New York & Vermont Trip
 

Flying into Albany and spending a week starting there and making our way north and side to side. Any suggestions on things to see or do around Albany, Lake Placid, Cooperstown, Herkimer, Utica, Western Massachusetts, South of Albany, Burlington-Vermont area, Plattsburgh, and maybe the Montreal area.

Why are you going?

Who are we? Adults only? also kids?

What are your interests?

What time of year?

The "when" is really important here, as several attractions in Western Massachusetts and the Hudson Valley area in NY state have seasonal hours (usually from Memorial Day to Columbus Day).

Have been to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown and if you're a baseball fan, it's a must. There are a couple other attractions in this town as well.

The National Soccer Hall of Fame is in Oneonta, NY, southwest of Cooperstown, if that's of interest.

I'd do a board and/or guidebook search for Montreal (tons of stuff there), as well as for Saratoga Springs and Albany (about a day or two's worth of stuff to see in each city). Definitely tour the state capitol building in Albany, which is one of the finest I've ever seen of its type.

Going up there in May just to go, never been to that area of the country. Two adults that like beer, local stuff, sports, outdoors stuff. We just like to go places we've never been. Sheesh!

Here are my recommendations. With only a week, you definitely need to limit the destinations.

Cooperstown - I did this in a 2 day trip and felt rushed. I am going to go back this summer.
Baseball Hall of Fame - I could spend all day here. I really like it as I am a huge baseball fan.
Ommegang Brewery
Cooperstown Brewery
Car Museum (http://www.classiccarmuseum.org/) - Great Museum. Worth the time.

Western Mass
Mass MoCA
Would say a drive up Mt Greylock but the road may not be open at that point
Clark Art Institute
Norman Rockwell Museum. Just walking around Stockbridge.
Lots of great restaurants depending on where you would stay.

May isn't the best time for this area as weather will be very iffy and as bachslunch pointed out, not everything will be open yet. 1 of my biggest recommendations for Western MA would be Tanglewood for the Boston Symphony Orchestra but it won't be open yet.

jedivader, if you're going after Memorial Day to this region, you'll probably find most all attractions open, and you'll be unlikely to encounter snowy or icy weather. Before then, it's hit or miss on weather, not to mention attractions -- especially for historic houses and small museums, though even larger attractions like the Hancock Shaker Village have seasonal hours. But some things, like the Clark Art Institute are open year round, and a few historic houses like Arrowhead can be seen off-season if you call ahead and make arrangements. In short, it's all over the place on many levels, which is why it's hard to make specific suggestions.

Am thinking your best bet, depending on when you are visiting and what your interests are, is to draw up a wish list of things in the area that interest you and see what's open and what's not when you want to go. There are a lot of possibilities depending on when you're there. And you'll definitely need a car if you plan to cover a lot of ground in this region, as things are pretty spread out.

Will be there 5/21-5/28.

I, of course have all the breweries listed in the areas we will be in. Not a big baseball fan, so I do not think we will be going to the HOF. Is there anything outside of the HOF or anything free we can do there? Just to say we were there.

Anyone done the bobsled experience in Lake Placid?

Here is what I have so far:

Ben & Jerry's
Vermont Teddy Bear Company
Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center
Herkimer Diamonds
USS Slater tour
Howe Caverns
Cooper's Cave
Olympic Facility
ELFS Farm Winery & Cider Mill
Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard
Dakin Farm
Cold Hollow Cider Mill

I always put more on our list than we can actually do but I like to have the info with me in case we do have the time or change our minds about something.

The Ben and Jerry's factory tour is very good -- definitely recommended. Cold Hollow Cider Mill isn't far away and is an enjoyable stop. In between the two is a Cabot Creamery store outpost where you can sample lots of their very good cheeses and such.

Here are some lists of possible attractions in the general region that can be explored further. There's tons of stuff here to choose from and doing a big list would take forever -- hopefully this will provide lots of good ideas. I'm using Frommer's as the attraction lists sit easily on one link, but Fodor's has similar things online in somewhat more spread out fashion:

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...5_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...4_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...3_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...5_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...3_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...2_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...7_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...9_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...175010029.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...6_indattr.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...189010029.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...183010029.html

http://www.frommers.com/destinations...1_indattr.html

Hope this helps.

Any state parks, Vermont or New York, that you would recommend for hiking, scenic views, historical locations, etc.

Has anyone done any of the tours at Howe Caverns?

Or Secret Caverns near Howe?

http://www.secretcaverns.com/

Sorry to keep posting individual questions....

Has anyone done the canopy tour at Smugglers Notch?

Also, does anyone know of any canyoning/canyoneering tours in these areas of NY or VT?

You are covering a big area. Burlington Vermont is a great little city, and there are tons of outdoorsy things to do nearby - hiking Camel's Hump, biking the Burlington waterfront/rail causeway (spectacular), etc. Stowe Vermont is a beautiful ski town with lots going on year round. If you throw Montreal into the mix, you'll open up a whole unique urban environment to explore. This might be too much for a week's stay however.

There is so much to do in Vermont, NH and ME... Here are some notes on your places.

Ben & Jerry's its an ice cream store... with a few things to see... not a big attraction.

Vermont Teddy Bear Company: I enjoyed my tour again.. it should take about 35 mins for the tour. Once you leave there you may want to go to Shelbourne Museum. Its done as an old working town with some fantastic painting from Monet and several other artists.. its a hidden gem.

Green Mountain Coffee Visitor Center: Not much to say about this one...

Herkimer Diamonds: I have not been but I hear it is well worth the trip tos see.


Olympic Facility; Its pretty spread out...and its nice to see but not much really to do other than driving around.

Cold Hollow Cider Mill; another nice tour and quick stop.

Smuggler notch may or may not be open due to the snow still being on the pass... you will need to check with them first.. In Vermont many places are gotten to by dirt road and in the winter they could be used for snow mobile trails... Also your going to be hitting MUD season.. and that can get pretty deep in some of the areas..

Vermont has a web site for the State camp grounds... although many may not be open when you are arriving..

For the Olympic Facility in Lake Placid I would check what days they are running the bobsled, etc. As I recall, they do not run every day, but I could be wrong.

Disagree with Rksue on one issue. Ben and Jerry's in Waterbury VT is absolutely not just an ice cream store -- their main factory is located here. There's a reasonably detailed factory tour, which I found very interesting and informative, plus you get to sample some ice cream afterward. You can of course also buy cones or cartons of ice cream.

If I had to choose only one between B&Js or Cold Hollow Cider Mill, I'd choose the former. But since you don't have to choose, I say do both and visit the large Cabot Cheese store nearby as well.

We did the Howe Caverns tour several years ago. It was neat. You go down in an elevator, walk through the cavern with a guide and then took a boat ride on the river that carved the caverns. If I recall correctly, it is somewhat like Luray Caverns in VA but not as large as Carlsbad in NM.

If you like museums, visit the Shelburn near Burlington, VT.

If you have the time you could go east in Mass as far as the Conn River which is the Pioneer Vally. Rt 2 east as far as Greenfield is a very pretty drive. You'd pass Shelburn Falls (different from the Shelburn in Vt) which is worth a slight detour - cute little town has the Bridge of Flowers (old railroad bridge turned into flower garden, very scenic (http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/120796029) as well as the 'potholes' (interesting rock formations in the river). Then head down to Deerfield which has 'Historic Deerfield', a mile long street of historic houses which is a museum (you pay admission to the houses, but the houses are interspersed with regular houses that people live in, as well as Deerfield Academy.) Just west of Deerield is Conway with a recently restored covered bridge (http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/120796000). And just south of those towns is the 'Five College' Area - the town of Amherst is the center which besides the colleges and just being a classic New England College town has miscellaneous interesting things such as the Emily Dickinson House.

By the way, I live in this area and now, in mid April, the snow is gone and the daffodils are blooming. By the end of May this area of the country (even Vermont) will be beautiful. NOT mud season!

We really liked Howe Caverns, and the little alternative cave nearby (is it Coopers' Cave? I think so. ) One of the better commercial caving experiences.

You might enjoy Hancock Shaker Village in western Ma.