To reserve a seat for this tour you must pay a $100 deposit per person. Remaining balance is due latest June 3rd 2022. If the remaining balance is not received by that date, the reservation will be considered cancelled with loss of the deposit.
The following is included in the price of this 3 days/2 nights Lake Placid Adirondacks Weekend Tour:
2 nights accommodations at a 2-3 Star comfortable hotel
5 full meals - 2 Breakfasts and 3 Lunches
Unlimited Water
A light breakfast to start the day with Friday morning
Transportation with air conditioned vehicle roundtrip from NYC
Transportation for day tours visiting all attractions
Friendly and professional tour guide
Admission fee to High Falls Gorge
Admission fee to Whiteface Veterans Memorial Highway
Admission fee to Natural Stone Bridge & Caves
Admission fee to Olympic Jumping Complex
Admission fee to Lake Placid Olympic Museum
Free Wifi in your room
All taxes and fees
Not included in price:
2 Dinners
Any food/snacks/beverage between the main meals
Alternative activities to what we are planning
Gratuities for your guides/driver (Tipping your tour guide is left to your discretion)
We will start our tour at 7:00 am in midtown Manhattan, 8th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Street (by Duane Reade) DON'T BE LATE! Come 20 minutes early to sign in.
You will be greeted by your tour guide for the day. You will sign our liability waiver, and after departure a light breakfast will be served on board the van.
Lake Placid
Experience a long weekend in Lake Placid. Lake Placid is a village near the lake of the same name, in New York State’s Adirondack Mountains. Lake Placid is famously known for being the site of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics. The village is especially remembered as the site of the 1980 USA–USSR hockey game, called the "Miracle on Ice". A group of young American amateurs upset the heavily favored Soviet Union's national ice hockey team, 4–3, and two days later won the gold medal. Another highlight during the games was American speed-skater Eric Heiden who won five gold medals.
Adirondacks Mountains
The Adirondack Park was created in 1892 by the State of New York amid concerns for the water and timber resources of the region. At 6 million acres, it is the largest public protected area in the lower 48 States, larger in size than Yellowstone, Glacier, Yosemite, Great Smokey’s and Grand Canyon National Park COMBINED. (see the video below) The park was designated a National Historic Landmark 1963.
The Adirondack Park is best known for it's expansive pristine forests, more than 2,800 lakes, 30,000 miles of rivers and streams, 43 mountain peaks rising above 4,000 feet and endless outdoor recreation opportunities. The park does not only contain public land, but private lands as well where people live year-round.
Cohoes Falls
On the way to (or from) Lake Placid, we will visit Cohoes Falls, this is a waterfall on the Mohawk River. The Cohoes Falls is 90 feet (28 m) high and 1,000 feet (305 m) wide.
Using the power from the falls, in 1872 the largest cotton mill complex in the world opened, Harmony Mills. The cotton production is long gone today and most of the buildings have been converted to luxury loft apartment. Today the water is used to generate electricity via a hydroelectric plant generating about 190,000 megawatt hours a year.
Lake Placid Olympic Museum
We will visit the Lake Placid Olympic Museum. It is the only Olympic museum in the United States. The museum is located in the Olympic Center, only a few feet from the Herb Brooks Arena where the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” hockey game took place and the Jack Shea Arena, home of the first indoor Winter Olympic skating arena.
Explore the history and heritage of Olympic winter sports in Lake Placid through artifacts, photographs, and videos and visit the Olympic Center where athletes continue to train and compete daily and experience the excitement of the Games.
Whiteface Mountain
We will drive on the Veterans' Memorial Highway to the summit of Whiteface Mountain, New York's fifth highest peak at 4,867 ft. During the 5 mile drive to the top we will drive so high that we might find ourselves driving through low hanging clouds.
At the end of the road there is a castle built from native stone, a restaurant, toilets, gift shop, and an elevator carved deep inside the mountain top itself. The elevator will take you on a 27 story ride to the very top of the mountain.
At the top, you will have ample time to explore yourself the spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of unparalleled beauty reaching as far as Vermont and Canada. (On clear days)
High Falls Gorge
We will visit High Falls Gorge, this is a 22 acre, privately owned nature park. Follow a path with four waterfalls cascading over rocks into a deep crevice carved a billion years ago.
Walk through one of the few remaining virgin forests in the Adirondacks, and see unusual plants and tall majestic trees. See the natural phenomena known as potholes; formed by large stones that swirled in the vortex of the river for centuries, the largest one is 7 feet wide and 35 feet deep. Sturdy bridges, walkways and trails provide safe access to scenic photographic vantage points.
Adirondack Wildlife Refuge and Rehab Center
We will also visit the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge and Rehab Center. This place is dedicated to take in, rehabilitate and whenever possible, return to the wild, injured or otherwise disabled wildlife, the center works with local vets and volunteers. You will find a 1-mile interpretive trail along a river going through forest and meadow. See rescued wildlife like hawks, owls, foxes, wolves, and a bobcat. The owners are usually always around, and they are extremely knowledgeable about the animals and willing to answer questions.
Natural Stone Bridge and Caves Park
We will also visit another Adirondack geology wonder, Natural Stone Bridge and Caves Park. Here you will find a massive stone bridge arch, which is the largest marble cave entrance in the eastern United States.
Experience a self-guided, above-ground nature trail featuring many unique rock features in the marble gorge, such as potholes, grottos, and mill site waterfalls. At the entrance you will also find hands-on educational activities, large family swings, a homemade fudge shop, and an extensive rock shop offering many fine crystals, gems and fossils.
Olympic Ski Jumping Complex
We will visit the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex build for the 1980 Olympic Games. The Olympic Jumping Complex is currently the training site for many aspiring young athletes who hope to one day to earn a spot on the U.S. Winter Olympic Team.
We will ride a 26-story elevator to the top of the 120K tower. At the top you will stroll through the ski jumpers preparation room, while taking in a bird's eye view of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, and see what the jumpers see as they accelerate down the ramp and launch themselves in the air flying the length longer than a football field. A Freestyle Aerial Training Center is located to the right of the base of the jump towers. If we are lucky, we might see some Ski Aerialists practice their skills by jumping into a pool.
Accommodation
To make this tour affordable for everyone, we will choose a basic but comfortable 2-3-star hotel with private bath, AC and free Wifi.
The hotel also has an indoor swimming pool.
Food Included in price:
Day 1 Fri: A light Breakfast on the van and Lunch
Day 2 Sat: Breakfast at hotel and Lunch
Day 3 Sun: Breakfast at hotel and Lunch
Note: Please understand that since the start of the Covid pandemic many hotel breakfast menus have been downsized or replaced with grab-and-go items, mostly because many hotels are short-staffed, so please have realistic expectations and an open mind regarding the breakfast that is served at the hotel.
We anticipate arrival back to NYC at approximately 8:30 pm on Sunday.
Hines Tours Lake Placid Adirondacks Weekend
Suggested Packing List
BAGS: We have limited space in our transportation vehicle. Please don’t bring more than one small to medium size suitcase or duffel bag and one small backpack for day tours per person.
DOCUMENTS
□ A valid government issued identification
□ Email or letter confirmation from Hines Tours
CLOTHES
□ Underclothes and socks
□ T-shirts
□ Sweater/Sweatshirts
□ Jacket
□ Hiking pants/Comfortable Walking Pants
□ Shorts
□ Swimsuit
□ Hiking Boots / Sneakers
□ Rain Gear
ELECTRONICS
□ Phone and charger
□ Camera + charger and maybe extra memory
□ Flashlight
MEDICATION
□ Allergy medicine if needed
□ Pain relievers
□ Band-aids
□ Motion sickness medicine if needed
□ Any prescribed medication
TOILETRIES
□ Toothbrush and Toothpaste
□ Travel-sized lotion, shampoo, and body wash
□ Contact lens case and solution
□ Hand sanitizer
MISCELLANEOUS
□ Bottled water
□ Insect repellent
□ Sun block and sunglasses
□Cash and a Credit Card/Debit Card
(We will pay for the hotel room, but you will have to give the hotel your Credit Card/Debit Card info which only will beused only for incidentals such as long distance phone calls or any damages to the hotel room incl. cleaning after smoking)
INSURANCE
If you are concern about losing money due to illness (including Covid-19) or other unpredictable matters, we highly recommend you buy a travel insurance. We can recommend www.insuremytrip.com or www.squaremouth.com (Hines Tours is not affiliated with either of these sites in any form). We do not give tour refunds or tour credits if you are not able to make the tour for unforeseen reasons.
MULTI DAY DRIVING TOURS CANCELLATION FEES (Per Person)
61 days or more before departure - $25
22 – 60 days before departure - Loss of deposit.
8 – 21 days before departure - 50% of tour price
7 days or less before departure - No refund or tour
