5 Iconic North American Winter Olympics Host Cities Worth Visiting Today
The 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics featured athletes from a record 92 countries. Even if you missed competing among the 3,000 participants, create your own Olympic memories by visiting these five legendary North American host cities. Relive historic moments, test your skills on world-class slopes, tracks, and rinks where records were broken and dreams realized.
Lake Placid, New York (1932 and 1980)
Home to two Winter Games, Lake Placid is forever etched in history for the "Miracle on Ice" during the 1980 Olympics, where the underdog U.S. hockey team stunned the dominant Soviet "Red Army." All Olympic venues are within 8 miles of Main Street, meticulously maintained by the State of New York. Visitors can skate the famed rink, biathlon at the shooting center, and conquer Whiteface Mountain—the East Coast's highest vertical drop—all in one trip.
Mirror Lake Inn, an AAA Four-Diamond property praised by Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler, offers free afternoon tea and cookies by the lobby fireplace. Just one block from Main Street and a 10-minute drive from Whiteface, it's ideally positioned near all venues.
Olympic Valley (formerly Squaw Valley), California (1960)
Once home to just two families, this bid for the 1960 Games transformed it into one of America's largest ski resorts. The eighth Winter Olympics were the first televised live, introducing instant replay, metal skis, and women's speed skating. Though the Olympic Ice Pavilion was damaged beyond repair by heavy snowfall, Olympic Valley Ski Resort remains. Ski premier slopes, visit the Olympic Museum, and unwind with hot chocolate in The Village at Olympic Valley.
Extend the mountain vibe at the Lodge at Edgewood, 90 minutes away in Lake Tahoe. Fireplace rooms, private terraces, and a year-round heated lakefront pool await.
Calgary, Alberta (1988)
Canada's first Winter Olympics is iconic for the Jamaican bobsled team's "Cool Runnings" Cinderella story. Three decades on, Calgary thrives as Canada's winter sports hub, with five Olympic venues still in use for elite training. Host to world championships in skating and skeleton, it offers thrilling experiences like the 10-turn Winsport bobsled track at up to 4Gs.
Hotel Le Germain Calgary, two blocks from Olympic Plaza, is a 20-minute drive from key venues for ceremonies, figure skating, and hockey.
Salt Lake City, Utah (2002)
Post-9/11 patriotism peaked as President George W. Bush opened the Games—the first sitting U.S. president to do so. The U.S. won 34 medals, including a men's snowboarding podium sweep. With over two billion viewers and a $40 million surplus funding venue upkeep, visitors today can ride pro-piloted bobsleds, skate the "fastest ice on Earth" at Utah Olympic Oval, and catch Salt Lake City's bid for 2034.
Little America Hotel places powder hounds within an hour of 11 resorts, with a large indoor pool and sauna for post-ski recovery.
Vancouver, British Columbia (2010)
Mountain events unfolded two hours north at Whistler Olympic Park along the stunning Sea-to-Sky Highway. First Nations welcomed the world as Canada claimed gold in men's and women's hockey. Try bobsled lessons, tackle the 2,500-foot Dave Murray Downhill, or snowboard at Cypress Mountain. Whistler Olympic Plaza features memorabilia, free skating, and performances.
AAA Four-Diamond Nita Lake Lodge, named among Travel + Leisure's "World's Best," offers shuttles to Whistler Village, ski lockers, and spa treatments like hot stone massages and yoga.
Elisabeth Barker, a former Division 1 athlete, globetrotter, and travel writer based in New York City and Miami, founded @skirtandasuitcase, an online community for inspirational travel, fitness, and healthy lifestyles.
