The Great Camps of the Adirondacks
The Adirondacks have been a favorite getaway since the Roaring 20s, and a century later they haven't lost their magic.
Half a day's drive from New York City, Lake Placid is the oldest ski resort in the United States and the site of the Winter Olympics of 1932 and 1980. Nestled in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, the small lakeside village has been a retreat for affluent New Yorkers since America’s Gilded Age, when families like the Vanderbilts and Rockefellers built their vacation homes in the area. Many of these historic buildings, known as the Great Camps, have been preserved and operate as hotels today so anyone can visit for a glamorous weekend getaway.
Winter sports enthusiasts may have ventured further west over the last century, but the snowy Adirondacks remain as attractive as ever. In addition to the dreamy winter scenery, visitors can also take part in Gatsbyesque dinner parties. In keeping with the historical perspective of the Gilded Age, The Point hosts black-tie dinners twice a week inside the one-time camp of William Avery Rockefeller, Jr. After a stunning, multimillion-dollar restoration, the camp looks as if the Rockefellers are still in residence, graciously hosting family, friends, and other captains of industry from neighboring Great Camps.
At the extravagant Mirror Lake Inn, a collection of sprawling log cabins and lakeside cottages were built in the style of the Great Camps. The inn boasts a rich history as a New York jet-set favorite. Today, guests can brush with another kind of celebrity by booking a ski tour with two-time Olympic medalist Andrew Weibrecht. After winning his medals in alpine skiing in Vancouver and Sochi, Weibrecht joined the Mirror Lake team and can accompany skiers of all levels during a day on the slopes.
Our travel experts are here to help. Send us a message and you can be skiing across the Adirondacks before the snow melts.
Cover Image: Raphael Rivest/Shutterstock. Mirror Lake Inn photography courtesy Mirror Lake Inn Resort and Spa/Joseph Rector. Image 2: Linda Harms/Shutterstock. Image 3: Nyker/Shutterstock. Image 5: Harry Beugelink/Shutterstock.
Jurriaan Teulings
Jurriaan dreamt of becoming an astronomer or a circus clown but got a law degree before settling on travel writing and photography instead. As such, he spent two decades spreading the gospel of Dutch stroopwafels across 100 countries, picking up awards of plexiglass, bronze, and beads along the way. Recently, he planted the first rainbow flag on the North Pole. Next stop: Antarctica.