When it comes to packing for your Lake Placid vacay, the biggest tip to remember is you’ll want to dress in layers. It can be warm in the sun, but cold at the top of the mountain, in the shade, and after dark. Avoid cotton clothes (more on that below). And be prepared for afternoon showers. Obviously, packing lists will vary depending on what activities you prefer and how long you plan to stay. Here are a few guidelines based on what we pack.

Looking to catch live music while visiting Lake Placid? It’s hard to beat sitting outside in the park or hanging out on a deck and jamming to great tunes. Here are a few spots to catch a band in the summertime.

At the cottage, we offer the ubiquitous Keurig and k-cups to get guests started. We also have a Chemex and Hario immersion dripper for pour over options and a trusty French Press, but suggest guests either bring or buy their own coffee beans. BYOB … Because any good coffee aficionado knows that fresh beans are key. So, where’s the best place to get coffee beans — or just a good latte — in Lake Placid? Here are our top recommendations.

No one ever expects to have to deal with an emergency when on vacation, but it happens. Eric broke his leg on a ski trip once, and I know from experience how stressful it can be dealing with these situations when you’re away from home. I put together the following contact list for our cottage guests, and sharing it here for reference

Even though the Adirondacks are a destination for the outdoorsy types, there are still plenty of cultural arts to enjoy. If you’re ready for a dose of some science, art, music and history, here’s my pick of exhibits and performances to check out.

Three of our favorite hikes with less than 2,000 feet of elevation gain (but more than 1,500 feet of gain). These mountain hikes may not be as difficult as the 46 High Peaks, but they are plenty challenging for many hikers and offer great views. The designation of easy, moderate or hard is completely in the eye of the individual hiker. HYOH! Hike your own hike.

As anyone who visits the Adirondacks knows, soft serve ice cream is where it’s at in the summertime. Many of these little one-room walk-up houses of deliciousness are only open Memorial Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, with few exceptions. This makes them truly the taste of summer. I also love that they offer limited flavors that change frequently. Get the scoop on where we get our cones.

Farmers’ Markets are a summer staple. It’s a wonderful way to support local farmers and small batch businesses, and get some tasty treats like artisan cheeses, sausages, fresh yogurt and more. Here’s our list of Adirondack farmers’ markets near Lake Placid for summer 2022, as well as some of my favorite stalls.

For families traveling with little ones, sometimes a good park is all you need to get some energy out. We got you! Here’s our list of four parks and amusements for kids visiting Lake Placid.

When you hit a few days of cold, wet and rainy weather — it happens — and are on the verge of cabin fever, you can likely find a class, workshop or lecture to change your perspective. Even if it’s an outdoor class, at least you’re having fun while sporting your rain gear. There’s literally something for everyone. We sign up for several each year to break up the hiking/paddling days and meet new people. Here’s a list of activity calendars we check for classes.

Prepare a home-cooked meal without cooking it at home! These five markets in and around Lake Placid sell frozen prepared meals that you can heat and eat without much fuss.

Here’s our pup’s list of her top 5 favorite places to hang with us for an outdoor meal near Lake Placid, New York.