Skating on Olympic Ice in Lake Placid, NY

Why It Matters

The piece spotlights Lake Placid’s enduring Olympic appeal, driving tourism while inspiring athletes and travelers to connect with historic winter‑sport venues.

Key Takeaways

• Former competitive skater fulfills lifelong Olympic ice dream.
• Lake Placid’s venues showcase 1932 and 1980 Olympic heritage.
• Seeing current Olympians inspires next‑generation winter athletes worldwide.
• Personal coach connection ties past games to present experience.
• Lonely Planet urges travelers to add Lake Placid to bucket lists.

Summary

The video follows Shellane, a former competitive figure skater now on Lonely Planet’s social team, as she steps onto the historic Olympic speed‑skating oval in Lake Placid, New York, fulfilling a childhood ambition.

She recounts growing up on a local rink, training for Olympic‑level competition, and not having skated on a full‑size ice surface in over ten years. The first glide is wobbly, but muscle memory returns quickly, underscoring how elite training endures.

Shellane highlights the town’s layered legacy—1932 and 1980 Winter Games, a coach who competed in 1980, and contemporary role models like Alyssa Leo and Amber Glenn. She also points to a 19‑year‑old athlete’s 128‑meter high‑jump demonstration as evidence of ongoing excitement.

The experience serves as both a personal milestone and a promotional call‑to‑action, urging winter‑sports enthusiasts to visit Lake Placid’s preserved venues, thereby boosting heritage tourism and reinforcing the Olympics’ cultural resonance.

Original Description

“The Milan Cortina Olympic team got me back into skating,” says Lonely Planet’s Shalayne Pulia, who was a competitive figure skater for almost 16 years. Now, she's lacing up her skates (for the first time in over a decade) at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval in New York's Lake Placid with I Love NY. “The joy athletes like Alysa Liu and Amber Glenn bring to the ice — how can you not want to join in on the fun?”