Lake Placid, NY

Introduction

The quaint alpine village of Lake Placid in upstate New York has served as a four-season playground for the well-to-do since the late 19th Century, hosted two Winter Olympic Games in the 20th Century, and continues to offer an array of outdoor fun and entertainment for travelers seeking fresh mountain air. Main Street sits adjacent to Mirror Lake, with cute shops, independently-owned restaurants, and private and public beaches wrapping the shoreline and offering gorgeous views of the Adirondacks.

In July 2020, after the initial hysteria from the Covid-19 pandemic began to subside, case numbers dwindled, and some restrictions were lifted, Americans sought outdoorsy vacations where social distancing was essentially built-in. After months trapped inside of our respective homes, my sister and I were among those trying to determine a safe summer travel destination within driving distance. We consulted the New York Times’ case count map and identified Essex County (home of Lake Placid) as an area with zero recently reported Covid cases. So we booked a hotel room and off we went!

Getting Around

Lake Placid is located in the Adirondack Mountains, hours away from any major New England cities with reliable pubic transit, so your best bet is to bring a personal car. While you are in the town itself, Placid Xpress offers free trolley rides. You will have to drive to access most of the hiking trail heads or (in the winter) ski runs.

Where to Stay

We stayed at Hotel North Woods, which was surrounded by shops and restaurants and across the street from Mirror Lake. Right after we stayed there, the hotel was bought by Marriott and became Grand Adirondack. Which was a shame, because I enjoyed the kitschy deer antler chandeliers and paintings of woodland scenes in the lobby.

I recommend booking accommodations on Main Street, for easy access to the amenities, beaches and water sports, with hiking trailheads a few minutes’ drive. Don’t stay anywhere south of the Olympic Speed Skating Oval, unless you like walking up a steep hill any time you want to eat at a restaurant.

Fun Activities

• Foot Spa

After a long morning of hiking, my sister and I scheduled an appointment with ADK Foot Sanctuary, which is located in the center of town. The spa itself was cozy and smelled like lavender, and the staff did their best to make you feel relaxed. The foot massage and neck wrap felt amazing after scrambling up rocks all day.

• Hiking

Lake Placid and its surrounding towns offer myriad trail heads and breathtaking summits. For moderate hikers like myself and my sister, Catamount Mountain was a perfect blend of easy paths around a large pond and more strenuous climbs resulting in panoramic views. High Falls Gorge is a ticketed attraction that offers a leisurely walk through several foot paths and rope bridges, with impressive shots of the park’s namesake waterfall.

• Water Sports

Motor boats and jet skis are not permitted on appropriately monikered Mirror Lake, so swimmers, paddle boarders and kayakers have free reign of its quiet waters. My sister and I rented aqua bikes (literally bikes attached to floating devices) and pedaled around the perimeter of the lake, peeking into the yards of the large homes butting up against the shore.

• Boat Tours

Lake Placid Marina and Boat Tours offers an hour-long cruise on their pontoon boats from May through October.

Running

There is a 3-mile loop around Mirror Lake, as well as some strenuous hills in the neighborhoods surrounding the lake that make for a good workout. If you are a swimmer and/or biker, you can get in a triathlon in the morning before the village wakes up.

Food

• Generations Tap & Grill

Connected to the Golden Arrow Resort, it offers bar seating and sports viewing but also a delicious menu. My sister and I ordered crispy truffle gnocchi and sautéed brussels sprouts as appetizers and could only manage to make animal noises as we scarfed them down. Hands-down the best apps we’ve eaten in a long time!

• The Cottage

This restaurant down the end of Main Street offers good food and outdoor seating with spectacular lake views.

• Bazzi’s Pizza

Located on Main Street, they offer pizza by the slice in a variety of flavors.

• Emma’s Lake Placid Creamery

All of the travel sites we checked out prior to our trip recommended this ice cream shop, and the reviews were warranted. We had whoopie pie sundaes that were so enormous we couldn’t even finish.

Recovery Meetings

There were no in-person AA meetings available at the time we traveled to Lake Placid, but now that things have opened up, you can check out this website to find out where they are.