Where to Stay in Lake Placid

Main Street runs along Mirror Lake and packs everything into a half-mile strip. You can walk from the Olympic Center on Parkside Drive to the shops at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts in 10 minutes. Restaurants like Lisa G's, Smoke Signals, and the Cottage Cafe are all within three blocks. The Crowne Plaza and Mirror Lake Inn sit right on the water. This is where you want to be if you're not skiing every day. Parking is metered and tight in summer, so book a hotel with a lot. Prices spike during the Ironman in July and the holidays.

Best for

First-time visitorscouplesanyone who wants to skip the rental car

Walk times

Olympic Center 5 min
Mirror Lake beach 2 min
High Peaks trailheads: drive 20 min

Skip if: You're here mainly to ski Whiteface and want slope-side access

Local tip: Park once at your hotel and walk. The free trolley loops Main Street in summer if your legs give out.

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$202per night

Mirror Lake West Shore

Quiet lakefront, postcard views

Luxury $220-$550/night

The west shore of Mirror Lake along Mirror Lake Drive is residential and calmer than Main Street. You get the same lake but without the foot traffic. The Mirror Lake Inn sits here, along with smaller B&Bs and rental cottages. It's a 12-minute walk around the north end of the lake to Main Street, or 5 minutes by car. The 2.7-mile lake loop trail starts at your door, which is the best morning walk in town. In winter the lake freezes solid and locals skate on it. Bring boots. Sidewalks are patchy past the Inn.

Best for

Coupleshoneymoonersanyone who wants water views over nightlife

Walk times

Main Street restaurants 12 min
Mirror Lake loop trail 0 min
Olympic Center 15 min

Skip if: You're traveling with kids who'll be bored without arcade and ice cream within 30 seconds

Local tip: Ask for a lake-facing room specifically. Some 'lakeview' rooms face the parking lot with a sliver of water.

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$246per night

Whiteface / Wilmington

Ski-in convenience, lower prices

Mid-range $120-$280/night

Wilmington sits 12 miles northeast on Route 86, right at the base of Whiteface Mountain. Hotels here run 30 to 40 percent cheaper than Main Street. The Hungry Trout and Ledge Rock Hill Resort are the main options, plus dozens of cabins on the AuSable River. You're 20 minutes from Lake Placid by car, but if you're skiing every day at Whiteface, you save an hour of driving. The Flume Knob trailhead and the AuSable River fly fishing are right here. Restaurants are limited to the Hungry Trout, R.F. McDougall's, and a couple of pizza spots.

Best for

Skiersfly fishersbudget travelers with a car

Walk times

Whiteface base lodge: drive 8 min
AuSable River 2 min
Lake Placid Main Street: drive 20 min

Skip if: You don't have a car or you want restaurant variety

Local tip: Route 86 between Wilmington and Lake Placid gets icy after dark in winter. Leave Main Street by 9 PM if you've had wine.

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$134per night

Saranac Avenue Corridor

Budget motels, easy parking

Mid-range $95-$190/night

Saranac Avenue (Route 86) west of downtown is where the chain motels and older mom-and-pop motels cluster. The Best Western, the Art Devlin's Olympic Motor Inn, and the Northwoods Inn run cheaper than anything on Mirror Lake. You're a mile from Main Street, which is a 20-minute walk or a 4-minute drive. The Price Chopper supermarket and the gas stations are right here, which matters if you're cooking or filling up before heading to the High Peaks. Not pretty, not walkable to restaurants, but functional and half the price of downtown.

Best for

Families on a budgetroad tripperslast-minute bookings

Walk times

Main Street 20 min
Price Chopper grocery 5 min
Olympic Center: drive 5 min

Skip if: You want to stumble back to your hotel after dinner without driving

Local tip: The motels closer to Saranac Lake (west end of the strip) are quieter than the ones near the Howard Johnson stretch.

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$106per night