10 Best Things to Do in Lake Placid

Mirror Lake is named for its crystal-clear waters that reflect the sky and village and offers an escape for kayaking, canoeing, or hiking around its quiet shores. The lake is preserved and unpolluted, and it makes for a relaxing place to spend an afternoon in Lake Placid. The hiking trail surrounding the lake traverses 2.7 miles of an easy, leisurely walk.

A beach at one end of the lake allows for swimming, and an annual Ironman Triathlon is held here. In the winter, a toboggan chute allows for sledding, and the entire lake becomes a public skating rink. Mirror Lake is located in the heart of Lake Placid.

The Olympic Ski Jumping Complex features competitions, training, showcases, and sightseeing for visitors to Lake Placid who are interested in athletics, skiing, or Olympic history. The complex showcases both the 90-meter and 120-meter ski jump towers that were built for the 1980 Winter Olympics and draw ski enthusiasts and historians alike.

The jumps are located just 2 miles from downtown Lake Placid in Essex County, off Old Military Road. At the top of the towers, you can visit a sky deck with a 360-degree panoramic view of the whole of Lake Placid.

Mount Jo is a mountain that offers hiking trails to the summit where visitors can get a panoramic view of the entire Adirondack Mountains. The mountain rises to an elevation of 2,876 feet, and the hiking trails are rated as easy, so they're great for families and inexperienced hikers to walk to the peak and get a great photo opportunity.

In the winter, Mount Jo is popular for novice snowshoers, but be cautioned: You may need snow spikes to get up the steeper sections of the trail. It's located in North Elba, about a 15-minute drive south from downtown.

The Herb Brooks Arena draws hockey fans and historians to the historic site of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" when the U.S. team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union. It's named for the coach of the U.S. team and has 3 indoor rinks and 1 outdoor one.

Even better, the rinks are open to the public, and visitors have been known to bump into such famed skating figures as Rachael Flatt and Scott Hamilton. It's located in the heart of downtown Lake Placid.

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum pays homage and tribute to the 2 Olympics hosted by the city and is popular with Olympic enthusiasts and historians. The museum offers photos, documents, artifacts, uniforms, medals, and exhibits related to both the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games, and celebrates the fact that Lake Placid was the first city to host 2 Winter Olympics.

Some of the exhibits on display include speedskater Jack Shea's skates, the 1932 Fram III bobsled, and memorabilia from the Miracle on Ice hockey team from 1980. The museum is located in the heart of downtown.

The John Brown Farm State Historic Site showcases the original home of the famed abolitionist and Underground Railroad conductor John Brown. Brown was an insurrectionist who hoped to establish a community of freed slaves and abolitionists in the Adirondack Mountains who would live and work in peace.

Brown's story came to a tragic end when he was captured and executed after attempting to attack the U.S. Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. He was buried on his homestead, which today features original furnishings and personal belongings that educate about the Underground Railroad and life during that period. The house is just 5 minutes south of downtown.

Algonquin Mountain is the second-highest summit in New York and is one of the iconic Adirondack High Peaks that are popular for hiking, wildlife viewing, and cross-country skiing. The mountain rises to 5,114 feet with an elevation gain of 2,936 feet, and the hike to the summit covers 4.3 miles.

Hikers are asked to stay on the rocks at all times to preserve the rare and fragile alpine vegetation that grows along the trails. The hike is challenging and grows steeper as you go, passing a cascading waterfall at the 2.6-mile mark. In the winter, snowshoes are needed for the climb. The trailhead is a 16-minute drive south from downtown Lake Placid.

The Swedish Hill Winery is a family-owned legacy producer of internationally acclaimed wines and draws connoisseurs from all over the world to sample its vintages. The winery has been in production since 1969 and has been family-owned and -operated for 3 generations.

The wines and winery have won many awards, including 3 Governor's Cups, dozens of gold medals, and Winery of the Year. Flights and glasses are available, as are tours of the winery. A gift shop allows for the purchase of everything from bottles to wine racks and personalized labels. It's right in the heart of downtown Lake Placid.