Go for Gold at Olympic Legacy Sites Around North America

There truly is no sporting event like the Olympic Games. The Olympics practically transcend sport, attracting an audience of billions around the globe, most of whom couldn’t discern a hammer throw from a shot put. Watching the best athletes in the world, regardless of their sport, and regardless of if they compete for your country or not, captivates people every four years.

No sporting event can compete with the history of the Olympics. The Ancient Olympic Games first took place in Greece in the 8th century B.C. and were held for the next 12 centuries. Though those Games looked far different than they do today, sports like boxing and wrestling featured both then and now. These Games too were important on a level beyond sports to the Ancient Greeks; wars were delayed so as not to interrupt the competition.

Reviving the Olympic tradition in modern times was the brainchild of Pierre de Coubertin, co-founder of the International Olympic Committee. De Coubertin believed in the power of physical education for young people and saw a revival of the Olympics as the best way to promote these ideals. He rallied support behind his proposal in 1894, and in 1896, the Games came back to life in Greece, where it all began centuries ago. Nothing short of world war has disrupted the Games since.

Now would be a great time to get your group into the Olympic spirit. The Games come to Los Angeles in 2028, the first Summer Games on U.S. soil since 1996. But, whether you make it to any of those events or not, there are plenty of ways to engage with Olympic history all around the country between now and then.

OLYMPIC CITY

From an American perspective, there’s no better place to learn about Team USA legends past and present than at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This destination is part hall of fame, part interactive experience, and part museum. Groups get the opportunity to try Olympic sports for themselves while also learning about the people who revolutionized each event.

“Visitors love the six interactive sport exhibits, including simulations where they can race against world-class sprinters,” says Hannah Henthorne, manager of sales and development at the museum. “The museum’s 12 galleries feature Olympic torches, medals, and a simulated Opening Ceremony’s Parade of Nations, offering a hands-on experience that brings the excitement of the Games to life.”

The museum makes it easy for group tours, with discounts for groups of 12 or more, dedicated bus lanes for drop-off, and an on-site cafe. Guided tours last about an hour, while self-guided tours take about 1 1/2 hours. The museum is conveniently located in downtown Colorado Springs and is only the start of your Olympic history adventure.

Colorado Springs is nicknamed “Olympic City USA” as it is the headquarters of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, as well as several national sports governing bodies. Groups also can make a stop at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, where many American athletes prepare for the Games. The facility offers guided tours, and there also is a gift shop to get one-of-a-kind Team USA gear.

THE PAST & FUTURE GAMES

The one thing you can’t see in Colorado is an actual Olympic venue, since the state has never hosted the Games. But, in North America, you have plenty of Olympic sites to choose from. The United States has hosted eight Olympic Games, the most of any country, and Canada has hosted another three. The Games also came to Mexico City in 1968.

Salt Lake City, Utah, hosted the Winter Games in 2002, and come 2034, will become the fifth city in history to host multiple Winter Olympics. So, a visit to Utah Olympic Park offers a look at not only the history of the Games but also the future. The Olympic Park is expected to again host sliding sports as it did in 2002, and that means a rare, heart-pounding opportunity for groups to experience.

“By far the most popular and talked-about experience for groups is the bobsled ride,” says Gabby Saunders, media representative for Utah Olympic Park. “Riding on the same track used by elite athletes gives guests a true, visceral connection to winter sport, and it is consistently the highlight of a group’s visit.”

For groups that like their activities a bit slower paced, the park also offers guided tours discussing Olympic history and how elite athletes have continued to use the facilities to train. The park is very much still an active athletic destination, even eight years out from the Games.

“A group visit directly connects guests to that ongoing story and to Utah’s role in shaping the future of winter sport,” says Saunders. And, if you still can’t get enough, head to the Olympic Oval in Kearns, Utah, and skate where 10 Olympic and nine world speedskating records were set at the 2002 Games—the most ever set at a single event.

WHERE LEGENDS WERE BORN

With all due respect to the U.S. men’s hockey teams that triumphed at the 1960 and 2026 Winter Games, the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team is unlikely to be supplanted as the all-time favorite among American hockey fans. The U.S. knocking off the heavily favored Soviet Union en route to a gold medal is one of the greatest upsets in the history of sports, and it came on home ice in Lake Placid, New York.

Today, your group can relive that famous victory, as well as a ton of other Olympic history. Lake Placid also staged the Games in 1932, playing host to many great champions. “A visit to Lake Placid provides experiences visitors will always remember,” says Jaime Collins, communications manager for the Olympic Regional Development Authority. “The history of two Olympic Winter Games lives on here at our venues, and the Olympic spirit is alive here 365 days a year. One feels that at our venues as well as simply taking a stroll down Main Street. It’s palpable and unforgettable.”

Those venues include the arena where the “Miracle” took place, the speedskating oval where American Eric Heiden won five gold medals, and Jack Shea Arena, which became the first indoor rink used in the Olympics back in 1932. The Lake Placid Olympic Museum highlights even more impressive achievements through immersive exhibits, authentic artifacts, and athlete stories. And though the Games are long past, Lake Placid has invested in maintaining its facilities and still hosts numerous athletic events in its venues.

Whistler, British Columbia, doesn’t have nearly as long a history with the Games, as it and Vancouver hosted in 2010, but the Olympic legacy lives on just the same. The slopes of Whistler are where Lindsey Vonn became the first American woman to win Olympic gold in Alpine skiing. Nearby Whistler Olympic Park and the Whistler Sliding Centre hosted sports like biathlon, ski jumping, and bobsled, and continue to host elite athletes—and groups—today.

“There are two activities that groups visiting Whistler love: bobsleigh and biathlon,” says Bruce MacMillan, managing director of business development for Whistler Sport Legacies. “Both are just so unique to Whistler that everyone wants to give it a try. Who doesn’t want to try the fastest track in the world where they can reach speeds of 130 kilometers per hour in a public bobsleigh? I always say, ‘You can zip line anywhere in the world, but our activities are truly unique.’”

Other Olympic legacy sites in North America to consider include Olympic Park in Montreal, Quebec, home of the 1972 Summer Games; WinSport in Calgary, Alberta, host of the 1988 Winter Games; and the Olympic Museum in Olympic Valley, California, host of the 1960 Winter Games. All contain what people love most about the Olympics: fascinating stories, elite athleticism, and the kind of achievements you don’t see anywhere else.

By Todd Kortemeier

Main Image: Olympic Center, Lake Placid, New York; Credit: Olympic Regional Development Authority/Jordan Craig