As leaf peeping season begins, planning a road trip is a great way to discover the beauty of nature in a socially distanced way. The Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York typically peak the last week of September and first week of October and Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa on Lake Placid is an ideal location to enjoy everything the area has to offer. With all 130 rooms of this luxury seven-acre property overlooking Mirror Lake and the Adirondack High Peaks you will be perfectly positioned in the center of it all. You can see the vivid golden and amber colors that abound in the area while exploring it.

Safety truly is the new luxury here at this family owned property. Ed and Lisa Weibrecht have gone to every extent to welcome back guests in a responsible way. New open air spaces have been designed to allow for more outdoor guest experiences; temperature checks take place before you can enter the restaurant or spa; and an elevated level of cleanliness has taken place throughout the resort. These additional steps provide guests with confidence about their decision to visit the property. They were honored in by USA Today’s 10Best Readers this year with a gold medal as the #1 lakefront resort in the Northeast and a bronze medal as the #3 overall waterfront resort in the nation.

A town recognized as the host of the Winter Olympics in 1932 and 1980, visiting the Lake Placid Olympic Museum is a great way to learn about its Olympic history. If you want to get up close, and imagine yourself at the games, the Olympic Jumping Complex is a good place to start as their new Skyride allows people to take a glass enclosed elevator to the observation deck of the K-120 meter jump. Outside of the ski season, fall is the best time to experience the Cloudsplitter Gondola at Whiteface Mountain. This thirty minute round trip ride gives you the chance to look out over Lake Placid and Lake Champlain as your vantage point is filled with autumn colors. You can see the trails taken by Olympic athletes as you explore at the top, as well as reach the peak of Little Whiteface on foot at an elevation of 3678 feet. The colors are epic, and the 360 degrees views will amaze you.

Just down the road from Whiteface Mountain is High Falls Gorge. Beautiful waterfalls cascade through, and make this well worth a visit. It’s a scenic drive along the Ausable River with fisherman looking for trout along its edges. At the end of an adventure filled day, head back to Mirror Lake Inn and indulge in one of their unique treatments at the spa. An Adirondack Maple Sugar Scrub, a Heated River Stone Therapy and the brand new Salt Therapy can be complemented with a dip in their indoor or outdoor pool. Grab a drink from the bar at The View Lounge and enjoy the Adirondack chairs on the hill as you watch the sunset on Mirror Lake-an experience you will always remember as the water glistens and the sky fades to dark. You will quickly see why this property has maintained its AAA Four Diamond Rating for over 35 years.

As the property is within walking distance of the two-time Olympic Village, you have many places to choose from dining around town. Two local favorites include Top of the Park where you can enjoy small plates and craft cocktails overlooking the lake, and Smoke Signals with their great bbq options. On site are two excellent must-try options as well: The Cottage Cafe and The View. The Cottage is the more relaxed option along the lake. No reservations required and the menu includes delicious sandwiches, salads, dips, burgers and you can even build your own bloody mary. The View, with its exceptional wine list uses local ingredients sourced from regional Lake Placid farmers as well as items from the onsite herb and vegetable garden. Reservations are highly recommended and so is their delicious filet mignon, pot roast, french onion soup and seafood salad. Save room for their peach cobbler or creme brulee and enjoy it all as you look out over Mirror Lake. Every seat is a good one as The View is the only Four Diamond dining option in the northern Adirondacks. You are guaranteed to sleep well in the comfortable and oversized rooms offering a separate sitting area – most with amazing views. If you are looking for a great place to “Work from Home,” there is plenty of space to create a work area separate from your living quarters.

At least a day in Lake Placid should be designated to getting out on the lakes. Mirror Lake Inn has their own private lakefront area lined with beach chairs and beautiful flowers. The waterfront area provides guests with complimentary non motorized ways to explore Mirror Lake including paddleboards, peddle boats, and kayaks. A five minute walk from the property is the Lake Placid Marina, which offers hour-long informational daily tours of Lake Placid. Homes along this lake are commonly referred to as camps and with their oversized waterfront properties they appear as such too. Many of these luxury hideaways are simply second and third homes, only accessible by boat and in many cases passed down for generations.

As your trip to Lake Placid comes to an end, venture into Wilmington on your drive home so you can pick up some maple syrup from a local shop owner. Here you will find a beautiful and windy road filled with fall foliage in season that leads to the summit of Whiteface Mountain. A perfect place to end your New York visit, look out over the mountain range and reflect on the beautiful Adirondack experience you got to enjoy.

For those who want to return again in the winter, Whiteface Mountain is an excellent ski location-Steep and Deep. Guests of the Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa have the opportunity to ski alongside the owner’s son Andrew Weibrecht. Andrew is an Olympic silver and bronze medal winner with a 16-year alpine skiing career. Having learned to ski as a child at Whiteface Mountain, he takes guests out to enjoy his backyard on an uber exclusive experience.

Plan Your Getaway: https://mirrorlakeinn.com