2009 Skate America - Lake Placid

[Kimmie Fan]

it's about 3 hour drive from Albany, or one could fly into Montreal - I assume about 3 hours from there as well. But the border crossing from Montreal to NY is a pain. I think nearby VT airports may be an option too.

There may even be a bus service from ALB to Lake Placid, I recall seeing something in the airport.

I highly recommend to visit Lake Placid. Adirondacks are gorgeous, so peaceful and quiet.. you can get a great vacation out of it. The foliage will most likely be gone by November though.

There are airliner service to Burlington, VT
Its only 50 miles from Lake Placid but google map says its 2 hours +
something about having to take a ferry to cross a lake??

 

[Kimmie Fan]

I would like some info about the location, travel, logistics etc. from people that have been there. Looks I could fly in to Albany, for instance, from Spokane, and rent a car for a week for under $300. Looks like there are a number of motels in the area of Lake Placid that are reasonably priced. Is the arena nice? No hockey puck shields and nets, I hope, like Pacific sectionals.....

What is your definition of reasonably priced?
I'm having hard time finding lodging in Lake Placid area that is under $150 per night.

 

[dorispulaski]

There are airliner service to Burlington, VT
Its only 50 miles from Lake Placid but google map says its 2 hours +
something about having to take a ferry to cross a lake??

It would be better to fly to Plattsburgh, NY and drive 50 miles to Lake Placid.

If you need a bigger airport, Montreal is about 118 miles from Lake Placid.

Lake Champlain is 150 miles long and can be crossed by ferry from Burlington to Port Kent, NY. Presumably you'd take a taxi from the airport to the ferry and pick up a car in Port Kent. It's about 90 miles to drive around the lake to Lake Placid by going down Route 7 (a good road) from Burlington.

Mid November is the Lake Placid off season. It is busy resort area in summer, winter and when the leaves are on the trees in the fall. However, I can't picture wanting to go there in late November, other than for Skate America. It is a beautiful place, in general though.

A search at cheaprooms.com turned up this place for $66.40 per night. Continental breakfast is included. I have no idea if it is a disaster of a place, but it is at least an existence proof that cheaper than $100 exists.

Spruce Lodge Bed & Breakfast & Guest Cottage
6034 Sentinel Road
Lake Placid, NY 12946

US & Canada: 1-800-311-5192 Europe: 00-800-7099-7099

The arenas are nice, due to the fact that 2 Olympics were held there.

I was at one of the early Skate America's there, and also went to Lake Placid IDC there. There are lots of restaurants as it is a resort. The town is very hilly and if you are disabled, it is not easy to get around (my husband was waiting for a hip operation when last we went there, and it was a pain in that way). Parking spaces are not easy and yet I would not want to be there without a car. Be wary about booking a room at cabins. They were darn cold even in October, although that was some years ago, and they are likely updated.

We stayed at the hotel next to the rink, which is very nice indeed, had a restaurant, and was convenient (but not cheap). We did it with a hotel card "miles" for most of the cost.

 

[CoyoteChris]

Thanks Doris...this is good info....are the two arenas close to each other? I assume that some of the practice might be in one and competition in the other.....that is the way it was done at 4 Conts in Colorado Springs....wonder how much snow they get in November since the town is at 1800 ft ASL....