Home to unforgettable Olympic history, a main street fit for a Hallmark movie, and epic winter adventures, there’s snow place like Lake Placid! While this postcard-perfect village in the Adirondacks promises year-round wonder, winter here is magical, when snow decorates the streets and cozy fireplaces crackle. Explore the sites that hosted the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games, ski down the greatest vertical east of the Rockies, indulge in a diverse dining and craft beverage scene, and so much more. Here’s your guide to spending a winter weekend in Lake Placid. Photo credit: @adkfisher on Instagram

FRIDAY

2PM: Frozen fun on Mirror Lake

Start your getaway right with some frozen fun out on Mirror Lake! Make lasting memories while you ice skate or cross-country ski on the two-mile ice track or encourage some friendly competition on lake’s hockey rinks. The track and hockey rinks are free to use and open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Skate rentals are also available at Locker Room 5. For more high-flying fun, the Lake Placid Toboggan Chute officially opens around late January, where you can zoom down an ice-covered chute onto a frozen Mirror Lake, or experience the classic Adirondack tradition of dog sledding with Thunder Mountain Dog Sledding Tours or Mike Arnold Dog Sled Rides.

4PM: Check into your hotel

It’s time to settle into your cozy Lake Placid accommodations. Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort lives up to its name, located directly on the shores of beautiful Mirror Lake, and features deluxe rooms and family suites, access to an indoor pool, outdoor fire pits, and Generations Tap & Grill. Mirror Lake Inn is also a great option as Lake Placid’s only four diamond resort and spa, offering comfortable rooms with fireplaces, an indoor pool, full service spa, and luxurious dining room. Whiteface Lodge is a perfect stay for the whole family with cabin-style rooms and suites that can sleep up to 12 people, heated outdoor and indoor swimming pools and hot tubs, a movie theater, yoga classes, family game room, bowling alley, and ice skating rink. 

5PM: Explore main street and grab dinner 

Now that you’ve dropped off your bags, hit the streets and get to know Lake Placid! In the winter, snow decorates this charming main street, making it feel like you’re walking through a winter wonderland. Opportunities for shopping are abundant with local shops and boutiques selling everything from gourmet popcorn to clothing. Bring home a souvenir from Adirondack Trading Co., dazzle with jewelry and accessories from Sparkle Lake Placid, or stop at Adirondack Chocolates for small batch cocoa creations perfected over 40 years. Lake Placid’s diverse dining scene is sure to impress. Lisa G’s is a favorite among locals and visitors with a unique, relaxed atmosphere and classic comfort foods with a modern twist. Smoke Signals is known for its delicious low and smoked barbeque, refreshing local craft beers on tap, and spectacular views overlooking Mirror Lake and the High Peaks.

7PM: Night skating at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval

End your first night in Lake Placid with night skating on the same ice where Eric Heiden won five Olympic Medals in 1980! Bundle up and get ready to skate with family and friends on this one-of-a-kind rink – it’s one of the only of its kind left in the country. Outdoor skating sessions are offered various times throughout the week and run from 7pm-8:30pm on Fridays.

SATURDAY 

9AM: Breakfast at Adirondack Mountain Coffee Cafe

Fuel up for a day of winter fun at Adirondack Mountain Coffee Cafe in Upper Jay. Take the scenic 25-minute drive from Lake Placid on NY-86, where you’ll follow along the crystal waters of the Ausable River and unlock some amazing views. This quaint coffee shop and breakfast stop serves up all kinds of delicious dishes whether you’re looking to sit down for a hearty omelet or grab a breakfast sandwich and coffee to go.

10:30AM: Choose your outdoor winter adventure

Credit: @whiteface_mt on Instagram

It’s time to choose how you want to spend the day! If you’re an avid skier or are looking to learn, Whiteface Mountain is home to the greatest vertical east of the Rockies, coming in at 3,430 feet. This skier’s paradise features 94 trails, 299 skiable acres, and amazing adaptive and beginner’s programs for all ages. If winter sports aren’t your thing, but you still want to experience Whiteface, take a 15-minute ride on Cloudsplitter Gondola up to the top of Little Whiteface, revealing the beauty of the Adirondacks and breathtaking photo ops. 

Credit: @amy.marini on Instagram

Not a skier or snowboarder, but still up for a winter adventure? Spend the day at High Falls Gorge in Wilmington. This 22-acre privately-owned park is home to four spectacular waterfalls along the base of Whiteface Mountain that may even be beautifully-frozen for winter. Go walking in a winter wonderland on hiking trails, groomed paths, steel bridges, and walkways. Plus, if you want to try out snowshoeing, High Falls Gorge has its own snowshoeing center with professionally-guided tours and rentals.

2PM: Grab a late lunch

After working up an appetite, grab a quick bite on site! If you’re spending the day at Whiteface, enjoy a variety of dining options including everything from après-ski fare at Cloudspin Bar & Grill to customizable burritos at Black Diamond Burrito Bar to slopeside sugar waffles and hot chocolate from the Waffle Cabin. Down at High Falls Gorge, refuel with a hearty lunch alongside Ausable River views at the River View Cafe, located in the Main Lodge. Choose from a menu featuring burgers, salads, wings, sandwiches, and more, plus local wine and brews on tap. 

3PM: Warm up indoors  

Beat the winter chills with an activity indoors. Back on Main Street, the Pure Placid candle shop holds DIY and instructor-led candle making classes, where you’ll get to make your own Pure Placid soy candle. If you’re craving even more adventure, head over to Mt. Van Hoevenberg’s 1,500-foot indoor rock climbing gym with a 30-foot top rope wall, bouldering wall, and traverse wall. Plus, all the gear you need, including shoes, harnesses, and belay devices, as well as trained staff are also available.

6PM: Après-ski at Lake Placid Pub & Brewery

Credit: Lake Placid Pub & Brewery

Since 1996, Lake Placid Pub & Brewery has been a favorite for après-skiers, serving up fresh micro-brewed ales and lagers and traditional pub fare. Relax and unwind after an exciting day in front of the stone fireplace with a pint of their award-winning Ubu Ale or comfort cuisine like Umami chicken nachos, their signature half-pound Schulzy Burger, and more. Up for a little brewery tour? Lake Placid is also home to a bunch of hopping breweries including Big Slide Brewery, Raquette River Brewing, Wood Boat Brewery’s Lake Placid tasting room, The Boat, and more!   

8PM: Wind down with spectacular views

Still up for some amazing views? Wind down for the night at Top of the Park Bar. Choose from a beverage lineup that includes hand-crafted cocktails and mocktails, craft beer, wine from the Finger Lakes and beyond while you soak up snowy moonlit views of Mirror Lake. Small plates can also be found on the menu, if you’re in need of a late night snack.

SUNDAY

9AM: Breakfast at Capisce Coffee

Credit: @capiscecoffee on Instagram

Rise and shine! Start your Sunday in Lake Placid with a coffee and bite from Capisce Coffee. At this woman-owned and operated business, you’ll find all kinds of goodies like Dutch hot chocolate, latte flights, smoothie bowls, cinnamon rolls, breakfast sandwiches, and more.

10AM: Learn the Lake Placid legacy 

As a two-time Olympic Host City (and official backup venue for the 2026 Winter Olympics sliding events), you just can’t visit Lake Placid without exploring the Legacy Sites. The Olympic Center and Museum is home to North America’s second-largest Winter Olympic artifact collection with interactive exhibits, taking visitors through the evolution of the winter games. See the Olympic torch collection, learn about amazing athletes who made history, and watch the Miracle on Ice victory in the theater. Plus, the Olympic Center is also home to the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena, which hosts events like the ECAC Hockey Championships, ISI Figure Skating Championships, and Empire State Winter Games. 

Where else can you race down a real track used in world championship bobsled, luge, and skeleton events? At Mt. Van Hoevenberg, you can! Alongside a professional brake operator and driver, you and your own bobsled team will get to experience the thrill of this event firsthand, reaching speeds of up to 50 mph. Solo-sliders should give the Skeleton Experience a try, where you’ll learn how to ride the skeleton and zoom down the track head first at 30 mph. Note that for the 2025 winter season, the Bobsled Experience will be closed due to the IBSF Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships. The Skeleton Experience will be open with an expanded schedule during this time. 

Credit: @lakeplacidlegacysites on Instagram

Over at the Olympic Jumping Complex, admire the two towering ski jumps, standing as high as 240 feet. Experience the thrill of the ski jump for yourself without having to actually do it aboard the Skyride Experience, where you’ll take a gondola ride up to the base of the ski jump towers for a breathtaking view. For the last leg of your journey, you’ll ascend to the top of the HS-128 meter jump in an elevator to the sky deck, revealing unbeatable panoramic views. For a real treat, catch the jumping complex in action on February 6-9, when it hosts the Ski Jumping World Cup.

1PM: Lunch at The Cottage before hitting the road

Photo courtesy of Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa

Before heading home, stop at The Cottage for lunch and one last glimpse of spectacular High Peaks vistas. Located directly on the shores of Mirror Lake, take in the view from a seat by the window at this warm and cozy restaurant. Dig into dishes such as the chicken pesto sandwich, black bean burger, chipotle salad, or flatbread pizzas, each made with ingredients sourced from across the Lake Placid Region. Plus, you can even dine in one of The Cottage’s two heated Whiteface Mountain Gondolas out on the back deck!

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