Top things to do in Lake Placid NY in the summer
One of our favorite places to visit during the Summer in upstate New York is Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains!
This quaint little town is the perfect getaway if you want to enjoy the great outdoors and the fresh mountain air.
Lake Placid was once the site of the Winter Olympics held twice once in 1932 and 1980 and is a popular winter destination with lots of winter sports activities nearby.
There’s so much to do on a visit to Lake Placid and the surrounding areas since it’s located within the Adirondacks which is home to more than 200 lakes and hundreds of mountain summits.
The Adirondacks spans more than six million acres, and is home to the largest protected natural area in the lower 48 of the United States.
There are so many opportunities for outdoor activities in the region! Plus If you’re an avid hiker, and would love a challenge, you can plan to hike all 46 peaks!
On the blog, I will share the top things to do in Lake Placid NY in the summer so you can plan a weekend visit to the Adirondacks and enjoy a mountain getaway!
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Where is Lake Placid NY and how to get there
Lake Placid NY is nestled along the peaks of the Adirondacks, close to the Canadian border and right next door to Vermont.
I recommend coming to Lake Placid by car so you can easily explore the nearby attractions in the Adirondacks.
You can easily drive here from NYC which is just about a 5 hour’s drive. We drove from DC to Lake Placid and it took us about 8 hours.
It was such a pleasant drive once you make it to upstate NY with all the mountains coming to view as you get closer to Lake Placid.
If you’re staying at a hotel in Lake Placid, parking is usually free and you can easily walk around town.
If you’re staying outside of Lake Placid, there are a few parking lots along Main Street but I recommend coming early as they do fill up later in the day.
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Best time to visit Lake Placid NY
Lake Placid is beautiful year-round and is a popular spot during the winter for winter sports.
But if you want to make the most of your visit and enjoy all the fun activities at Lake Placid NY, I suggest a summer visit to Lake Placid.
There is so much to do during the summer in the Adirondacks including hiking, camping, biking, water sports activities, and more!
Download one of the official Adirondacks guide here, or visit the Lake Placid website here and start planning your Lake Placid summer getaway!
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How long to stay at Lake Placid
When planning a visit to the Adirondacks, I suggest planning at least a weekend visit to Lake Placid NY so you can get to explore what else the Adirondacks have to offer.
If you only have one day in Lake Placid NY, you can still add a few of these activities on your day trip and then spend the rest of your day exploring Main Street, or getting on the lake!
If you have more time, a one-week visit to the Adirondacks is the perfect length of time, so you can explore the nearby lake towns like Saranac Lake, and Lake George!
There’s so much to do in the Adirondacks and we can’t wait to revisit and explore all the other lakes in the region!
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Sample one-day Lake Placid itinerary
- Have a breakfast bagel at Soulshine bakery
- After breakfast make your way up to Whiteface Summit driving along the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway. Go early to avoid the long lines at the toll house! Parking is limited at the top!
- On your way back to Lake Placid, make a stop at High Falls Gorge and take the 30 minute walk to see the four waterfalls along the Ausable River.
- Head back to Lake Placid for lunch at the Pickled Pig for a BBQ lunch.
- Rent a kayak or canoe and paddle Mirror Lake, (or retreat back to hotel for a pool break, or swim Mirror Lake)
- Take a stroll around the perimeter of Mirror Lake which goes for about 2.7 miles.
- Have dinner on Main Street. We love Ere’s Pizza, there pizzas are so good and they serve pasta as well!
- Watch the sunset over Mirror Lake at the Waterfront Park.
Where to stay at Lake Placid
A few hotels are located along Lake Placid NY, including vacation rentals, cabins, and AirBnB’s to accommodate your summer getaway to Lake Placid NY. Here is a list of some lodging options in Lake Placid:
- Crowne Plaza Lake Placid NY
- Best Western Inn Adirondack
- Hampton Inn & Suites Lake Placid
- Lake House at High Peaks Resort
- Mirror Lake Inn
- Courtyard by Marriott Lake Placid
- Lake Placid Lodge
- Whiteface Lodge
- Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort
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Top things to do in Lake Placid NY in the summer
Stroll along Main Street
One of the top things to do in Lake Placid NY is a stroll around Main Street. There are so many cute little boutique shops and souvenir stores to help you find that perfect Lake Placid NY souvenir.
One of our favorite shops along Main Street is the Adirondack Decorative Arts & Crafts shop which specializes in all things outdoors and cabin living.
They sell everything from souvenirs to cabin-inspired furnishings to help you furnish your dream cabin!
There are also lots of dining options along Main Street at Lake Placid as well. Some of our favorite spots are:
- The Breakfast Club, etc: Perfect place for breakfast or brunch
- Ere’s Pizza: Best place for pizza and pasta
- The Pickled Pig: BBQ joint serving brisket, ribs and more
- Great Adirondack Brewing company: House brewed pints and old-fashioned steak house
- Soulshine Bakery: Bagels for breakfast and lunch
- The Coffee Bar: Coffee shop and breakfast sandwiches
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Lake Placid Summer Activities
Explore Lake Placid Lake
I know it’s confusing, why is the lake near the village called Mirror Lake when the town is called Lake Placid?! Well, there actually is a Lake Placid Lake, but it’s not the one adjacent to Main Street.
There’s another lake body located on the northern side of the town that you can only access by boat. There is a narrated one-hour-long boat tour you can take to explore Lake Placid lake.
- The Lake Placid Marina & Boat tours offer first-come-first serve tours starting at 9am that cost $20 for Adults / $15 for kids 3-12 / FREE for kids under 3
- Location: 24 George & Bliss Lane Lake Placid, NY 12946
Walk the Mirror Lake Loop
Another fun thing to do on a visit to Lake Placid NY in the summer is a stroll around Mirror Lake.
The stroll around Mirror Lake goes for about 2.7 miles along a paved sidewalk and is the perfect place for a walk, bike, or run and is a great way to take in the fresh mountain air while you get your steps in!
We loved the Mountain Views and spotting the prettiest lakeside cabins on our walk!
Enjoy the beach at Mirror Lake
During the summer in Lake Placid, you can actually go swimming in Mirror Lake.
The Lake is situated on the south end of the lake and there’s a sandy beach, a pier, and a launch site for canoes or kayaks. There’s also a changing facility, tennis courts, and playground that the kids will love.
During the winter the Lake freezes over and it becomes the perfect place for winter activities such as sledding, ice hockey, dog sledding, and more!
There is a Toboggan slide along the lake where you can enjoy a downhill slide in the winter as well!
Paddle Mirror Lake
One of the best things to do in Lake Placid NY in the summer is to get out on the water along Mirror Lake.
Since electric boats aren’t allowed on Mirror Lake it’s the perfect place to enjoy a calm and relaxing paddle along the lake!
You can rent kayaks, canoes, SUP boards, and paddle boats to explore the lake. We rented a canoe and had a blast exploring Mirror Lake.
- Mirror Lake Boat Rentals: located at 2403 Main St across from the High Peaks Resort. No reservations needed. $30 rentals for paddle boats, single or doubke kayaks, row boat, canoes, SUP and must sign a rental agreement.
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Lake Placid Olympics Sites
- Lake Placid Olympic Museum: Since Lake Placid NY was once home to not one but two Winter Olympics, one of the best things to do is a visit to the Lake Placid Olympic Museum. The museum commemorates the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics with a collection of memorabilia from that time. *Note: The Museum is currently undergoing reconstructions and is temporarily closed)
- Olympic Jumping Complex: Explore the jumps and towers on an Eight-person gondola.
- Tickets: $20 for ages 13-64 / $15 for ages 7-15 (and 65+) / FREE for 6 and under.
- Glass enclosed elevator: You can take the glass enclosed elevator to the observation deck for panoramic views.
- Tickets: $11 for ages 13-64 / $8 kids 7-15 ( seniors 65+ and Military) / FREE for kids 6 and under Hours: Daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, beginning May 20, 2022.
- Sky Flyer Zipline: Experience the flight path of the Nordic Ski jumpers as you glide down the path of the landing hill.
- Tickets: $45 for ages 7 and up and should be reserved online here.
- Hours:Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, beginning May 27, 2022.
- Mt. Van Hoevenberg: Enjoy outdoor recreations at Mt. Van Hoevenberg which includes a few here that I listed and more here.
- The Cliffside Coaster: longest coaster in North America. You must be ages 9 and up 52” or taller to ride.
- Hours: Fri-Tue 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Tickets: $55 / $10 w/adult
- Bobsled experience: Cruise down the track just like the atheletes reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour on the Bobsled experience.
- Hours: Wed-Sun 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
- Tickets: $125
- Climbing Center: over 1500′ of climbing space and a 30′ top rope wall. Featuring 3 TruBlue auto belays and multiple lead options, a bouldering wall, and a traverse wall.
- Hours: Daily 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Tickets: $10-$15 per hour
Drive up to WhiteFace Mountain
One of the best Lake Placid activities in the summer is a drive up the Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway to the top of Whiteface Mountain which is New York’s fifth-highest peak at 4,867 feet.
This 5-mile drive takes you up to the Whiteface mountain summit so you can take the short hike up to the Summit Weather Observatory for the most amazing panoramic views of the Adirondack Mountains.
Make sure to make pit stops along the way as you drive up to the summit. There are many different lookout points with different views.
Once you make it to the top, you can make your way up the summit along the Summit Nature trail which is a short 0.2 miles (one way) intermediate hike that climbs 257′ feet in elevation.
The trail starts up the steps behind the castle where there is also a gift shop and restrooms.
The hike is totally doable with kids with guardrails throughout the trail. Just be mindful that there are no barriers once you make it up the summit!
- Hours: 8:45 am-5:30 pm from May 20-October 10, 2022
- Tickets: $20 per vehicle and driver
- Add one more person for $20
- $10 for each 3-8 people after that.
- Kids 6 and under are free!
Other activities on Whiteface mountain:
- WHITEFACE MOUNTAIN GONDOLA: Take a 15 minute ride up from the Main base lodge to the top of Little Whiteface mountain with amazing Mountain View’s along the way. Hours: Open daily 8:30am-5:30pm Opening season goes from July 1-Sep. 6, 2022
- Tickets: $25 ages (13-64) / $20 ages (7-12 & 65+) / FREE kids 6 and under
- DISC GOLF: Enjoy a nine-hole disc golf $7 ages 20-64 / $7 ages 13-19 & 65+ / FREE for 6 and under. Opening season on July 1, 2022.
- HIKE WHITEFACE MOUNTAIN: You can also hike up to the summit. Check here for trail maps
TIP: Make sure to come early, the highway opens at 8:45am and parking is limited at the top. The lines getting to the toll house were long on our way out!
*Be aware that during the early summer months from about late May to early June, for about 3 weeks biting flies start to appear in the area. Bring some bug repellent to protect yourself from getting bitten!!
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Visit High Falls Gorge
Another fun Lake Placid attraction is a visit to High Falls Gorge. High Falls Gorge is located just about a ten-minute drive from Lake Placid and is another great activity to add to your Lake Placid itinerary.
High Falls Gorge is a 22-acre, privately owned nature park with four waterfalls cascading over rocks carved a billion years ago along the Ausable River.
Take a stroll along the walkways and suspension bridges and take in the waterfall views.
Some of the platforms have a see-through viewing platform for enjoying the Ausable River views down below. The trail is perfect to do with kids and is a short 30-minute walk.
Make sure to pick up a kid’s activity sheet at the gift shop so they can go in search of answers to clues throughout the park.
When finished bring the activity sheet back to the gift shop and redeem it for a cool prize!
There is also a quarter-mile round trip, wheelchair-accessible path that takes you to the center of the waterfalls
Don’t miss the short one-mile nature trail that you can go on afterward which takes you through the forest and ascends 300 feet up the side of Whiteface Mountain.
You will climb steep inclines and walk on uneven, rocky surfaces so make sure to wear proper hiking shoes.
- Hours: open year round 9am-4:30 pm
- Tickets: $13.10 Ages 13+ / $10.10 kids Ages 4-12 / FREE Kids 3 & Under. You can purchase tickets online or onsite at the gift shop.
- Parking: Free on-site parking is available and can accommodate cars, motorcycles and RV’s.
- Location: 4761 NYS Route 86 Wilmington, NY 12997
Go hiking
Since you’re in the heart of the Adirondacks, there are lots of opportunities for hiking.
There are lots of hiking trails in the area for beginners, intermediate, and avid hikers who are up for a challenge and would love to hike all 46 peaks of the Adirondacks!
Visit the website here to find a hiking trail suitable for you and your abilities. You can also download the official Adirondacks hiking guide here to help you plan your trip to the Adirondacks!
Remember to wear proper hiking gear, follow no-trace principles and always let someone you know of your plans!
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