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Before you go
Your trip to Lake Placid.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Lake Placid – New York
How to get there
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Adirondack Regional Airport (SLK) Saranac Lake · 25 km
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Albany International Airport (ALB) Albany · 215 km
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Westport Station Westport · 65 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
The regional airport in Saranac Lake (SLK) is about 25 km away. By car, Albany is roughly two and a half hours away and Montreal about two hours. The nearest train station is Westport, about 65 km away, on the New York–Montreal line.
How many days
Two days allow for the Olympic Center, the ski jumps and Whiteface. With three or four days you can add Mt. Van Hoevenberg, a circuit around Mirror Lake and a mountain hike.
When to go
In summer, July and August, for hiking and lakes, with days from 20 °C to 26 °C. Fall colors usually peak from late September to early October. In winter, December to March, there is skiing, lake skating and competitions, with very cold temperatures.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
Yes. The village is walkable, but the jumps, Mt. Van Hoevenberg and Whiteface are 3 to 15 km away, with limited public transport. You drive on the right.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Lake Placid
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Morning
Olympic Center
Visit the Olympic museum and the arena of the Miracle on Ice on Main Street, and see the skating rink in front.
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Afternoon
Olympic ski jumps
Take the gondola and elevator to the top of the largest jump for views of the High Peaks.
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Evening
Mirror Lake
Walk the shore of Mirror Lake at dusk and have dinner on Main Street.
2 days in Lake Placid
Day 1
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Morning
Olympic museum and center
Olympic museum and arenas on Main Street.
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Afternoon
Ski jumps
Gondola and elevator at the jumping complex.
Day 2
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Morning
Whiteface
Drive up Veterans' Memorial Highway to the castle and the summit elevator on Whiteface.
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Afternoon
Mt. Van Hoevenberg
See the bobsled tracks and ride the alpine coaster next to the track.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
How many Olympics has Lake Placid hosted?
Two editions of the Winter Olympic Games, in 1932 and 1980. It is one of the few towns in the world to host them twice.
What is the Miracle on Ice?
The victory of the U.S. hockey team, made up of college players and amateurs, over the Soviet Union at the 1980 Games, in the arena of the Lake Placid Olympic Center.
On the shore of which lake is Lake Placid located?
The village sits on the shore of Mirror Lake. Lake Placid, the larger lake that gives the village its name, lies just to the north.
Is there a pass for Lake Placid’s Olympic facilities?
Yes — there are combination passes that cover museum admission, the trampolines, Mt. Van Hoevenberg and the Whiteface Highway. Check the options and what each one includes before you buy.