Explore Lake Placid with the guys

If you and the boys are overdue for a trip, Lake Placid, New York is where you want to be. This isn’t just a mountain town—it’s a playground for fishing, hiking, climbing, brewery hopping, and late-night bar crawling. Picture mornings chasing trout on the fly, afternoons teeing off lakeside, and nights bouncing between breweries, barbecue joints, and dance floors. Whether you want to crush a Rail Trail brewery crawl, conquer a summit, or post up at a bar 'til last call, Lake Placid has all the fuel you need for an epic guys-only getaway. Here are some things to do and places to hit up while you and your crew are here.

Go on a guided adventure

If you’re rolling into Lake Placid with the boys, kick things off with a guided adventure that guarantees brag-worthy stories. Book a day with Hungry Trout Fly Shop for world-class fly fishing on the West Branch of the Ausable River. Not into fishing? No problem. The region has guided hiking and climbing that’ll push you outside your comfort zone, but keep it fun. Want some independence? Hit classic trails around Lake Placid by yourselves. Consider an easier hike like Mt. Jo or Snow Mountain before testing your endurance on a High Peak. If you haven’t hiked a High Peak before, we suggest Cascade & Porter or Big Slide! If you’re looking for pure adrenaline, zipline across the Olympic Jumping Complex or check out the high ropes and adventure park at Experience Outdoors.

Tee off on the greens

Sometimes the best guys’ trips are about friendly trash talk on the fairway. Lake Placid delivers with courses that feel like a mix between a golf trip and a wilderness retreat. Test your swing at the Lake Placid Club, which has been serving up championship-level golf in the Adirondacks for over a century. Between the wide-open Links, the tighter Mountain, and the short-game-friendly Pristine Nine, it’s basically built for an unforgettable guys’ golf weekend.

Play right along the shoreline at Whiteface Club, which first teed off in 1895, and offers a fully irrigated 18-hole course that’s earned a spot on the top 5 ‘Classic Courses’ in New York. With a drink-friendly layout, lakeside views, and that old-school Adirondack charm, it’s a laid-back yet legitimate pick for a guys' golf getaway.

A quiet option for the crew, rolling up to the Craig Wood golf course makes for a more laid-back round. Wherever you tee off, the mountain views and fresh Adirondack air will keep you dialed in—even if your scorecard doesn’t.

Many places to stay in town have golf packages, like the Crowne Plaza or the Golden Arrow!

Tour the breweries

No guys’ trip is complete without a solid beer lineup, and Lake Placid and nearby Saranac Lake bring the goods. Start with hometown favorites like Lake Placid Pub & Brewery and Big Slide Brewery & Public House, then branch out to tasting rooms like Prison City Brewing, The Boat Tasting Room, and Raquette River. All of these, besides Big Slide Brewery, are within walking distance of each other. Be safe, don’t drink and drive!

But here’s the real move: take the crew on a responsible Rail Trail brewery crawl. Cruise the Adirondack Rail Trail between Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, stopping for pints at Ray Brook Brewhouse, RiverTrail Beerworks, Bitters & Bones, and Blue Line Brewery. Bonus points if you mix in some arcade battles at Faizy’s Fun House or the Penalty Box Arcade to keep the competition rolling. You can rent bicycles and e-bikes from numerous places in Lake Placid, like Placid Planet, High Peaks Cyclery, or Bike Lake Placid.

Good spots to crash and great places to eat

Finding places to stay and eat can be a daunting task, especially given how many quality spots there are in Placid. Luckily, we’ve done the mapping for you and paired places to eat with lodging options that are super close by.

Crash at the Golden Arrow on Mirror Lake and you’re a two-minute stroll from some of Main Street’s best picks—kick back with waterfront beers at Players, get your fingers sticky with BBQ at Smoke Signals, or literally elevate the day with a cocktail and some apps at the Cloudsplitter Rooftop Bar at the Grand Adirondack Hotel. 

Book at the Crowne Plaza or The Haus and you’re in the heart of the village—wake up and stagger to Big Mountain Deli or Soulshine Bagel for a hangover-healing breakfast, then stroll over to Wiseguys for the game and wings when the sun goes down.

Cambria Lake Placid and Bluebird Lake Placid (bunk room options) sit on Saranac Ave, meaning quick access to Cambria’s own Haystack Bar & Bistro, and the ’Dack Shack, being a walk from both—perfect for a no-drama crew that wants to eat well without splitting up. If your group wants nightclub energy and bar games, stay near Roomers or Zig Zags—both are Main Street fixtures, with Big Z’s at Lake Placid Lanes a quick hop for late-night bowling or live music. Looking into a vacation rental, or staying at The Devlin, could be the move for a night out.

There’s always a wild card

Just like your own group, there’s always a wild card. You’ll never be able to thoroughly plan a trip without a surprise activity or spontaneous event. Maybe there’s a hockey game going on at the Olympic Center that you happen to stumble upon, or the indoor climbing gym at Mt Van Hoevenberg catches your eye after a hike up the mountain with the same name. You might be researching a trip to Lake Placid, and see that across the Adirondacks, there are other spots you want to check out. Must-do activities like the via ferrata at Ausable Chasm (Lake Champlain Region) and ripping UTVs in Gabriels (Saranac Lake region) are a short drive away and well worth the slight detour. It’s a guy's trip—plan enough to keep the momentum going, but leave plenty of time for unexpected moments that turn into epic stories.

Pack your stay in Lake Placid with mountain golf courses, lakeside hangs, and Main Street eats, and you’ll see why it’s the ultimate guys' getaway. From laid-back mornings to nights out bowling, bar-hopping, or catching live music, the town keeps the adventure rolling. By the last night of the trip, your crew will have earned every laugh, every beer, and every epic story.