You don’t have to travel far to have fun this summer. Cooperstown, Hudson and Glens Falls offer plenty of fun for all ages.
Glens Falls
Distance from Albany: 56 minutes
Also known as “Hometown U.S.A,” this city sits on the southeast corner of Warren County and is surrounded by the town of Queensbury to the north, east and west, and by the Hudson River and Saratoga County to the south. The name Glens Falls was taken from a large waterfall in the Hudson River on the southern border of the historic city. It is home to one of the first paper mills, the Glens Falls Paper Company, which was built in 1864 (it is now known as the International Paper Corporation). The region is also very diversified in manufacturing from medical devices to paper and lumber. With a close proximity to the Adirondacks and a recently revitalized downtown area, there’s a wide-range of things to do here.
What to do
Feeder Canal – This historic canal that feeds water from the Hudson River to the Champlain Canal makes a popular destination for canoeing and kayaking. You can also check out the seven-mile long park/trail along the old canal towpath. Recently named one of 22 National Recreation Trails in the United States.
Overlook Park, end of Richardson Street, Queensbury
For more info: 792.5363; www.feedercanal.com.
Chapman Historical Museum – If you’re interested in learning more about the fascinating history of Glens Falls and its connection to The Adirondacks, check out this museum located across from The Queensbury Hotel. Visit the DeLong house to learn how one family lived during the start of the 20th century or look through images of Lake George and the Adirondacks taken by 19th century photographer Seneca Ray Stoddard.
348 Glen Street, Glens Falls
For more info: 793.2826; www.chapmanmuseum.org.
Charles R. Wood Theater – A 300-seat theater featuring 30,000 square feet of contemporary space rehearsal, reception and meeting space. The recently renovated Wood Theater makes a great venue from traditional to cutting edge works featuring music, theater, dance, comedy and lectures and also meetings and seminars. It also serves as a summer home to the Adirondack Theatre Festival, which offers six weeks of new plays and musicals through July. Can’t get enough of the theater world? The theater will host Woodfest 2009 in August featuring new plays almost every week.
207 Glen Street, Glens Falls
For more info: 798.9663; www.woodtheater.org.
Hyde Museum – Called a “gem of a museum,” by the New York Times, this furnished Florentine Renaissance mansion houses the artistic heritage of the Adirondack Region. It also provides tourists with a distinguished permanent collection of important decorative arts, antique furnishings and works from the Masters of Art such as da Vinci, Rubens, Rembrandt, Picasso, Whistler and Homer. Additional galleries provide for changing world-class exhibitions updated throughout the year. The newest exhibit, Degas & Music, will arrive at the Charles R. Wood Gallery this month. Art lovers, this is one place you won’t want to miss!
161 Warren Street, Glens Falls
For more info: 792.1761; www.hydecollection.org.
Where to stay
The Queensbury Hotel – This full-service, Victorian-style hotel consists of 125 guest rooms equipped with everything you need for a comfortable stay. The historic year-round hotel sits across from the city’s park in downtown Glen Falls and has been often called the town’s centerpiece. The Queensbury Hotel also serves as a great stay to tourists visiting Lake George, Saratoga or the Adirondacks, and they offer great package deals such as the Degas & Music, The Great Golf, or The Great Escape Adventure packages. For breakfast or lunch, dine at The Garden on the Park Restaurant located off the lobby overlooking the City Park. You can also check out the hotel’s indoor pool with Jacuzzi, take advantage of the exercise room or relax with an on-site massage or facial therapy session.
88 Ridge Street, Glens Falls
For more info: 792.1121; www.queensburyhotel.com.
Where to eat
Aimie’s Dinner & A Movie – Perfect for a night of rainy weather, Aimie’s Dinner & A Movie offers you a chance to eat a full meal while watching the newest box office hit a comfortable setting. Choose from their soup of the day or finger-licking appetizers to delectable movie-name pasta dishes like Goodfella’s Alfredo or Don Vito’s Delight served with salad and bread.
190-194 Glen Street, Glens Falls
For more info: 792.8181; www.aimiesdinnerandmovie.com.
Boston Candy Kitchen – You might be thinking, “Candy? As a meal?” But don’t worry, this isn’t your average candy shop; breakfast and lunch are also served. Select from their classic dishes of pancakes and eggs to burgers and club sandwiches. If you have a sweet tooth, discover their world-famous handmade ribbon candy or popular chocolate fudge.
21 Elm Street, Glens Falls
For more info: 792.1069; www.bostoncandykitchen.com.
Davidson Brothers Restaurant & Brewery – If you’re looking for a casual dining experience with a side of fresh micro brews, and great customer service from the owners themselves, look no further! Davidson Brothers Restaurant & Brewery provides your taste buds with soups like Cheddar n’ Stout to club sandwiches and burgers. During the summertime, enjoy your meal outdoors in the “beer garden” or outdoor patio while listening to live local talent Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings.
184 Glen Street, Glens Falls
For more info: 743.9026; www.davidsonbrothers.com.
Hudson
Distance From Albany: 53 minutes
Home to New York State’s oldest volunteer fire department, the city of Hudson is located along the west border of Columbia County. Almost voted the capital of New York State, it was named after the adjacent Hudson River which was named after explorer Henry Hudson. Across from the city of Hudson lies Greene County with the naturally-built sandbar, Middle Ground Flats in between. Hudson was once a busy port city, frequently visited by international traders and whalers carrying whale oil and sealskins. Today, the city has become one of the largest antique centers on the east coast, and is also a popular escape for Manhattanites wanting to escape their hectic lives. The city charms you with well-preserved architecture that makes you feel like you’ve taken a trip back to the 19th century. The best way to enjoy Hudson is leave your car behind and start walking down Warren Street.
What to do
Antiquing – There are so many antique shops on Warren Street, that it’s impossible to name them all. But, one to definitely check out is the Hudson Supermarket, the city’s biggest antique store. Explore 7,000 feet of soaring space that serves as a dynamic market to 12 antique and vintage furniture dealers whose collections vary in styles and eras from ancient to very modern. Their inventories include mid-century Danish, Bohemian, ethnic, global, early American schoolhouse and so much more. The Hudson Supermarket has been a favorite stop for many interior designers, first-time apartment owners or just first-time buyers.
310-312 Warren Street, Hudson
For more info: 822.0028; www.hudsonsupermarket.com
Olana Historic Site – Also known as the Frederic E. Church House, the name “Olana” means “our church on high” in Arabic. This national historic landmark served as a former estate to Hudson River School of painting artist Frederic Edwin Church and is located in the south part of the town of Greenport. The main building at Olana stands as one of the many fascinating architectural masterpieces scattered throughout Hudson with its stone, brick and polychrome-stenciled villa; a mixture of Victorian and Persian styles. It was created by Church for himself, his wife and four children and showcases an artistic landscape featuring gardens, tree-lined drives, a park and a lake. The interior serves as a window into Church’s life and includes furnished and decorated items, 40 paintings created by him and his friends, and intricate stenciling of his global travels. Art lovers from all over flock to this home as it is one of the remaining artists’ homes left in the United States. Olana offers tours of the home and studio throughout the year.
5720 State Route 9G, Hudson
For more info: 828.0135; www.olana.org.
Hudson Opera House – Filled with much of Hudson’s history, the multi-arts center is housed in the former first City Hall of Hudson. It is New York State’s oldest surviving theatre and has been used for everything from traveling lecture presentations and musical and theatrical events to local functions like dances, cotillions, poultry shows and graduations. Four additional spaces have been added on the first floor, as well as the creation of extensive, multi-cultural programming. Explore the history by taking one of the gallery or building tours, or check out one of the many exhibitions like, “Let It Be in Sight of Thee”, a photograph collection of the Hudson River celebrating the Hudson Quadricentennial Celebration this summer. Hudson Opera House also offers various performances, workshops and youth activities year round.
327 Warren Street, Hudson
For more info: 822.1438; www.hudsonoperahouse.org
Where to stay
Ca’Mea Inn: Not only do owners Roy Felcetto and Massimiliano Cenci offer you their finest in cuisine, but they also make sure your stay in Hudson is the best, too! Ca’Mea is a newly renovated, comfortable inn of four guest rooms, each with custom-built bathrooms, two balconies that overlook the garden that connects the Inn to Ca’Mea Ristorante. The Inn is actually an 1800s federal gem that stands across the street from the landmark Hudson Opera House. Neighboring Ca’Mea Ristorante offers you authentic Italian cuisine dining in their garden or you can send up to your room for a relaxing experience. Reservations are highly recommended.
333 Warren Street, Hudson
For more info: 822.0005; www.camearestaurant.com
Where to eat
Ca’Mea Ristorante: An Italian lover’s delight, this restaurant is well-known throughout Hudson for its authentic northern Italian cuisine. Owners Roy Felcetto and Massimilano Cenci take pride in their award-winning dishes that are the freshest in the Hudson Valley region. For appetizers, select from their classics such as smoked salmon, mozzarella with fresh roasted peppers and tomatoes, calamari, mountain cured beef or marinated grilled. For entrees, try one of their freshly-created pasta dishes, their sauted chicken breast with prosciutto spinach and fontina cheese drizzled with marsala wine sauce or their veal scaloppini with eggplant, mozzarella and a little bit of tomato. Ca’Mea also offers freshly-caught seafood dishes like grilled jumbo Mediterranean shrimp marinated with garlic and fresh herbs or select from their Fresh Fish of the Day menu. Whatever your taste buds are in the mood for, the owners aim to satisfy! Reservations are highly recommended.
333 Warren Street, Hudson
For more info: 822.0005; www.camearestaurant.com.
Mexican Radio: Twelve years ago, the famous Mexican restaurant started off as a “jaunty candlelit shoebox” on Mulberry Street in Little Italy in New York City. Today, Mexican Radio has expanded their service to Hudson and boasts award-winning margaritas and home-style Mexican cooking that continues to attract tourists and food lovers from all over. Everyone is raving about their appetizer, Chile Relleno, a classic family recipe, consisting of an oven-roasted poblano pepper stuffed with cheese served on a steaming hot bed of tomato-jalapeno sauce topped with tangy lime crema and pico de gallo. Another favorite that’s even been written about in In Touch Magazine is their Mexican Mac ‘n’ Cheese, chocked with corn, jalapenos, poblanos and much more!
537 Warren Street, Hudson
For more info: 828.7770; www.mexrad.com
DA BA: Different from most restaurants, this Scandanavian-inspired restaurant provides you with a unique dining atmosphere featuring distinctive dishes that explore new ways to experience food. You can try their multi-course tasting menus along with a wine package or begin with an amuse bouche to get an idea what your dining experience will be like. Dishes like Foie Gras Puck, Elk Carapaccio, Golden Whitefish Roe and Herring Trio are sure to whet your appetite. Dive into a Grilled Filet Mignon topped with blueberry vodka sauce and a side of potato puree, fava beans, asparagus and pepper foam. They also have Mahi Mahi drizzled with white wine mussel sauce served with water cress, snow peas and chick peas. For those non-adventourous eaters, they also offer pub fare. The desserts are a whole other story – you’ll have to stop in to see what we mean!
225 Warren Street, Hudson
For more info: 249.4631; www.dabahudson.com
Cooperstown
Distance from Albany: 1 hour and 44 minutes
Home to art, history, opera, and of course, beautiful Lake Otsego, Cooperstown is located in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains and is practically in our own backyard. While the village itself has remained small and true to its roots, this popular summer destination offers a wide array of attractions and activities for visitors young and old. Whether you are a baseball lover eager to recapture the glory days of the sport, or you’re looking for a relaxing weekend by the water or simply want to shop along Main Street, the whole family will surely find something to do in Cooperstown.
Where to do
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum – One of the main attractions for visitors to check out in Cooperstown is, of course, the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Located conveniently on Main Street, the Hall officially opened in 1939 and since then more than 350,000 people make the trip each year to pay tribute to our nation’s favorite pastime. With three floors full of artifacts, photographs and hands-on experiences, fans will lose themselves in the history and nostalgia of baseball and the players who have become sports icons.
25 Main Street, Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.7200;
www.baseballhalloffame.org
The American Baseball Experience/Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum – Never got the chance to see Mickey Mantle or Jackie Robinson in person? Get the next best thing at the Baseball Wax Museum, just down the street from the Hall of Fame. On display you’ll find all of the sport’s biggest stars, with over 40 wax figures. They also have a virtual reality batting cage where you can test your skills, the Baseball Bloopers Movie Theatre where you can relax and enjoy some of the funniest moments in the history of the game, as well as a souvenir shop with one-of-a-kind gifts.
99 Main Street, Cooperstown.
For more info: 607.547.1273;
www.baseballwaxmuseum.com.
Hyde Hall – Not all of the history in Cooperstown is baseball-related, which is evident after taking a tour of Hyde Hall. Designed and constructed between 1817-1834 by George Clark, the neoclassical country mansion is set within Glimmerglass State Park and boasts 50 rooms, a breathtaking view of Lake Otsego and shows how the other half lived between the Revolutionary and Civil wars. Broken up into three parts – the family rooms, the guest or entertaining areas, and the staff quarters – visitors can explore the great rooms, a wine cellar, chapel, and enjoy a picnic on the lawn.
267 Glimmerglass State Park Road, Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.5098; www.hydehall.org.
The Farmer’s Museum – Just a mile from the center of Cooperstown, the Farmer’s Museum is one of the country’s oldest rural history museums. For anyone who’s ever wondered what day-to-day life was like on a farm during the mid-19th century, you’ll find it here, along with live demonstrations and exhibits revealing traditional crafts, medical treatments and tricks to tending to the earth. Don’t worry about the kids being bored either, just lead them over to the Empire State Carousel also on the grounds, which they call a “museum you can ride.”
5775 State Highway 80, Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.1450; www.farmersmuseum.org.
Fenimore Art Museum – Located across the street from the Farmer’s Museum, the Fenimore has been called “a collection any museum in the world should envy,” by the New York Times. The Fenimore Museum sits on the western shore of Otsego Lake housed in a 1930s neo-Georgian styled mansion, bringing to life the heritage and history of America through art. This includes some of the nation’s finest examples of American landscape, history and genre paintings, American folk art and American Indian art. Exhibits added this year include a historical collection, “Bits of Home”, showcasing artifacts from the NYS Historical Association and The Farmers’ Museum, and “America’s Rome”, the first major exhibition on the topic of American artists’ depiction of 19th century Rome.
5798 State Highway 80 (Lake Road), Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.1400; www.fenimoreartmuseum.org.
Shopping on Main Street – The busiest place in the village with the most things to do, Main Street in Cooperstown boasts not only the Baseball Hall of Fame and Double Day Field, but also a surplus of baseball-themed shops. If you’re not into baseball, don’t worry – there are many shops with crafts, home dcor and more. Whether you’re looking for a handmade bat, an autographed ball from your favorite player, or some unique home dcor, you can spend a whole day just going from store to store!
Glimmerglass Opera – A perfect way to end a day of exploring the village is a night of opera at the Glimmerglass. The internationally-acclaimed opera features evening and matinee performances in the summer, with post-performance cast parties, giving you the chance to mingle with the performers. If you are interested in a more in-depth look at the opera, they also offer backstage tours; you can stay after the show to watch how the crew transforms the stage between productions, all while being narrated by a staff member.
18 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.2255; www.glimmerglass.org.
Brewery Ommegang – Housed in a traditional Belgian-styled farmhouse which was formerly a hop farm, the Brewery Ommegang has become America’s most unique microbrewery. Located just five miles south of Cooperstown, they built their business on the philosophy that truly unique ales must be built from the ground up. Each tour includes a complementary tasting of their five award-winning Belgian-style ales. Afterwards, relax with a picnic lunch on their 136 acres.
656 County Highway 33, Cooperstown
For more info: 800.544.1809; www.ommegang.com.
Where to stay
The Inn at Cooperstown – Centrally located to all of the main village attractions, the Inn at Cooperstown was built in 1874 and has continued to offer guests genuine hospitality and clean, comfortable lodging. Each of their 18 rooms are professionally decorated and they even offer adjoining rooms that are perfect for families or friends traveling together. Getaway vacation packages are also available, including a Bed & Brew package with the Brewery Ommegang and the Cooperstown Excellent Bat Making special, where guests can get a VIP tour of the Cooperstown Bat Company and make their own custom bat.
16 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.5756; www.innatcooperstown.com.
Where to eat
Hoffman Lane Bistro – A great place to stop for lunch, the Hoffman Lane Bistro is located right off of Main Street and features fine foods made to order. With a menu including family favorites like meatloaf and grilled cheese, they also cater to the more adventurous with dishes like tuna au poivre and an arugula, beet and orange salad. Stop in and enjoy the food, check out the full bar and enjoy the live music on weekends.
2 Hoffman Lane, Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.7055; www.hoffmanlanebistro.com.
DiMaggio’s Cooperstown Hot Dog and Grill – Nothing goes together better than a day of baseball and fresh, homemade hot dogs. At DiMaggio’s you’ll feel like you are right at the game with their 100 percent beef hot dogs or burgers, New York strip steak sandwiches and authentic Italian ices.
4561 State Highway 28, Milford
For more info: 607.547.5400; www.cooperstownhotdog.com.
The Cooperstown Diner – A perfect reason why you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, the Cooperstown Diner may seem small from the outside, but it sure packs a big taste. How small are they exactly? Well, let’s just say they only have half of an address! This family-owned diner is nestled right on Main Street and offers jumbo half-pound burgers, a variety of sandwiches and lunch plates and breakfast all day.
136-1/2 Main Street, Cooperstown
For more info: 607.547.9201; www.cooperstowndiner.com.