The Olympic Sports Complex south of Lake Placid at Mount Van Hoevenberg is home to the only bobsled, luge and skeleton track east of the Rocky Mountains. The facility also has 50 km of cross-country ski trails and a biathlon shooting range. While still used for training and competitions, families can enjoy a day out exploring the Adirondack woods on cross-country skis, or experience the thrill of speeding down the sledding track in a bobsled with a professional driver and brakeman (minimum height is 48 inches or 4 feet).
Northeast of Lake Placid is Whiteface Mountain, site of the alpine skiing events during the 1980 Olympic Winter Games. The mountain features 86 runs, as well as the greatest vertical drop in the eastern United States. Whiteface's Kids Kampus is a fun and safe location for families to learn how to ski or snowboard, and the base for dedicated children and teen programs. After facing the challenges of one of the terrain parks or the rush of a between-the-trees ski run, families can relax at one of six mountainside restaurants.
East of the village center is Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf, an 18-hole adventure golf course. Families can play a round of mini-golf in an 18th-century village under the occupation of pirates. The course features sunken ships, pirates and waterfalls, as well as entertainment from pirates and other characters. Designed to entertain both children and adults, the course provides panoramic views of Lake Placid and the surrounding mountains.
An initiative of the Adirondack Railway Preservation Society, the Adirondack High Peaks Wilderness Train is a 20-mile scenic rail journey from Lake Placid Station to the Saranac Lake Union Depot. Visitors can explore Saranac Lake during a 45-minute layover, or spend a night or two in the village before returning to Lake Placid. Saranac Lake is a popular destination for fishing, boating, hiking and horseback riding. The Mount Pisgah Ski Area is also located in the village.
