Some places are just stops on the map, but Saranac Lake in New York's Adirondack Mountains, in the United States, is a destination that keeps people hooked year-round. Despite its name, this village isn't directly on the Saranac Lakes themselves but rather on Lake Flower, a wide section of the Saranac River. For centuries, the area—nicknamed 'The Capital of the Adirondacks'—was used by Indigenous peoples for hunting and travel. By the late 19th century, it gained fame as a health retreat, where Dr Edward Livingston Trudeau pioneered fresh-air treatment for tuberculosis. The cure cottages from that era still stand today.

Today, Saranac Lake has shifted from curing patients to curing boredom. Visitors paddle the waterways, hike the High Peaks and enjoy winter activities like skiing and ice fishing. The village also boasts a lively arts scene, with galleries, music and community festivals making culture as central as the outdoors. Local shops and restaurants add flavour, serving everything from trout to craft beer. The annual Winter Carnival is a highlight, complete with an ice palace that looks like something out of a frosty fairy tale, proving this village knows how to make a cool impression—literally.