When to Go

After a long, snowy Northeast winter there's nothing quite like the spring here. The remaining patches of snow are quickly overtaken by early spring flowers, namely the tulip, which is the focus of a weekend-long celebration every Mother's Day. Summer temperatures are mostly moderate, with the exception of a few 90°F days. With the warm weather comes the festival season, when many regional parks stage outdoor concerts and plays. The festivals last through the fall harvest season, when the weather cools and the trees burst with colorful foliage. Late July and August are high points in Saratoga Springs, when the horse-racing season—with its attendant cultural and social activities—is in full swing.

Although the Leatherstocking region draws visitors throughout the year, the most popular time to visit is summer, when antiques hunters are out in full force, seeking treasures in the hundreds of shops scattered throughout Schoharie, Madison, and Broome counties, and baseball enthusiasts converge on Cooperstown, the home of America's favorite pastime. With its apple harvests and spectacular displays of colorful foliage, fall is also a good time to visit. In winter the region sees 100-plus inches of snow. From mid-March to early May the combination of melting snow and spring showers creates what's known as mud season.