If you’re an empty nester, fall is the perfect time for a getaway. The weather is generally cool but not cold, the colorful leaves are beautiful and the changing seasons ensure that the crowds are thinned out. We recently enjoyed a 10-day road trip to the Adirondack Mountains of New York, during the first full week of October. I’d advise you go about a week earlier for peak color, but of course we enjoyed the sights all the same, and we saw more than our fair share of beauty along the way. I’d love to share with you what I wore on my fall getaway to the Adirondacks.
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Our ultimate destination was the Mirror Lake Inn Resort & Spa, where we spent four wonderful nights and days. We decided that was the perfect length for our stay at this AAA Four-Diamond small luxury hotel in Lake Placid, New York.
The Mirror Lake Inn is a historic, family owned and run hotel nestled along the shore of Mirror Lake in Lake Placid. The service is personable and the attention to detail is impeccable. We had a lovely “great range room” looking out over the inn and the lake. In fact, in the photo above, the main inn sits atop the hill looking over the Cottage Restaurant, and the room in the top right was ours. But before I share more about the Mirror Lake Inn or other highlights, let’s start at the beginning with my first two travel day outfits.
Travel Day Outfits
When I travel I like to feel comfortable, but look a little special. I absolutely LOVE vacations! To celebrate the beginning of this magical fall getaway I wore my Endless high rise pants and a soft brown tee topped with my Madewell plaid blazer.
I completed the look with comfortable, sporty sneakers, and you’ll notice I wore my Lagos necklace, earrings and bracelet most of the trip. The temperatures were cool but not cold as we set out, so this outfit felt just right for our first day of traveling about 8 hours on the road.
The next day I wore a similar pair of Endless high rise pants in brown and a brown & white striped tee, again topped with my Madewell plaid blazer. And yes, I really did wear this blazer as we traveled down the highway and through the mountains. LOL. That’s just how I roll!
The colors in the trees were changing to varying effects as we traveled along. But they were a bit past their prime in the Lake Placid area. However, the flowers were so gorgeous. They more than made up for the lack of color in the trees.
The Mirror Lake Inn has been run by the Weibrecht family since the late 1970s. But recently the son, Andrew Weibrecht, and his wife have taken over the day-to-day operation. Each morning we were greeted by this personable and friendly Olympic medalist as he cleared breakfast dishes and visited with guests. He would share his suggestions for things to do each day and tell us about his experiences growing up in Lake Placid. And, if pushed a bit, he would also share about his career as a down hill ski champion.
After checking in that first day, I changed into a lightweight jacket from Athleta since it had begun to drizzle a bit.
Also, once we reached our destination I switched to my lighter Tory Burch shoulder bag for day-to-day activities. We wandered around the inn a bit, had a light dinner at the Cottage Cafe and enjoyed sitting in one of the many conversation nooks on the main floor of the Inn for a night cap.
Exploring Lake Placid
For our first full day in Lake Placid, we started with breakfast at the View, the inn’s AAA 4-star restaurant. Then we set out for a walk through the village of Lake Placid and around Mirror Lake. It was a beautiful day to be outdoors.
Thinking we might also do a little hiking, I wore my Oboz hiking shoes with my brown Endless pants, seamless tee and lightweight jacket.
Later in the afternoon we did drive out the Whiteface Memorial Highway and went to the Summit, where we could see for hundreds of miles in every direction. In fact, we could clearly see Montreal. I suggest taking the elevator to the summit – quite an experience in itself – and then hiking down to the parking lot, if you are able. It is a little challenging, but worth it.
Evening Dining at the View
We had made dinner reservations at the View for Monday night. So I had packed my Frank & Eileen Scotland getaway set just for this occasion. The dark green corduroy shirt and pants felt special but also relaxed and resort-worthy.
The four-course dinner was superb and the service was spot on. I had made the reservations early enough so that we could enjoy watching the sun set over Mirror Lake as we dined. I had the chevre risotto and James enjoyed the venison Bolognese. We would both heartily recommend these generous portioned pasta dishes, but I imagine that everything on the menu is stellar.
Ski Jumps & Spa
Tuesday we got breakfast again at the View and then headed to the Olympic Ski Jumping Complex. It was amazing to see the jumps, and we were able to go up to the top of the highest one.
Later in the afternoon James returned to the complex to watch skiers practice. He got rained on, but loved every minute of it. Meanwhile, I spent an afternoon at the spa.
I am so glad I made reservations for a facial at the Mirror Lake Spa. The custom facial was effective and relaxing, but I also had access to the whirlpool, sauna, heated lap pool and relaxation room. I made an afternoon of it and then met James for a cocktail and dinner at the Cottage Cafe.
Exploring More of Lake Placid
For our final full day in Lake Placid we decided to dine out. We started the day with a hearty breakfast at the Breakfast Club. I had the avocado toast topped with an egg, and it was delicious and satisfying. But we also split a scrumptious single buttermilk pancake.
I decided it was time to wear some jeans on this day. So I wore my new J.Crew jeans with a brown suede side stripe topped with a burnished orange cashmere sweater and my mossy brown puffer vest. We spent most of the morning at the Lake Placid Olympic Center, where we toured the Lake Placid Olympic Museum (so worth the stop) and saw where the U.S. Hockey team beat the Russian team in 1980 to go on to win the gold after defeating Finland.
That night we dined at Jimmy’s 21 Ristorante, where the portions were ample and authentic. We highly recommend this family owned and operated restaurant, and you’ll want to make reservations. It’s the oldest running restaurant in the town of Lake Placid.
Heading Out of Lake Placid
Thursday we awakened to beautiful weather and a crisp chill in the air. It was time to head out for the next part of our road trip, but we savored every last moment we could at this charming inn before getting on the road.
James and I hope to return to Mirror Lake Inn some day, maybe even soon. We know we’d love to go back in the fall, but we’re thinking it would be fun to visit in the winter, too.
Not only do they greet you at check-in with fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, but they have them available to you throughout your stay, along with coffee and other hot beverages. As long as the weather allows, they host nightly s’mores gatherings around a fire pit. And you can hop in a canoe or kayak at your leisure and take it out onto Mirror Lake.
So we’ll definitely return to Mirror Lake Inn. But on Thursday we set out for other destinations. We spent time meandering along the Hudson River Valley, staying in a bed and breakfast in Troy and then a hotel in Poughkeepsie. Then we stayed a couple of nights in La Porte, Pennsylvania, where we hiked one of the most amazing trails I’ve ever been on at Ricketts Glen State Park. The Falls Trail has a total of 21 waterfalls, and they were absolutely magnificent. The trail was not easy, but it was worthy of the challenge.
For the first travel day on the back side of the trip, I wore my straight leg jeans with the corduroy shirt from my Scotland set and a hearty Frank & Eileen cotton cardigan. I also gave my feet a break from the more structured shoes by wearing my M.Gemi ballet flats. You can use code KAY15 for 15% off at M.Gemi.
For the second travel day, as we meandered through the Hudson River Valley and on to Pennsylvania, I wore my Ayr High Hopes pants, which are super comfortable but also polished. I topped them with a cotton t-shirt and cashmere sweater.
I forgot to take a photo of my hiking outfit. But I wore my lighter colored Endless pants with this L.L.Bean shirt and my Oboz hiking shoes when we hiked the four-mile loop.
And for my final day of travel, I settled into my Frank & Eileen Catherine triple fleece pants, denim shirt and Mini Cotswold sweater with my sneakers. If you have any questions about what I wore or about the trip, please let me know. We absolutely loved our fall getaway to the Adirondacks and highly recommend it.
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Blessed for My Day
Much of our quality of life depends on perspective. Wouldn’t you say that is true? The older we get the more we realize that everyone has their share of difficulties and sadness, and we also all have a fair smattering of blessings and triumphs. But how we navigate those ups and downs depends largely on our mindset and “heart health.”
If we focus on what we don’t have, the struggle, the loss or the pain, we’ll undoubtedly hurt all the more and eventually feel defeated. On the flip side if we focus on the mountain tops, we can also lose perspective and feel the let down of the eventual falls all the more. Instead, it’s best to delight in the Lord. When we focus on Him, by thanking Him for the blessings and seeking Him during the hard times, we enjoy His sweet companionship through both the ups and the downs. Then we learn that life is not really about peaks and valleys at all; it’s about enjoying a relationship with Him and the unwavering joy that brings.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ~ Psalm 374
Kay, what lovely photographs!!! Lake Placid, Lake George, and the Adirondack region will always have a special place in my heart. I am so glad you enjoyed the trip. 🙂 Love all your vacation outfits as well. Love the F&E Cotswold cardi and the JC puffer vest, especially. Beautiful BFMD as well.
Wow! Lake Placid is so beautiful. I have never been to that area. We have always gone to the Finger Lakes.. Your outfits are fabulous as usual!
I’m so glad you enjoyed your trip and time away! Did your husband take all the scenery photos? I enjoyed seeing them sprinkled in throughout your post. The Scotland Set is just stunning on you. I think your height is what carries the length and shape of the pant leg. That set is just the right mix of modern and practical; a nice alternative to athleisure looks. That has me thinking about corduroy on corduroy of the same weight, wale and manufacturer colorway. Sometimes I want a little ‘more’ than an elevated athleisure set, and a Scotland-esque Set might be something to try. Thanks for continuously providing high quality content and inspiration. I appreciate you! Have a blessed day!
I really enjoyed this post Kay. Thank you for sharing these stunning photos. I’m glad you had such a lovely fall getaway – you certainly deserve time to relax and recharge.
Having vacationed in the Lake Placid-Saranac Lake area my whole life, I’d say you caught the highlights perfectly. You are right on about the elevator at Whiteface Mt – but even the walk down can be tough for some folks. There are so many great hikes in the area, so many lakes, so many great places to eat… glad you had a good time!
Wow!!!!’ The photos James took are stunning. Your trip looks so beautiful and just what we like to do. You do a great job booking ahead and planning. Not my strength. We’ve never been that far. We live on the NW coast. Maybe someday. My husband just retired 9 months ago. So hope more trips to come. Thanks for sharing all the details. I loved reading this. You dressed very cute for your trip. Maybe sometime show what James wore.
Kay, your vacation photos are beautiful! We’ve never been there. Looks like a lovely place to stay. Your outfits looked very nice too.
Kay,
Glad you had a nice relaxing vacation. The scenery was absolutely stunning! You looked so polish and classic in all of your outfits! Loved the brown sneakers and the green corduroy outfit on you!
Thank you for all that you do. Enjoyed the BFMD!
What a beautiful inspiring trip! Thank you so much for sharing it with us.
Today was change over day!! It was productive, I tried on things, really looked at the wear of items and thought about when was the last time I wore the item. Several items did not fit like they used to!! Ot g ers were just not for me any more and all were donated. This exercise is always good, Thank you for the inspiration. Kaye from Salem, VA
I too change my wardrobe out seasonally. I would love to see how you do it and your organization. Thanks for your great blog and channel!
Oh I’d love to take this trip!
Were you happy with your Oboz hiking shoes?
True to size? I really need some new hikers.
Yes, I’ve worn them for several years now, including our trip to Alaska. True to size.
LOVE all your beautiful pictures. I think I’m meant to go to that beautiful Inn as I keep seeing it. I posted elsewhere that it has been featured in a silly reality show i watch. I was amazed at the gorgeous views. We just got back from staying at The Grand in Mackinack Island. HIGHLY recommend. A magical dream of a destination. I’m putting Lake Placid on my bucket list. Maybe for next Fall. Happy Fall!
I really enjoyed reading about your fall getaway. I especially liked the references to restaurants and things to do in the area. Do they have cute shops and boutiques as well?
Yes! Lots of good shops and such.
What beautiful photos!!! My husband and I enjoyed the Hudson Valley a few years ago but I think we would love Mirror Lake and environs as well. Great outfits, too – comfortable but put-together. The BFMD speaks to the disappointments in life I am dealing with – I remind myself that we need to keep our ultimate goal top of mind and trust that God has our best interests at heart, even when we can’t see it.
What beautiful images and thorough descriptions of your fall getaway…Mirror Lake Inn is so worth the visit…Your outfits are gorgeous as always and so are you, Kay…Sorry we missed you but I’m so happy you made it to Olde Bryan Inn…Thanks so much for all you do…you and James make a wonderful team.