Baltimore or Lake Placid?

Neither is a beach destination, but Lake Placid makes swimming easier. On a hot summer afternoon you can walk from Main Street to the lifeguarded strip on Mirror Lake. The Saranac lakes and the rocky pools on the Ausable are a short drive away, and the fresh water is clean and inviting.

Baltimore's harbour is not for swimming. The nearest sand is Sandy Point on the brackish Chesapeake, a drive away and sometimes affected by sea nettles or closures. The Atlantic surf is about three hours off.

Baltimore's cooking has a clear identity, even if it is not wide. Its signature meal is the summer crab feast, steamed blue crabs under Old Bay cracked open with mallets on brown paper, and lump-meat crab cakes carry the same taste through the rest of the year. Between the old market halls, the pastry shops of Little Italy and the pit beef stands, a few days of eating here have real local character.

Lake Placid feeds hungry hikers well, with diners, brewpubs, pizza and a few lodge dining rooms facing the lake. Maple syrup and local beer are about as regional as it gets, and in the quiet seasons some kitchens cut back.

Baltimore's sights are art and history, while Lake Placid's are almost all sport. In Baltimore the Cone Collection's Matisse works and the Walters' antiquities sit alongside the self-taught artists at the American Visionary Art Museum. Fort McHenry recalls the British bombardment that gave the country its national anthem, and the B&O roundhouse marks where American railroading began. The townhouses of Mount Vernon and the cobbled streets of Fells Point are worth an afternoon of walking on their own.

Lake Placid's heritage comes from hosting the Winter Olympics twice, in 1932 and 1980. You can see the rink of the 'Miracle on Ice', the ski jumps above the town and the skating oval, and John Brown's Farm is just outside the village. It is interesting, but it takes a day.

Baltimore gives you a few good evenings in its bar districts. There are old taverns around the cobbled square in Fells Point, rooftops in Federal Hill after an Orioles game, and dive bars in Station North, though the club scene is small. Lake Placid has a handful of Main Street pubs and lodge bars that liven up after a ski day, and the village is quiet by midnight.

This is where Lake Placid wins most clearly. Mount Marcy, Cascade and dozens of other Adirondack summits are a short drive away. You can paddle the St. Regis canoe area, climb at Chapel Pond, and ski, snowshoe and skate through a long winter.

Baltimore's green spaces are softer: the wooded gorges of Patapsco Valley, the rail trail along Gunpowder Falls, and sailing out of Annapolis to watch for ospreys and eagles. Real hills are about an hour and a half west.

Baltimore is a far better base for day trips. You can be at the Smithsonian or Independence Hall by train in about an hour, and Annapolis, Gettysburg, Harpers Ferry and the Eastern Shore are all reachable by car.

From Lake Placid, most outings lead into the wilderness. Saranac Lake, Keene and the Wild Center are close, and Fort Ticonderoga, Burlington and Montreal are long drives that each take a full day.

Both suit families, but in different ways. Baltimore keeps its attractions in one place around the Inner Harbor: the National Aquarium's shark ring and rainforest, the science centre, Port Discovery and paddle boats, all within walking distance of each other.

Lake Placid is for active children. They can skate on the Olympic rinks, ride a bobsled, slide down the toboggan chute onto the frozen lake and take lessons at the Whiteface ski school, in a small village where they can safely walk around. It has no aquarium or big indoor attractions, so a wet day takes more thought.

Baltimore is a little easier without a car. Its harbour neighbourhoods link up along a waterfront promenade and by water taxi, and trains to Washington and Philadelphia are excellent, though Hampden and the zoo still need a bus or a taxi.

In Lake Placid you can walk around the village, but almost everything you come for, from trailheads to the ski slopes, needs a car on winding mountain roads that often have proper winter conditions.

Neither is worth a trip for shopping, but Baltimore offers more variety. The Avenue in Hampden has vintage clothing and kitsch, and Fells Point has antiques and records. Lake Placid's single Main Street is more useful than interesting, good for outdoor gear, fly-fishing tackle, balsam pillows and maple products.

Baltimore is the cheaper stay, and many visitors to Washington sleep there for that reason. Its two big art museums are free, though taxis and restaurant bills still add up.

Lake Placid charges resort prices in winter, summer and the foliage weeks, and lift tickets, guides and a rental car add to the bill. Costs fall a lot in the quiet weeks of spring and late autumn, and hiking or paddling costs nothing.

Baltimore has a full season of performances: the symphony at the Meyerhoff, many free recitals at the Peabody Institute, touring Broadway shows at the Hippodrome, repertory theatre, and indie and punk gigs around Station North.

Lake Placid's live performance is mostly in summer. The Sinfonietta gives concerts at the Mirror Lake bandshell, and the village arts centre puts on occasional shows. Outside summer there is little to see.

Lake Placid is the more restful place, because of its setting rather than its spas. Lodge porches over still water, the walk around Mirror Lake and a sauna or fire after a cold day help you slow down.

Baltimore feels urban and gritty. You will find a few hotel spas and yoga studios, a quiet morning on the harbour promenade or under the trees of Druid Hill, and locals who want real rest head to the Eastern Shore.