We will be traveling from NYC to Niagara Falls and probably do not want to do the entire 7 hour drive in one day. Any suggestions for an interesting place to stop in between for a night?

Cooperstown NY for the baseball HOF would be a good stop

There's also Watkins Glen State Park for a beautiful hike, or several beautiful stops along the Finger Lakes...

Should you decide to stop in Cooperstown, have a look at The INn by the Mill, a unique lodging. It's in St. Johnsville, about 15 miles north, just off the New York State Thruway, your likely route. We stay there during our annual summer visit to Glimmerglass Opera near Cooperstown. http://innbythemill.com

I too am looking for a stop inbetween Niag Falls and NYC. Thought about either Rochester or Syracuse??? Any suggestions for a day and a night at either place.

Rochester is only 1 hour from the Falls so driving would be heavy on the first day... Syracuse is three hours away but offers little to do... Ithaca, Corning, or the Finger Lakes is ideal for quaint lodging, natural beauty and tour options... its also about half way...

Syracuse has the Everson Museum of Art designed by famous architecht IM Pei: entrance fee is your choice of donation. Everson has a permanent, world class, historical and modern ceramics exhibit in the basement. Liverpool (5 minutes really on Onondaga Lake Parkway) has first the "French Fort" on your right, which is now called St Marie of the Iroquois or something... one minute, literally, past this is Heid's, an old submarine-looking yellow and red hot dog/frank stand that has been in operation on the same corner for 100 years+, across from a fantastic skateboard park, a few blocks further on is the Salt Museum at the gorgeous park on the shores of Onondaga Lake. If it is raining, which often happens in CNY, on your way back into Syracuse, the Carousel Mall has a 100 year old carousel that you and the kids can ride (I was on it last summer with two of my HS buddies and we're 49) for about a dollar.

oh and everyone loves the Dinosaur barbecue, which usually has a good blues band playing outside. Actually Syracuse has a lot to offer, you just have to know where to look.

Windscape, what lodgings and restaurants do you like in Ithaca?
we will also be there for a day and a half.

I'm sorry I am from Liverpool, so I know that area well - I've been back every summer for years. Ithaca... there must be places to stay as it's a college town and most students vacate during summers, but I have no accomodation advice.