Will be traveling from Niagara thru Finger lakes to Cooperstown. Guidebook showed Herkimer Diamond mines and Howe Caverns as appealing for kids (ours is nine). It's often hard to tell if such places are worth it or just overly touristy - anyone been to either? We'd love to hear comments before we plan to stop. Thanks.

Don't know about the caverns, but I have a cousin who spends almost every weekend mining for Herkimer Diamonds, and I seriously doubt that it would qualify as "overly touristy" if he goes there so regularly. I think your kids would enjoy bringing home some "diamonds" but they might have to work a little.

ttt

Don't know about the Herkimer Diamonds, but when I was a kid, we often went to Howe Caverns on school trips. Think I've been there 3 times. It's a very neat place for a 9 year old for sure!