Hotels in Lake Placid

Lake Placid: Adirondack Olympic Town

Lake Placid, a village of roughly 2,500 residents in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York, hosted the Winter Olympics twice — in 1932 and 1980. The 1980 Games are remembered for the U.S. hockey team's upset victory over the Soviet Union, a moment tied permanently to the Olympic Center on Main Street. That arena still hosts public skating and competitive events year-round.

Where to Stay and Getting Around

Hotels cluster along Mirror Lake Drive and Main Street, placing guests within walking distance of the lake, the Olympic Museum, and the town's restaurant strip. The Whiteface Mountain ski area sits 11 miles northeast via Route 86 and offers 3,430 feet of vertical drop — the greatest in the northeastern U.S. Summer visitors use Lake Placid as a base for hiking High Peaks Wilderness, where 46 peaks exceed 4,000 feet.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Albany International Airport is 130 miles south; no direct rail service reaches the village.
• Season: Ski season runs roughly December–March; fall foliage peaks mid-October.
• Pack layers: Elevation keeps temperatures 10–15°F cooler than surrounding lowlands even in July.
• Book early: Olympic events and Iron Man triathlons fill hotels months in advance.