Looking for a beautiful getaway or some amazing skiing?
Look no further than Lake Placid!
Some of my college friends and I had a weekend getaway in the Lake Placid area this past weekend and we had SO much fun - I just have to share!
For accommodations, we opted to stay in a VRBO in Jay, New York. Jay is about 25 minutes outside of Lake Placid, offering beautiful views and a quiet environment.
Thursday night we arrived at our cabin in Jay, NY. This cabin was absolutely perfect for our friend group, and would be great for a family get away as well!
Friday morning, we got up early to head to White Face Mountain! The mountain opens at 8:30am, and I highly recommend getting there first thing. We purchased our passes online and getting them printed off was so easy. Following this, my husband took his skis to be waxed in the “Pro Shop” while I got my rentals. Rentals were very easy to deal with and surprisingly affordable!
Once everyone was ready to go, we all headed up the main gondola. Looking up the mountain was a bit intimidating at first, but the ride up was breathtakingly beautiful and definitely calmed my nerves. Once we got to the top of “Little Whiteface” (3,676 ft elevation), the views were indescribable. We were enveloped in clouds, looking down at clouds, yet could still see part of the “Whiteface Summit” (4,867 ft elevation) completely covered in clouds.
[Wondering how I stayed warm in single digit temperatures? My base layers were: Stella Leggings, Peyton Turtleneck, Cubby Hoodie, Joey Socks, Extreme Crew Socks, and Neck Gaiter! Thanks Woolx!]
Of course, the trails range from green to double black diamonds, and are always very clearly labeled. All trails we encountered were very well kept and even though there were a good bit of people there, it never felt busy!
After a few rides down the mountain, we stopped for a quick lunch. I was blown away by all of the dining options available! There is a lodge about ½ way down the mountain to stop for refreshments, the base lodge, and a little hut by the main gondola labeled “The Waffle Cabin”. The Waffle Cabin had THE BEST hot chocolate!
After a long day of skiing, we headed back to the house and had a night in with tacos and board games.
Saturday we decided to go for a ½ day of skiing then explore town. The mountain was definitely busier on Saturday, but still just as beautiful and fun. When lunch time came around, we headed to downtown Lake Placid and had lunch at Origin Coffee.
[Wearing 2 pairs of Stella leggings, Hannah top, Cubby Hoodie, Baylor Beanie, and Milo Socks]
After some food to fuel us up, we headed to the Olympic Stadium to see where the “Miracle on Ice” occurred in the 1980 Olympics. The scoreboard was still displayed and there was actually a youth team playing a game on the ice. This stadium has been so well maintained over the years!
We walked the entire downtown strip and encountered some great shops! Most, if not all, of these shops are locally owned. Some of mention are:
- Popcorn Shop
- Beef Jerky Shop
- Gallery 46 for the Fine Arts (art, especially locally made or inspired)
- The Bookstore Plus (books, art, art supplies, custom framing)
- Imagination Station (souvenirs and some funny items)
-
Pure Placid (candles, soaps, lotions, scrubs that are ALL locally made. They even have a make your own candle bar!)
After all that walking, we stopped for a bagel at Soulshine to tie us over until dinner. This delicious bagel shop is so small that if you blink, you might miss it, but it is a must! After our bagels, we headed across the road to an overlook to Mirror Lake. This view is absolutely amazing! Since the lake was frozen, there were even dog sleds giving rides across the lake!
When it was time for dinner, we very excitedly headed to Jimmy’s 21 Lakeside Italian Restaurant. We were lucky enough to get seated by the window overlooking Mirror Lake and had a fabulous experience there! From the bread all the way to the Creme Brule, everything was amazing!
Sunday came much too fast and it was unfortunately time to leave. All of us headed to Soulshine again for some breakfast sandwiches and coffee. We also stopped by “Candy Man” to get chocolates for our family. Candy Man does offer online ordering for anyone interested in some delicious chocolate!
The drive home was absolutely beautiful. As we left, we were discussing all of amazing places we went to, the pristine ski slopes, and the overall great time we had. We will definitely be going back soon!
