Winter. I have an ambiguous relationship with the cold season, that feels like the longest season of all. Especially when you’re in a big city like NYC or Vienna, the cold, grey days mostly outweigh the beautiful days with fresh snow, crisp air and glorious sunshine.
And then there are the mountains: As an Austrian I was never far away from them and winters felt much different there. Yes, I could actually really fall for winters. And it happened to me again when we traveled 4.5 hours north of NYC to the Adirondack Mountains. Ok, they’re maybe not as rugged as the Alps, but there certainly was no shortage of snow, ice and all the things that make winters a little bit more fun.
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1. Olympic Sports Complex & Main Street
Lake Placid was our base on our little trip to the Adirondacks. Having hosted two Winter Olympic Games (in 1932 and 1980), the town still is active in winter sports as ever! The top winter attractions in Lake Placid include the Bobsled Run (part of the Olympic Sports Complex, make sure you get so watch some training sessions!) and (probably) frozen Mirror Lake which turns into a huge playground for all ice-related activities. And even if you’re not into sports at all, the town’s Main Street offers everything you’d expect from a resort town.
2. Whiteface Mountain
Nearby Whiteface Mountain is a major ski resort on the American East side and although it was extremely frigid, we grabbed our (rental) skis/snowboard and enjoyed the perfect conditions on the slopes. It felt really good to be back on the board!
3. High Falls Gorge
Make sure you stop at this place when you’re heading to Whiteface Mountain: The High Falls Gorge turns into a frozen wonderland during winter and offers views that are hard to beat!
4. Recommended eats and drinks:
Smoke Signals: Main Street BBQ joint with signature beers and cocktails
Saranac Sourdough: Fresh, house-made sourdough breads and excellent breakfast sandwiches and dishes
Forty-Six (in Keene): Farm-to-table diner with Adirondack cabin vibes. Delicious brunch on weekends!
5. Recommended stay:
Wildwood on the Lake: Cozy, budget-friendly motel with lake access, indoor pool and complimentary coffee and muffins in the morning (bookings are only available through this site)
12 Comments
As always your story was a nice read. I love the photos.
So happy to hear that, thank you!
Nice post. Viel dank. 🙂
I’ve always enjoyed the snow, particularly for skiing.
There is a sensation of purity you seldom find anywhere else.
What I cannot stand about winter is the constant drizzle
of Paris, Brittany or Normandy. That drags you down.
🙂
Cheers
Thank you 🙂 I feel the same, I don’t mind the snow but I can’t stand the grey/cold weather 24-7. But spring is in sight and that’s going to be a great relief!
It will be. It’s already started here. I’ve seen the first flowers on the cherry trees in the garden. 🙂
What a magnificent place to visit Julia; you do visit some stunning places. Am loving the photographs of the frozen waterfall – winter wonderland I agree.
The frozen waterfall was definitely one of my favourite places this winter!
oh ich liebe ja diesen echten, weißen winter in den bergen. nachdem stefan aber leider kein wintersportler ist, verpasse ich das jahr für jahr wieder, weil der aufwand, um außerhalb großer menschenmassen da wohin zu kommen, irgendwie immer zu hoch ist :/ wunderschöne bilder, die jedes mal sehnsucht machen, obwohl ich langsam dringend frühling brauche!
Der Aufwand ist relativ groß, da muss ich dir Recht geben. Ich bin froh dass wir das Zeugs nur ausgeliehen haben – somit haben wir uns zumindest die Schlepperei erspart… Aber Winterwandern wäre ja eine gute Alternative, oder? 😉 Aber jetzt freuen wir uns erst einmal gemeinsam auf den Frühling 😀
oh yesss 🙂
Lake Placid is a fines place for family vacations from all over the world where I stay for two days. I really enjoyed there photography and we came back with many pleasant memories.
Thanks Michel, I feel the same way!