Lake Placid, New York
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Everything the RV Renter Needs to Know
Nestled deep in the Adirondacks lies Lake Placid, a quaint village known as a two-time host of the Olympic games and vacation playground. In the summer, it’s a beautiful lakeside town offering outdoor experiences and fun on the water. Come winter, this tiny mountain town transforms into a snowy playground.
Whenever you’re looking to visit Lake Placid, you’ll be comfortable if you choose to go in your very own rented RV, the best way to stay comfortable and cozy while enjoying the clean mountain air and everything Lake Placid has to offer. Here’s everything you need to know to make the Lake Placid vacation of your dreams with a rented RV in tow.
Lake Placid has hosted the Olympic Winter Games twice—once in the 1930s, and again in 1982. It was that year that the U.S. Men’s Hockey Team defeated the favored Soviets in the “miracle on ice,” and you can see that ice for yourself at the Lake Placid Olympic Center. The Center houses several exhibits celebrating the 1982 games and is still a functioning venue for figure skating and other competitions. Nearby, the U.S. Lake Placid Olympic Training Center is a functioning sports complex dedicated to training the next generation of Olympic and Paralympic athletes—and you can get a behind-the-scenes tour at 3:00 pm every weekday.
If you’re hoping to get a little more hands-on with your Olympics experience in Lake Placid, you won’t have to go far. The Olympic Sports Complex is home to a combined luge, bobsled, and skeleton track where you can strap in for your own bobsled and skeleton experience, or watch from the sidelines. Finally, at the Olympic Jumping Complex, you can take an enclosed gondola ride up to the platforms where long jumpers take the plunge and enjoy unbeatable Adirondacks views in the meantime. Want to take the quick way down? You won’t be able to ski jump—but you can take the zip line!
In the summer months, there are a variety of ways for you to get out and enjoy the waters of Lake Placid and other nearby lakes and streams. Start with a Lake Placid Boat Tour, which promises an hour-long guided excursion on the lake inside one of the marina’s enclosed pontoon boats. In the nearby Adirondack State Park, High Peaks Mountain Guides offer guided canoeing day trips, perfect for a family to get out and experience nature while paddling.
If you’re really feeling adventurous, there are also some excellent hands-on experiences available in the area. Adirondac Rafting Company offers a 4.5-hour adventure riding the whitewater rapids of the Hudson River Gorge, a 16-mile stretch of surging river. On the nearby Saranac Chain of Lakes, Adirondack Watersports operates a rental business where you can grab a jet ski and speed along the water in the beautiful mountain setting.
Visitors to Lake Placid are as drawn by what’s under the surface of the water as they are by the still waters themselves. Fishing is a major activity in Lake Placid, with tons of marinas and fishing guides standing by to outfit you for a fishing trip or guide you to great local fishing spots to grab the panfish and rainbow trout, which are stocked annually to facilitate excellent fishing year after year. If you’re hoping to plan your own fishing trip in Lake Placid, start with a visit to the Hungry Trout Fly Shop, which offers handmade flies and all the equipment you’ll need, plus fly fishing guides to the local area.
If you’re hoping for a guided fishing experience in nearby Adirondack State Park, the local favorite is Upstate Guide Service. There are half-day, full-day, and multiple-day trips available, and they provide all of the equipment you’ll need to land the fish you’re looking for. Upstate specializes in light tackle, fly fishing, and ice fishing.
The downtown area of Lake Placid is classic mountain Americana and a great place to shop, stroll, eat, and drink. Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it in Lake Placid. Of special note are the many great furniture and home goods stores where you can find beautiful, handmade cedar everything to take a bit of the mountains back home with you. The town’s beer and wine scene is also fantastic, with local favorites like the appropriately-named Big Slide Brewery and Goose Watch Winery offering tastings.
As you might expect, a big part of the shopping in Lake Placid centers on sporting goods and apparel. The Olympic Center Store offers Olympics-themed apparel, plus information and ticket sales for the area’s Olympic facilities. High Peaks Cyclery is a favorite spot for bike enthusiasts, and Lake Placid Ski & Board Shop is a great all-weather shop for everything you need to sled and ski on water, frozen or otherwise. Oh, and if you need a quick energy boost after all your shopping, don’t miss South Meadow Farm Maple Sugarworks.
Last but certainly not least on this list, Lake Placid can’t be beaten when it comes to winter activities. Skiers, sledders, and snowbirds of all kinds love Lake Placid and the near-endless opportunities to explore the wintry outdoors in the town and the surrounding Adirondack State Park area. Skiing is the main draw, with opportunities abounding for downhill and cross-country skiing both in developed ski areas and in the backcountry. The area’s many ponds and lakes are ideal for skating and hockey, and ice fishing is a great activity worth a whole trip in its own right.
Sledding is also very popular in the area, with different levels of hands-on activity required. You can opt for a nice sleigh ride drawn by dogs or horses to see the countryside, or grab a sled and hit the hills. Snowmobiling is also an option, and there are plenty of outfitters and guide services available—not just for snowmobiling, but for all manner of winter activities in the area. For a full list of everything available, check out the Lake Placid tourism page on winter activities.
There are several campgrounds within Adirondack Park that make for great RV camping close to Lake Placid right in the heart of the beautiful nature that defines this mountain region. Click here for a full list of available campgrounds, including information about RV sites and hookups which are available at many, but not all, of the public campgrounds in the park.
Boasting a near-perfect 9/10/10 rating from the Good Sam Club, North Pole Resorts in Wilmington, New York is the perfect family campground for a Lake Placid vacation. The resort is located right at the base of the famous Whiteface Mountain and features great family amenities like playgrounds, pools, arcade games, mini-golf, boat rentals, fishing, and much, more.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park is renowned for its waterparks, playgrounds, jumping pillows, and other great family attractions—and the Adirondacks Jellystone at Paradise Pines is no exception. Come for the spacious, well-shaded RV campsites with full hookups, stay for the gem mining, fishing, and other top-notch amenities.
Located very close to Lake Placid in Wilmington, New York is the Lake Placid/Whiteface Mountain KOA, another well-respected entry in the KOA family campground catalogue. The park offers 50-amp, full-hookup RV sites that can accommodate up to 75 feet, plus a pool, snack bar, mini-golf course, and on-site fishing.
A bit farther from Lake Placid than the other options on this list, Babbling Brook RV Park in Westville Center, New York offers an alternative camping option still within easy driving distance of Lake Placid. Enjoy a spacious RV campsite with full hookups right alongside the Salmon River, where you can fish and while away a day far away from busy tourist destinations.
The Cottage Café is a local favorite for pub-style fare, and it’s located right on Mirror Lake’s edge offering a great view of the tallest points in the Adirondacks. Other locations feature live music, signature cocktails, and a casual dining menu in a classic Alpine lodge setting. Locals and visitors alike love the Maple Crème Soft Serve at Emma’s Lake Placid Creamery, and there are numerous other spots to sample some local beer and cuisine.
For a full list of the great restaurants, cafes, breweries, and other dining options in Lake Placid, check out the town’s tourism website.