What a great weekend in Cooperstown (July 24-27)
Jul 30th, 2014, 11:22 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What a great weekend in Cooperstown (July 24-27)
A few weeks ago, a few of us decided to head to Cooperstown for the Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Weekend. This is extremely bad planning as all hotels within distance have been sold out for months...We decided to camp at Gilbert Lake State Park (~15 miles from Cooperstown). Advice: plan very early for anything convenient to Cooperstown - this holds true for most summer weekends (usually have a min 2 or 3 night stay).
We left work at 11 on Thursday morning to drive to the campground (3 hour drive). We got to Troy, NY and decided to have lunch to break up the drive. Based on the recommendation of a co-worker we went to The Ruck for lounch. Great selection of beer and good food. Turns out that it was all Red Sox fans at the bar with the Sox on all TVs! in NY! Really enjoyed this stop and even bought a beer bag (64 oz insulated bag) for my beer for the weekend. Bought Homefront IPA from Left Hand Brewery. Its a Collaborative Beer made from All-American ingredients and brewed with Louisville Sluggers inside the cask. Fits the theme of the weekend. All proceeds from this beer benefit Operation Homefront and Wounded Warriors.
We stopped at Rare Form Brewery which has just opened and really enjoyed their beers. I hope that they do well as their beer was very good.
After these stops, we got back on the road and drove to the campground and set up our tents. Our site was in the back of the park which is normally a quiet spot but there was a road behind us. Not a big deal but there was traffic to be heard.
More later...
We left work at 11 on Thursday morning to drive to the campground (3 hour drive). We got to Troy, NY and decided to have lunch to break up the drive. Based on the recommendation of a co-worker we went to The Ruck for lounch. Great selection of beer and good food. Turns out that it was all Red Sox fans at the bar with the Sox on all TVs! in NY! Really enjoyed this stop and even bought a beer bag (64 oz insulated bag) for my beer for the weekend. Bought Homefront IPA from Left Hand Brewery. Its a Collaborative Beer made from All-American ingredients and brewed with Louisville Sluggers inside the cask. Fits the theme of the weekend. All proceeds from this beer benefit Operation Homefront and Wounded Warriors.
We stopped at Rare Form Brewery which has just opened and really enjoyed their beers. I hope that they do well as their beer was very good.
After these stops, we got back on the road and drove to the campground and set up our tents. Our site was in the back of the park which is normally a quiet spot but there was a road behind us. Not a big deal but there was traffic to be heard.
More later...
Aug 1st, 2014, 10:30 AM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Set in the foothills of the Catskills, Cooperstown is a very picturesque small town of around 8000 people on Lake Otsego.
Every July for 1 weekend, it becomes a town of around 60000 baseball fans! If you are a baseball fan, you need to come to Cooperstown for HOF weekend and brave the massive crowds! It truly is a baseball fan's Disneyland.
We left our Campground at 7:30 Friday morning after cooking breakfast on our grill. Chilly morning as it was 42 degrees that morning! In July...We decided to drive into Cooperstown this day. There is also a trolley line (not real trolleys as they go on the roads) that goes from remote parking lots into the town - cheaper option and recommended for busy weekends.
We found a parking spot in a lot for $25 for the day. As we were walking to the HOF, who should be walking next to us - it was Fergie Jenkins! We got into the HOF as it opened (best time of day to go.
We were unable to do this due to a private event going but if you are among the first in, don't follow the recommendation to head straight to the top floor. Go around the corner and go into the Hall of Plaques. You will have the room to yourself for a little while. It is an amazing sight and very calm. You can almost feel them coming out of the cornfields like in Field of Dreams!
We spent around 3-4 hours here walking around. It is amazing the amount of memorabilia that they have in there that any baseball fan needs to see dating back from the late 1800s to current day stuff. I do wish they would rotate exhibits a little more but its tough! Watched "Who's on First" a few times and laughed uncontrollably. Broke down at some Lou Gehrig exhibits due to my grandfather having suffered from ALS and the friend I was with - his dad has it.
Fergie Jenkins was having a book signing that day so I bought his book "My life from the Cubs to Cooperstown". What a nice guy too as we talked with him for a while.
Once we left the HOF due to the crowds filling in, it was outside to the crowded streets of Cooperstown. Lining the streets are lots of souvenir stores and restaurants. Today though, they were not the attraction - it was the HOFers walking around the town. Ran into Al Kaline first then Tommy Lasorda and Reggie Jackson. Shook hands with Johnny Bench and Jim Rice.
Even Pete Rose was there! Wait, he is not in the HOF but he is always there this weekend. The only thing that bothers me is the price everybody charges for their autograph. Its around $100.
We had lunch at the Doubleday Cafe - near the HOF and good food / beer. We spent a lot of time perusing the shops but not buying a lot (to preserve our wallets). There was a lot I wanted but nothing I needed! I really love Cooperstown and this weekend was extra special. With all the baseball fans there, there was a lot of discussion going on and a lot of fun.
Every July for 1 weekend, it becomes a town of around 60000 baseball fans! If you are a baseball fan, you need to come to Cooperstown for HOF weekend and brave the massive crowds! It truly is a baseball fan's Disneyland.
We left our Campground at 7:30 Friday morning after cooking breakfast on our grill. Chilly morning as it was 42 degrees that morning! In July...We decided to drive into Cooperstown this day. There is also a trolley line (not real trolleys as they go on the roads) that goes from remote parking lots into the town - cheaper option and recommended for busy weekends.
We found a parking spot in a lot for $25 for the day. As we were walking to the HOF, who should be walking next to us - it was Fergie Jenkins! We got into the HOF as it opened (best time of day to go.
We were unable to do this due to a private event going but if you are among the first in, don't follow the recommendation to head straight to the top floor. Go around the corner and go into the Hall of Plaques. You will have the room to yourself for a little while. It is an amazing sight and very calm. You can almost feel them coming out of the cornfields like in Field of Dreams!
We spent around 3-4 hours here walking around. It is amazing the amount of memorabilia that they have in there that any baseball fan needs to see dating back from the late 1800s to current day stuff. I do wish they would rotate exhibits a little more but its tough! Watched "Who's on First" a few times and laughed uncontrollably. Broke down at some Lou Gehrig exhibits due to my grandfather having suffered from ALS and the friend I was with - his dad has it.
Fergie Jenkins was having a book signing that day so I bought his book "My life from the Cubs to Cooperstown". What a nice guy too as we talked with him for a while.
Once we left the HOF due to the crowds filling in, it was outside to the crowded streets of Cooperstown. Lining the streets are lots of souvenir stores and restaurants. Today though, they were not the attraction - it was the HOFers walking around the town. Ran into Al Kaline first then Tommy Lasorda and Reggie Jackson. Shook hands with Johnny Bench and Jim Rice.
Even Pete Rose was there! Wait, he is not in the HOF but he is always there this weekend. The only thing that bothers me is the price everybody charges for their autograph. Its around $100.
We had lunch at the Doubleday Cafe - near the HOF and good food / beer. We spent a lot of time perusing the shops but not buying a lot (to preserve our wallets). There was a lot I wanted but nothing I needed! I really love Cooperstown and this weekend was extra special. With all the baseball fans there, there was a lot of discussion going on and a lot of fun.
Aug 1st, 2014, 10:38 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We spent a few hours walking around Cooperstown and then it was on to Doubleday Field. Its an old time baseball stadium right on Main St that you can just walk in to. Nice place to relax even without a game going plus we were parked near it!
After we left here, we headed to Cooperstown Brewing Company (www.cooperstownbrewing.com) We had been here in the past but found out it was under new ownership after the previous one ran it into the ground. Really enjoyed the tasting here as we sampled all of theirs. I hope that they are able to take off as they had all baseball themed named beers that will fit in well in the area. Leaving here, we stopped at Council Rock Brewpub for appetizers and to try their beer. This is a new restaurant that has just opened but was very good and had a great selection of beer.
After this, we went back to the campground and cooked burgers on the grill and played Sequence by the fire for a while before crashing.
Fun day!
After we left here, we headed to Cooperstown Brewing Company (www.cooperstownbrewing.com) We had been here in the past but found out it was under new ownership after the previous one ran it into the ground. Really enjoyed the tasting here as we sampled all of theirs. I hope that they are able to take off as they had all baseball themed named beers that will fit in well in the area. Leaving here, we stopped at Council Rock Brewpub for appetizers and to try their beer. This is a new restaurant that has just opened but was very good and had a great selection of beer.
After this, we went back to the campground and cooked burgers on the grill and played Sequence by the fire for a while before crashing.
Fun day!
Aug 1st, 2014, 11:06 AM
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 4,365
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We got up a little later the next day and played disc golf that morning at the campground before heading to Brewery Ommegang (www.ommegang.com) for lunch at their cafe and more beer tasting. Had a really good lunch and enjoyed their beers. Inside their cafe, not only do they offer their own beers but have imports from Duvel - their parent company. The brewery is in a 16th Century farmhouse set on a hill with a great view of the region. After this, we parked and took the trolley into Cooperstown for the HOF Parade. We found an ok spot (few people deep across from the HOF) and planted ourselves. Huge crowd for this. Each HOFer is in a different pick up truck in the back. Most of them were interacting with the crowd and having a great time. Whitey Ford got a very loud Whitey chant as he was in the first truck. Cal Ripken got out of his and started signing autographs. I got a ball signed by him! Wade Boggs came over so I got one from him as well! Hank Aaron was walking around but not signing near me. I settled with a handshake from him. An awesome time! But there were some HOFers that sped by without much interaction unfortunately. Nolan Ryan was there for the first time since he got inducted. Once the new inductees started towards us, the Tomahawk Chop broke out! It was great seeing Phillies and Mets fans doing it! Let alone us in Red Sox gear.
I also talked with Greg Maddux after the parade about his time on the Pittsfield Cubs (where I saw him pitch as a kid).
The parade turned into the highlight for the weekend for us as we opted to skip the ceremony on Sunday and headed home. You need to take a trolley to Doubleday Field then a bus from there to the Sports Center where it is held and with that large of a crowd, it would have been insane. Watched it at home. We also got soaked on Sunday morning due to a massive Thunderstorm that came through.
I would highly recommend this for any baseball fan. We have already agreed to go again next year but go Friday through Monday instead so we can go to the ceremony without worrying about getting home.
Biggest tip for anybody going especially over the summer: Plan early and expect heavy crowds. Its a small town but its worth it. There are not a lot of hotels around here so it fills quick due to the HOF and Cooperstown Dream Park (Youth baseball clinic that is an amazing sight too)
I also talked with Greg Maddux after the parade about his time on the Pittsfield Cubs (where I saw him pitch as a kid).
The parade turned into the highlight for the weekend for us as we opted to skip the ceremony on Sunday and headed home. You need to take a trolley to Doubleday Field then a bus from there to the Sports Center where it is held and with that large of a crowd, it would have been insane. Watched it at home. We also got soaked on Sunday morning due to a massive Thunderstorm that came through.
I would highly recommend this for any baseball fan. We have already agreed to go again next year but go Friday through Monday instead so we can go to the ceremony without worrying about getting home.
Biggest tip for anybody going especially over the summer: Plan early and expect heavy crowds. Its a small town but its worth it. There are not a lot of hotels around here so it fills quick due to the HOF and Cooperstown Dream Park (Youth baseball clinic that is an amazing sight too)
Aug 1st, 2014, 11:54 AM
#7
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,477
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Nice report. This reminds me of a trip our family took. We went to Acadia and then driving home, my husband and son thought we should stop in Cooperstown. We pulled into town late Thursday or Friday and stopped at a B&B and asked if they had availability. It just happened to be Induction weekend and everything was booked. The owner of the B&B called around and found us a room. It was great and the B&B was beautiful. We were right across the street from the HOF. My son got a ball signed by Bob Feller--no charge back then.
Aug 3rd, 2014, 05:47 AM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
My sister and I have done two trips to Cooperstown and I just loved it. that is a great area and nearby is Glimmerglass Opera House, the NY State Museum. I"m from Staten Island and I just love this area of NY.
