We just got back from a few days away in Lake Placid. Tbh, I was nervous about this trip. It’s about a 4-4.5 hour drive from our house and we have never taken that long of a road trip with the kids. The lake house is just under two hours and sometimes that can feel like it’s pushing it lol. I wasn’t sure if a trip to Lake Placid would be worth it. I have heard amazing things about the lake front destination, but we have a family lake house that’s easier to get to and on a lake, so I wondered if the drive be worth it with our little kids. But I really wanted to get out and enjoy some adventures this summer, and I’m so glad we made the trip. We had a great time and the car ride wasn’t too bad. It was great to spend some time in a new place as a family. The kids were surprisingly great in the car (ipads, happy meals, and a stop after two hours helped) and Lake Placid is a really great place to visit as a family and I really think it works for kids of all ages. We saw babies through teenagers and beyond there and everyone was having the best time. I wanted to share a recap of our trip and recs for Lake Placid family activities in summer.
Where to Stay
We stayed at Mirror Lake Inn, and highly recommend if you’re traveling with the fam. The location truly can’t be beat. The resort is extremely family-friendly and just makes the trip so easy. It’s located right on Mirror Lake, so you get amazing views from the hotel. The property has an outdoor pool and an indoor pool, which I think is key when you have kids with lots of energy to get out (truly is there a better way to get kids’ energy out than swimming?). They have their own private beach for guests to use where you can relax on the sand or dock, swim, or take a boat out. They have complimentary kayaks, canoes, paddle boards all available to use and towels and beach toys on site as well, so it’s super easy and convenient. There’s a nice swim area with docks to swim out to as well. They also have bikes you can use. The hotel has two restaurants on site, offers a breakfast buffet (and you know how my kids and I love a breakfast buffet), and there are tons of fun things to do around the resort — ping pong, corn hole, giant outdoor chess, fire pits, and more. They also offer s’mores on Saturday night on the beach, which my kids really loved. They have two restaurants – a fancier one called The View (reservations required for dinner) and a more casual option called The Cottage. There’s a spa on site too and I didn’t get a chance to take advantage, but my friend who has been coming to Lake Placid for her entire life says it’s great. The rooms were spacious and great for families. The decor has a really traditional Adirondack feel, which felt really fitting with the destination. And the resort is centrally located so it’s a really quick walk to town where there’s shopping and restaurants and the Olympic stadiums to tour, but you can also walk five minutes in the other direction to get to Lake Placid, which allows motor boats if you want to do tubing or to go on a boat to fish etc.
Where to Eat
The Cottage: This is the more casual restaurant at Mirror Lake Inn. They’re open for lunch and dinner, and don’t take reservations so go early if you want to beat the crowds. The vibe is super casual and fun and you look right out onto the lake. They have indoor and outdoor seating and the service was good and the food was really good. I’d recommend the apricot chicken salad sandwich or adding the chicken salad to any salad, ahi tuna tacos, flat bread pizzas and the reuben.
The View: The fancier restaurant at the Mirror Lake Inn is a great option for a nice dinner and they also have a great spread for the breakfast buffet (you can also order a la carte off the breakfast menu if you prefer). Definitely make reservations for dinner. It is a fancier menu for dinner, so might be better for older kids or date nights. With that said, they’re super accommodating of younger kids but sometimes it’s more fun to enjoy a really good multi-course meal without the littles if you know what I mean.
Maggie’s Pub: This is a great casual dinner spot a friend recommended. The burger and the Putin is really good. Note: the service is a bit slower but the views are amazing.
Emma’s: Do not miss the ice cream here. It is worth every bite. Seriously. I usually find ice cream is ice cream, but this ice cream is really really good, and you can get some crazy sundaes.
Simply Gourmet: A great spot to pick up sandwiches for a picnic, fishing trip, or drive home. There are two locations.
Ere’s Pizza: We got pizza and pasta here our first night and it was great. Very casual and low-key but it’s all homemade and you can get a seat outside overlooking the lake. They have a full Italian menu.
Whiteface Lodge: We didn’t get a chance but friends who have spent a lot of time in Lake Placid recommended eating here, so we’re adding it to our list for next time.
Adirondack Popcorn Co: They have all different types of popcorn and youc an mix and match your bundles, which my kids loved.
What To Do
Canoe, Paddle Board, Kayak: There are so many fun water sports to do on the lake, whether you’re staying on Mirror Lake or Lake Placid. I highly recommend renting a boat (or if you stay at Mirror Lake Inn, they have them all there for you) and getting out on the water. Honestly, if you’re looking for Lake Placid family activities in summer, head to the lake.
Fishing: The boys went on a fishing excursion on Lake Placid with some friends we bumped into randomly (how funny is that?) and it was really fun. They went out for two hours, which I think was the perfect amount of time, but I’m sure you can do 1/2 and full day trips too. James is really into fishing right now, so I’m glad he was able to do this.
Tubing and Water Skiing: You can get a boat and drive to take you out to do waterskiing and tubing on Lake Placid (about a five minute walk from The Mirror Lake Inn). I loved doing this growing up and it’s such a fun activity. I would say that my kids were a bit young except probably for James, but it can still be fun to hang in the boat.
Hiking: There’s so much hiking all around and a great way to check out the scenery and enjoy the fresh air. This is probably one of the most popular Lake Placid family activities in summer because it’s easy to do and there are so many pretty options.
Biking: You could rent bikes, bring your own, or our hotel had them on site. Biking is such a fun way to explore the town and nearby trails.
Beach and Pool: My kids love to swim and play in the water so we spent lots of time at both the beach and pool. Lakes are fun to swim in because you don’t get the waves of the ocean but it’s a nice change of pace from the pool and fun to swim out to the docks.
Movie; If it’s raining, there’s a movie theater in town that you can hit up.
Shopping: There are tons of little stores and restaurants in town to check out.
Cliffside Coaster: This is not an actual rollercoaster but one of. the must-do Lake Placid family activities in summer, and it’s at the Olympic Center.
Olympic Center: In addition to the Cliffside Coaster, there’s rock climbing and you can check out all the Olympics stuff, which is cool.
Whiteface Memorial Highway drive: A really scenic drive that’s great for a rainy day, break from the sun or while one of your kids naps.
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