While the 2026 Winter Olympics are taking place in Italy, you can embrace the Olympic spirit right here in New York State. Whether you want to try out an Olympic sport like skiing, curling, or luge, cheer on athletes at a Milano Cortina 2026 watch party, or plan a getaway to the two-time Winter Olympics host city of Lake Placid, you can do it all in the Empire State.
Skiing and Snowboarding
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New York State is covered in mountains, and in fact, has the most ski areas of any state in the nation. With lessons for first-time skiers, adaptive skiing, and kids ski free programs, there’s never been a better time to get on the slopes.
Expert skiers looking to follow in the tracks of 1980 Olympic legends will love Whiteface Mountain, boasting the greatest vertical drop in the Northeast. Holiday Valley and Greek Peak are great spots for a family-friendly ski trip, while Maple Ski Ridge and Mount Peter let you hit the slopes without breaking the bank. Near New York City, catch Olympic vibes at Belleayre Mountain or hop on the Metro-North Railroad to Patterson, just a mile from the Thunder Ride Ski Area.
Cross-Country Skiing
Not only is cross-country skiing an Olympic sport, it’s also one of the best ways to see New York’s wintry landscapes. Soak up stunning Adirondack scenery along 55km of groomed trails at Garnet Hill Lodge before ending the day with warmth and good cheer by the fireplace at the Log House Restaurant.
Follow miles of shoreline at Wellesley Island State Park in the Thousand Islands-Seaway region, trek through peaceful woodlands at Lapland Lake (founded by a former US Olympian), ski to a preserved 19th-century Adirondack Great Camp at Camp Santanoni, or wind through groomed trails at the Art Omi sculpture park, among other cross-country skiing experiences across the state.
Ice Skating
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Glide into Olympic glory at unique indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks across New York State. Lace up for some laps at the Olympic Center, featuring two legendary indoor rinks, the 1932 Jack Shea Arena, and the 1980 Herb Brooks Arena. Opt outside for an alpine-like skating setting beneath the mountains of Bear Mountain State Park, surrounded by hiking trails.
Figure skate at Empire State Plaza, with the Albany skyline as your backdrop, framed by The Capitol, The Egg, and The New York State Museum. Scenic serenity can be found in the city at the festive rinks at Brooklyn Bridge Park and Bryant Park. And in the heart of downtown Syracuse, Clinton Square offers a snowy skate.
Speed Skating
Step onto legendary ice at the James C. Sheffield Speed Skating Oval, where Eric Heiden made history with five gold medals at the 1980 Winter Olympics. Chase your own gold during public sessions on this 400-meter outdoor track in Lake Placid, framed by the Adirondack Mountains. Prefer to skate indoors? Two additional rinks await next door at the Olympic Center.
Head to the World Ice Arena in Queens, home to the Flushing Meadows Speed Skating Club, the city’s only speed skating club. The club offers coaching for all levels and a season running from October through March.
Curling
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The curling craze has been going strong ever since the U.S. men’s team brought home the gold in the 2018 Winter Olympics. This winter sport, in which teams slide stones across ice aiming for a target or “house,” also has a long history in New York with team clubs in Utica, Albany, and Brooklyn.
Try it out for yourself in Buffalo at the Ice at Canalside and Buffalo Riverworks, or visit the Olympic Center in Lake Placid for lessons on their dedicated sheets. The Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City also has iceless curling lanes that are free to play on a first come, first served basis.
Bobsled and Skeleton
If you’ve got a need for speed, Mt Van Hoevenberg delivers. Thrill-seekers can take a once-in-a-lifetime bobsled experience (pictured, available beginning Summer 2026), racing down the track in an enclosed, steered sled and reaching speeds of up to 50 miles per hour as you zoom through banked turns and rapid zigzags.
For a more head-on adrenaline rush, try the skeleton experience, also at Mt Van Hoevenberg. One of the only places in the world to attempt this sport, the heart-pounding experience puts you face down on an open skeleton sled as you speed down the track head first, reaching speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, using your legs and shoulders to steer.
Luge
With athletes racing face-up on a sled heading feet-first down an icy track at speeds of over 80 miles per hour, luge is the fastest sport in the Winter Olympics. Lake Placid is home to the USA Luge Headquarters, the training site for Olympic and National Team athletes. Tours of the facility, held every Friday at 2PM, take you to see the training ramps and workshops where sleds are made, and end with an exciting ride down the ramp! Mt Van Hoevenberg also offers a luge experience, typically in the summer months.
Join Olympic Viewing Parties
Spectating more your sport? Grab your cheer squad and head over to The Lodge at the Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City as it’s transformed into a Team USA Fan Zone with themed food and drinks, a medal count wall, and the Winter Games screened daily. There will be no shortage of ways to watch the games in Lake Placid. The Mt Van Hoevenberg Upper Lodge and Roamers Café will host Opening Ceremony viewing parties, and the Olympic Center, Mt Van Hoevenberg, the Olympic Jumping Complex, and the Northwood School Innovation Hub will serve as daily viewing zones.
Enjoy More Olympic Fun in Lake Placid
As a two-time host of the Winter Olympics, Lake Placid is going all out for this year’s games. Visit Legacy Sites like the Olympic Center, which will be illuminated nightly in Team USA colors, or head to the top of the Olympic Jumping Complex for a view of what ski jumpers see before they take flight.
Snap a picture at a medals podium in Mid’s Park on Main Street, visit the Virtual Jersey Experience at the Olympic Center, and join special themed nights all February long at the speed skating oval. If you can’t make it to Italy for the games, you can see athletes in action this winter at the Empire State Winter Games, IBU Biathlon Cup, FIS Cross-Country World Cup Finals, and more! Plan your getaway with our guide to An Olympic-Level Winter Weekend in Lake Placid.
