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Great day trips from Cooperstown
Article, and photos
(Oneonta, Old Forge) by Eric H.
Cooperstown, N.Y., is one of
America's great vacation destinations, but for those who want
to go beyond this fun and appealing Village while on vacation,
there exists plenty of day trip opportunities.
 One
half hour south of Cooperstown on Route 28 is Oneonta, N.Y.
Home of Hartwick College and the State University of New York
at Oneonta, this small city has a relaxed small-town college
feel with interesting downtown shops, plenty of cafes and full
service restaurants, a Double A minor league baseball team (the
Oneonta Tigers), the National Soccer Hall of Fame and enough
students and professors to make this region a legitimate people
watching area. It also serves as a commercial shopping center
to Cooperstown residents, as everything from Walmart to Home
Depot is located in this appealing city.
Even though Oneonta has the two
colleges, there is a traditional, old-time aura to this town,
situated beautifully in the Catskill Mountains foothills. Oneonta
seems like the perfect place to settle, get to know people, live
in one of the grand but affordable Victorians stately residing
on pretty tree-lined streets, and grow old together. The fresh
air, friendly surroundings and a safe feeling make Oneonta one
of the great small cities of the northeast.
Visit the City
of Oneonta Web Site for more information.
 Old
Forge, N.Y.,
brings back some great memories of childhood. Perhaps that's
why so many adults go there.
What initially
brings us there will forever bring us back. Try, for starters,
the cool, crisp pine-scented air and the sun's chosen destination
to shine most brightly. There are the locally-owned stores, bursting
with pride. The ice cream stands shine their yellow awning lights
at night, and a glorious beach at Fourth Lake glistens, sparkles
and shines, inviting the whole world to swim. To a child, the
fresh water scent competes with the beach's by-products,--sun
tan lotion, and hot dogs and hamburgers, which we initially thought
were inherent, built-in scents at any beach. Here, at Fourth
lake, they are.
The blacktops
perspire profusively lending a tar smell, which confirms Summer.
The perspiration ends later , however, as the mountain air almost
always saves the day with some cooler weather. If not convinced,
some soft serve ice cream can always tip the scales in the right
direction.
A walk down the
main street will probably always be a walk back in time. The
centerpiece, Old Forge Hardware, has everything under one roof
without the backing of a Home Depot corporate mentality. Furniture,
home improvement items, lighting, hardware, books and more suggest
a leisurely afternoon of shopping. Having visited there a few
years ago, I recognized an employee from 30 years ago. He didn't
look much different, suggesting that small-town living and mountain
air preserve the soul. A small market, bank, clothing stores
and real estate offices are ultimately bigger than they look
upon inspection for they are the catalyst which allows those
lucky individuals to remain in Old Forge.
A game of miniature
golf, some broasted chicken at any given restaurant, or just
sitting on a dock bench at Fourth Lake makes one realize that
the true America still does exist in some places. And everywhere
you look, families visiting or living here prescribe, in an almost
spiritual way, to this simpler way of life. The recipe is indeed
simple: stay outdoors as long as you can, breathe in fresh air
and sample bits of wholesome Americana. It is the life that Native
Americans have enjoyed many years here, and the melting pot of
residents and visitors who have come to realize this "comfortable-as-an-old-shoe"
town.
Nights are forever
in Old Forge as the sky opens wide to showcase the myriad stars.
Crickets chirp as do children, knowing that staying up late is
a privilege and might not happen again, soon. Then it's back
to a nice, clean motel room (the Water's Edge, in particular),
waiting eagerly for the next day to begin. And who knows what
that next day will bring? It could be a visit to the Enchanted
Forest theme park with water and amusement rides and circus performances.
Maybe it will be a gentle hike up Bald Mountain, or the more
challenging McCauley Mountain. Perhaps some canoeing or taking
a 28-mile lake cruise will make the day. Or, just having no plans
and soaking up the family-oriented atmopshere will be all it
takes to revitalize the soul.
In fact, one
great thing to do may not seem so big, but ultimately it is:
take a one mile walk from the downtown area to the brick school
building on the outskirts of town, going towards neighboring
Thendara. Stop for a few minutes and study the school. It may
seem like any other school, and that is the point. You went to
school and then moved on, and so did many of the students who
had the fortune to attend a school in such a magical area. What
they have is that Old Forge became, forever, part of their lives.
How powerful that is. It's enough to bring back those strong
childhood memories, and perhaps that is why adults --whether
from the region or having spent their summers here-- do indeed
keep coming back.
Visit the Old
Forge Web Site
for more information
Old Forge,
N.Y., is located on Route 28, two hours north of Cooperstown.
 It's
hard to remember staying in a community for only an hour, and
leaving with a lifetime of memories.
That's the feeling last summer
when I visited my father and uncles in Stockbridge, Mass.,
a popular summertime vacation community in western Massachusetts'
gentle Berkshire Mountains.
At 42-years-old and a lifelong
New Englander, I had never been to Stockbridge. I thought it
might be a good town gone bad-- perhaps, Norman Rockwell's popular
renditions of the lifestyle here had developers transforming
the community in one big souvenir shop.
Nothing could be further from
the truth, and proof that preconceived notions sometimes stink.
Stockbridge represents New England at its best. From the alternatingly
sunny and shady tree-lined streets to the locally-owned, small-town
center , Stockbridge is indeed Norman Rockwell come to life,
but with very little of the overly commercial by-products.
Having lunch at a luncheonette
-- complete with stools and counter -- in an old time market
harkened back to a previous generation. This is not an unusual
feeling in Stockbridge where the pace seems slower and the air
smells sweeter. After lunch, a chance to sit on one of the rocking
chairs at the famed Red Lion Inn porch was everything as advertised.
From the slight elevation, you can seem true America at its best
--the charming little shops, the wide sidewalks and street, kids
riding their bikes, the lovely churches, and the splendid diverse
New England architecture of the town, to name a few. Touring
the Red Lion Inn inside created a mental note to definitely come
back to stay -- this is the blueprint for what people perceive
as a classic New England inn -- lots of wood, dim lighting, antiques,
china, a reserved but friendly staff and a restaurant with lots
of New England fare.
Because of scheduling constraints
-- a nighttime minor league baseball game in nearby urban Pittsfield
and seeing my uncle's nearby lakefront summer home -- I made
the most of short walk back to the car. It was like one of those
awkward moments where you find it hard to say goodbye to someone
you're not going to see for awhile -- you stall and stall and
stall, as you want more meaningful time together. Despite walking
at a normal pace, it seemed like the longest 300 yard walk in
history. Who wants to leave a slice of Americana that is so absent
from America today?
On the ride back home, I though
about what makes Stockbridge so special. I didn't spend time
shopping or visiting myriad tourist attractions. And that is
just the point. Much of the appeal of Stockbridge can be attributed
to just being there. All it takes to become a fan of the town
is to open your eyes and look around. You can feel the spirit
and serenity in just one blink. I plan on blinking many more
times in Stockbridge.
Visit Stockbridge
Chamber of Commerce Web Site for more information.
Stockbridge is about two-plus
hours northeast of Cooperstown, off Route 90 (Exit 1, Massachusetts).
For more information on
Cooperstown, NY, view the Cooperstown
Travel Library, Attractions Resource
Guide, Calendar of Events, Dining and Lodging sections, and photo gallery
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