Famous for Olympic history and skiing at Lake Placid, the Adirondacks are a wonderland in every season. You’ll find family-friendly hospitality and fun adventures amid sky-high mountains, deep forests and jewel-toned lakes. Scenic drives, chairlift and gondola rides, river cruises, and trails that range from gentle to challenging, provide awesome views and access to spectacular landmarks.
Choose activities that fit your preference and schedule. You could spend a few hours or an entire day at each one. You can also choose from an amazing range of places to stay, whether it‘s under the stars at an island campground, in a Great Camp cabin, or at a four-star family resort.
Day One
Sure, you’re out in the wilderness, but you’re not alone. You’ll find lots of family-fun activities here, like guided wildlife walks and lunch around the campfire. There’s a safe and easy trail system (even stroller-friendly), hands-on exhibits, and lots of information on events, attractions, and hospitality nearby. FamilyFun.com gives this place a high rating. And there’s more good news: admission is free.
Tour this rustic yet elegant Great Camp that served as President Calvin Coolidge’s Summer White House in the 1920s. On a secluded lake in Paul Smiths, not far from Lake Placid, you’ll follow lakeside paths to see the boathouse, island bridge, a Japanese Tea House, and other surprising features, and learn about the camp’s unique history. White Pine now offers cabins for rent year round. Great amenities include free use of the canoes, kayaks, and rowboats. Many families return to “their” Great Camp every year.
Day Two
Relive the golden age of railroading, when the rich and famous traveled to their Great Camps. The Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness Train adventure is a 20-mile round trip from Lake Placid to Saranac Lake. You can depart from either station and take time to walk through the village of Saranac Lake or Lake Placid before heading back. Spend the day or just a few hours; it’s 45 minutes each way with a 45-minute layover.
It’s so beautiful there you may want to spend the night, but the Loj is open to day hikers, too. The closest access point to the High Peaks Wilderness, the Loj offers supervised nature treks for learners, families, and younger kids as well as educational programs. You can also stock up on water, use the bathroom, and get important weather information.
Day Three
Explore the legacy of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympic Games at Lake Placid. You can watch replays of historic highlights and see the uniforms and equipment used by some of the world's greatest athletes. One of the most stirring exhibits is dedicated to the 1980 US Olympic hockey team.
Watch some of the world’s finest figure skaters perform at the site of the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Winter Games. On a tour, you‘ll learn about the “Miracle on Ice,” one of the greatest moments in sports history. Rent some skates and head to one of the four rinks. You can even take a few laps on the Olympic Speed Skating Oval, where Eric Heiden made history.
Take a chairlift or elevator ride to the sky-deck atop the 120-meter ski jump tower. You’ll get a whole new perspective on ski jumping. From here to Albany, there’s nothing taller. At the Freestyle Aerial Training Center and competition site, freestylers defy the laws of gravity on a daily basis. In summer, there's a 750,000-gallon pool that makes quite a splash. Running through mid-October, the chairlift also offers spectacular views of the fall foliage.
Day Four
Head to Wilmington, where the whole family can ride together on the eight-passenger Cloudsplitter, called the most scenic gondola in North America. You’ll travel to the top of Little Whiteface with awesome views of the High Peaks, Ausable River and the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. Take a family photo and have lunch at the summit, where picnic tables await. Hardy travelers bring mountain bikes and ride down on the trails. It’s open through October 18.
Just beyond the entrance to the Whiteface Mountain Ski Center in Wilmington, a half-mile walking tour reveals the natural wonder of the Ausable River. Hiking along paths and catwalks along the gorge, you’ll feel the spray from three waterfalls that cascade 700 feet over ancient granite cliffs. You can also pan for gemstones and fossils at the gift shop.
This five-mile highway in Wilmington will lead you on a scenic drive to the top of the fifth-highest mountain in the Adirondacks. Taking in the panoramic views of the High Peaks, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world.
Day Five
Take a scenic raft or tube adventure through a maze of rock formations sculpted over thousands of years by the river's currents. Year round walking tours follow nature trails past wild waterfalls and gorges and explore the chasm. There are also nighttime guided lantern tours and a campground with great facilities for families. Tours continue into leaf peeping season and even wintertime, when the spectacular ice formations will make you gasp. Afterwards, you can roast marshmallows over a warming campfire.
Does Lake Champlain harbor a monster? Come take a look. Claims of sightings of “Champ,” as locals call him, have been made for almost 200 years. They predate those of Scotland’s Loch Ness monster. Now, you might even see him on YouTube. Ausable Point’s day-use area is perfect for picnicking and Champ-watching. If you have no luck finding Champ, don’t worry. There’s also fishing, hiking, and a large sandy beach for summertime swimming.