Central Park is familiar to many people, even if they have never been to the City. It has been the location for many TV series and movies. To the locals, it is an escape away from the concrete and noise of Manhattan and to visitors, its lakes, bridges and hidden paths are a welcome change.
USA: New York – Lake Placid
We were lucky enough to get invited to stay with some family friends at their house in the wonderful Lake Placid area in Upstate New York. Set in the high Adirondack mountains this area is renowned for its winter sports activities and has hosted the Winter Olympic Games. Our trip was in the fall so there was no snow but we got to enjoy the splendid fall colours and some very nice weather!
If you visit the area (outside of ski season) here are some ideas of what to do:
Visit the Lake Placid Winter Olympic site
Check out the John Brown farm historic site
Take a gondola ride to the top of Whiteface Mountain
Get a boat out onto Lake Placid
LAKE PLACID WINTER OLYMPIC SITE
Our first expedition in Lake Placid was to visit the Olympic Center with its numerous skating rinks. Unless you were planning to skate or watch the athletes training there was not much to see, but there was a cool simulator ride where you could experience the thrills of being a down hill skier or a member of the bob sled run.
From the Olympic Center we trekked out of town to the bobsled circuits; which looked terrifying, especially the thought of the luge and skeleton events (which are like coming down lying on a tea tray). Our final stop was the ski jump towers – it is difficult to fathom why anybody would want to do this event and how do you learn to do it (they apparently jump into pools of water!!). It still looks hairy, to say the least, and when you see the height of the towers it looks all the more daunting. We decided not to take the trip up to the top primarily because of the cost so instead, we got out for a walk in a nearby area which is used for cross-country skiing.
JOHN BROWN FARM HISTORIC STATE SITE
The John Brown Farm is the burial of site of John Brown (as in the song line “John Brown’s body lies a-mouldering in his grave”). He was one of the original American slavery abolitionists who chose a route of direct action, part of which was a raid on an arsenal at Harpers Ferry in Virginia. He planned to use the captured weapons to give to the slaves to start an uprising. During this raid, two of his sons were killed and he was captured, tried for treason and executed. His body was then carried to his farm in upstate New York where we were now standing. We have planned out much of this journey to take in places we want to visit but it is wonderful to come across surprises like this monument.
OKTOBERFEST FESTIVAL AT WHITEFACE MOUNTAIN
We had wanted to take the ski lift to the top of White Face mountain (albeit outside of ski season) so we could enjoy the spectacular views. For those who don’t know Whiteface, it is the Adirondak Mountains’ principal ski area in upstate New York (and where the Olympic downhill skiing event was run). During the offseason, they continue to provide gondola rides up to the summit. The view from the top was amazing and it was such a clear day we could tens of miles across the tree-lined valleys in their full autumnal glory.
Fortunately for us, our visit to Whiteface coincided with the annual Oktoberfest festival. On the way up in the Gondola we had been behind the Burgermeister and some of the Oktoberfest musicians who, once they got to the summit, were inspired to break outplaying their oompah music.
When we got back down to terra firma we spent some time wandering around the Oktoberfest, which was very home spun but the kids enjoyed trying to pet alpacas and the rock wall, and as always there was hog roast on hand to satisfy the hunger. Towards the end we met up with one of the entertainers on stilts, dressed as a pirate sitting on large ostrich (which was not real – some of you reading might have heard of British children’s entertainer called Berny Clifton … this person was similarly attired). It turned out this man was British and had been an educator in Leicestershire in the UK, which got Karen excited because she had worked in the education system in that county (albeit in prisons). A small world, but fortunately they didn’t have any acquaintances in common…. otherwise we’d never have heard the end.
BOATING ON LAKE PLACID
We finished the day by going around the islands of Lake Placid on a boat trip. The sun was going down so it was a little chilly but nonetheless a beautiful way to finish off the day. The house of the friends we were staying with was on Lake Placid and they had their own boats (some people are so lucky) but there are boat rentals and boat tours that go out onto the lake. It is well worth the effort as the backdrop of the mountains make it a splendid place to potter around for an hour or two.
Best time to visit Lake Placid
An excellent time to plan a trip is between May to August when the temperatures are warm, and the winter sports complexes are still open. For hiking, autumn is the best season; though the temperatures may have dropped, it is worth it for the autumn foliage
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Where to stay in Lake Placid
1. COBBLE MOUNTAIN LODGE
Located in Lake Placid, within 1.2 miles of Lake Placid and 1.3 miles of Herb Brooks Arena, Cobble Mountain Lodge provides accommodations with a shared lounge and free WiFi as well as free private parking for guests who drive. The property is around 1.3 miles from Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum, 2.6 miles from Olympic Ski Jump Complex and 3.1 miles from John Brown Farm State Historic Site. The inn features family rooms.
Complete with a private bathroom equipped with a shower and a hairdryer, guest rooms at the inn have a flat-screen TV and air conditioning, and some rooms are equipped with a seating area. At Cobble Mountain Lodge each room is equipped with bed linen and towels.
Speaking English and Russian at the reception, staff will be happy to provide guests with practical guidance on the area.
2. SNOW GOOSE BED & BREAKFAST
3. KEENE VALLEY LODGE
Located in Keene Valley in the New York State region, Keene Valley Lodge provides accommodations with free WiFi and free private parking.
A buffet breakfast is available daily at the bed and breakfast.
Lake Placid is 19 miles from Keene Valley Lodge, while Saranac Lake is 20 miles away. The nearest airport is Plattsburgh International Airport, 48 miles from the accommodation.
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