These Towns in The Adirondack Mountains Come Alive in Winter

The Adirondack Mountains are where the winter magic is alive and pumping, and you still have over two months to catch its vivacious fever! Lake Placid, with Whiteface Mountain, a world-class ski resort, has been a renowned go-to vacation spot for winter escapades since the 1930s Olympics, while Bolton Landing is a hidden gem with second-to-none lodging and access to Lake George Region's best outdoor adventures!

Amid the snow-covered mountains with glistening lakes and white trails, these nine towns beat with red-hot hearts as festivities take over the cold season. Saranac Lake Winter Festival is one of the nation's oldest, dating back to 1897, while Lake George's carnival takes place through February! With a frozen lake nearby, you can enjoy ice fishing and skating, as well as dusted trails for cross-country skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing.

Bolton Landing

This hamlet is a hidden gem along the western shore of Lake George, just 10 miles north of the bigger village. While some just enjoy the great lodgings here, Bolton Landing has been a destination in itself for two centuries, with access to Lake George Region's finest hiking, biking, and skiing trails. Home to around 418 and full of dining experiences, visitors can enjoy a historic restaurant on the lake, unique shops, and even a butterfly farm. Equipped with its own public beaches and marina, you can relax on a stroll at the waterfront Veteran's Memorial Park or take a chartered cruise from the shoreline, with sweeping lake and mountain views from either side!

Home to the adrenaline-packed Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course at the gateway to the Adirondack State Parklands, it is an adventurer's dream with nature trails for every length and ability, as well as further islands of Lake George Narrows if boating is still available. There is lodging for every request, like family-friendly resorts, cozy cottages, and lakeside accommodations, while a weather-permitting balloon ride would be an extra-special experience with jaw-dropping mountain scenery! Within minutes, via Sagamore Road, you can explore the aptly named Green Island and unwind on the southern tip at The Pavilion Lakeside Dining.

Canton

Canton, just a 20-minute hop from the Canadian border, is a charming town for a winter getaway with two universities and a population of just over 7,000! The crowd from both institutions of over 5,500 students gives a vibrant jolt to the downtown area, which is already festive and thriving with two historic districts and destination businesses like Nature's Storehouse and Grasse River Outfitters. You can take a self-guided tour through the old town with early twentieth-century sights.

The nearby Grasse and Oswegatchie rivers extend your adventures to the natural waterfront for strolls as well as great boating. Canton, most lively in the shoulder seasons and picturesque winters, is a great base with comforts and student-oriented prices to call base and explore outward into the Adirondacks! It is also your ultimate opportunity to enjoy a fun day trip and finally get to see the capital of Canada, just over an hour's drive north of the border!

Elizabethtown

This town, as if in the middle of nowhere, is one of the Empire's most scenically charged! South of Elizabethtown, Split Rock Falls is a natural drop-off area with the spilling Boquet River in a series of beautiful waterfalls and deep pools just off Route 9. A popular place to cool off in the summer, you can still relax at the base of the beautiful falls with unforgettable photo ops that make you forget you are in the state altogether! The first snow in Elizabethtown signals locals to bolt from their cozy home abode to public skating, hiking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and even hunting in the surrounding area.

Although home to just over 1,000 people, Elizabethtown is more than just a small slice of the picturesque Adirondacks, with county and state officials and the region's Adirondack History Museum. The thriving town in Essex County features top-notch services and no shortage of lodging for an authentic, old-fashioned Adirondacks experience with fireplaces and modern comforts. You can enjoy significant artifacts from the last two centuries on display at the museum, while its 58-foot fire tower still features portions of two historic towers.

Lake George

Not as far as some towns nor as famous—we're looking at you, two-time Olympic Winter Games host—Lake George is the golden middle, making for an exciting yet relaxing lakeside getaway in the Empire State. Coming alive during the winter months, Lake George is hands down, one of the best bases to explore the extensive Adirondacks of New York, including cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. From the many nearby trails to downhill skiing at the proximate Gore and West Mountains, both provide excellent snowboarding opportunities, cozy trails, and a fun après-ski scene.

The annual Lake George Winter Carnival since the 1960s is an ample excuse for a visit, with its wide array of family-friendly activities and events every weekend in February! Enjoy easy access from downtown Lake George to the spectacular Lake George Wild Forest to get "lost" in winter wonderland, just a hop from all the comforts and amenities! You can snowshoe up or around Prospect Mountain or take a horse-drawn wagon ride down Canada Street, as well as go snowmobiling on the lake—a big draw once it freezes over—for other fun things like ice skating and fishing.

Lake Placid

A hop from Saranac Lake, Lake Placid is among the farthest towns in the region, which doesn't stop it from being a globe-sought-after destination! Even Olympic games were held along these slopes of the Adirondacks in 1932 and again in 1980! Home to avid outdoor lovers, Lake Placid holds its fame near and dear at the must-visit Olympic Center for a taste of history and activities like four indoor ice rinks and a bobsled Olympic track open to visitors! Boasting the highest vertical drop in the East Coast area, Whiteface Mountain, a world-class ski resort with unreplicable skiing and snowboarding for all levels, draws most visitors to town once the snow flies.

Not far behind are the winding miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails through the forests and around the lakes! The town with two lakes turns up the holiday vibe downtown, and together with nature's own wicked charms, it makes for one hell of a winter mountain getaway. With a snow cover on Lake Placid, you can admire it while ice skating on the magical Mirror Lake and easily get caffeinated or a bite to eat along the charming Main Street with other adventures nearby. You can warm up at cozy cafes and inviting restaurants while watching soft snowflakes fall against the mountains and stick around for after-holiday sales through unique shops. 

Old Forge

Ensconced by the picturesque ring of High Peaks, the cozy hamlet of Old Forge is the "Adirondack Base Camp," indeed! Old Forge enjoys its own Mountainman Outdoor Supply Company, a destination gear store, as well as access to peace in serene nature, adrenaline-packed action, or something in between, like a rewarding hike to the fire tower. The gorgeous McCauley Mountain is only a 10-minute scenic chair lift to the top, where you can meet your mountain-climbing friends with beautiful views! Play "find a covered bridge" and play with your pup at the sweet dog park, or stroll along the tamed Moose Branch River through the heart with a dam.

Bald Mountain is an accessible trek in crisp air, or you can always take a hop aboard the Adirondack Railroad to avoid the cold altogether and enjoy the spectacular scenery through the gorgeous forests. While New York's largest water theme park, Enchanted Forest Water Safari, may be closed until June, the nearby Strand Theatre is for every taste, with movies, Art Deco decor, and a free film history museum inside. Don't miss the region's top Slickers Adirondack Tavern along the enchanting Old Forge Pond, a minute's walk from Fulton Chain Craft Brewery.

Saranac Lake

This vibrant village right at the heart of the Adirondacks enjoys year-round access to its picturesque lakes and mountain vistas. Saranac Lake, an outdoor playground for every age and ability, meets tourism demand with top-rated cozy spots to relax over live music and craft beverages and warm up in the winter. This little town truly comes alive in the winter with its renowned mountain recreation centers, including downhill skiing and snowboarding adventures. Unique shops, museums, and art galleries are just part of the vibrant Apres ski scene with mouthwatering restaurants and bars, and don't miss the chance to spin on the iconic Adirondack Carousel!

Saranac Lake Winter Carnival, the must-attend event of the year, is one of the nation's oldest, in its 127th year, with events and fun activities like parades, winter sports competitions, shows, performances, and fireworks. Full of family fun and community spirit, its elaborate ice palace is harvested from blocks of ice at the nearby Lake Flower. You can take the moderate Baker Mountain Trailhead, while Dewey Mountain Recreation Center is a mecca for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing through the winter months, and you can always go ice fishing in the lake! When it's time to wind down, or you need a minute of serenity, there are countless lodging options for every budget and style.

Speculator

This spectacular town in the southern Adirondacks, an "all-season vacationland" on the shore of the beautiful Lake Pleasant, is alive now with holiday spirit and vast, pristine wilderness. Welcoming many wintering birds, you can enjoy easy access to Oak Mountain Ski Center and hit the area's over 750 miles of groomed snowmobile trails or family-friendly terrain. Gear up at the top-rated Tanner's Outdoor Sports Inc. to enjoy winter hiking or fat tire bike rides along well-maintained trails past the mysterious Kunjamuk Cave, as well as the potential for boating and ice fishing. 

From the slow-paced vibe along Moffitt Beach, on a stroll to the Oak Mountain Ski Center to stretch your legs, you are primed here in the middle of our Adirondack wilderness area! The business district hosts a great variety of unique shops, like Charlie John's Grocery, a store for all your outdoor adventure needs, and the locally owned Speculator Department Store with classic, high-quality name-brand products and one-of-a-kind Adirondack gifts. Stay and dine at the reputable Inn at Speculator or venture into eateries along the main roadway, like the most popular Logan's Bar & Grill. Mini Route 66 is a must-visit attraction while here!

Queensbury

Home of SUNY Adirondack, there's no other place that comes alive like Queensbury, lovingly ensconced between the Hudson River to the south and Lake George to the north. This vivacious, picturesque town on the southeastern slopes with a nice college vibe is for your revered wintertime pursuits, where you can ski, tube, and even take lessons at West Mountain Ski Area. Enjoy its awesome terrain parks and watch alpine and Freeski ride teams, with a delicious restaurant on-site and a bar for a full day here along the gentle slopes or challenging terrain! Adjacent to Glens Falls, you can visit both towns, sharing loads of entertainment that keeps the school crowd happy after their studies. You don't have to start the day at Silo Restaurant with an all-day breakfast menu, but their indulgent cider donuts are a must-try!

If you complete any eight of the 24 winding Warren County Cycling Challenge off-road and on-road rides, you can get a certificate on top of the overwhelming views of Lake George, while Gurney Lane Mountain Bike Park is top-ranked in New York State by Singletracks! In winter, the small Glen Lake is perfect for strolls and waterfront dining at the Docksider Restaurant. Stop by Jack's American Bistro for farm-fresh fare with modern flair and fine wine at a quarter price, while Heidelberg Inn will keep you cozily inspired by German-American fusion. The huge Six Flags Great Escape & Hurricane Harbor is a waterfront amusement complex for all ages and annual events, while Aviation Mall features a vast retailer selection as well as its Regal 9 cinema with king-sized recliners to relax like nowhere else! 

Whether you're looking for a romantic couples retreat or an action-packed getaway, there's no place better to start your love affair in the Empire State than the Adirondacks! How about the farthest town of Lake Placid to make your way back with the spectacular waterfall in Elizabethtown and the covered bridge in Old Forge amid the picturesque "High Peaks?" So bundle up for snow play, sports, and festivals, and return for an encore when the flakes start flying again next year!