Tops on my list of sights I wanted to see was Herb Brooks Arena, home to the Miracle on Ice when the United States faced the Soviet Union in ice hockey. Walking into that arena, which still looks much like it did in 1980, it's impossible to not imagine the atmosphere that evening.
We paid for a guided tour of the arena and our guide was a gentleman who was not only at the game that evening, but part of the group who traveled to the IOC to bid for the games. His first-hand accounts of events just made the tour that much more amazing!
We also found the locker rooms the hockey teams used that night (they were not open to actually go into), and walked down to the bench for a family photo op!
Right outside the arena you can view the Olympic speed skating oval which also has had memorable moments during the games. You can even skate on it during the winter season!
After leaving the arena we made a short drive over to the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. For just a few dollars per person, you could ride the ski lift up the hill and then take an elevator up to one of the ski jump platforms. As you stand there looking down the jump, our family kept talking about what that rush of adrenaline must be like!
There is a small indoor space at the top of the platform that we learned can actually be rented for weddings or other special events! While we were there, there was a television playing a historic movie talking about Lake Placid's Olympic history with both the ski jump and the bobsled run.
While these are the only two Olympic sites we visited, there are others including the bobsled run and an Olympic Museum. You can learn more about all of the tourist options at www.whiteface.com/facilities/lake-placid-olympic-center.
Along with the Olympic history, our family walked through High Falls Gorge, visited The Wild Center, and just enjoyed the shops and restaurants in downtown Lake Placid.
Here's one of the views from The Wild Center which is a fantastic way to let your Mini Macaronis enjoy the outdoors. A giant spider web and an enormous eagle's nest are just two of the fun spaces to explore!
While we were in Lake Placid, we stayed at The Whiteface Lodge which was simply incredible. Gorgeous rustic rooms, heated indoor and outdoor pools and hot tubs, a game room with bowling lanes, s'mores and other activities for kids, it was like no other place we've ever stayed.
