Fun Places in New York State

This beautiful lake has many wonderful things to enjoy. You can go camping, rent boats, fish, hike, swim, play golf, miniature golf, go on boat tours and lots more during the summer. The Fall brings the beautiful changing leaf colors and the start of hunting season. During the winter, there is ample time for skiing, sledding and snowmobiling. There are other cultural and regional events planned, as well.

The picture shows just one little Adirondack town that flourishes with tourist activity every summer. It was taken by Lawrence Saupe. For more information on planned events, places to stay and directions, visit .

Adirondack Museum

From the website:
"The Adirondack Museum is renowned for the breadth of its collections that include historic artifacts, photographs, archival materials, and fine art documenting the Adirondack region's past. Twenty-two exhibit spaces and galleries tell the stories of the men and women who have lived, worked and played in the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River. The museum includes a research library, publications program, and an active education department that offers special events, classes, symposia, workshops, demonstrations, field trips, and engaging hands-on experiences for thousands of visitors each year."



National Baseball Hall of Fame

Everyone has heard of the Baseball Museum. There are many little shops and activities that make this more than just a one day place to visit.

Old Stone Fort Museum

The Old Stone Fort Museum complex celebrates and preserves the rich, historic legacy of New York's beautiful Schoharie Valley. Buildings include an early 1700's home, 1780's Dutch barn,1830's law office and 1890's one-room school as well as the 1772 stone church that was fortified and attacked by British forces in 1780.

The Shaker Museum and Library

The Shaker Museum and Library is the premier center for the interpretation and exhibition of Shaker life and culture. The collection of the Shaker Museum and Library includes Shaker furniture, woodenware, textiles, tools and equipment, art, photographs, account books, and manuscript diaries. The Library is a unique research library with significant holdings in primary and secondary materials. The Shaker Museum is open to the public on a seasonal basis with popular special events and educationsal programming. The Library is open year-round by appointment. Research in the object collection is available year-round by appointment.

Fort Ticonderoga

The Fort is much more than a restored military fortress. Your visit will include rich and varied offerings including costumed interpreters, 30-minute guided tours, a world class museum, daily musket demonstrations, and self-guided tours of the Fort.


Roaring Brook Nature Center

According to the website, they have eagles and owls, an Indian longhouse, beavers and more. Check it out.



Clock and Watch Museum

Here's the description from the website:
"Step back in time with a visit to the American Clock & Watch Museum in America's great clockmaking town, Bristol, Conn. Hundreds of interesting and beautiful timekeepers will remind you of times past. Discover the finest collection of American manufactured clocks and watches on public display and many foreign ones. Treat your ears as well as your eyes with their ticking, striking and chiming. The museum and its research library are located in the colonial style Miles Lewis house, the historic Ebenezer Barnes wing and the modern Edward Ingraham wing. An authentic early American sundial garden with period flowers and herbs adds seasonal beauty to the grounds."

Old Stone House Museum

This is the first part of the description:
"A private and picturesque Northeast Kingdom village, the museum includes six buildings on fifty five acres. Seemingly untouched by time, this hillside town is centered around a monumental stone schoolhouse and dormitory built in 1834-36 by the Rev. Alexander Twilight, the world's first African American college graduate, and state legislator. The stone house now houses 25 rooms of exhibits focusing on 19th century life in northern Vermont. The collection includes furniture, textiles, photographs, pottery, folk and fine art, and many of the tools and utensils of daily life. The exhibits continue in Twilight's own house, two more historic houses, and two barns."

Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary

Another nice description from the site:
"While walking along Arcadia's five miles of trails, look for signs of white-tailed deer, black bear, otter, beaver, and other interesting creatures. The sanctuary's forest, meadows, marsh, and wetlands are great places to explore at any time of year. Canoe along the river on a summer's night during a program, and you're likely to see an enchanting display of fireflies (check the sanctuary's program schedule to register for canoe programs)."

Petrified Creatures Museum

The Petrified Creatures Museum of Natural History is over 70 years old. The Museum is Chartered by the State of New York Department of Regents as a Museum of Science and Nature.


Natural Stone Bridge and Caves

Sounds like a lot of attractions here:
"The massive stone bridge arch - the LARGEST marble cave entrance in the east - dominates this spectacular display of ancient Adirondack geology from rock over one billion years old. Take a walking stick, map, and camera and set out on a self-guided, above-ground, natural stone step nature trail and experience up-close the many unique rock features, such as potholes, grottos, a gorge and mill site waterfalls. Descend into lighted surface caves with raging waterfalls or tranquil dark pools."

Plus picnicing, fossils, crystals, dino digs, mining, fish feeding and more. The site is pretty informative.


Howe Caverns

I went to Howe Caverns sometime in late elementary school and I thought it was fun. I'll be taking the kids this summer, so it will be interesting to hear what they think of it. There's a boat ride and guides describing the geological features you see, along with tidbits on how caves form. At least that's what I recall from some years ago.

The link takes you to the Photo Gallery, which should give a taste of what there is to see. There's also a video tour on the left side of the site.

Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

Enjoy the trails at Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Here's a description from the website:
"Pleasant Valley's thriving beaver population is one of the many fascinating features of this sanctuary. When you walk along Yokun Brook, take note of the "lodges" of tree branches and mud, where these nocturnal creatures spend their days. Salamander migrations are a major spring event along West Mountain Road. Seven miles of trails that wind through hardwood forest, meadows, wetlands, and along the slopes of Lenox Mountain make this site an excellent location for hiking. Canoe trips are offered regularly on the Housatonic River and area lakes from mid-May through Colombus Day."


Erie Canal Village

I believe that I visited this village when I was a wee lad and I had a great time. Here's the charming blurb from the website:
"Erie Canal Village is an outdoor living history museum. It is a reconstructed 19th century settlement on the site where, on July 4, 1817, the first shovelful of earth was turned for the construction of the original Erie Canal. Relax as our mule drawn Packet Boat plies a section of the enlarged canal giving visitors a taste of early 19th century water travel."

Saratoga Organics

They offer the following good stuff:
Organic fertilizers, Natural pesticides, Horticultural HID lighting systems, Hydroponic hobby systems and Complete hydroponic nutrients and indoor gardening accessories.

Norman Rockwell

This was a very interesting place to visit in Stockbridge, MA. The amount of detail in each of Rockwell's works is astounding, even moreso than you see in prints or in magazine photos. You can take a tour of the exhibition and see his studio which also contains many of the props in the paintings. Also, the town of Stockbridge had many little shops and interesting places to eat.



Cartoon Museum

Here's a nice place to visit that's close to home. This museum has originals by many of the most respected and accomplished cartoonists in the world. Can you believe the Director at first tried to donate his collection of originals but no one wanted them?

The Coffee Planet

Looking for gourmet or specialty coffees and teas? Maybe you want to try something exotic or hard to find like African or Asian coffees...This is the place. They have live music, too.

The Arkell Museum features the Art of Winslow Homer and other exhibitions. This summer, Arkell is showing Fragile Masterpieces of Pastels and Watercolors, Mohawk Valley views and Bartlett Arkell's Art as Marketing Tool. There are tours, workshops and more.

The Wild Center - Natural History Museum of the Adirondacks

"The Adirondacks are unique in the world. Surrounded by people, they house great expanses of nature interspersed with small towns and communities. They can be a model for a future where man and the rest of the natural world find better ways to coexist. This new Museum, dedicated to understanding this rare place, is committed to helping people explore not a small collection, but one that lives and breathes across the entire expanse of the Adirondacks. The Wild Center is science-based, and its experiences, exhibits and programs are designed to open new ways to look into the latest discoveries made by natural scientists. "

Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts

"The mission of the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts is to promote visual and performing arts through programs and services in our region, to serve established professional and aspiring artists, and to serve the region through educational
programs and activities of general interest."

Public Camprgrounds, courtesy of the DEC

The DEC (Dept of Environmental Conservation) operates 52 campgrounds located in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks. DEC campgrounds provide a wide variety of experiences, including island camping, tent and trailer camping, boat launching facilities, hiking trails, beaches and day use areas with picnic tables and grills. You can reserve camping sites well in advance and I'd encourage you to do so in January or February.

You have probably already heard of Saratoga, NY. It is often promoted as a summer gambling getaway, but there are better ways to enjoy Saratoga than that.

Saratoga has a lot of history to enjoy, most notably involving the Revoloutionary War. You can get a taste of it at the Saratoga National Historic Park. There is also the Stillwater Battlefield, the Saratoga Monument and General Schuyler's House.

Besides history, Saratoga has a tradition of enjoying the arts. For example, Yaddo is an artist community. It is described on DiscoverSaratoga.org with this blurb: "The Yaddo Gardens are open daily dawn to dusk, free of charge. A formal rose garden and an informal rock garden feature turn-of-the-century fountains and statues. The Gardens are the only part of the Yaddo estate open to the public. Guided tours offered mid-June through Labor Day for a small fee." On that page, there is a yahoo map available, too.

There are also Museums to visit, featuring history, racing, the arts and more. But that's not all, there are even more museums listed here.

Current events in or near Saratoga are listed on DiscoverSaratoga.org and AboutSaratoga.com. You can search by month, so you'll know what events are going on when you will be in the area. You can also check on Saratoga.com for other events and activities. There are also outdoor parks, golfing and other family fun spots available.

Nearby, in Glens Falls, there are Hot Air Balloon Flights available. You can get contact information, flight schedules, photos and more at this information page.

I've always enjoyed the canals, with their history and beautiful countryside. I found some interesting information that we can all use when planning a getaway (or even a long trip) on the Canal website.

Quoted from their FAQ page: "The New York State Canal System is a navigable 524-mile inland waterway that crosses upstate New York. It forms an extensive transportation network providing intermodal linkages within and beyond the state's borders." The canals pass through 25 counties and 200 villages, varying between 12 to 14 feet deep with 57 locks and 16 lift bridges. Boats can be up to 300 feet long and 43 feet wide - there are also some height restrictions which range from 15 to 21 feet. There is a toll pass you must purchase to use the locks if you wish to travel - it takes about five days to go from Albany to Buffalo. More information on using your boat is available on this page. You can also sign up for the newsletter which will let you know about any important boating information.

All kinds of people visit and travel the four big canal routes from May to November. The site lists "transient boaters, local boaters/anglers, tour boats/cruise boats, hire boat operators/users, and tourists via land." Visitors can enjoy the history, fresh water, community events, special events, travel, attractions, museums, boating and the scenic walking and biking trails. There are even plans for a Water trail which will allow for both day use and travel for kayaks, canoes and other muscle powered watercraft.

Stay up to date on the most recent canal news by visiting News, Notices and Alerts page and boater-specific information is found here. Directions are available on this page. You can also find a vacation scrapbook which will details a five day family trip. Finally, if you want to imagine yourself visiting the canals, put these desktop wallpapers on your computer. (Just between us, I like these images better - at the bottom of the page.)

For those who want leisurely walks and hiking trails, the P&TNY Greenways site has some information for you. There are many, many other hiking trails not shown here but that's okay. There is no one place that lists them all.

I know. Montville is in Connecticut, not New York. Part of the purpose of this Squidoo page is to help you find something interesting to do, especially as a family. So I'm always eyes-wide-open for interesting places to visit and things to do (that are within a few hours drive of New York state.)

That's why The Dinosaur Place stands out to me. There are nature trails with 25 life sized dinosaurs, activities where you dig for gems and fossils, Splashpad, Monty's playground, snacks and ice cream. You can discover more on the Dinosaur Place website.

This is not a place to visit, but this may make it a little easier to find what you are looking for.

There is a business directory at Check It Local.com which allows you to search for places like rollerskating rinks, go kart tracks and more. I learned that there's a local store in my area that sells Civil War memorabilia and supplies for Civil War reenactments. My kids may not think that's neat, but I do.

I also found a place that has bumper cars and a bungy trampoline in the Entertainment category. Lots to do.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the theme parks that you can visit. There is a decent number of them, so I'll mention the biggest ones here.

First off, you may enjoy Six Flags Great Escape in Lake George. Along with rollercoasters, a small exotic animal zoo, rides and a circus; you will also enjoy their Splashwater Kingdom. It's very refreshing on a hot summer day to get splashed, ride the wave pool or get splashed on the water rides like the Desperado Plunge. /www.sixflags.com/greatEscape/index.aspx">You can find out more on the Great Escape website.

If you are looking to cool off, you may want to visit Water Slide World. Their website describes it this way:
"Water Slide World is the #1 water park on the East Coast, with over 35 water slides, attractions and services, including Hurricane Harbor Wave Pool. There is also Water Volleyball in Treasure Island Activity Pool and Slides, SLides, SLIdes, SLIDes, SLIDEs, SLIDES, SLIDES - including Inner Tube Slides, Speed Slides, Sled Slides, Cannonball Slides, and many, many more.
Don't forget that we have 2 toddler pools including Pirate Ship Cove and Aruba Scuba Duba Bay - Where the FUN and the water slides are just the right size for the little ones and also a perfect spot where the toddlers learn to love the water;
Sand Volleyball is one great way to dry off for a moment and make new friends. Then rest up in the Amazon Adventure River Inner Tube Ride or just relax on the Lounge chairs situated around Hurricane Harbor Wave Pool and Treasure Island Activity Pool. Enjoy a cool refreshment from our cafeteria or ice cream parlor."

The Water Slide Website has more images and description than I can fit here, so jump over there and see the list of rides and attractions.

There are several more big parks worth mentioning, but I'm out of time. More later!

This site was the home of the 1980 Winter Olympics and it includes two mountains for skiing along with more winter activities. From the website, it offers this description:
"electric with the energy of the world's greatest athletes and competitions... downhill, nordic, ski jumping, snowboard, bobsled, luge, speed and figure skating, hockey, biathlon (over 500 national and international championships since 1980)... it's simply the most exciting resort experience in America. And you can do a whole lot more than watch. You can ski & ride Whiteface & Gore Mountain, skate the outdoor oval or indoors in the summer, take a bobsled run summer or winter on the 1980 Winter Games track, even learn to ski jump year round. And you'll be wined, dined and pampered in the quintessential Adirondack villages of North Creek and Lake Placid."

Summer or winter, there's lots to see and do.

From the website:
" By 1689, the British and French were the predominate nations in the New World. Wars for land, water passages and trade had been fought between these nations for years on the European continent, spilling over into North America. The final conflict, 1754-1763, is known as the French & Indian War and the Seven Years War.

Sitting atop a small rise, Fort William Henry commanded the southern end of Lake George November 1755 to August 1757. The Fort's history is short but its final tumultuous days have been retold, although inaccurately, in the
"Last of the Mohicans" by James Fennimore Cooper."

There's quite a bit of history there to enjoy. If you go into the brig (or dungeon,) you'll be amazed at how awful it must have been to be a prisoner. There are live musket and cannon demonstrations (see the video below.) There are tours available from authentically dressed guides and beautiful views of Lake George.

I can't guarantee that your visit will be like this, but this is a true story of our last visit to Fort William Henry:

We went there one summer day in 2007 even though there were powerful thunderstorms sweeping through periodically. Thinking we would simply explore the inside parts of the fort while it rained, we paid the entrance fee and went in. Due to the storms, it was pretty deserted.

We saw an authentically dressed Indian Warrior guide who nicely asked if we would be willing to wait a bit. We had about half an hour until the next tour and musket demonstration. Just after, it began to lightning flash to the north east with the wind pushing heavy clouds our way. We browsed around the history exhibits in the building to the right of the fort entrance.

It started to rain, so we ran past the tall flag poles into the heavy log building opposite the entrance. We heard this tremendous boom and waited a few minutes for the rain to subside. There were uniform and costume exhibits in this mostly dark building.

When we emerged back into the daylight, the Indian guide was pale. He had been running water into a bucket from a water spigot beneath the flag poles. Lightning struck one flag pole and it blew the heavy metal ball off the top, complete with the broken pin from the top of the pole. He described the big boom and the flag pole glowing blue along with the tingling in his arms and chest. It was a close call for him and us. We were only fifty feet away at the most.

We and some others from the gift shop made sure he was okay before we left. We had a bit of a jog to get to the car before it started storming again. (There's a handy parking lot immediately next to the fort.) After that, it didn't seem like a good idea to be out in the open. Those flag poles were tall but not that tall.

Obviously, this was not a normal occurrence but I'd suggest you go to the nearby shopping plaza if it thunderstorms. When it is nice out the view of the lake is beautiful and it's even better if you enjoy history.

Even though this is in Windsor Locks, Connecticut it still looks like an interesting place to visit.

I haven't been here yet but I'll make the trip next summer so I'll try to remember to update this at that point. If you like planes you'll find plenty here. The brochure mentions 80 aircraft in three hangars and they recommend one and a half hours to see it all. There are a number of exhibits and even activities set up for kids. They provide a handy calendar of their upcoming events. The admission is pretty reasonable and they are open year round.

I think their website describes it very well:
"Since 1983, Wild Waters Outdoor Center has shared the thrill and excitement of whitewater rafting and kayaking with thousands of our guests. Located in the Adirondack Mountains near Lake George NY, choose between whitewater rafting trips on the Hudson or Sacandaga River. We also offer kayaking programs for those who are interested."

Everyone loves carousels, especially older ones with handcarved animals and decorations. The Herschell Carrousel Factory has quite a history.

From their history page: "A Major Employer in the community, the Allan Herschell Company had a worldwide reputation for quality rides. Carousels from this company were shipped throughout the United States and Canada, as well as to all parts of the world, including South Africa, India, Tahiti and Mexico.

The factory complex %u2026 is one of the last existing complexes in the United States which housed the production of wooden carousels. Allan Herschell purchased the building in 1915 and through the years enlarged it to fit his company's needs. The building contains a large carving shop where 50 to 75 carvers worked, a woodworking shop, a paint shop, a storage area, an upholstery shop, a machine shop and a roundhouse in which carousels were assembled and tested before shipping.

Over the years the Allan Herschell Company expanded its line of amusement park rides and pioneered such concepts as "Kiddieland," a specialized group of rides designed for small children. It also introduced adult thrill rides such as the Twister, the Hurricane, and the Sky Wheel, a double Ferris wheel nearly 90 feet tall%u2026"

There are exhibits, tour guides and two working carousels. You can get directions and more details on the website.

Located in Le Roy, New York; the Jell-O Gallery has a large new exhibit that reflects Bill Cosby's influence over thirty years. Also, listen to entertainers Kate Smith, Jack Benny, Lucile Ball as they promoted the Jell-O product over the radio air waves. See television personalities Andy Griffith and Gomer Pyle along with Bill Cosby as they pitch your favorite dessert, Jell-O.

There are classic recipes, historical trvia and reasonable entrance fees. Sounds like a fun diversion if you were to find yourself near Le Roy, NY. See the website for directions and more information.

The Mabee Farm is not only close to the capital of New York state, but it's also full of interesting history. It was originally a trading post but changed hands and purposes a few times over the years. There are craft fairs, Erie Canal celebrations, workshops (and more!) held there throughout the year. I don't want to spoil any more surprises, but you can discover more on their website.

I'm passing on the news that The Catskill Game Farm seems to have closed. I remember going there when I was very little and having fun.

The next largest zoo is the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Saracuse, NY. The website has mammals, birds, Amphibians and Reptiles and lots more for kids and animal lovers.

You can see some flicker photos here and here.