36 Hours: Lake Placid, N.Y.
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| From left: Young hockey players in action in the 1980 Olympic Center arena in Lake Placid, NY.; Winter view from Treetop guestroom at Lake Placid Lodge Lake Placid, NY. Whiteface Mt.; scene at Saranac Sourdough a breakfast/lunch/deli in Lake Placid, NY. |
By LIONEL BEEHNER
Published: December 8, 2011
LAKE PLACID can feel cryogenically frozen in time — 1980 to be exact, which was when this secluded pocket of the Adirondacks hosted its second Winter Olympics. The towering ski jumps and toboggan runs, not to mention the “Miracle on Ice” hockey rink, look much as they did when Jimmy Carter was in office. But over the last few decades Lake Placid has quietly been adding non-Olympic attractions, including sophisticated farm-to-table restaurants, higher-grade lodgings and a gleaming convention center. Luckily the downtown has not lost its aura of Adirondack authenticity, with A-frame cottages and unpretentious boutiques drawing plenty of nonskiers. If the town were not smothered in Olympic logos, visitors might forget about its Olympics connections and think they had wandered into an idyllic Swiss hamlet.
Friday
6 p.m.
1. MIRROR IMAGE
First things first: That placid body of water next to town is not Lake Placid — it’s Mirror Lake. To see Placid, head a few miles out of town to the Lake Placid Lodge (144 Lodge Way; 518-523-2700; lakeplacidlodge.com). This icon of the Adirondacks burned to the ground a few years back. But the lodge was recently rebuilt, all 30,000 square feet, including its grand porch strewn with rustic chairs handbuilt from gnarled twigs, its stone fireplaces crowned with moose heads, and its diamond-paned windows offering sweeping lake views. The lodge has a restaurant, Artisans, with a menu custom-made for carnivores. Try the local strip loin and Maine lobster ($50) or pork osso buco ($32). Most tables overlook the lake; or you can ask to dine in the cozy wine cellar.
8 p.m.
2. MOONLIGHT SKATING
The original skating oval from the 1932 Games was left intact and is one of the country’s few Olympic-size (400 meter) rinks left in the country (Main Street; 518-523-1655; whiteface.com). Entry is $8 a person, with skate rentals costing $3. It can get chilly, but there’s a giant fire pit to stay toasty. Or head inside to the indoor rink ($7).
Saturday
7:30 a.m.
3. SOURDOUGH BREAKFAST
Skip the greasy buffet at the hotel and head to Saranac Sourdough (2126 Saranac Avenue; 518-523-4897). For over a decade, Eileen Black and her husband have been serving up yeasty sourdough breads like raisin brioche ($6.50) and tangy sourdough pancakes ($5.50) in their converted log cabin. The room is encased in swirling twigs and Impressionist paintings of the Adirondacks. Try the Gordie ($9.95), a mountain-size stack of pancakes, meats and sourdough toast.
9 a.m.
4. INTO THIN AIR
Ignore the “Iceface” moniker, which refers to the windswept face and notoriously icy conditions of Lake Placid’s signature ski hill. Whiteface Mountain (518-946-2223; whiteface.com) has been stepping up its snow-making capacities and even recently added a whole new face, Lookout Mountain. For daredevils, take the gondola up to the top of Little Whiteface and ski down to the Summit Quad to be spirited up to the highest ski point — a cool 4,386 feet above sea level. There you can feast your eyes on the breathtaking altitudes of the Adirondack peaks. Cloudspin, immortalized in the 1980 Olympic Games, is a challenging run perfect for speedsters. Serious tree skiers will opt for the Slides, a steep chute of dense glades, while bump addicts should head to Mountain Run, a vast canvas of fluffy moguls. Cruisers practicing their S-turns should try the newly carved and never-ending Wilmington Trail that winds along a steep and picturesque ravine, or Excelsior, a twisty run popular among snowboarders.
Noon
5. WINE, CHEESE, VENISON
Whiteface’s dining options can feel more rusty than rustic. For a pleasant exception, try the new J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines Café at the base lodge, which serves up tasty platters of French cheeses ($17.95), as well as chef’s salads, paninis and Cajun-seared salmon on ciabatta rolls. They all go well with a Belgian hot chocolate ($3) or hot mulled wine ($7). For something less fancy, swing by the deck at the midstation Boule’s Bistro, where on Saturdays you might find sunburned locals dressed like Eskimos grilling up venison on their hibachis.
2 p.m.
6. HOCKEY AND MORE
Smack in the middle of town is Lake Placid’s main attraction: the Olympic Center (2634 Main Street; 518-523-1655). It is a draw for not just hockey dads but also winter sports buffs. The museum displays an impressive collection of miscellany, like coach Herb Brooks’s natty suit (or at least the one worn by Kurt Russell, who played him in “Miracle on Ice”), monogrammed ice skates, and Olympic torches from past games that look like medieval weapons. Upstairs a new motion theater ($10) featuring films from a first-person perspective and mechanized seats simulate the feeling of soaring off a ski jump or barreling down a bobsled run ($10). The main attraction remains the hockey rink — a smallish arena whose rafters are festooned with American flags.
3:30 p.m.
7. TOP OF THE WORLD
Take the glass-enclosed elevator up 120 meters to the top of the Olympic Jumping Complex (52 Ski Jump Lane; 518-523-2202). The observation deck offers spectacular sunset views of the Adirondacks’ majestic peaks. Entrance to the observation deck costs $11. At the base there is a medals-ceremony podium draped in flags for picture taking. Off to the side, the complex recently installed a 700-foot-long tube park under the lights; $8 an hour.
7 p.m.
8. ADIRONDACK FOODIES
The Custard Mustard N’ Brew has changed its name and is closed in the winters, but nostalgia seekers can still find a Howard Johnson’s (2099 Saranac Avenue; 518-523-2241; lakeplacidhojos.com), one of three still standing, just up the street. Another locals’ favorite is Liquids and Solids (6115 Sentinel Road; 518-837-5012; liquidsandsolids.com). Don’t be fooled by its dive-bar facade and no-frills interior; this recently opened gastro-pub boasts an inventive “solids” menu, combining innovative farm-to-table dishes like Utica-style chard ($12) or rabbit confit gnocchi ($22). There’s also a daily poutine, as well as the tastiest burger ($9) around, smothered in aioli on a focaccia roll and served with sides like maple baked beans.
9 p.m.
9. BAR HOPPING
Unlike many ex-Olympic Villages, Lake Placid’s Main Street retains its party atmosphere all winter, luring tourists and townies alike to commingle over pints of local lager. Zigzags (134 Mirror Lake Drive; 518-523-8221), named for the deadliest pair of turns on the old bobsled course, is a lively bar that doubles as a shrine to bobsled paraphernalia, yellowed world maps and vintage signs reminiscent of a Brooklyn dive. By 10 p.m., the place fills up with rugged-looking locals in floppy dog-eared hats and flannel shirts, as a live band belts out oldies. For something less crowded, you could head to the Cottage (77 Mirror Lake Drive; 518-523-2544; mirrorlakeinn.com), a rustic spot overlooking Mirror Lake that offers a late-night (after 9 p.m.) happy hour. Drinks start at $3.
Sunday
10 a.m.
10. MUSH MUCH?
Greet the morning with the sounds of eight Alaskan huskies barking and pulling a sled across a glistening Mirror Lake. For $10, John Houghton (518-891-6239) will take you on a brisk loop of the lake, starting from the boathouse where Main Street turns into Mirror Lake Drive. Bring a blanket to pile on top of the one provided to stay warm for the 10-minute ride.
11 a.m.
11. DEVIL’S HIGHWAY
No trip to Lake Placid is complete without a bobsled ride ($80 a person). The track (220 Bob Run Lane, Route 73; 518-523-4436), rebuilt a decade back, is a squiggly chute of steel, concrete and ice that allows amateur bobsledders to reach speeds of over 50 miles per hour. You share the sled with a pair of pros who look like members of the Navy Seals. Another recent addition is the skeleton ride ($65). Not to be confused with the luge, this is a face-first solo thrill ride aboard what feels like a cafeteria tray affixed to steel runners. Who said Lake Placid had lost its Olympic mojo?
IF YOU GO
The main strip of Lake Placid is full of cheap cottages, cabins and condos. But for true Adirondack-style luxury, rent one of the 19 Lincoln Log-looking cabins at the Lake Placid Lodge (144 Lodge Way; 518-523-2700; lakeplacidlodge.com), which are pet-friendly and come equipped with crackling stone fireplaces and deep-soaking “antique-style” porcelain tubs. Rooms start at $575.
A more family-friendly option — there’s even a bowling alley on the premises — is the Whiteface Lodge (7 Whiteface Inn Lane; 518-523-0500; thewhitefacelodge.com). No lakeside views but private beach access. Suites start at $450.
http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/travel/36-hours-lake-placid-ny.html?hpw=&pagewanted=all
