I will be working in Cooperstown from Aug. 15 to Sept. 12. My wife and I live in the Southern region of the US . We have never been north of West Point in New York State. We will have a rental car and plan to travel each weekend. I will also get off work each day @3:30 and would like some thoughts on afternoon trips.
Althought we can not hike much (bad knees) , we enjoy senic drives, shopping, museums and of course all the neat small towns. I would like some advice on a weekend trip from Copperstown to the Adirondacks and also a weekend to the Catskill Mts. Thanks in advance

Lake George and Saratoga. Not short drives but manageable from there.

The finger Lakes region is rich with scenic drives, lake boat tours and wineries, Corning has the Glass Factory museum and tour... Turning Stone Casino for gambling and entertainment, Niagara Falls and Canada are a reasonable drive for a weekend stay... Buffalo for its beautiful Buildings and Lakes... lots to do within 3 to four hours... have fun

The Berkshires would be an easy weekend drive. And in the finger lakes, Ithaca is gorgeous (or as the saying goes, "Ithaca is gorges")

If you're interested in opera, you can catch the end of the season at Glimmerglass Opera, about 8 miles up the lake (Otsego) from Cooperstown.

I second the opera suggestion.

I do not second the Lake George suggestion; it's way to commercial for my taste.

If you'd like to experience the Adirondacks I'd suggest one of these ideas:

Piseco Lake:
http://www.irondequoitinn.com/

Inlet:
http://www.thewoodsinn.com/location/location.html

Both are fairly close to you and will give you the real flavor of the place. Check reviews on Tripadvisor - if you prefer fancy places, they might not do.

Another vote for Glimmerglass Opera House. It is wonderful.

http://sharonspringschamber.com

I see my link preceded my report! I recommend a trip to Sharon Springs not far from Cooperstown. It was once a popular mineral waters spa village and gathering place for Jewish families. Today it is being slowly redeveloped with appeal to some Hasidic folks. You can stroll down the quiet streets and sense a time gone by. We stayed just south of town in the country at Brick House B&B. Also to be mentioned are several museums in Cooperstown such as Fenimore Art Museum and of course Baseball Hall of Fame.

Ozarksbill

Cooperstown also has an interesting farming museum.
Eat at Blue Mingo right on the lake.
Rent a little boat -take a ride on the lake.

Sharon Springs is, indeed, an interesting little town. In the late 19th and the first half of the 20th century, it was a destination for wealthy Jewish families who were not welcome to "take the waters" at Saratoga Springs. Thereafter, it fell into decline, only in the last decade or so having somewhat recovered. Visiting some parts of it is like entering a time warp.

The American Hotel (http://www.americanhotelny.com/index.html) is of particular note, a refurbished gem with a very good dining room. Garth and Doug, the hospitable proprietors, are justifiably proud of the work and resources they invested to save this historic building.

Just across the street is the Black Cat Cafe (http://www.blackcat-ny.com/), a great, eclectic little place for lunch. Vanessa and Tony Daou, the owners, also provide high-quality picnic lunches for Glimmerglass operagoers. She's a great baker.

Another good B&B in Sharon Springs is Edgefield (http://www.edgefieldbb.com/index.html). The proprietor is Daniel Marshall Wood, and his place has been featured in, among other magazines, Architectural Digest.

Thanks as always for all the great info. Sharon Springs looks like a neet afternoon /dinner trip from Cooperstown. The Finger Lakes and Adirondack regions will be weekend trips. The Catskills might be a long Sat. day trip. Cooperstown really has a lot going on for such a small town !

Best dinner in the Cooperstown area: Church and Main in Canajoharie. This little town, the place where Beech-Nut baby food was made for over a century until this year, is also the home of the Arkell Museum, a little gem in a most unlikely place. (http://www.arkellmuseum.org/)

As Burt mentions - the museum in Canajoharie contains some world class art - American art. An unlikely place to find such treasures - but Canajoharie is home to Beech Nut Foods and the president of that company was a passionate collector of great American art. That's his collection. It was formerly housed in the town library - but they have recently built a museum to exhibit this great work. Together with the Fenimore Museum in Cooperstown - these are two great regional museums. The historic Erie Canal also affords some scenic opportunties for boating.

Thanks again for all your help. We go this week and plan to start off with a day trip on Sunday to Wooodstock.