Have a Hallmark-Worthy Holiday

Adirondack main streets do the holidays well, with storefronts strung in lights and local shops stocked with gifts you won’t find at a mall. Explore the main streets in our towns like Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, and Tupper Lake, or wander into any small town in the Adirondacks and stop at the general stores that are unique to the region. Check out our holiday shopping events guide for special events!
 

Start free with the town sledding hills, then work your way up the thrill scale. Book a horse-drawn sleigh ride at John Brown Farm or Lake Clear Lodge and settle under a blanket while the horses do the work. In Lake Placid, take a run down the toboggan chute onto frozen Mirror Lake. Dog sled rides at the horse show grounds put you behind a team of huskies, and adventure seekers can go all in with a bobsled or bobraft run at Mt Van Hoevenberg.

Go beyond the main street displays and let the lights turn familiar places into something new after dark. Head to The Wild Center in Tupper Lake for Wild Lights and, while you’re there, look for Patrick Sapling, artist Thomas Dambo’s giant wooden troll who lives in a clearing in the forest. Then make the trip to AuSable Chasm for the Festival of Lights Winter Experience, where the glow plays against the rock walls and the cold air makes the whole evening feel like a snow globe.

Few things feel more like winter than gliding across fresh ice with cold air on your cheeks. In Lake Placid, skate the Olympic Oval, then warm up with a short walk down Main Street. Civic center rinks around the region offer public skate sessions, and when the weather cooperates, outdoor community rinks open too. For more places to skate, see our ice skating guide to the Adirondacks.

Not every holiday plan needs an itinerary. Slow the pace at a lodge, inn, or restaurant with a fireplace, settle in with a book or a board game, and let the snow fall outside. There’s no such thing as cabin fever in the Adirondacks when being cooped up feels like a luxury.

A countdown, a cold crowd, and a whole town switching on its lights at once. Tree lightings and holiday parades happen all over the Adirondacks, from the largest village to the smallest hamlet. Bundle up, find a spot along the curb, and wait for the glow. Dates vary by town, so check our events calendar to find one near you.

There’s a variety of Christmas tree farms across the Adirondacks, and one is perfect for you. Go home with a tiny Charlie Brown tree that fits on a side table, or choose one tall enough to be Rockefeller Center worthy. If you’d rather skip the saw, local floral shops and roadside stands sell fresh balsam wreaths, a take-home souvenir that smells like the Adirondacks.

Makers, bakers, and artists fill community centers, churches, and fairgrounds across the region each season. Wander the aisles for handmade ornaments, hand-knit hats and wool mittens, pottery, local maple products, and fresh baked goods you’ll be happily snacking on before you get home.

After a day in the cold, a mug of hot chocolate is its own kind of reward. Duck into a local coffee shop for a cup topped with whipped cream, or head to a ski lodge and warm your hands by the fire after a few runs. In Lake Placid, Campfire & Cocoa at Mid’s Park is a cozy event right on Main Street, with a crackling fire and a cup of cocoa to keep you warm. Pair your cup with a Christmas cookie from a local bakery.

Some of the best parts of the season aren’t on any schedule. Snowshoe or cross-country ski through endless terrain and trails. Dress as Santa for a free ski day at Whiteface during the Santa Sunday event. Start a snowball fight in the middle of a snowy afternoon, or pull over for a roadside view when an alpenglow lights up the mountains just right.