Lake Placid – There’s no doubt as the weather continues to get warmer in the metro areas, folks there will seek refuge in places like Upstate New York.
New York City and Boston are among the cities within a day’s drive to the Adirondack Mountains. From either direction, travelers are just five hours away – easy peasy for a nice Lake Placid weekend getaway. No matter your starting point, you’ll be on the interstate all the way until the final 30 miles.
Road trip from New York City
Departing any of the boroughs, you’ll eventually find your way to I-87/New York Thruway. Once you do, it’s just a matter of driving as straight as you can. Go through Albany and continue on I-87, except now it changes to the Adirondack Northway. Stay with it to exit 30. Then Routes 9 and 73 will bring you right into Lake Placid.
As you approach the town of Keene (14 miles from Lake Placid), please slow down and look to your left for a small cottage that sells Adirondack maple syrup. In quintessential local hospitality, oftentimes this small syrup outlet is not manned, working instead on the honor system. Take what you need and please leave the cash behind.
From Keene, the climb is steady into Lake Placid. You’ll know you’re getting closer when you see the stunning Cascade Lakes along Route 73. Continuing further, this scenic road trip will continue with the Lake Placid Olympic ski jumps standing sentinel on the edge of the village. The jump towers extend above the Adirondack pines.
In a few minutes, you will enter Lake Placid’s Main Street and drive right by the Olympic speed skating oval where Eric Heiden won five Olympic gold medals in 1980. The very next structure is the Olympic Center, site of the Miracle on Ice and the improbable U.S. hockey team’s Olympic gold medal.
These two sites are just one mile from the Mirror Lake Inn. Continue driving straight down Main Street. Mirror Lake will be on your right with the hotel overlooking from the left.
Road trip from Boston
Travelers coming from Boston and its suburbs should use the Massachusetts Turnpike to Albany and then turn north as described in the New York City directions.
Travelers will find many rest/food/fuel stops on both the New York Thruway and the Adirondack Northway.
Sage advice
Take it from people who use the Lake Placid/Albany corridor: the Adirondack Northway is well-patrolled, if you know what we mean. Cruise control will be your best friend. Our speed limit on the interstates is 65 miles-per-hour, dropping to 55 in some areas. On the open road, set the cruise no faster than five miles above the speed limit, and please move over if state police are stopped on the shoulder of the highway.
Once you are here
There is so much to explore after getting settled. Use the Mirror Lake Inn’s front desk staff if you have any questions or need suggestions. For starters, we have numerous natural attractions such as High Falls Gorge, about eight miles from Lake Placid, and Ausable Chasm, some 50 minutes from the hotel. Make time for both if you can.
High Falls Gorge, near the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center, is a 22-acre nature park featuring waterfalls, hiking/walking trails, glass-floor walkways and more. Ausable Chasm (local pronunciation – ah SAYBL KASM) is a scenic canyon hosting activities from tours and cliff hikes to mountain biking and river rafting.
The foodies that visit us would be happy to know that our upscale restaurant, The View, presents Adirondack terroir, with some 12 local farms supplying our kitchen and, ultimately, our diners. You can visit them nearby. Aasgard Farm, Harmony Hill Farmstead, Sugar House Creamery and Adirondack View Vineyard are just a few of the stops you can make.
Family dog is welcomed
The Mirror Lake Inn has 40 dog-friendly units so please bring your valued family pet with you. Dogs no bigger than 50 pounds are welcomed. They will love swimming in our lakes, hiking our trails and window-shopping and making new friends on Main Street.
For further assistance, please call our reservations agents (518-523-2544) who are on site at the hotel. They live and work in the Lake Placid area and can give you accurate, organic information. They will help you with dog-friendly rooms and recommendations.
Also, for best rates, please consider booking through our website.
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Feature image of High Falls Gorge and ski jump photo both courtesy of I Love NY
Syrup image courtesy Black Rooster Maple/Saratoga Olive Oil
Ausable Chasm image courtesy ROOST