Summer travel is a lot different this year but that doesn’t mean you still can’t enjoy a special experience with your family. For our family, this has included day trips to nearby hikes, beaches and full days at our local pool. There have also been a few weekend escapes in the mix, including our recent road trip to Lake Placid.
A four-hour drive from Westchester, we wanted to limit our stops as much as possible due to COVID, but we did make one bathroom break and a pit stop to soak in the incredible views at High Falls Gorge. After our sightseeing/nature walk, we headed back on the road for another short drive to the Golden Arrow Resort.
A family-owned and operated establishment, we were thrilled to visit again and also see what it would be like to travel during this insane time period. Prior to our visit, I looked over their COVID-19 guidelines, which included all of their current safety updates as well as at Roost for the local guidelines.
I was also emailed a COVID Health Form before our arrival, which I had to fill five days before our arrival.
When we arrived (check in time is at 4pm), the lobby was inundated with check-in requests. After a long drive, we were really excited to get to our room and start swimming in the lake, but our room wasn’t quite ready yet and still being cleaned. The staff told me that they are taking additional measures with their cleaning and hygiene protocols. While they have always maintained high hygiene standards, they have also taken additional measures, in consultation with global and local public health authorities (including the WHO and CDC), to make their cleaning protocols even more rigorous.
As such, it took additional time to get our room in order, which ended up being finished at around 5:30pm. While we waited, we were given bracelets to gain access to the lake area, which was so fun for the kids as they jumped into the lake and played in the sand.
The Rooms
Golden Arrow has 165 rooms, including 20 different types and sizes We opted for the condo-style accommodation called the Village Side Rooms, which was a little off from the main property but offered us some additional space. This included two queen-size beds, a balcony, living room area, two bathrooms and kitchen complete with a fridge and stove. This accommodation (and the main property) is right on Main Street, which made it super easy to dart into the main property to gain beach access or visit Generations, their on-site restaurant.
What to Do
Since we were only there for two nights, this trip was really all about relaxation, swimming and exploring the town. When we visited in the past, we did take some day trips so there is plenty of things to do if you want to venture beyond the main area.
During our stay, the girls loved the lake where they swam, jumped off the docks, kayaked and played with their sand toys. The beach has chairs out for guests to use, but they currently have fewer chairs out that are placed in groups of 2-4 as well as some benches and guests can bring their own chairs as well. Due to the fewer chairs, there were some instances when chairs weren’t available but the wait usually didn’t take that long.
Another cool part of the lake is that they have canoes, SUPS, and paddles for all guests to use. They are housed in their boat house (you can also get snacks, towels and snacks here), which are wiped down with disinfectant after every use. This was a really special part of the trip where my husband took my youngest out on the lake and where my older two tried to paddle board.
They are also offering some activities during the day like yoga on the boathouse and a bonfire by the lake every night, which we loved as we sat around the fire with our ice creams from Emma’s Creamery.
Lake Placid
Lake Placid is beyond charming. Having been here a few times, it still evokes the same feelings as a great place to shop small and try out some small, family-owned restaurants. With being in the height of COVID, all of the businesses were adhering to the standards by limiting entry. Some stores (like The Bookstore Plus) provided hand sanitizer when we walked in, and you had to wear masks everywhere. While walking on the strip, pretty much everyone followed these regulations. We didn’t go in all of the stores but we did enjoy nightly visits to Emma’s Creamery and visits to The Bookstore Plus, The Smoking Cork, A Pinch or a Pound and eating at the Bazzi’s Pizza, Wyatt’s, Base Camp Cafe, Jimmy’s 21 Lake Side Restaurant and the Pickled Pig restaurant.
Breakfast at Generations
Lake Placid has so many delicious restaurants, all within walking distance, which we loved to try out. We also loved to try Generations, the on-site restaurant where we enjoyed a hearty breakfast! They did have an indoor option, but we opted to eat outside as we scanned their menu via a QR code. We decided on the MT. EMMONS omelette (NY hickory smoked ham, peppers, onions & NY cheddar), chocolate chip pancakes, regular pancakes and steel-cut oatmeal. Everything was beyond delicious and arrived in hearty portions. They are also open for lunch and dinner and have tons of delicious options like pizza, sandwiches, burgers and more that we can’t wait to try next time.
As a part of their COVID-19 safety standards, the tables at the restaurant were reduced by 50% and placed 6-feet apart. Also, no tables were left un-set and all condiments were single use.
More about Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort
During our visit, I also toured the property to see more of their rooms and learn even more about their COVID standards. During the tour, I had the opportunity to see more of the rooms, including the luxurious Haysack room which included an over-sized whirlpool tub, king-sized bed, and incredible views of the lake. They also have some fantastic options for families (of all sizes) like the Algonquin Suite, Panther Suite, and Lakefront rooms. There were also hand sanitizer stations placed throughout the property and everyone has to wear masks inside the property.
I also had the opportunity to see their sauna, racketball court, and gym, which is currently closed as per NY State Guidelines. They also have an on-site pool, but it is undergoing construction but is slated to be open in the fall.
Safety
While everything was incredible during our stay, the crucial part of this trip was making sure that the area was safe and that the resort was following the current COVID-19 safety guidelines. We didn’t travel around the area (as we normally would) and really focused the trip on enjoying a slower pace and spending the day swimming as well as checking out some stores. As I mentioned, everyone inside the resort was wearing masks (guests and employees) as well as everyone in all of the retail locations, restaurants and tourists on main street.
We really loved having the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort as a base with its gorgeous backdrop of the mountains and lake. It was also nice for us to have a place for a memorable mini escape that did everything to make their guests feel safe and gave us some semblance of a normal travel adventure that we all needed and loved.
Visit Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort at 2559 Main St, Lake Placid, NY.
Our stay was complimentary, but all opinions, as always, are our own.
