10 Scenic Driving Routes from Lake Placid: Day Trips Worth the Detour
Why drives are the underrated Adirondack pastime
Lake Placid is famous for its trails, its lake, and its Olympic history and scenic drives. What gets less attention is that some of the best driving in the Northeast starts right here. The roads radiating out of the village pass through working farms, lakeside towns, brewery taprooms, and mountain summits — and most of them are paved, well-marked, and quiet enough to enjoy at the speed you choose.
The routes below are scenic drives from Lake Placid we’d send any guest on. They were originally curated by the organizers of the 2026 Porsche Parade — people who, by definition, know what makes a good road — and we’ve reordered them by audience and added what to do once you’re there. None require a special car. Most can be done in a half-day; the longest is a full day.
Plan around weather, ferry schedules, and the season (most destinations run reduced hours in the shoulder months). Then pick a morning and go.
Breweries & distilleries (a half-day cluster)
1. The Crazy Loon Distillery — 1 hr 17 min, 64.6 miles
Adirondack-inspired craft spirits — clean, small-batch, made for cold mountain evenings. They also pour New York State beer, wine, cider, and signature cocktails. A fine afternoon stop if you’ve got a designated driver or you’re staying overnight on the route.
2. Ausable Brewing Company — 1 hr 38 min
An 1880s barn-turned-taproom in Keeseville, walking distance from Ausable Chasm. They grow three hop varieties and a small orchard of fruit on-site, some of which finds its way into Belgian-style ales. Seasonal — Thursday through Sunday once the warm weather lands. Pair the drive with a Chasm visit if you’ve got the day.
3. Paradox Brewery — 1 hr 40 min
In North Hudson, deep in the High Peaks. Built in 2019 after seven years of underground brewing for locals. Expansive decks with full Adirondack mountain views, modern brewing setup, and an open taproom. The drive south through Newcomb is one of the prettiest in the region.
Museums & culture (half-day to full-day)
4. Adirondack Experience (ADKX), Blue Mountain Lake — 1 hr 23 min, 61 miles
The serious cultural institution of the Adirondacks: indoor and outdoor exhibits across a 121-acre campus telling the diverse human history of the region — Indigenous peoples, lumberjacks, Gilded-Age guides, modern conservation. Plan three or four hours. Tickets $13 (ages 5–17) / $22 adults.
5. Shelburne Museum (Vermont) — Northern Route — 1 hr 56 min, 83 miles (includes ferry)
Largest art-and-history museum in northern New England. Thirty-nine buildings on 45 acres, including a Shaker round barn, a working carousel, and the 220-foot side-wheel steamboat Ticonderoga. The Northern Route includes the Plattsburgh-Grand Isle Ferry (15-min crossing, schedules at ferries.com). Tickets $25 adults, plus $12.25 car/driver on the ferry.
6. Shelburne Museum (Vermont) — Southern Route — 1 hr 11 min, 51 miles (plus ferry)
The shorter alternate via the Essex-Charlotte Ferry (25-min crossing). Less driving, more boat. Some travelers do one route over and the other back to make a loop. Same museum tickets.
7. Antique Boat Museum, Clayton NY — 3 hr, 142 miles
The longest drive on this list, but the only place you’ll see the largest collection of antique boats in North America — 300+ vessels on the St. Lawrence River. A full-day commitment with a scenic return route along the river. Adult $15, senior $13, youth $9, family $44.
Scenic & adventure routes
8. Veteran Memorial Highway to Prospect Mountain — 1 hr 51 min – 2 hr 10 min, 89–91 miles
A 5.5-mile two-lane highway climbs to a 2,030-foot summit with a 360-degree, 100-mile view — Vermont’s Green Mountains, New Hampshire’s White Mountains, the Adirondack High Peaks, and on the clearest days, the Laurentians of Canada. Three vista parking areas plus a short walk to the actual summit. $10 per car. (Different highway than the one up Whiteface — both are worth a drive.)
9. Lake George Steamboat Company — 1 hr 54 min, 87.1 miles
Established 1817 and still running. Three boats — the Minne Haha, the Mohican II, and the flagship Lac du Saint Sacrement — cruise Lake George with the Adirondacks rising behind. Pair the drive with a 2-3 hour cruise for a near-perfect summer day. Cost varies by tour.
The wildcard
10. Star Trek Original Series Set Tour — 1 hr 30 min, 62 miles
This is not a typo. In a town near Lake Placid, a Trek superfan named James Cawley spent 14 years rebuilding the original 1966 Star Trek sets — the bridge, sickbay, transporter room — using the original blueprints, period photographs, and exhaustive research. CBS licensed it. It’s the most accurate recreation of those sets that exists anywhere. Tickets from $12. If you’ve got a Trek fan in the car, this is the day they’ll remember.
Planning notes
- Verify hours and ticket prices before you go. Many of these operations are seasonal or have limited days, especially the breweries and the museums.
- Ferry schedules for the Shelburne routes change with the season; check ferries.com the day before.
- Fall foliage windows make these drives even better — late September through early October across the High Peaks, slightly later toward the Champlain Valley.
- GO-Cottage as your base — every drive on this list works as a day trip from either of our cottages in the village of Lake Placid. Come back to a real bed and a quiet street.
Check availability at GO-Cottage →
Frequently Asked Questions: Scenic Drives from Lake Placid
What’s the best half-day scenic drive from Lake Placid?
For breweries: Ausable Brewing in Keeseville (1h 38m) paired with Ausable Chasm. For mountain views without a long drive: the Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway from Lake Placid. For culture: Adirondack Experience at Blue Mountain Lake (1h 23m). All three work as a comfortable half-day trip from a Lake Placid base.
What’s the best full-day drive from Lake Placid?
The Shelburne Museum in Vermont is a strong full-day pick — take the Northern Route via the Plattsburgh-Grand Isle ferry, spend three to four hours at the museum, and return via the shorter Essex-Charlotte ferry for a scenic loop. Roughly 7–8 hours round trip with the museum visit included.
Are these drives good during fall foliage?
Yes — these routes are at their best during fall foliage, typically late September through early October across the Adirondack High Peaks and slightly later toward the Champlain Valley. The Veteran Memorial Highway to Prospect Mountain summit during peak color is one of the best foliage drives in the Northeast.
Do I need a special car for these drives?
No. Every route on this list is paved, well-marked, and accessible to any standard car. Some include ferry crossings (Shelburne Museum routes); the ferries accommodate all vehicle types. Plan for tolls on Whiteface and Prospect Mountain highways.
How far in advance should I plan?
For breweries and museums, same-day works during summer weekdays. Weekends and peak summer (July–August) get busy; check hours and consider booking museum tickets ahead. Ferry crossings to Vermont are first-come, first-served — leave a buffer, especially Friday and Sunday afternoons.
The right way to explore the Adirondacks is with a quiet village to come back to. Studio Cottage and Two Bedroom Cottage at GO-Cottage put you in walking distance of Main Street Lake Placid, and a short drive from every route above. Check availability →
