This upstate New York village feels straight out of Switzerland

Lake Placid sparkles with the charm of a European alpine village. Set against the Adirondack Mountains in northeastern New York and steeped in winter Olympics history, Lake Placid’s appeal stacks up against any Swiss village—minus the transatlantic flight. 

Located near its namesake lake, the village of Lake Placid is a popular base for exploring the Adirondack Mountains. Highlights include Mirror Lake and its scenic perimeter footpath and the Olympic Museum, which tells the story of how the area came to host the winter games.

For many travelers, Lake Placid’s main draw is as a gateway to the Adirondacks. At 6.2 million acres, Adirondack Park is bigger than Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains, Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Glacier national parks combined. In 1892, New York State law established that the Adirondacks are to remain “forever wild” as public lands. 

Since then, millions of visitors have enjoyed open access to the majestic Adirondack Park, many of them launching from Lake Placid. Most travelers reach the town by car, which is less than five hours’ drive from New York City and Boston, and even faster from Albany, Burlington, Montreal, and Ottawa.

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City dwellers began swapping summer heat for the Adirondacks’ cool mountain air (averaging 70-75°F, June through August) in the early 1800s, a tradition that “helped shape the very idea of a ‘vacation,’” says Mary Jane Lawrence, chief operating officer of the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism.

The 1869 book by William H.H. Murray, Adventures in the Wilderness: Or, Camp-life in the Adirondacks, states as much, and helped inspire New Yorkers and Bostonians to “vacate” their sweltering cities for Adirondack Park summer escapes. (Although back then the journey was closer to 36 hours long.)

A Lake Placid native, Lawrence notes that there’s a strong kinship between her home region and comparable European destinations. “The Adirondacks share a surprising number of similarities with Swiss alpine villages like St. Moritz—walkable, quaint main streets like Lake Placid, access to lakes and mountains, a strong food scene, and deep Olympic history, all within a small town of around 5,000 people.”

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The lake town’s architecture also echoes that of alpine hamlets, distinguished by heavy stone foundations and steeply pitched timber roofs. Similarities don’t stop there—both St. Moritz and Lake Placid were built around scenic lakes, each with a 2.7-mile lakeside promenade.

The best time to visit Lake Placid

Lake Placid is gorgeous all year, but each season brings special experiences. 

While winter is Lake Placid’s signature season, “summer reveals another side of the Adirondacks,” Lawrence says, with clear waters for paddling and plenty of scenic hiking trails. “Paddling on Mirror Lake or enjoying an espresso at a sidewalk café while taking in the surrounding peaks—the atmosphere feels distinctly European,” Lawrence adds.

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Spring and fall show nature’s full spectrum with colorful wildflowers and foliage best experienced from the summit of Whiteface Mountain. For stunning waterfalls, head to High Falls Gorge, which has accessible walkways. Adventurous travelers can try ziplining at the Lake Placid Ski Jumping Complex, while others can take a leisurely gondola ride up for mountain views. 

But nothing compares to winter in Lake Placid. Just 30 minutes north of town by car, Whiteface Mountain is New York’s top ski destination, with nearly 100 trails and slopes for all ski levels. About 15 minutes south of Lake Placid, Mount Van Hoevenberg is a hub for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and trying out Olympic sports like luge and biathlon. As temperatures drop, locals and visitors head to Mirror Lake for ice fishing and surrounding areas for snowmobiling.

Lake Placid’s Olympic history 

Along with St. Moritz and Innsbruck, Austria, Lake Placid is one of just three cities to host the Winter Olympic Games twice (in 1932 and 1980). Visitors experience this key chapter in the town’s history through activities like ice skating on the historic Olympic speedskating oval—one of several venues for Olympics competitions that continues to hold world tournaments.

The Lake Placid Olympic Museum has interactive exhibits and preserves artifacts. It’s also home to the Herb Brooks Arena, where the U.S. hockey team defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics game known as the “Miracle on Ice.”

“It’s about experiencing a place where Olympic history continues to be written,” says Darcy Norfolk Rowe, communications director for the New York State Olympic Regional Development Authority. “Visitors can watch elite athletes train, experience a bobsled ride, visit the Olympic Museum, ski at Whiteface, or attend an international competition—all in the same destination.”

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Adding to the international flair of Lake Placid is a steady flow of athletes, coaches, officials, and spectators from around the world. “One of the most exciting trends we’re seeing is what I call ‘athlete tourism,’” says Rowe. “Visitors are no longer simply sightseeing—they’re recreating alongside elite athletes. They become part of the experience rather than just observers.”

Arts, food, and brews in Lake Placid 

Lake Placid is an outdoor lover’s dream, but its natural beauty also feeds the area’s vibrant art and culinary scenes. Art galleries, live music venues, and regional theater groups fill calendars all year. The Lake Placid Center for the Arts is a popular site for a mix of performances. Fall brings the Lake Placid Film Festival, with screenings at the historic Palace Theatre.

Dining spans lovely lakeside restaurants and cozy lodges serving hearty meals. The Breakfast Club, Etc., for example, serves French-toast fondue and rösti, a classic Swiss-inspired potato dish. Après-ski recovery may call for filling dishes at the Cottage at Mirror Lake, Lisa G’s, or European-inspired Caffe Rustica.

The Adirondacks may not yet rival Switzerland and Austria when it comes to breweries. But Lake Placid has an impressive craft beer scene with five hometown taprooms pouring traditional lagers and seasonal ales. Award-winning Lake Placid Pub & Brewery pours year-round ales and seasonal microbrews and has a dog-friendly beer garden overlooking Mirror Lake. Meanwhile oenophiles can sip Finger Lakes wines paired with comfort dishes at places like handsome Sentinel & Station. 

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Where to stay in Lake Placid

Rowe says that families and couples often favor Main Street and Mirror Lake hotels, including the Grand Adirondack Hotel and Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort. 

Budget-friendly Wildwood on the Lake and Town House Lodge are ideal for casual mini-resort stays near the lake. The Hampton by Hilton Lake Placid sports a ski lodge-inspired design and balcony guestrooms, some overlooking Mirror Lake. 

European-inspired Whiteface Lodge and Mirror Lake Inn make the most of the Adirondacks’ natural splendor, perfect for making special memories.