Autumn in Lake Placid: The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort

When you think of Lake Placid, the first thing you probably think of is the 1980 winter Olympics (Miracle on Ice, anyone?). While the wintertime recreation opportunities are spectacular, Lake Placid is also a wonderful place to visit during the summer and fall. So leave your skis (or bobsled) at home, and pack up your swimsuits, canoe, and hiking boots!

golden arrow resort

We recently took to the family to Lake Placid to enjoy a few early fall days at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort on Mirror Lake. The Golden Arrow has been a family-run hotel since the Holderied family bought the hotel in 1974. Since that time, they have added several additions, and gone through several renovations with two key results: 1. The hotel is a bit of a maze. Expect to get lost a few times at least (I suspect that there might be some moving staircases, ala Hogwarts!). 2. The suites available in the hotel have all been custom made to fit just about any family arrangement you can imagine. Ever been on vacation and the kids were sprawled out on a king sized bed in the single bedroom while both parents tossed and turned on a lumpy pullout couch? That won’t happen here! Most one- or two-bedroom suites have queen or king sized beds in the living room, so when you put the kids to bed in the bedroom, you can still enjoy a good night’s sleep on a regular bed. When you call to make a reservation, just tell the hotel staff what your family arrangement is, and I have no doubt that they’ll be able to accommodate you.

lake placid ny

The Golden Arrow has also made a substantial effort to become an environmentally friendly resort. They have a number of programs at the resort, but the ones that stood out the most to me were the green roof installation (a 3000 square foot roof garden that serves as both insulation and a storm water filtration system), and the white sand beach. This beautiful beach (located directly behind the resort, on pristine Mirror Lake) is made of crushed limestone that helps to counteract the increasing problem of acid rain in the Adirondacks. Get more information on the sustainability programs at the Golden Arrow.

Amenities at Golden Arrow:

The amenities at the Golden Arrow are great. Our kids had a wonderful time at the lake, enjoying the paddleboats, canoes, and kayaks that the resort provides free of charge. They also loved the indoor pool and hot tubs. Although, I have a feeling those are even better on a cold winter day! The on-site restaurant, Generations, has a lot of great locally produced food and a good children’s menu. (There is no kids’ menu for breakfast, but there are a lot of kid-friendly options, such as short stack pancakes and oatmeal). Of course, the Golden Arrow is located right in the middle of the main drag of Lake Placid, so it’s an easy walk from the resort to a variety of restaurants, sandwich shops, and ice cream shops.

lake placid swimming

Room rates and deals:

The Golden Arrow is a reasonably priced resort, with suite and specialty rooms ranging from about $199 to $359, depending on the season. Many rooms have kitchenettes and can comfortably sleep up to 7 people, so you can save on dining out and paying for additional rooms for a large family. Another way to save is to check out the package deals at the Golden Arrow. They work with Whiteface, the Olympic Regional Development Authority, EMS, and others to put together affordable packages that can include ski passes, mountain biking, touring the Olympic facilities, rock climbing, or just about any adventure you can think of!

Overall, we had a great time at the Golden Arrow in Lake Placid. I can’t wait to plan a winter trip to enjoy the rest of what the Adirondacks have to offer!

Date last visited:

August 28–30, 2013

Distance from the interstate:

Lake Placid is pretty remote, and is not really on the way to anything, but it’s still worth a visit! It’s about a 2 or 2 ¼ hour drive from Albany, about 30 miles off Interstate 87.

Directions / Contact:

The Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort is located at 2559 Main Street in Lake Placid, NY 12946. Call or email them at 1-800-582-5540 or [email protected].

Photo credit: Kate Lepore and Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort

As we disclose whenever applicable, we experienced the resort as guests of Golden Arrow. All opinions are our own.

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