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Recommended Cooperstown, NY,
attractions and recreational activities -- What to See and Do
From the editors at VisitingCooperstown.com
| The
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (photo by Eric J. Hurwitz) |
No matter what time of the year,
Cooperstown, NY, offers a treasure of things to do in one of
the most beautiful locations in the country. With rolling green
hills, nine-mile Otsego Lake, the National Baseball Hall of Fame
and Museum, Farmers' Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, the toy village-like
Main Street and so many more attractions, you're sure to have
a great time in this special village from another era.
Some of the attractions below
are seasonal. We recommend calling your chosen destination before
setting forth on your itinerary.
Brewery
Ommegang Belgian-style
ales are the specialty here -- come tour the facility set within
the beautiful Cooperstown area countryside.
656 Co Rte 33, Cooperstown
NY - (800)544-1809
Clark's
Sports Center This
modern sports, health and recreational center offers swimming
and diving pools, a fitness center, aerobics section, squash
and racquetball courts, a rock climbing wall, gymnasium with
basketball courts, an indoor running track, ten-pin bowling,
an "indoor high-adventure ropes course and soccer and softball
field. Nestled in between the Village of Cooperstown and pleasing
rolling hills on beautiful Susquehanna Rd.,
the Clarks Sports Center answers a family's and traveling athlete's
call to stay active during a Cooperstown vacation.
Clark's Sport Center, Susquehanna
Avenue, located one mile from the Center of the Village of Cooperstown
Cooperstown
Art Association
The Cooperstown Art Association
(CAA) exhibits approximately 18 shows a year, featuring a cross
section of styles and abilities an bringing in a multitude of
artists and patrons. The CAA also offer classes, demonstrations
and lectures throughout the year along with our ongoing figure
drawing class.
Cooperstown Art Association,
corner of Main and Fair Sts. (in the Village Library). Tel. (607)
547-9777
Cooperstown
Chamber Music Festival Ten
concerts performed by dedicated, talented area musicians will
be offered in 2006 throughout the Cooperstown area. Click
here for details and calendar of events
Cooperstown
Dreams Park What
a thrill it is each year for families to experience the joys
of Cooperstown and watch their children playing baseball at the
wonderful Cooperstown Dreams Park. It is "The Crown Jewel
Of Youth Baseball...where baseball present meets the traditional
values of the past."
Hwy 28, Cooperstown, NY, Tel.
(704) 630-0050
Cooperstown
Farmers' Market/Otsego 2000
A delightful family fun downtown experience where local food
and arts and crafts vendors bring their fine products and down-to-earth
personalities that create a charming Cooperstown experience.
PO Box 1130; Location: Pioneer
Alley, Cooperstown NY ,Tel. (607)547-8881
Cooperstown
& Charlotte Valley Railroad Experience
a scenic and historic rail ride along the Susquehanna River...
or visit the Railway Museum in Milford.
PO Box 681, Oneonta, NY 13820-;
Location: Milford Depot Co Rte 166, Milford, NY, Tel. (607)432-2429
Cooperstown Trolley Two
dollars for adults and half of that for kids will get you on
the Cooperstown trolley, taking you to some of Cooperstown best
attractions, as well as the Cooperstown
Chamber of Commerce information center. On the way, you'll
see some amazing old homes, the charming downtown, Otsego Lake,
great neighborhoods and many other landmarks, attractions and
ways-of-life that make Cooperstown a special place. It's a great
tour!
Cooperstown
Fun Park Family fun
abounds on the growing Route 28 southern corridor at Cooperstown
Fun Park, including miniature golf, a video arcade, driving range
and bumper boats.
Three miles south of Cooperstown,
NY, Route 28, Tel. (607) 547-2767
Doubleday Batting Range
No trip to Cooperstown would
be complete without a trip to the Doubleday Batting Range. One
of Cooperstown's best-loved recreational attractions from April
to October, the Doubleday Batting Range features several batting
and softball cages, a pitching radar gun to measure the speed
of your pitches, and sports video games. The staff is very friendly,
making the experience even that much better. The Doubleday Batting
Range is the ultimate in family fun and adjacent to Doubleday
Field, making this section of Cooperstown a baseball lover's
dream.
Doubleday Court, Cooperstown,
N.Y. Tel. (607) 547-1852
Doubleday
Field Named after Abner Doubleday (1819-1893),
a Union Army General and allegedly the originator of baseball,
Doubleday Field is as real as baseball stadiums get. Major League
parks may try to create an intimate setting, but Doubleday Field
was born that way and never strayed. The hope that baseball players
play the game for only the love of their hobby or profession
is fully realized everyday --three games a day during the baseball
season -- on Doubleday Field's plush green field and perfectly
manicured diamond. Seating capacity is 9,800. Admission is free
and the experience is priceless.
25 Main St., Cooperstown,
N.Y.
The
Farmers' Museum and
Fenimore Art Museum
The
Farmer's Museum which portrays rural life in early times. An
herbal pharmacy, blacksmithing, weaving, printing, stickball
games, music, farming, -- with many different animals -- and
more make for a lively afternoon. Unlike other places of this
ilk, it's not forced or hokey. Everything seems authentic. Virtually
across the street is the Fenimore
House Museum, "home to one of the country's premier folk
art collections, and now the American Indian Wing with a dazzling
collection and galleries 'any museum in the world would envy.'"
(The New York Times). The Fenimore Museum also has great kids
activities; we particularly enjoyed the gingerbread house-making
class. So did the kids.
The museums attracts visitors
year round for special events such as Candlelight Evening in
December. The Candlelight evening represents the true essence
of the holiday season with a beautiful Christmas tree, musical
performances by local schools, delicious wassail, a wonderful
Santa Claus telling great childrens' stories, horse-drawn carriage
rides, warm, comfort food in the tavern, thousands of lights
illuminating the beautiful countryside, and beautiful voices
either singing holiday songs. The weather might be cold, but
the feeling is ultimately warm at this grand event. Click
here for Farmer's Museum calendar of events Click here for
Fenimore Museum calendar of events
Farmer's Museum: PO Box 30;
Location: St Hwy 80 Lake Rd., Cooperstown NY, Tel. (607)547-1450;
Fenimore Art Museum: PO Box 800; Location: St Hwy 80 Lake Road,
Cooperstown NY , Tel. (888)547-1450
Fly
Creek Cider Mill and Orchard
The Cider Mill is a turn-of-the-century
water-powered mill with delicious apple cider, great box lunches
(wonderful pulled pork and homemade pies), a picnic area, extensive
two-story gift shop, and Fly Creek where kids can feed the ducks.
The Fly Creek Cider Mill is rural American business at its best
-- a viable, well-run operation where all employees work hard
to ensure customers have fun and come away with good products.
You simply can't get better cider anywhere else.
288 Goose Street, Fly Creek,
NY , Tel. (607)547-9692
Glimmerglass
Opera The Glimmerglass
Opera, a world class company, attracts 32,000 patrons each season
to its beautiful Alice Busch Opera Theater on Otsego Lake.
Click here for more information (including
how to obtain tickets) and some select calendar of events
P.O. Box 191, Cooperstown,
NY 13326. Tel., (607) 547-2255 Fax: (607) 547-1257. E-mail: tickets@glimmerglass.org.
The Glimmerglass Queen A
great way to experience the wonders of beautiful Otsego Lake,
the roomy, clean Glimmerglass Queen offers spring, summer and
fall boat tours.
Leaves from Lake Front Motel
at Lakefront Park, Fair St., Cooperstown, NY, Tel. (607) 547-8188
Glimmerglass State Park Glimmerglass
State Park, 10 minutes out of Cooperstown Village and at the
other end of Lake Otsego, is a model of how state parks should
be run. Clean, well-maintained and ultimately beautiful, Glimmerglass
State Park has a fine swimming beach in the summer, great cross
country skiing and vast open land to roam any time of the year.
The fresh air is enough to make one want to move instantly to
this region.
PO Box 191; Location: 7300
St Hwy 80, Cooperstown NY, Tel. (607)547-2255
Hyde
Hall Hyde Hall promotional
literature accurately says it all: "Hyde Hall is a stunning
reminder of a bygone American era when families of English aristocracy
established vast estates in the former colonies. The house itself
may well be the finest example of neoclassic country mansions
anywhere in America. Roger Kennedy of the Smithsonian writes
that Hyde Hall is "a great house, architecturally, and a
social document of the first importance." The late former
Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan called Hyde Hall "one of the
most remarkable buildings in America."
PO Box 721; Location: Mill
Road, Cooperstown NY, Tel. (607)547-5098
Leatherstocking
Golf Course Generally regarded as one of the best
public golf courses in the eastern United States, this par 72
course located at the historic Otesaga Hotel offers a challenging
golf experience further enhanced by the stunning views of Lake
Otsego. Golf Digest awarded the Leatherstocking Golf Course four-and-one-half
stars, while Condé Nast Traveler Magazine readers
ranked the Leatherstocking Golf Course as 55th best in the country.
Leatherstocking Golf Course
at the Otesaga Hotel, 60 Lake Street, Cooperstown, NY, Tel.(800)348-6222
National
Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum The National Baseball Hall of Fame and
Museum, one of the great treasures in our country, resides proudly
on Main Street in a stately large, brick building with a new,
inviting outside entrance. The Hall of Fame's mission is to "relive
the history of the National Pastime, through artifacts from historic
records, to the plaques of the game's greatest players in the
Hall of Fame Gallery," according to its literature. Once
inside, that mission comes to life whether it be the incredible
New York Yankees displays, an Abbott and Costello "Who's
on First," movie clip, a wonderful baseball card display,
or, of course, the memorable and historical Hall of Fame where
one can read plaques all day on all the great players inducted
into this illustrious museum.The Hall of Fame and Museum has
a wonderful library and an appealing park area, perfect for a
short stroll or yet another perspective on Otsego Lake. The Hall
of Fame and Museum is a must-see for the baseball fan or anyone
with an interest in history. It is, simply, one of life's great
joys. Click her for National Baseball
Hall of Fame current calendar of events
25 Main Street, Cooperstown
NY, Tel. (888) 425-5633
National
Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum
The modern, spacious,
40,000 sq. ft. National Soccer Hall of Fame and Museum recognizes
and honors the game's legendary inductees and offers interesting
exhibitions that tell the "who, what' when, where, why and
how," of soccer's story in a fun and interactive way. You'll
also experience some great interactive activities including a
miniature playing field, a header cage, a power zone using a
radar device to measure the speed of your soccer ball, and computer
kiosks displaying great soccer moments and testing visitors with
trivia questions. It's incredible fun for soccer fans and...incredible
fun for those who aren't soccer fans!
18 Stadium Dr., Oneonta, NY,
Tel. (607) 432-3351
Sam Smith's Boatyard One of the best ways to enjoy family
fun recreational opportunities on beautiful Otsego Lake is to
spend a day at Sam Smith's Boatyard. Rentals boats -- including
canoes, kayaks, pontoons and fishing boats -- are available to
rent as well as purchasing fishing licenses, fishing poles and
live bait for the terrific fishing at this location. The fun
doesn't end there as Sam Smith's Boatyard also features the Blue
Mingo Grille for an upscale lakeside dinner on the outdoor porch,
or a eat-in or take out lunch. Additionally, the Ship's Store
offers a nice selection of clothing and garden. It's easy to
spend a whole day at Sam Smith's Boatyard -- and then return
again the next day.
6098 State Route 80, Cooperstown,
NY, Tel. (607) 547-2581
For more information on
Cooperstown, NY, view the Cooperstown
Travel Library, Calendar of Events,
Dining and
Lodging sections, and
photo gallery
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