Lake Placid in New York has always been associated with the Winter Olympics. And there’s a good reason for this. The multi-sport event came to America’s shores in this sleepy village back in 1932, thanks to the efforts of father-and-son duo Godfrey and Melvil Dewey.
For a bit of trivia, the Dewey Decimal System that’s still used in some libraries today was invented by Melvil Dewey in 1876.
Nevertheless, there were four bidders for the Winter Olympics, including, of all places, sunny California. Ultimately, the honor was awarded to Lake Placid.
To date, Lake Placid holds the distinction as the only two places that hosted the Winter Olympics twice. The other location is in St. Moritz in Switzerland.
A Summer Getaway
Lake Placid has a population of around 2,700 people. However, during the summer, you will really see the number of people swell up as visitors from all over the globe troop to this sleepy village for a little bit of recreation.
During the summer, you rarely find available Lake Placid cabin rentals as every room is filled up. Some tourists bring in an RV or campers, while some pitch a tent at a community lake. Because of the location, it’s really encouraged that you spend at least overnight in the village. After all, it’s a five-hour drive from Manhattan to Lake Placid, so you could afford to spend so much time here.
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Adrenaline Rush All-Year Round
While families will really appreciate the opportunity to just sit around, swim lazily, bond with their kids, and commune with nature, Lake Placid is always ready to accommodate thrill-seekers who are looking for an adrenaline rush.
Lake Placid is designed for outdoor recreation. Its natural wonders provide a perfect setting for visitors to go hiking, biking, trail running, exploring, camping, mountaineering, cliff-diving, paragliding, zip-lining, hunting, swimming, fishing, and skiing.
Winter Olympics Mecca
Lake Placid hosted the Winter Olympics in 1932 and another in 1980. As such, people visit the area to see the sites of the Winter Olympics. To the credit of local officials, they turned the sites into attractions as they host regular Winter Olympic tours.
There’s also a Winter Olympics Museum, which draws about 35,000 visitors annually. Most of the exhibits are interactive, so kids can have fun trying out some of the official events of the Olympic Museum.
Lake Placid welcomes about 3.3 million visitors each year. However, most of them visit the area during the summer. The number could be more since the stats only tracked overnight visitors. Plan your visit well and make reservations for Lake Placid cabin rentals as early as possible to ensure your accommodations.
Don’t let the name fool you. There’s nothing placid about Lake Placid. You can probably build a camp, go fishing with your kids, or kayaking in one of the lakes. There are plenty of opportunities in the area to do that. Moreover, if you are the adventurous type who wants to experience an adrenaline rush, then Lake Placid is for you.
