The Bobsled Experience at Lake Placid

by Katie Beltramo

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For a little adrenaline rush, you can try the Bobsled Experience. You’ll get fitted with an enormous helmet and ride the sled between two experienced bobsledders, who do all the steering and braking while you sit tight and try not to scream. Immediately after the ride, staff take your photo, and you receive it, a t-shirt, and a commemorative pin as souvenirs.

Kids must be at least 7 years old and 48 inches tall (they were unmoved when my 46-inch daughter sobbed in dismay), and at $60-$70 per person (20% off with the Olympics Passport), the price is a bit high for a ride that’s completed in less than a minute.

If you find the idea of playing Olympian compelling and you’re likely to spend on souvenirs, anyway, it’s a good choice. If you’re doing it for the sheer thrill, an amusement park might be a better investment for you.

© 2011, Katie Beltramo

Katie Beltramo, a mother of two, is Editor of Kids Out and About-Albany and blogs at Capital District Fun.

Photo courtesy of Olympic Regional Development Authority.