it’s more likely we’ll find the members of Dorfrocker touring different venues tasting beers or visiting the Rock Roll Hall of Fame?
Covid-19 certainly affects travels plan…Not long ago my friends were among passengers of the British cruise ship Braemar. And how could the US refuse to help the ship and close the borders?? Unlike the US, Cuba showed its humanity and friendship! Thank you Cuba
Would you like to stay in the gorgeous area around Keukenhof? You can! We have a broad range of great hotels and bed and breakfasts for you. Accommodations in Haarlem, Leiden or Amsterdam are also good options.
I will reach Amsterdam only on 19 May morning, the last day of the flower exhibit. Is it still worthwhile to go Keukenhof Gardens? Will there still be many flowers to be seen?
Tulips and other flowers mainly bloom during spring. March through May is therefore the best time to visit the Netherlands if you want to watch them in bloom. The world’s most beautiful spring park, the Keukenhof, is open during this time.
If a court order states that one parent can travel abroad with the child without the consent of the other parent, what documentation is required? We recommend carrying a copy of the court order stating that the other parent’s consent is not needed to travel abroad with the child. Any questions about the wording of the court order should be directed to a family lawyer.
If transporting your pet by air is the only option, find out whether they can travel in the cabin with you. Most airlines will allow you to take a cat or small dog in the cabin for an additional fee. But you must call the airline well in advance; there are limits to the number of animals allowed in the cabin. If you are transporting your dog, make sure they meet the size requirements. If you get overwhelmed by all the regulations, there are companies that can help you navigate through the process of flying with a pet.
Is a consent letter mandatory? There is no Canadian legal requirement for children to carry a consent letter. However, a consent letter may be requested by immigration authorities when entering or leaving a foreign country, airline agents or Canadian officials when re-entering Canada. Failure to produce a letter upon request may result in delays or refusal to enter or exit a country.
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Dogs and cats should always be kept safely inside the car. Pets who are allowed to stick their heads out the window can be injured by particles of debris or made sick by having cold air forced into their lungs. Never transport a pet in the back of an open pickup truck.
Ever dreamed of driving along the cliffs that overlook the Pacific with the windows down? Or wanted to travel the historic Oregon Trail in a car instead of on a computer? Explore these eleven incredible cross-country road trip routes across the U.S.
Rhonda, from a railman who started his train travel when he was 16, I would strongly suggest a Canadian Train Ride! Via Rail Canada offers four significant rides through wilderness and coastal areas with deluxe, overnight trains from Toronto to Vancouver ( 4 nights), and Montreal to Halifax, Nova Scotia (one night). Both offer a chance to have decent meals enroute, and sleeping car accommodations. Train crews tend to be a bit friendlier than south of the border, Canada, largely uninhabited, offers many scenic vistas with little hamlets few and far between, certainly a wonderful way for both of you to enjoy these new experiences.
Via Rail Canada also offers Railpasses, which enable you to travel on other routes as well for a bit of a price reduction. It’s all up to you!
Their website is http://www.viarail.ca for further information.
My son is a rail fan and we have traveled only in the US but I would love to surprise him with an excursion where he could talk to the train staff and railroad personnel. I would also like to include beautiful scenery as well for Both of us. My son is 16 and I am 59. We love to explore and don’t mind walking and roughing it!! any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Get your pet geared up for a long trip by taking him on a series of short drives first, gradually lengthening time spent in the car. And please be sure to always secure the crate so it won??™t slide or shift in the event of a quick stop.
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This driving route of the Appalachian Trail parallels the epic hike. From the top of New England to the heart of Dixie, it takes you through continuous natural beauty—without the sweat, bugs, or blisters.
7 memorable Tips for Traveling to Mexico
Don stress if you don Mexico is agreeable to English speaking travelers, And there a ton of tips to get to know the country landscapes, terms, And younger culture.
yet still, If you new to traveling or have never been out of the us, A trip to Mexico may be somewhat frightening.
If you interested in learning some tips for traveling to Mexico, Take a look at our 7 easy to remember tips for your journey. We outlined some of the basics that you’d like to learn for your own aventura!
1. Choose the Right Transportation If you traveling to Mexico, You need to decide you might arrive by car, aeroplane, Or liner. It important to know how you want to arrive because it will searching,an extravagance,good to have city you arrive in, How much luggage you results, and so forth.
an individual can find international flights if you prefer to travel by air. instead, There are plenty of cruises to Mexico that you can enjoy if you like the amenities and beautiful views that are included in ship travel!
If you live nearby the border, Or just need to take a bit of a road trip, going down the road by car is always an option as well.
2. Use Pesos When You Can It best if you use the local currency pesos when you can. while touristy areas accept USD, They choose the rate at that they accept it, So it is possible to get a better deal if you just use pesos.
Consider exchanging USD for pesos somewhere in the usa before your trip and dividing up your cash between USD and pesos during your trip.
3. Know bathing room Etiquette In Mexico, The sewage pipes just aren built to handle a lot. this means that people rarely flush their toilet paper. rather than, There will often be a trash bin near the toilet for you to put your used toilet paper in.
further, Men may make of entering a bathroom labeled with an M, let’s assume that it stands for However, The M actually can stand for mujeres, Which is the word for in Spanish. Men needs to look for doors labeled H, Which stands for the Spanish word for men, Hombres.
4. Practice Some Spanish One of the most basic tips for traveling to Mexico is to learn a few Spanish phrases before your trip.
once you know basic things, Like how to ask where the bathroom is or how to order food, Will make your trip to Mexico a lot smoother. sometimes, The locals will appreciate the effort, Even if they undoubtedly speak English as well!
5. Adjust to the Time Whether you are changing time zones while having trip or staying in the same one, You find that Mexico runs on a lot more fluid schedule. Punctuality is less of a concern, So you take pleasure in it a lot more if you can relax and don push a strict schedule.
furthermore, Meals are spaced out a bit distinct in Mexico. You will usually have a large breakfast, associated with the main meal of the day between 2:00 together with 4:00 pm hours. then finally, You will enjoy a smaller meal at dusk.
6. Drink Bottled Water Bottled water can be found on just about any street corner for purchase. Why exactly do you wish to buy bottled water?
let me tell you, Most of Mexico plain faucet water is unpurified. Some hotels may have filtered water, But be sure to go shopping for a sign above your sinks before you test it out!
If you be residing in Mexico for a lengthier trip, Consider buying or bring a water filter with you to purify the tap water and avoid buying so much bottled water. You be decreasing costs and plastic consumption!
7. Stray off the Beaten Path While sightseeing attractions and famous beaches are always fun to see, Traveling to lesser known places will offer you a more authentic taste of Mexico.
of which this isn an excuse to be reckless or oblivious to your surroundings. Be mindful of the areas you visiting and research where you will make sure it a safe area.
Now You Armed with all very reputable Tips for Traveling to Mexico Mexico is a diverse country with so much to see and offer.
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Many parents of individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder dread traveling or often avoid it altogether. Most people with ASD do better with routine and structure and a break from that (vacation) can often lead to stress and even meltdowns. Additionally, traveling by air can include having to navigate a multitude of unpleasant experiences from airport security procedures, moving sidewalks, and boarding tunnels to cramped seats, unfamiliar noises, and lots of strangers. Experts indicate that preparation and practice is the key to a successful flight and travel. Before your trip, talk with your child about what to expect. Go over the details of the travel: how you’ll get to the airport, wait in line, go through security, find your departure gate, get on the plane, buckle seatbelts, and spend time onboard. Flying to See Janet: A Fun Guide to the Airport Experience is a book you can use to prepare children for the unfamiliar sights and sounds of the airport experience. You can also write your own social story.
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Emily, my coming of age years were the late 1970s, early 1980s at the YMCA. I agree with you about the open showers versus the individual shower stalls. From a guys perspective, I spent many nights and weekends swimming or playing basketball at my local YMCA. Showering with not only my friends, but over the years, dads, neighbors and guys from church. It really makes one comfortable, not in a sexual way, with one self and others. Never had the nude swimming, I think that ended in the 1960s as women/girls joined the YMCA, forcing may YWCAs to close their doors.
Amelie, here in the US a number of Korean Spas have opened. As with Japanese, Korean families bath together (grandmother, daughter, grand-daughter), (dad, son) separated by gender. They are starting to attract a diverse clientele (age, race, etc). So who knows, maybe the nude swimming will return to the Y someday.
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Note that Global Affairs Canada cannot provide you with advice about the Consent Letter for Children Travelling Abroad beyond what is offered on this website.
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helo, do you happent allow drive passengers to another state?
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I’m so happy that you enjoyed your experience at the Onsen!
I’ve never been to an Onsen, but I would love to get to visit one some day.
Back in the 1980s and 1990s my mom was the head supervisor at a YWCA in Ohio. I practically lived in the YWCA (not literally, of course) for the 19 years that my mom worked there. I had a part time job at the YWCA for a few years in the 1990s.
One of the great things about spending so much time at the YWCA was that I grew up using the locker room all of the way from a young child to a young woman and being 100% comfortable with both my own nudity and the nudity of all other females.
I feel that it was so much better back then when the Y had one big room full of shower heads on the walls than it is with stalls these days. The group shower setting was great from a bonding experience. I feel that it’s much healthier psychologically speaking that females are exposed to other women’s and girl’s bodies, as opposed to feeling that we need to hide from each other and change clothes in toilet stalls or under towels.
One of the benefits of having a mom who was a supervisor of the Y was that after hours my mom and my sisters and myself could just skinny dip in the pool, and my sisters and I were allowed to have our female friends with us for a skinny dipping session on Friday and Saturday nights.
Also, my aunt and a few of my female cousins would skinny dip with my mom, my sisters and I every once in a while.
My mom said that she had heard that the YWCA used to have one night a week that was for nude swimming back in the 1960s and most of the 1970s. Obviously it was a female only facility at the time.
Dubbed the Great Northern in memory of the pioneer railroad that parallels the western half of the route, US-2 is truly the most stunning and unforgettable, not to mention longest, of all the great transcontinental road trips.
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Oh man. I’m so sorry this happened to you. I certainly appreciate your take on this though, a little humor goes a long way. I’m headed to Barcelona in a few days, so I’ll be sure to keep my valuables close. Thanks for sharing.